Watering issues
 

Hi Everyone
I haven't been around for awhile, spring is super busy for the orchids and the outside plants too. I have been trying to find some way to make watering a little easier than having to haul 75 orchids to the sink, it takes about 5 hours! Summer will be a little easier with many being outside, but the problem returns in fall/winter. I have a small battery operated sprayer (can't get any larger due to weakness from a stupid medical condition) I thought about 1 of those hoses that you hook up to a sink, of course I have 1 of those fancy-smancey faucets it won't fit on, and then theres the issue of where the water drains in to, I use a bucket now, but it cant be too heavy or I wont be able to carry it. I was thinking of thinning out my collection, but when I see a bloom like the 1 in the attached photo (a noid oncidium) it just makes me want to get MORE! Anyone have any ideas?

noid oncidium
 

another of my rescues...

I have a 5 gallon tub sitting on the orchid table on a heating mat so the water does not get too cold. then I use a glass to pour water through the pot or dip the orchid in. like this guy since iti s so wide Amazon.com: Tubtrugs SP26YF Flexible Yellow Medium 26 Liter/6.9 Gallon Capacity: Home Improvement

I do take then to the sink to soak them occasionally. Most of the time I use a kitty litter jug of rain water or filtered water with additives or not, I put a rack, like a baking rack, on a tub trug like fooferdoggie described. I set the plants on the rack and water into the tub. Then I use that run off water in a watering can to water my houseplants and outside containers. That way I'm not carrying 100 plants to the sink.

Another Orchid board member, katrina, has a system that is set up with trays and drains. I can't recall her exact set-up, but maybe you can ask her? She has posted about it before, either on OB or another Orchid forum.

I also use a pump sprayer for winter watering. During winter I stick with collected rain water and very rarely fertilize, reducing the need for flushing salts out of the pots. I apply just enough water to see a little run through the bottom of the pots.

I like the rack idea. I have a hook to have the mounted ones above the tub.

By the way, lotusflower, I think that might be a Wilsonara. You would be amazed at how much your other plants love leftover orchid run off!

Similar to Catatante Pacific Sun Spots. May not be exactly that, but the care is the same as Wilsonara.

Thanks
 

Wow, thanks for all the great ideas! I've always watered all my orchids for at least a minute, somewhere I read about orchids needing deep watering? So it's okay to just water until you see it coming out of the drainage holes? I'm not sure about using runoff water from 1 orchid to another, just like you should'nt soak multiple orchids in the same bucket in case of spreading potential disease?? Or mabe I worry too much?
Oh, I do think that noid orchid may be a wilsonara too. I have several, and all are heavy bloomers also. These rescues just amaze me, what can come out of 1 measly wrinkled pseudobulb, shows how resilient these plants are.

Barbara

I'm not suggesting you recycle it to other orchids. I water each plant until the water runs through and into the bucket below. Each orchid gets fresh water, then the used water waters my other plants.