Quick Semi- Hydroponic Course

[Ray]

Originally Posted by SADE2020

I am sorry @Ray, I still don't comprehend the Phals process when you move it to NC. You move it to a warmer place and during winter the phals were moved inside your home? I may be missing something here .. What could bark provided in that situation that SH couldn't? A complete dry-out process?

In my greenhouse, it was warm and the humidity was high at all times, so evaporation from the LECA was very slow.

In my home in winter, the humidity is low, so evaporation is accelerated and the thermostat is kept down to save energy and money. Between the lower nighttime temperatures and evaporative cooling from the moist, airy medium, to temperature in the pot is simply too low for the well-being of the phals.

[SADE2020]

Originally Posted by Ray

In my greenhouse, it was warm and the humidity was high at all times, so evaporation from the LECA was very slow.

In my home in winter, the humidity is low, so evaporation is accelerated and the thermostat is kept down to save energy and money. Between the lower nighttime temperatures and evaporative cooling from the moist, airy medium, to temperature in the pot is simply too low for the well-being of the phals.

Got it! Thank you...

So, in warm, humid, but very ventilated places, the Rockwool is also a good add even outdoor? Or, it is just better lecca alone and keeps watering when need it?

Originally Posted by Shadeflower

A
Since then even Ray has discovered that adding Rockwool to the lecca is beneficial and that is all Justin was saying, as it was, the method did not work perfectly all the time and just needed something more added to it.

Thanks, Shadeflower. Very conciliatory your comments!

[SADE2020]

*** MORE QUESTIONS****


I'll look for the post in this regard, but I remember reading something about the % share of Rockwool over lecca to solve humidity level?

Also, concerning the PH.... ¿what are the optimal water PH for SH and over what situation?

Pot matters? is it glass better than plastic for SH. It seems that some people prefer glass ..why?

In regards to the algae (cleaning the fish tank SF) How these little green friends could be controlled as easily as possible. I keep reading about Physan 20 in most of the SH growers' public information, but that is a product not available in Europe. Maybe @Ray could comment in this regard.

Thanks!

[Ray]

Originally Posted by SADE2020

I'll look for the post in this regard, but I remember reading something about the % share of Rockwool over lecca to solve humidity level?

I have used 50/50, but think that 25% rock wool cubes is likely sufficient.

Also, concerning the PH.... ¿what are the optimal water PH for SH and over what situation?

Unless it is extreme, the solution pH plays very little role in the pH within the pot. Read this.

Pot matters? is it glass better than plastic for SH. It seems that some people prefer glass ..why?

Strictly personal preference. It makes no difference to the plant.

In regards to the algae (cleaning the fish tank SF) How these little green friends could be controlled as easily as possible. I keep reading about Physan 20 in most of the SH growers' public information, but that is a product not available in Europe. Maybe @Ray could comment in this regard.

In my opinion, algae is just an aesthetic issue. Any, periodic disinfectant treatment will keep it at bay. I avoid it altogether by using opaque pots.

[WaterWitchin]

I apologize for my comment of “doing it his way or no way at all” comment. It was rude, as I don’t know him well enough at all to have been that judgmental. Having said that, it is how he comes across to me in his blogs and vlogs and should have been stated that way, as opposed to a rude and sweeping statement. It bugs me that he refers to SH as "always wet" and comparable to full water culture; it bugs me that he has pictures of his successful phals growing, as I believe it's misrepresentative to all the beginning orchid (phals anyone) growers out there. They're gigantea for Petesake. That's theatrics in my book. If it makes him money, good for him.

As far as money goes, many folks make quite a bit of money with their blogs, vlogs, and you tube channels. It’s called having paid ads on your site(s). Not relevant to me whether he makes money or not. One can certainly love something and still make money from it. Personally, did it for years.

Saying “everyone” here is quick to think of Justin badly because he criticized Ray, is also a sweeping statement, and is not correct. Personally, I could care less what Justin thinks of Ray or whether he criticized him or not. I was growing plants in semi-hydro long before I came here.

As far as SH and it "needing something...rockwool, for me the jury is still out. I do like the way it assists wicking for some plants or in some pots where more wicking is required and that it's inorganic. Personally, it isn’t something I would add to each and every pot, as not all SH “requires” it. Rock wool is no different than folks trying to use a cotton rope, sphagnum, or adding a non-absorbent layer to the top of LECA (which I don’t do). And I could have sworn you were saying you wanted the dry line for your plants that were in semi-hydro. Perhaps I misunderstood.

