What is your worst task or repot experience?

[Dusty Ol' Man]

Originally Posted by Mountaineer370

My Phals have all grown enough that many of them are now outgrowing their six-inch slotted plastic pots. It is difficult to find slotted plastic pots in larger sizes, so I'm either going to have to really hunt around the internet and hope I can find some, or find something else to pot them in next time around.

Also, one of the down sides of using pots with lots of slots or holes is that the roots grow freely through them, so I always have to carefully cut the plastic pot off in an effort to not harm any roots. Inevitably, I will damage a couple in the process.

Finally, I have no other place to repot plants except at my kitchen sink/counter, and of course it always makes a mess requiring a lot of clean-up afterwards. Wish I had something like a potting shed or at least a potting bench in the garage!

In my garage I have a pair of saw horses with a sheet of plywood laid across them. It serves as a work table that can disappear when not needed. Just an idea for you.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by rbarata

My worst task is to water all my plants before I go on holidays...and find someone willing to accept all the different requirements of each plant...and act according my instructions.

Not that it’s an easy task, but you might start figuring out how to adjust your individual plants’ containers and media so that they can all be treated the same. Not only does that simplify your plants sitter’s job, it gives you more peace of mind while away, and simplifies your own care, as well.

My small collection now consists of plants in S/H, and plants in LECA/Rock Wool mixes of varying ratios. When I go away, they get watered on the deck using a lawn sprinkler and timer, every other day.

[Clawhammer]

I employ a "dot system" for watering. I have waterproof colored dot stickers:

Green - Every day
Red - Every other day
Yellow - Every 3 days
Orange - Every 4 days
Blue - Every 5 days
Black - Every week

I have a dot on all my trays, and sometimes on particular plants if they deviate from the rest of the plants on the tray. I set my google calendar to tell me (or my caretaker) which colors to water each day. During the winter I just add a day to each dot to decrease water. I couldn't handle 500 plants or going on vacation without this in place..

Today is green-red-orange, need to get to watering!

[nemesis]

Wow is that an excellent idea, Claw! I have left lists for my caretakers and every time I get home, I have a mess. My collection is small, but they(my sons) never care for them as I would. Leaving is also my least favorite part of orchid growing.

[Diane56Victor]

Originally Posted by Mountaineer370

My Phals have all grown enough that many of them are now outgrowing their six-inch slotted plastic pots. It is difficult to find slotted plastic pots in larger sizes, so I'm either going to have to really hunt around the internet and hope I can find some, or find something else to pot them in next time round.

I make my own holey pots using a soldering iron.
Must admit I've never tried making slots in the pots but that might work for you.
A soldering iron can be quite cheap, I bought my last one for about $20

[rbarata]

It happened again...tomorrow I'll leave for the weekend...only two days but temps are still higher than 40ºC so I had to spend 2 hrs watering everything.

[thespookyasparagus]

Originally Posted by Clawhammer

I employ a "dot system" for watering. I have waterproof colored dot stickers:

Green - Every day
Red - Every other day
Yellow - Every 3 days
Orange - Every 4 days
Blue - Every 5 days
Black - Every week

I have a dot on all my trays, and sometimes on particular plants if they deviate from the rest of the plants on the tray. I set my google calendar to tell me (or my caretaker) which colors to water each day. During the winter I just add a day to each dot to decrease water. I couldn't handle 500 plants or going on vacation without this in place..

Today is green-red-orange, need to get to watering!

Here I thought I was the only one! We also use the dot system for when we will be away.

The only complication is that there are a few tiny mounted things and monsters like our Trichoceros that don't have any place for the dots.

[SADE2020]

Originally Posted by Ray

Not that it’s an easy task, but you might start figuring out how to adjust your individual plants’ containers and media so that they can all be treated the same. Not only does that simplify your plants sitter’s job, it gives you more peace of mind while away, and simplifies your own care, as well.

My small collection now consists of plants in S/H, and plants in LECA/Rock Wool mixes of varying ratios. When I go away, they get watered on the deck using a lawn sprinkler and timer, every other day.

Is that upside down or something?

I agreed on 1 setup for the same watering, but I am still dealing with various cultures at the time.

---------- Post added at 01:07 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:05 AM ----------

Originally Posted by Clawhammer

I employ a "dot system" for watering. I have waterproof colored dot stickers:

Green - Every day
Red - Every other day
Yellow - Every 3 days
Orange - Every 4 days
Blue - Every 5 days
Black - Every week

I have a dot on all my trays, and sometimes on particular plants if they deviate from the rest of the plants on the tray. I set my google calendar to tell me (or my caretaker) which colors to water each day. During the winter I just add a day to each dot to decrease water. I couldn't handle 500 plants or going on vacation without this in place..

Today is green-red-orange, need to get to watering!

This is clever!!!!

[Fairorchids]

2020: All shows from March onwards cancelled due to Covid. My 'other' business (home repairs) has no activity for the first 90 days. Then it takes off, and due to no orchid income, I spend 4-5 days a week away from the greenhouse. This allows me to water twice a week, but not much other work gets done.

2021: We only get 1 show in (Massachusetts in October). The rest of the year, only watering gets done.

2022: A few shows in March/April, but:

• My wife is diagnosed with breast cancer in January (stage 3/4), so I take her to chemo one day each week.
• We sold our house (downsizing), and due to my wife's condition, I had to do all the packing.
• I was diagnosed with kidney cancer (successfull operation on 6/30), but not allowed to lift anything for 4-5 weeks.

Net result: I am 2+ years behind on repotting & weeding, with 2100 SqFt (195 m2) of orchids in dire need of both.

[nemesis]

Kim, I am so sorry to hear of all of your hardships. Be strong, fight! There are a lot of us that will be praying for you.
Kelly