Quick Semi- Hydroponic Course

[SADE2020]

Hi guys!

Me and my SH dilemas again :-)

I know @Roberta will said "there is not enough time to value that" ...but, I think my Catts are underperforming in SH... During winter they have had good light and warming mat, even better conditions that the one in organic..and here I have a bunch of Catts growing really "s l o w" .

Any tips ???

@ray.... Do you see anything unusual?

Thanks ☺️!



Organic, repotting a few month before!

[Ray]

Where are the reservoirs?

Are they truly in S/H culture, or just grown in LECA?

[estación seca]

I have the same question as Ray. Are the small plants in S/H or standard potting with LECA as medium?

You're comparing seedlings with an adult plant.

How much are you fertilizing?

I see salt on top of some of the LECA. That will definitely damage roots and slow growth. I have water with a lot of dissolved minerals. If I water in S/H or standard potting with LECA every day there is almost no mineral buildup on top.

Because LECA is more porous than bark, it will wick water faster from the pot, and a pot full of LECA will dry faster than a pot full of bark. I think your Catts in LECA look dry. I would water more often.

How long have the small Catts been in the LECA? Have they begun making new growth yet?

Dendrobiums do great in S/H and standard potting with LECA once they are established. Realize vigorous watering may move the LECA and damage new roots. You need to be very careful when they make roots. Many Dendrobiums only make new roots once a year, so it may take longer for the plant to become adapted to S/H than a Cattleya hybrid, which might make roots throughout warm weather.

Every time you remove a plant from a pot you damage roots. I ignore the algae and dirt in the S/H pots. If you don't like to look at it put the pot into an outer container to hide it. Ray has written that profuse algae growth in S/H pots means you're overfertilizing.

[WaterWitchin]

Same questions. Is there a reservoir? If so, you're flushing each time you water, not just topping up? How long ago were they moved to LECA/semi-hydro?

And how can you compare the growth of a small plant transferred to a different growing system to a very well established plant potted in same medium? To me, that's apples and oranges.

[SADE2020]

Hi guy! Sorry for the delay. I have been so busy.

---------- Post added at 07:34 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:31 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Ray

Where are the reservoirs?

Are they truly in S/H culture, or just grown in LECA?

Full SH, 2 holes in each side and the reservoir never get dry.

---------- Post added at 07:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:34 PM ----------

Originally Posted by estación seca

I have the same question as Ray. Are the small plants in S/H or standard potting with LECA as medium?

You're comparing seedlings with an adult plant.

How much are you fertilizing?

I see salt on top of some of the LECA. That will definitely damage roots and slow growth. I have water with a lot of dissolved minerals. If I water in S/H or standard potting with LECA every day there is almost no mineral buildup on top.

Because LECA is more porous than bark, it will wick water faster from the pot, and a pot full of LECA will dry faster than a pot full of bark. I think your Catts in LECA look dry. I would water more often.

How long have the small Catts been in the LECA? Have they begun making new growth yet?

Dendrobiums do great in S/H and standard potting with LECA once they are established. Realize vigorous watering may move the LECA and damage new roots. You need to be very careful when they make roots. Many Dendrobiums only make new roots once a year, so it may take longer for the plant to become adapted to S/H than a Cattleya hybrid, which might make roots throughout warm weather.

Every time you remove a plant from a pot you damage roots. I ignore the algae and dirt in the S/H pots. If you don't like to look at it put the pot into an outer container to hide it. Ray has written that profuse algae growth in S/H pots means you're overfertilizing.

They are actually hide in those pots, the actual pots with reservoir are clear plastic.

I fertilize little every week, and once a month a bit of kelpmax.

The baby have been in SH for 6-7 month now. And the adults as well I have converter everything to SH with new roots and all the plants have new growth and roots but the look "not well".

Maybe yes.. the frequency of water has been an issue, every 4-5 days, but I never let the reservoir dry.

The plants are not all young.

@Water .. I wasn't comparing, comparing....it was just a reference. That plant was replant at the same time.

---------- Post added at 08:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:46 PM ----------

[estación seca]

Temperature matters. It's been winter. I don't know what your winter temperatures are like.

[SADE2020]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Temperature matters. It's been winter. I don't know what your winter temperatures are like.

Yes! Let see what happens now in spring - summer. This winter has been cooler than others. But I keep them inside with warm mats. Now, is when I moving them outside.

What I haven't try are the amino acids, any suggestions?

Anyway, Estacion, the culture for me is better so I have to be patient if I want to grow orchids is very difficult to have them in organic medium since I travel a lot now and I have to ask third party people in my house for help with the watering.

I have to admit that the dirty bottom of the pots bother me a lot 😂... Now that you mentioned before. Just as a comment.

Thank you so much for your support!!!!

[Bertie]

After reviewing this thread I want to add my main observations:

[Redacted Content]

[isurus79]

Uh oh, shadeflower is back again

[Dusty Ol' Man]

Originally Posted by isurus79

Uh oh, shadeflower is back again

That was my first thought.