My Phal experiment - Orchid Board

Roy · #1 05-05-2008, 01:29 AM

I've never been sucessful with Phalaenopsis till I tried this experiment which is a modified version done by a friend who grows a number of Phallys. Its almost a semi-hydro culture be the plant never gets near the water but the roots often do.
The plant is in a 75mm squat pot with a mess type drainage base. It sits in the top of the plastic glass which has 2 holes drilled into the sides about 25mm up from the base. Water stays in the glass like semi-hydro but the distance from the base of the plant pot to the water is about 60mm. See what happened after a month or so. Look at the old leaves and then the new one.

Orchidophile · #2 05-05-2008, 01:39 AM

I'm going to try this! I have some Phal's that aren't doing so great so this may work, thanks Roy.

addictedcountryman · #3 05-05-2008, 02:52 AM

Oh my gosh, I actually did this the other day with my phal and was so proud of myself... looks like someone beat me to the punch

Tindomul · #4 05-05-2008, 10:24 AM

Did the old leaves shrivel up because they had no access to the water until the roots finally grew into it? Or were they shriveled up before you switched it to this system?

Roy · #5 05-05-2008, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tindomul

Did the old leaves shrivel up because they had no access to the water until the roots finally grew into it? Or were they shriveled up before you switched it to this system?

I think the leaf shrivel was due to lack of moisture because of my conditions, for Paphs mainly, I didn't water it enough. If I put it in a moisture holding mix the roots rotted. This way the water in the cup provides humidity constantly keeping the mix moist and not wet plus the water stays warmer. I would think that the plants roots will eventually grow down into the water.

Lene Th. · #6 05-07-2008, 06:55 AM

Hm...this is almost simulare to the environemet that some of my phals live in.
Theyre potted in glas-vases, with dreining in the bottom. Therse also some bigger stones in the bottom to increase the dreining, and ive used medium bark (and some smaller stones) as mix.
But, since the vase is made of glas, theres moist innside from the walls, and the bottom is concave, therefore its always some water in.
(Its not an easy task to explain in a foreign language, expesially when i havent got all the words, sorry!

)

Some pics may make it easyer to understand.

And the phal is also quite healty, and is grooing a spike to *s*

Buds! · #7 05-07-2008, 09:14 AM

Hi Roy,
That is a very interesting way of growing phals.

I like how the medium stays dry until the roots are ready to venture down to the reservoir.

Are you growing in pebble of some sort with charcoal?

All my phals are in straight s/h, they love it!

I am using your method on my vanda seedlings, it seems like a logical choice.

Thanks for sharing.

Buds! · #8 05-07-2008, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lene Th.

Hm...this is almost simulare to the environemet that some of my phals live in.
Theyre potted in glas-vases, with dreining in the bottom. Therse also some bigger stones in the bottom to increase the dreining, and ive used medium bark (and some smaller stones) as mix.
But, since the vase is made of glas, theres moist innside from the walls, and the bottom is concave, therefore its always some water in.
(Its not an easy task to explain in a foreign language, expesially when i havent got all the words, sorry!

)

Hi Lene,
What a nice looking phal!
Thanks for sharing in English.

I am curious in your growing method:
How long have you been growing in the vase? Do you have any problems with the bark decaying/ rotting?
Does your water contain fertilizer?
Cheers,
Buds!

Roy · #9 05-07-2008, 09:50 AM

Buds, the mix is small composted pine bark & scoria.

Lene Th. · #10 05-09-2008, 05:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buds!

Hi Lene,
What a nice looking phal!
Thanks for sharing in English.

I am curious in your growing method:
How long have you been growing in the vase? Do you have any problems with the bark decaying/ rotting?
Does your water contain fertilizer?
Cheers,
Buds!

This phal has been in this pot about seven months, and it hasnt got any problems this far. But i can see that this mabe could be a problem if i water to heavy.
I have two other orchids potted in another way, small plastic pot with only bark, medium and coarse, as mix, but with a glasvase filled with sphag in the bottom outside.
This i repotted only a few weeks ago, but its already started to grow new roots.
A pick.

I water about once a week, depending if it is the phal or the oncidium and how dry it is, and fertilize onze a month.
But then again, i am a newbee, and have not been growing to long...it may still work out the wrong way...