I have to thank Ray for this. I honestly think that if I don't use this method to make money but to teach others how to grow orchids well and acknowledge Ray as the inventor of this method, I am not guilty of any copyright infringements.
I read Ray's article when I was still a member of that other forum. I followed the principles but not necessarily its dynamics. I got a warning message from Ray about growing Vandacious orchids on S/H, but I did it anyways and was successful on some but not my Vanda Pachara Delight who likes to grow roots outside of the pot and since it is fast in growing large thick roots; I had to just hang it free and bare root (see my latest thread post on this)
This is a step by step illustration by pictures of my S/H method of growing some of my orchids particularly Mokaras, Vandas and Oncidiums. These are high humidity, bright light and water loving plants....
I chose heavy glass instead of light plastic because I have tall heavy plants and I don't want it to easily topple down. I can easily monitor the roots and it lets me know if the algae has grown rampant on the clay pellets. Yes, algae will form in high humidity warm environment and even if it is not a danger to the plant; it is messy, ugly and smells bad. I flush it under the sink in full throttle water pressure for 5 minutes twice a month and if I need to repot to a larger size I make sure I wash the clay and microwave it to kill anything that is still clinging to the clay. I also find it strange that S/H method can harbor worms (yes the ones you use for bait=large big ones that I don't know where they came from).
I will start with how I drill holes on the glass vase.
this diamond tip drill bit costs $12 at Home Depot
I don't know how much these items are I just inherited it.
I used the rubber to tighten the drill bit
there is a concave part at the bottom of the vase that can hold a bit of water just enough not to heat the drill from friction
this is how the holes look like when washed clean
make sure to clean the roots of any debris and bits of moss or media
make sure the clay pellets have no empty spaces=shake it a bit loosely to make it more compact
place it in a saucer of water making sure at least 1/4 water is inside the glass pot
the day after outdoors
10 days after = the plant is acclimatized to the environment and the S/H method
Mokara Chark Kuan Boy 'blue'
this is a large tall plant so I gave it a large heavy lead glass vase my grandma gave me that I found from her garage of junks
happily growing on the heavy lead crystal pot over a pot
Mokara Chark Kuan 'gold'
after 2 years have bloomed 4 times already and still happy on S/H
Oncidium in a glass jar....I have to recycle and use whatever is available to me
*most of my materials are found in my apartment or I begged someone for it. I spent money only for the Leca and drill bit, even my other tools were handed down to me or I found it lying on my grandmother's garage= so I cannot exactly tell anyone my budget cost for these projects.
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