water culture

[femin9]

hello..I am trying to grow an orchid in water culture .Its been like 4 days for now but it's leaves seem to be really droopy.How long does it ussually need to grow roots?

[Zoi2]

Water culture is usually used when there are NO roots and can take several months. By putting your phal with roots in water culture, you will probably lose the roots you have as they are not tailored for water.
Joann

[femin9]

So if I start water culture I need to let it in water all the time( even after she grew roots) ? She just have 1 root..

[Ray]

When roots grow, they tailor themselves on a cellular level to function optimally in that environment. When you change that environment, as you have done by submerging them in water, they will not function optimally, and will likely suffocate, die, and rot.

If the plant has enough fuel stores, it might have the energy to put out new roots that will be perfect for the water environment.

[femin9]

Hey..my orchid now is growing the last leaf and a new one and I sow that 3 new root try to appear.
Maybe the water culture is suited for her.

[Vanda lover]

I often wonder just how long an orchid can grow this way. I put my epi keikis in water to get the roots growing and they seem happy growing that way. I have always potted them when the roots get long enough though.

[femin9]

I wanted to update the post..my orchid has been in water for 1 month and 2 weeks.
Any suggestion if i should keep it in water after the roots will grow longer?

[Nexogen]

femin9 question:
“Any suggestion if i should keep it in water after the roots will grow longer?”

Ray suggestion:
“When roots grow, they tailor themselves on a cellular level to function optimally in that environment. When you change that environment, as you have done by submerging them in water, they will not function optimally, and will likely suffocate, die, and rot.

If the plant has enough fuel stores, it might have the energy to put out new roots that will be perfect for the water environment."

[RosieC]

If you change it again to something a lot drier then the new roots are not likely to like it, just as the old ones didn't when moving it in to water.

I'm unsure of the long term effectiveness of water culture. Personally if I was going to move them into something else then I would move them into S/H as that way they are still pretty wet. Don't know though as I've never tried water culture either for short term rooting, or for long term (except on Ludisia which is quite different).

[Vanda lover]

My reed stemmed epi did well in water until rooted, but I put them in s/h after that. One of them began to bloom right away.