Ok I like the sound of s/h so here we go

[zxyqu]

Ok John, that sounds much better, now that they aren't in net pots, as I did have a similar problem. The mold can be an issue sometimes if the LECA isn't boiled, and washed, though even after that it happens. If it does, reboil, unpot, and repot and it should clear it up, though as you're doing, you may want to disinfect with a bleach/alcohol, or other agent to try and get it out. Good luck, and keep us posted.

[johnblagg]

The leca has been soaked in a very strong bleach solution about 2 hours.Rinsed,soaked in clean water then rinsed,soaked and rinsed again.I will do this a couple of times again to make sure all chlorine is gone and soak overnight and rinse again.

The majority of it no longer floats and Im considering removig the floaters permanently from what I use in the s/h pots themselves....they will still be good in the humidity tray I think and I will know that what is left holds water well.

[Ray]

Don't worry about the floaters; once in the pot, such properties will not play a significant role.

[johnblagg]

Thats good to know for sure.we are on the fourth soak and rinse now and will then let them sit and soak all night.

I have decided to transfer the goldenzell while Im at it I just found a nice big clear plastic jar.The one she is in dosent look quite big enough "4x4x5" and her roots are hafway towards the bottom now.

She is going into a"5x5x5" wide mouth jar.The smaller ones mouth is a little narrow and she has very little room for new growth in it.

she is possibly blooming size next year I think.Four Leaves are 8 to 9 inches long not including the Pbs which are 3 to 4 inches.She was a bargin I think at $25 other than all the old roots were dead.I treated her with IBA mixed with lard placed on the base of the new growth and she put out new roots within just a couple of days.

Is that close to blooming size?

[DelawareJim]

IBA mixed with lard? Why did you mix the rooting hormone with lard? Usually it's just mixed with water or alcohol.

Cheers.
Jim

[zxyqu]

Along with Jim's question, did you use the lard to keep the IBA in contact with the new growths. And, I've got to know where you got that idea from.
Jarad

[johnblagg]

I mixed it with lard in order to keep it from getting washed away or where I did not want it and used a q-tip to apply it right to the base of the newest pb.

I did this because when I removed the plant fron the small 3 inch pot in came in the old roots were dead.I have never had a plant other than home depo noids and I never have a issue with the phals from HD.I always just buy the best plant I can find and they just grow well for me so I was compleatly lost untill I got online and started doing my homework related to catts.

Reading about hormones led me to information that indicated the IBA could possibly stimulate a new eye and that it could possibly retard new roots initiating but I felt I had to try it.

Just 2 days after applying the IBA like this I had 2 new roots emerging and was satisfied that this plant now had a chance.This same plant has produced 2 new eyes also since this treatment ....
Big eyes actually swelling up as if they are going to keep growing this season.She also has 6 nice heavy new roots right now I just moved her into the bigger container last night and got to look.

I got this idea from my experiance breeding Hemerocallis.It is a trick used to keep the flower from abscissing a little bit longer so the pollenation is more often sucessful in difficult crosses.
In that application you mix IBA with lanolin and apply it to the base of a petal you snap off.

A course in botany at the local community college and lots of reading at the library found that use of IBA

[johnblagg]

Two out of three have been taken out of their pots after one month and all old roots are now removed .Only new s/h roots on them now.

I had no roots rot at all and actually have a couple of old roots adjusted and growing very well instead of dying.Possibly because I went from bark to large s/h pots and still water like its just leca with no reservoir?

My pots have 5 inches of leca in them and the holes are 1 inch above the bottom.Is that high enough up or would they be better higher up?

[Dail]

[QUOTE=flyfishdoc;251915]I have repotted all my orchids into semi hydroponics this month....I am amazed and absolutely sold on hyroponics!!!!![/U][/U][/I] /QUOTE]


Hi Jerry:

I'm happy you are having such good results. I too am sold on hydroponics BUT only from what I see in the literature. I have tried this method twice but I haven't caught the hang of it.

Would it be too time consuming for you to describe exactly how you went about setting up your plants using the semi - hydroponics method? If I can master this, I think my plants would actually speak and thank me for a better life!

Best of luck,
Dail

[johnblagg]

Well Im not Jerry but no problem

I went from the small pots they came in from the nursery to bark in wooden baskets as soon as possible maybe a week after I got them.And of course watered a little much maybe a lot much....lol my cousin asked me if I was going to stay this obsessed with them.They stayed in the bark and baskets two and a half weeks.They were growing new roots within days of me buying them though.

I got home from vacation and put them in straight leca that had been well soaked in net pots.they lived in this two weeks or so also getting watered every day and misted three or four times a day Im sure.

As soon as I found good containers to make into s/h pots they went into s/h.In the S/h set up I mist every time I think of it with the same solution I water with which is schultz orchid food with a touch of potassium nitrate and a drop of superthrive.I also used Iba on them a couple of times.I water and Mist with my food solution every time so far and have filled the pots compleatly to to top and let them drain at least twice a week so far.I have also flushed them once a week with clear water.

S/h has to be the best thing anyone ever figured out ...Thanks RAY... or I would surley have killed these by now but instead they are growing like crazy I have new eyes on two out of three that are swelling up and getting ready to send out new growth right now.And new eyes one the third one but cant tell what they will do yet they may not stay active I cant tell yet.