Watering S/H question

[Ray]

XSCD - be cautious until you're sure the plants are well established in s/h and growing. By that I mean keep a close eye on them. in case of issues. Once established, the plants can pretty much go on "auto-pilot" and be doused at any time.

Sailor - Sounds like you're not really growing those dens in semi-hydro culture, just "normally" using LECA potting medium. S/H is, by definition, constantly moist.

[sailor]

Ray - yes, technically my dens are not S/H right now, but they have been up until mid-December. I understand that Dens normally need a Winter dry period to setup the next bloom cycle, so I thought I would experiment a little. Although I am not maintaining a fluid base, I do mist the LECA potting media once a week. I am very pleased with the ongoing root development, and will probably resume the full S/H regimine in mid-February.

I have about 120 other plants in S/H - paphs, phrags, phal, onc, LOTS of catt hybrids. All but 2 have done great - a big box store phal that had almost no viable roots when I transplated it and a Paph Pinochio. The Phal is SLOWLY coming back but the leaves are still VERY rubbery. The Pinochio didn't make it. It was a pretty healthy plant but crown rot got it before I realized what was happening.

What do you think of my minimalist 1/4" fluid base strategy for newly potted plants? I feel that a slightly drier environment might have really helped my Pinochio make the S/H transition.

[Ray]

1) I am not a grower of dens, so cannot add much in that area.

2) Never knock success. Whatever you're doing is working. Need I say more?

3) As to the "minimalist approach", I frankly don't think it really makes all that much difference, but see 2), above. My reasoning is that as roots grow, they adapt to the environment they are growing in. In your approach they grow adapted to "a bit damper" then have to grow new tissue to adapt to "very moist". I do it all in one step.

That said, for a plant that has been growing on the dry side, moving half-way first may give the old roots an opportunity to have some degree of functionality while the new, fully-adapted roots can grow. Moving it straight to the fully wet environment might render those old "dry" roots less functional. I don't think I'd use that as a standard practice, but if you're repotting when new growth hasn't really kicked in fully, it's probably a good idea.