SEVERAL FAILED ATTEMPTS IN S/H.
 

:hello, I hope some tips to help me get success in S / H, I tried several times S / H, but after a week the rot of roots is evident, could be successful in this part of the country, or the weather does not is the most appropriate, I live in northeast philadelphia, PA ... I appreciate all your opinions and advice.

Where are you ordering from? Did you know there's Parkside Orchids near you in Doylestown? Go check them out!

If you haven't already done so, read everything in this link, FIRSTRAYS.

Ray is a member here and the person who developed the S/H method. He operates in Pennsylvania so the problem isn't your geographic location. You may have to adjust temperature and lighting for the plants you are attempting to grow in S/H.

Thank you to reply, i didn't know...im going to check, when i have a opportuinity.

---------- Post added at 11:50 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:46 AM ----------

Hello and thank you for answering, if of course I read all that link, and follow the steps to add some phals in S / H, but after a week the rot of roots is evident, my apartment is very bright, my phals are seated at a window, looking southwest, the temperature varies between 72 and 78 F and humidity is between 25% and 45%, maybe my problem is moisture, my apartment is very dry, my phals are on a tray with stones to provide more humidity, my medium is only HYDROTON, this medium works very well for me and I have under control the watering, now is very dry and I have to water them like 2 times a week in summer only 1 time, they look happy, try sphagnun moss and bark but did not work for me, maintained high moisture ...:roll:
I have 2 in rebloom...:biggrin:

Perhaps a picture of your set up will help us determine the problem. Existing roots will rot in transition so it is important to plant the Phals when new roots are developing. The new roots should adapt to S/H.

I can't grow Phals in S/H but other members have. The problem may be the evaporative cooling of the LECA. If your ambient temperature is 72°-78°F, it may be too cool with the the evaporative cooling. If you want to continue trying, place a seedling heat mat under them.

I also wonder about the drying. How deep is the reservoir?

Hope other members reply with their experience as I don't grow my Phals this way.

Good luck!

Thanks for your interest in helping me find out where I'm wrong ... I have understood that the water reservoir has to be about 1 inch and the water must be maintained at all times or should I let it evaporate completely, in my case in 4 days evaporates and in my last attempt I used a heat mat, but as I saw in my miniphal with excellent roots began to deteriorate remove the S / H, now looks better on hydroton, prior attempt rescue phals with a few roots and rotten continued, are now recovering in hydroton as a growing medium ..., I've tried everything the link FIRST RAYS says, but I can not be succeed, I'll try to post photos soon, thanks anyway for your tips:D

I have several genera in S/H in NY state so my conditions are probably similar to yours in Pa. I find that the phals in S/H on my windowsill, southeast exposure, need to be watered every 2-3 days. In winter the RH in the house is 30-40% and the hydroton dries out quickly. You should not let the reservoir dry out.
In summer I put them outside and water them pretty much every day with a hose. Phals naturally grow in a very humid area so don't be afraid to water them more often in S/H. With all the air pockets in between the hydroton it's almost impossible to overwater.
I also have phals in a grow tent where the humidity is 60-70% and those need water every 4-5 days.
I think you just need to water a little more frequently.

Bill

I developed the technique, and am probably no more than 20 miles from you in Doylestown (Parkside is in Ottsville, by the way). Granted, I am growing in a greenhouse, so that certainly affects the overall conditions, but based upon your post, I think you have missed a basic concept of plant growth, that applies universally, but especially so with a change to S/H culture, and are not considering the interrelation between culture and environment.

When roots grow, they "tailor" themselves on a cellular level to the environment they are growing in, so they can function optimally. Once the cells have grown, they cannot change.

Move them into a different environment, and those roots are no longer ideal for the environment, so the plant will need to grow new roots that are optimized. The greater the difference between old- and new environments, the faster you can expect the old ones to die and decompose. That's why the best time to move a plant into a new set of root zone conditions is right when brand new roots are emerging from the plant's base. Those new roots will grow optimized for the environment, and sustain the plant as the old roots fail.

Then there is how the conditions in the pot interact with the conditions around it. It's cold and dry this time of year. The "dry" part means that any source of water present will be pressed hard to evaporate. The openness of the LECA medium used in S/H culture means there is plenty of air flow around the roots - a great thing - but that also means it's much easier for the water to evaporate than it is from more traditional media. Faster evaporation means significant evaporative cooling, and that can be a bad thing, especially to plants that prefer to be very warm, like phalaenopsis.

That's not an issue in my greenhouse, as my %RH is kept quite high, greatly reducing evaporation and the related cooling.