It is easy to get semi-hydro wrong, and just as easy to get growing in a self-watering pot or a bark medium wrong. No method is exclusive, rather what works for the individual. You can get it "wrong" just by not taking into consideration your environment and particular culture, regardless of medium, and tweaking it so it works.

If MrFakename could convince HereButNot to join us, that would be great. But if he isn't a member here anymore, I'm sure he has his reasons; and he's the only one who knows that. I enjoy hearing differing opinions and asking questions.

---------- Post added at 11:38 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:23 AM ----------

Originally Posted by SADE2020

I'll look for the post in this regard, but I remember reading something about the % share of Rockwool over lecca to solve humidity level?

I use around 20-25% for the pots where I believe it's needed. Not really for humidity level, but more for plants that uptake more water than others, for a pot I've drilled the reservoir too low for the plant now in it, or for a really tall pot that needs more wicking action.

Originally Posted by SADE2020

Also, concerning the PH.... ¿what are the optimal water PH for SH and over what situation?

I don't measure pH unless it involves fish and aquariums. For me, it doesn't appear to matter, and out of the tap water here is pretty darned high pH.

Originally Posted by SADE2020

Pot matters? is it glass better than plastic for SH. It seems that some people prefer glass ..why?

Glass is just esthetically more pleasing to me, and I don't mind algae growth. I can get glass cheaper than most plastics available by utilizing thrift stores, garage sale, washed out large pickle jar, etc. Also, I like being able to see what's going on inside the pot. It's all about preference and what's available.

Originally Posted by SADE2020

In regards to the algae (cleaning the fish tank SF) How these little green friends could be controlled as easily as possible. I keep reading about Physan 20 in most of the SH growers' public information, but that is a product not available in Europe....

I don't care about algae as far as SH and orchids goes; neither I nor the orchids care. Now ponds or aquarium, whole different ballgame. If I want to display something that's in bloom, I ignore it or put it into a cache pot so folks don't see it. I've never used Physan 20, but I do know I have a bottle of it around here somewhere.

[here_butnot]

Hey all, a couple things in response to what's been said to "set the record straight":

1. People are allowed to voice their opposition to a growing method. Semihydro is not the be-all and end-all of orchid care—that's okay, but most people on the s/h train don't seem to include the cavaets...so I did.

2. @WaterWitchin - while I may be here...and not there where you are, you are not here where I am, and that doesn't make my experience with this method any less valid than yours—I posted that article because when it comes to s/h it isn't all "sunshine, rainbows and lollipops." I get you don't like me—cool, don't really care, you're entitled to your opinions. My experience says semihydro, in my conditions, has significant drawbacks compared to other more-broadly successful options and that's exactly what I wrote in my article.

3. @Ray, "The guy who makes those videos likes notoriety, and doesn't seem to be too careful about what he says to get it." - I've made 20 videos over 4 years. Fame is not my goal (orchid fame...)—but how is your business doing selling products for semihydro? I see you recommend KelpMax a lot to semihydro growers on this forum...that's a product only you produce, right?

4. Also @Ray, you and I had a chat a while back about your lack of transparency regarding your experience with phals and semihydro...to the point that you changed verbiage on your site. If you couldn't grow phals where you are in the (very warm) US, how might someone like me (from a cooler climate) not have the same issues or worse ones? This is why transparency is important, it helps people understand the complete picture!

You say the problem comes down to growing orchids out of their ideal temp range; yet here I am growing those same types of orchids (even from seed) years later and have no issues with my climate—but it's because I'm now using organic media that holds MORE water than LECA and releases it over a longer period of time ensuring the WHOLE root zone is evenly moist between watering cycles.

5. @Dusty Ol' Man - you mentioned refreshing your water every couple of days. At this point I've got like...150 pots (ish)? So to follow your advice, I'd for sure need to actively flush water out of the pot, right? That's the whole key to success, to flush water and not just top the water up? That would involve taking each pot to the sink multiple times a week—effectively triple my workload. Why would anyone that? It seems like you're forcing the method. And by the way, if you stuck an orchid to a mount and watered it every 2 or 3 days...it would also grow!

