Jewel Orchids in S/H?

[kerokero]

I've been thinking about going s/h for most of my plants and some of the gesneriads I've started have done amazing so far... I want to move many of my orchids over as well but I'm a jewel orchid enthusiast rather than the more "typical" orchids in the hobby, so I've found nothing on people's experiences with these guys in s/h! They are treated similarly to many of my gesneriads (shallow rooted, growing across the top of the substrate) so I don't see why not, but I was hoping someone has at least tried this and can either say "OMG DON'T DO IT!" or to give it a whorl.

[AHAB]

Kerokero,
I've had my jewel orchids in PA for about 8 months they are doing very well.
Bloom real well too. They took to the Prime Agra fairly quick.
I have them in a shorter style pot.
ahab

[phearamedusa]

have a couple that have been in hydroton (expanded clay pellets) I use full hydroponic system (flood and drain) and they do very well. Bloom once or twice a year, and I have been known to give pieces away to my customers that want to get into orchids. I been growing them this way for over ten years.

[Tindomul]

Hi Kero Kero, nice to see you here as well. I have never tried Jewels in s/h, but I can't imagine them not liking it. They do seem hard to kill compared to other orchids.
I do think that S/H is great for tropical epiphytes in general though. I am now beginning to experiment with my anthuriums.

[Rivka]

thought i would revive this old thread rather than start a similar one.

most of my orchids are in S/H and i have just been given 2 large cuttings on a jewel orchid, i would love to put them in s/h as well, and from the sound of things i can.
what i am wondering is can i do this right away as i wait for roots to grow or do i have to sprout the roots another way.

how would you folks get them to start roots if your long term goal is to have them in s/h?

is that any good reason not to use s/h for them? since i read they like low light, i plan on placing this plant directly in a unshaded north window of my master bathroom. so glad i found something that i can finally have in my bathroom.

[DelawareJim]

Rivka;

Looking back at how I started mine, I would plant the cuttings directly in S/H and either water them a couple times a week to keep the LECA as moist as possible up to the surface or put the container inside another container so you can get an above normal water level. Then when they begin developing roots, you can drop the water level to normal.

When I got my cuttings I was told they root easily in water. So I dutifully rooted the cuttings in a glass of water and then transplanted them into S/H, worrying about breaking off the new roots. After I finished I thought "That was dumb. I could have rooted them right in the container they will grow in."

I'm currently switching all my houseplants over to either S/H or to hydroculture and anything that I can propagate from cuttings will be done right in the container it will be growing in.

Cheers.
Jim

[kerokero]

the jewel orchids should root right onto the s/h materials, no need to "start" them otherwise. you'd actually want to start them on the material and environment they are going to grow in. Water roots are rather different than roots grown in an airy environment, so it never made sense to "start" a plant in water to me, just to swap it over to something else where it will have to grow all new roots anyways...

I left the water at the normal level it was going to be at and just kept the container with the cutting in a humid area - terrarium or in a bag. As long as they are in a humid environment and in contact with a substrate they will root quickly (the humidity is more important to this than the wet LECA at this point). Don't "plant" them, just sit the stem on top of the LECA (if it has roots I often take them off to encourage it to start new roots for the conditions they are in). After the roots establish and the plant is growing I can slowly transition them out of the humid container if they are destined for houseplants, but I grow most of them in terrariums anyways. By that point their roots will be making sure the plant gets enough water.

Jim! You're following me! Guess how many java fern varieties I have growing this way now too The trident is sending out new leaves like crazy and will be impressive!

[Rivka]

"Don't "plant" them, just sit the stem on top of the LECA"

why do this?, i would think that having it in the LECA is by nature giving it the humid environment that it is needing, by placing it on top, you have to give it more cover to keep things humid. am i not understanding some part of this?

[Zoi2]

For the roots to sprout, they need humidity and air. If you place the cutting on top of the leca instead of planting it, it will get both. If you plant it without roots, it will most likely rot before roots emerge.
Joann

[Rivka]

but one would assume it is getting plenty of air placed in hydroton? if they can sprout completely under water, they are certainly getting more air placed into
LECA.