Watering S/H question

[Tindomul]

I have a short question:
I usually water my S/H once a week regardless of whether or not they need more water. If they need it before then, I add water, but if they still have enough water by the end of the week, I water anyways. I think this flushes the old water out and humidifies the media a bit more. So, my short question is.... is this ok, or should I wait till all the water evaporates?

[Ray]

I think your approach is fine. There does not appear to be a "too frequent" limitation with well-established plants.

My collection is a combo of plants that are mounted on cork bark or EpiWeb, in baskets of charcoal, PrimeAgra, EpiWeb or nothing, in clear plastic pots of PrimeAgra or EpiWeb, or in semi-hydro pots of PrimeAgra. Needless to say, there's a wide range of watering frequencies necessary to keep everyone happy, but I don't have time for individual treatment, so when anything needs water, they all get it. If that means more frequent than necessary, so be it.

[Tindomul]

Thanks Ray!
I would like to hear what others do.

[20jlr]

I usually water mine once a weak as well. I have done it this way for aver two years now with nothing bad happening yet so if it ain't broke don't fix it.

[Tindomul]

Thanks for your input. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, is also my motto. But I just wanted some forsight from other members. Help is much appreciated.

[xscd]

I've been using semi-hydro materials and techniques for just a few weeks now. So far my paphiopedilum seedlings and phalaenopsis transplanted into semi-hydro pots with PrimeAgra are doing very well--in fact, better than I expected.

What I find I have to fight with the semi-hydro technique and materials is the psychological effect of two things: 1) the inevitable association of the word "hydro" (as in hydroponics) with water, and 2) the fact that the PrimeAgra leca (lightweight expanded clay aggregate) has a tendency to look dry very quickly or soon at its top surface. Both of these things make me tend to be a little too inclined to add water.

What I have to keep reminding myself of is that semi-hydroponics does not mean aquatic. Orchids are not aquatic plants.

Just because semi-hydro pots and techniques include a liquid reservoir at the bottom does not mean that the plants should be grown in water, nor in wetter conditions than they would normally encounter in other media or in nature.

I'm finding therefore that the greatest challenge for me so far with semi-hydro is to re-train myself and restrain myself from overwatering. Even though the reservoir and the PrimeAgra can hold a lot of water, I find myself constantly judging and adjusting the moisture content of the medium based on my 8 years or so with traditional orchid potting media and I try to make the PrimeAgra just moist most of the time, not wet.

Just my own two-cents worth addition to the discussion.

[Tindomul]

Originally Posted by xscd

The fact that the PrimeAgra leca (lightweight expanded clay aggregate) has a tendency to look dry very quickly or soon at its top surface. Both of these things make me tend to be a little too inclined to add water.

Well, thats the beauty of Semi Hydro. So long as it is done correctly, and there are two or more overflow holes near the base of the pot, you can't over water. You might, convievably, never allow it to dry but you would have to water every five minutes. In anycase, if done correctly, the roots of any plant in S/H will always have access to water, but also to lots of air for proper gas exchange to occur in roots. So unless you are intent on smothering them with watery affection, you can't overwater.

[Ray]

Keep in mind that most epiphytes find themselves with wet roots for long periods (the rainy season) or at least often (at a minimum, from dew).

Contact with water is not the cause of root rot. Suffocation is the most common reason.

As an experiment, I have watered plants on a literally daily basis for months and months. No possibility of the surface ever drying out under those conditions. They grew just fine - actually quicker than others, as they were getting more fertilizer than those watered biweekly.

[xscd]

Thank you Ray for your comments. In my case, being new to semi-hydro, I am perhaps unreasonably cautious with respect to moisture, both with my orchids and with my carnivorous plants (which are typically moist-savannah, wetland or bog plants) in order to avoid fungal problems and root rot, and to encourage an extensive root system. I am this way despite the fact that I live in an arid environment with very low humidity (in eastern New Mexico, US).

So far, in my perhaps dozen years with carnivorous plants and orchids, my conservative watering and fertilizing has produced good results and avoided for the most part fungal problems. But then again, I have never done a side-by-side comparison.

I think I'm going to cautiously and watchfully attempt to water and fertilize (weakly) a little more freely with the plants I now have in semi-hydro, and see what happens.

Thanks again for your help and comments, and for being a great resource for semi-hydro with respect to both information and supplies.

[sailor]

I actually think that most of my S/H plants LIKE being a little dry every now and then. I have about 20 Dendrobiums that I haven't watered in over a month so they can go thru their normal Winter dry period. They are still showing active root growth and plenty of green leaves. They do get a light surface misting occasionally.

I do believe that is possibly to "overwater" newly potted S/H plants, especially plants that are weak or stressed to begin with. So, on newly "potted" S/H plants, I only maintain about 1/4" of liquid in the bottom of the pot so the wicking doesn't extend as far up towards the plant. I don't top that off every day, but let it almost completely evaporate. My theory is that this forces the plants to start sending out new roots in search of water. Vandas send out aerial roots all the time - like soda "straws" trying to find water.

I do a light misting once a week with a pressure sprayer. My mix is 1 gallon of charcoal filtered water (not RO), 1/4tsp MSU fertilizer, 1/4 tsp rooting hormone, a few drops of Physan-20 and 1/4 tsp SuperThrive. Anyone else using SuperThrive?

I have about 160 plants in S/H, so once a week I can only do a complete pure water flush of about 1/4 of my plants. That means that each plant is flushed once a month. I know that is probably way below what Ray recommends, but it seems to be working.

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