Hello and thank you for answering me Ray, I see what is my mistake, seeing that good roots deteriorate after a week to 10 days I take off the plant of S / H and let dry well, ... I gonna try again and I'll change it when the plant is beginning of new roots, and I will not worry as much for the loss of old roots, and will put on a heat mat, spring approaches that will help me a lot, I hope have more luck this time, thank you very much...:roll:

Lorena

---------- Post added at 11:11 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:06 AM ----------

Hello Bill, thanks for sharing your experiences growing phals with me , the weather are similar, may be your winters and summers are hardest?, if you can grow in S / H, I can do that too ... thanks to reply me...:)

Looks like you have a lot of good advice re S/H. If it's any help, I live in frigid Montana and most of my "windowsill" orchids are in S/H - Phals, Catts, Den, Oncs, Paph, Zygo, Potinara. The Maxillaria tenuifolia and Den. anosmum are in full bloom now, with wonderful fragrance, and they are all thriving in S/H. I do have a portable humidifier that keeps the RH around 50-60% which is good for the orchs and me :)

Hi, I'm very happy since early April I have put a phal in S / H was with few roots but strong and had a root small off since then phal has responded very well, has released two roots more, I hope I follow as well, only lost 2 leaves I think it is normal, I have to upload pictures ... thank you all for your advice...:biggrin:

I put some pictures about my first phal in S/H...has new roots and new leaf...im happy:D

It is good you are having some success with S/H now! Congrats! But I can't help wondering if all the extra holes on your container are reducing the wicking efficacy of the LECA? Just a thought...

Thank you very much for your observation, extra holes were made ​​to improve the circulation of air through the roots, at first time had no extra holes but I was afraid about excess moisture (I dont want mold, roots rot), do you advise me the phal would be much better without the extra holes???:roll:

My temperatures are around 72-82 and humidity around 50%-65%.

With those holes in the pot - as opposed to just two of them to set the reservoir size - what you've got is more "traditional culture in an inert medium", than semi-hydroponics.

Corsetière is right to express that concern. Think of it this way: there are two, opposing processes going on, the wicking of water upward to keep the LECA moist, and evaporation, drying it out. The wicking is a fixed rate, determined by the properties of the LECA, but by adding the extra holes, you have accelerated the evaporation rate.

You need not worry about air flow around the roots, as the LECA itself is so much more "open" than any other medium, it'll not be an issue.

Having said all of that, the plant does seem to be doing well, and with the summer temperatures and humidity on their way, it'll probably thrive.

You have a happy Phal! The new roots/leaf are telling you it's doing fine. You may have to water more often with the extra air holes, otherwise it doesn't make a difference. My 'chids that like to dry out between waterings are in PrimeAgra LECA with coconut fiber in baskets or plastic pots with drain holes like yours with fewer holes. I have a Paph that thrives in S/H too (pics attached, I hope). Its air pot is nestled inside another container that has no holes to enhance humidity but still allow extra airflow. The moss on top is an an indication that the center retains moisture longer. LECA is amazing stuff!

If it is doing well, maybe just leave it? But you might try another orchid planted without the holes. I think it would benefit from more moisture this way.

Ray is right, after the initial adjustment period, the roots will adapt and not rot. :)

re: failed s/h attempts
 

Hi-

I tried s/h after reading First Rays' s/h faq on his website and have had pretty good luck so far. I have a large epicatt Siam Jade and a few phals in s/h that spiked first time ever!

However, that being said, my paphs failed miserably and my phal Belina had to go back into coarse bark!

From what I understand, sometimes roots will rot and new roots that suit the s/h environment grow...that is what happened with my epicatt.

Too, watching for salt build up on the leca and on roots is important when planting s/h.

In my final analysis, I have found that not all my phals like s/h and none of my paphs do...I do (surprisingly) have an angrecoid in s/h and it loves it!

Go figure.

Cheers!
Neo

Yes, I did it, I put another phal planted without holes...thank you for your advice.

Well, the question is always- what KIND of s/h environment- one that allows the leca to dry out between waterings or one that maintains a consistently moist environment? My Paph thrives in leca (pics above in earlier post) because I maintain a higher water level in the reservoir. It's up to the grower to decide how much water there is to be wicked by the leca depending upon the orchid's needs. My Paph would die in leca if it was in a lower water reservoir container that I use for Catts, Dens, BLCs.

Hello again :(, I watering my phal in S / H with fertilizer this past Sunday, then note that the root that was heading towards the water reservoir the green tip became a little black , then today when I got home take off carefully because it has like 5 new roots growing fast but this is the longest ( new root) and the growth is stopped and black around the tip , which can be ? ? .
I need advice from experienced people , and also note at the base of phal ones red-orange color littLe balls half millimeter or less in diameter approximately , I am very scared, what are the little balls??? .
My regimen fertilization is: every sundays watering with fertilizer as I do that I have to bark for 20-30 minutes , let drain the water and just leave a little in the reservoir, in a previous watering I used kelpmax is the only different thing I did, I always use better gro 20-14-13 and only 1 drop superthive, when I use superthrive don't use kelpmax. One time in the month I use kelpmax, every 2 week I let to fhush water, and use tap water, never have problem...
I dont understand what happened?, and I want to know what are the little balls?...After checked I put the phal for ten minutes in water with physan 20 and put back in S/H...I hope so the pictures help..., I greatly appreciate answers...:blushing:

I bet your fertilizer is 10 times stronger than it should be. Black root tips are a sign of chemical damage. Use the calculator on Ray's site to figure out how much to use for 20 ppm N. You'll be surprised how little you need - and how much you've been using.

:helloThank you so much, im gonna check Ray's site now, thanks again...LORENA:biggrin: