Quote:
Originally Posted by jkofferdahl
Unfortunately this isn't doing much at all for the humidity but it's soaking the roots, allowing them to develop rot. Sphagnum can seem dry at the top yet when a layer of water is underneath it wicks it right up and into the roots. By using your method, unfortunately, your plant is never going to grow healthy roots. So you've essentially just described exactly what's causing the problem for your orchid. I would worry a lot less about humidity and focus on allowing the roots some dryness. If you've not punched a whole bunch of holes in the bottom of the container the plant is in then the problem is going to persist. Soak the sphagnum when it's completely dry, allowing the water to run through the holes in the bottom. Believe me, the sphagnum will still get plenty wet, but once the water stops running through, air will begin to find it's way in to the roots, and the sphagnum will begin to slowly dry. LET IT. As Carol pointed out, this particular type of orchid is averse to too much wet.
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I'm not too sure if you understood how my setup works-let me try to explain it again
So when I moved the keiki into its current plastic container, I took an empty strawberry box, (kind of like this, including the holes at the bottom)
washed it out, filled with some sphag that had been soaked for a couple hours, then set the keiki in. I then put the container in a black plastic take-out tray. When ever the moss dries out, I pour a little water in the tray and let the sphagnum wick up the water. I then leave whatever's left over in the tray itself to evaporate.
Should I continue watering this way? I pour just enough water (into the black tray) so that the water barely touches the sphagnum.
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