6. Plants are rad, we want them to survive and it's okay to talk about the things that don't work or that don't work in some cases or for some people. There's a YouTuber who gushed over Ray's method, but their motto was along the lines of, "If it doesn't grow for me [in semihydro], it goes in the trash" - that's called survival bias and I have to wonder how many pro-s/h growers take this same perspective.

Anyways, thanks to those who have said kind things about the blog and experience I've shared. I won't be replying to this thread because half of it has already been people making digs at my character and I've wasted too much time on this growing method as is.

Happy Growing (whichever method you choose)!


For tax, here's a small selection of orchids I've made and grown from seed in my apartment
(all in organic media of course):

[WaterWitchin]

Hi here_butnot... Never said I didn't like you. Don't know you. It was a couple of your opinions I had issue with. And yes, I came across as snarky. We all get that way from time to time, and I didn't control it well. It's a difficult time for me right now, but doesn't excuse anything.

I also don't believe SH is sunshine and lollipops for everyone. The first few years I attempted SH, I had some glorious fails because I was trying it, experimenting with it. For ME, it works best. I've never purported it's better than any other way to grow. Likely, it's not for others. If asked, I provide my opinion and advice regarding SH, based on how I do it. Doesn't mean it works well for everyone. I surely don't try to give advise to folks growing in an organic medium, because I don't grow well in it.

I have been in the position before retirement of giving opinion and being lambasted. It seems to be part and parcel of giving opinion, especially with our increased social media these days. I have read some of your blog and to me you came across as one way was better than another. Perhaps that's not what you're saying, and it's the way I read it. I will go back and re-read again out of respect and courtesy for another individual.

Thank you for taking the time to respond here. This is supposed to be fun and increasing knowledge, sharing information. I well know how it can digress into something else, and as a moderator I should have more carefully thought before I wrote.

[Dusty Ol' Man]

Pretty one sided to make a response and then not give the people addressed the opportunity to respond in return. I believe this is the reason WW asked for him to join us. As I've stated elsewhere on the forum, I have few plants. While flushing my three (3) s/h pots a couple times a week involves little effort, there are others here who have many more and have developed for themselves methods and schedules which work.
I would like to see this guy return to finish the conversation and at least read the responses to his statements.

[SADE2020]

@WW you were sarcastic which is you, it is your sense of humor. And we love it; moderator or not.

@Dustin... It's ok to stay! You are a social media influencer; very exposed to criticism. We all agree in our disagreements.

And since life is about making good or bad choices. I am going to try the @Ray technique and let's see how it goes "FOR ME" 💕

[WaterWitchin]

Originally Posted by Dusty Ol' Man

Pretty one sided to make a response and then not give the people addressed the opportunity to respond in return. I believe this is the reason WW asked for him to join us. As I've stated elsewhere on the forum, I have few plants. While flushing my three (3) s/h pots a couple times a week involves little effort, there are others here who have many more and have developed for themselves methods and schedules which work.
I would like to see this guy return to finish the conversation and at least read the responses to his statements.

It is what it is Dusty. If you're happy experimenting with three SH pots a week, go for it! I run, at the moment around 90 in SH. Yes, 10 above my current goal. If I had to take 150 plants to the sink each week as here_but not appears to do, regardless of medium involved, I would be burnt out years ago. And if you're flushing pots a couple of times a week, that's great but not really necessary. I'm not sure how we got onto this concern about what someone else does, but I'm regretting being involved in it. The price one pays for being a vlogger, I guess.

---------- Post added at 03:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:43 PM ----------

LOL... Sade, biting sarcasm I save for my past life dealing with lawyers and cops. Toughest skin you'll ever meet. I'm so toned down from that, ya wouldn't recognize me otherwise.

Give 'er a go and see what happens if you desire! I have way more things to do than water orchids, so for me it works. Because I worked hard at it until it did.

I still love mounts. But ugh, time. I gave up for awhile. Now that I've redesigned how I do them and have auto-misters, it's easy. BUT, wow, the learning curve was tremendous and took years to figure out how my benign neglect and not wanting to babysit a plant would work with it.

Regarding social media influencers, it's sort of a whole different ballgame than what most come here for. For me, having opinion that others actually had to pay for brought me the toughest skin I've ever had. And I wasn't even on social media. I wouldn't want to walk a mile in those shoes. Or Miss Orchid Girl's, for that matter. More power to 'em.