Phal experiment: Laziness Explored
As we can see from the many different ways that orchids are raised I figured I would post the results to my experiment regarding drainage... And to see just how much a phal can handle.
It started as a Just Add Ice orchid. It was packed with sphagnum, and I watered it at first with the ice method. It worked ok for a month or so and then I realized that all of the dimples on the leaves were due to mites. So I sprayed and soaked the plant in rubbing alcohol and oil soap. I did this daily for 2 weeks. After the oil soap mixture was applied, I would then run tap water into the pot.
However, seeing as it was a just add ice orchid, the pot had no drainage hole, and so to drain it I had to turn it upside down.
After it was finished blooming I went to repot him. But i had no more saucers for it to sit on and so I repotted it back into the same no drainage pot. He had about three viable roots at this point. At least I had some bark.
I ended up repotting him back into this pot two more times as his air roots got long. My watering method was once every three weeks, I soaked him for five minutes and then held the pot upside down until the water stopped pouring out. I should also note that the pot was made of plastic and so there was most likely very little air circulation and it was far too large, initially.
Anyhow, the experiment is over. He has been moved to a terra cotta pot because I became convinced that he wouldn't be happy forever. Here is a pic of the roots last night while i was transplanting him.
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