Best Shelving Configuration? Show off your Shelves!

[WaterWitchin]

Well, I find this all interesting. I've never had a virus (that I know of). I started lurking on OB around 2004 or '05. And spend a ton of time just reading and "listening." Finally joined up in 2011. A couple or so years in, after all the "don't share water" comments, I decided I'd better follow suit. So I got rid of the two "walls" where I had vertically put orchids, and established trays on each shelf so they wouldn't drip on the ones below. I also used to soak orchids in the sink (back in the day when I didn't have as many) and they were certainly sharing water.

Then I got to the point of "party line" where I was saying the same thing... Oh, don't let water from one orchid and another orchid coincide. Now I'm hearing the opposite. So is this something where we're saying this to beginners as a "best practice." Which also appears to be the ol' Do as I say, Not as I do thing? Hmmmmmm....

Seems like 50 years of raising plants, and 25 or so raising orchids, I never cease to be amazed by something. Today, I'm feeling amazed.

[DirtyCoconuts]

well i came from the other side of gardening where you try to water the tree so it runs on the bush and down to the ground vines in one pass.

if i could have never been told that ( 120 times) i would have all my plants in a giant sluice and just pour water in one end lol

[WaterWitchin]

Yup. Same way I was raised. Use that water five times if possible. Hard to believe you can be so young and still get it.

[Roberta]

A thought on "don't share water" and "drips" ... While there aren't a lot of controlled studies, I think that it is reasonable that contact time is a factor. And that virus spread is more likely if plants are exchanging "juices" from broken tissue than from brief encounters. So... if a plant is soaked in a closed container of water for some period of time, any breaks in roots or plant tissue are likely to transfer juices - and whatever is in them - to the water. If another plant is then soaked in the same water for some period of time, it has lots of time to soak up whatever is in the water (either through its roots or from breaks in its own tissue) By contrast, if plants are watered from overhead, and they drip, that water has a much shorter contact time (and is going to be further diluted if more water is applied) So, is it reasonable to think that perhaps "the dose makes the poison"? I suggest that people are less likely to get sick passing through a room where other people have breathed, but which has good air circulation, than they would sharing utensils (or even worse and really gross, used tissues).

[Spearperson]

Seems like a reasonable conclusion to me. I always keep vandas in the rafters anyways and there is no way to water them without watering everything below.

On that note, show off your benches everyone. Ideas/inspirations/what went right what you wish you hadn’t done. It’s all useful knowledge.

[WaterWitchin]

Originally Posted by Roberta

A thought on "don't share water" and "drips" ... While there aren't a lot of controlled studies, I think that it is reasonable that contact time is a factor. And that virus spread is more likely if plants are exchanging "juices" from broken tissue than from brief encounters. So... if a plant is soaked in a closed container of water for some period of time, any breaks in roots or plant tissue are likely to transfer juices - and whatever is in them - to the water. If another plant is then soaked in the same water for some period of time, it has lots of time to soak up whatever is in the water (either through its roots or from breaks in its own tissue) By contrast, if plants are watered from overhead, and they drip, that water has a much shorter contact time (and is going to be further diluted if more water is applied) So, is it reasonable to think that perhaps "the dose makes the poison"? I suggest that people are less likely to get sick passing through a room where other people have breathed, but which has good air circulation, than they would sharing utensils (or even worse and really gross, used tissues).

Exquisitely put, Roberta. You are a much more knowledgeable grower than am I. And it explains telling beginners not to soak. Meanwhile, I may have to find that bamboo "wall" and prep it for next winter.

And yes, GROSS to sharing a used tissue. I occasionally will share a utensil with my beloved. After that... Even if one's swapping spit, we all have limits.

[Spearperson]

Do you like the tiered stands better than single deep bench? I like how they look but wonder at their efficiency.

Originally Posted by DirtyCoconuts

i fly in the face of that advice because i value the premium of space....

i have not had an issue and i don't use the drip as the WAY i water the lower plants but it drips....i try to stagger them on the offset so that it is minimized but....

I use the probiotics, i have great airflow, i give to charity.....

shrug

---------- Post added at 12:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:25 PM ----------

oh, here are some other examples of the tiered stand

this is from ebay
Neighborhood by J Solo, on Flickr


and the roll Royce are these and the Bactra ones.

Funnels by J Solo, on Flickr

[WaterWitchin]

Originally Posted by Spearperson

Seems like a reasonable conclusion to me. I always keep vandas in the rafters anyways and there is no way to water them without watering everything below.

On that note, show off your benches everyone. Ideas/inspirations/what went right what you wish you hadn’t done. It’s all useful knowledge.

Benches, shelving... mine are all just... not that special. But will attempt to take a couple of pics if I can remember the thought tomorrow. The only thing I can think of for now that I regret... A really cool bamboo vertical wall I quit using.

[DirtyCoconuts]

Well, those are my house so I like the tier option. Lol. For me it is a lot more efficient because I can access my plants all equally as opposed to the few tables I have where I have to be a lot more careful with the wand and just can’t access the rear ones as well

[WaterWitchin]

I'm still dwelling on the water dripping issue, but I'll move on so as not to hijack. I've never used tiered shelving, but may need to give it a try. I have some plastic shelving outside that I retrofitted the legs in between with varying heights of PVC so I had some more "tall" areas for plants. I see an experiment coming up... and possibly stealing one of our step ladders for awhile. I'll get out in a bit and take a picture of the shelving....