Easy care setup for present

[tokyo]

Thanks for all the help. Its some very interesting stuff!

I would love to get into orchids, but I already have a tropical cichlid breeding program going, I don't know if I would have time for both. I'm actually going to be attempting to mount an orchid in one of my aquarium setups I'm working on. Basically having a piece of driftwood that sticks out above the water line and mount an orchid on the side of that. Thats a whole different storie though.

Oh, also, where can I look to buy the inert potting medium locally? Does homedepot sell it? There isn't much in the way of hydroponics around here. Even good nurseries or gardening shops are scarce.

If I have to I could order it online, but I would rather pick it up locally if I can.

[Matt]

Look up Ray on here, as he is a semi-hydro pro. I think that the basic semi hydro setup is all you will need. I have several paphs in semi and they are doing great.

The problem that I see with your setup is that while it is self sufficient, it does not allow for the water to be flushed from your system. The basic semi hydro deli container with holes about an inch up is what you need. That way when she waters it, the water will flush the old water out and leave clean water for the plant.

[tokyo]

Why couldn't the water be flushed from the system?

How often does the regular S/H system need to be watered? The whole reason for going the self sufficient route is that weekly waterings aren't an option.

[DelawareJim]

Maybe you want to try a simple passive hydroponic set up like this?

Google hydroculture to learn more.



Available here--

Growing Hydroponic Orchids

Cheers.
Jim

[tokyo]

Originally Posted by DelawareJim

Maybe you want to try a simple passive hydroponic set up like this?

This is what I have been talking about...

Originally Posted by tokyo

How often does the regular S/H system need to be watered? The whole reason for going the self sufficient route is that weekly waterings aren't an option.

[DelawareJim]

Originally Posted by tokyo

This is what I have been talking about...

Watering frequency is dependant on the amount of uptake by the plant through transpiration which in turn is dependant on the species, heat, humidity, and growth rate.

Basically, a plant actively growing on a hot, dry, sunny day will require more water and more frequent watering than a dormant plant on a cool, humid, cloudy day.

Cheers.
Jim

[tokyo]

Originally Posted by DelawareJim

Watering frequency is dependant on the amount of uptake by the plant through transpiration which in turn is dependant on the species, heat, humidity, and growth rate.

Basically, a plant actively growing on a hot, dry, sunny day will require more water and more frequent watering than a dormant plant on a cool, humid, cloudy day.

Cheers.
Jim

True, but I'm looking for more of a general estimate as these conditions will change throughout the year, month and day.

Will it need to be watered twice a day, every other day, once a week, twice a month, once a month, a few times a year?(obviously some of those were extremes. I wouldn't actually expect to have to water it twice a day or a few times a year...)

[DelawareJim]

Originally Posted by tokyo

True, but I'm looking for more of a general estimate as these conditions will change throughout the year, month and day.

Will it need to be watered twice a day, every other day, once a week, twice a month, once a month, a few times a year?(obviously some of those were extremes. I wouldn't actually expect to have to water it twice a day or a few times a year...)

Generally, the larger the pot the less frequent the watering.

For the orchids I'm using this system on;

the 5 inch pots need to be watered about once per week in summer and once every 10 days in winter.

the 6 inch deep pots need to be watered about once every 10 days to 2 weeks.

I still water weekly and flush/replace fertilizer solution monthly to not mess up my routine.

However, I have a pygmy date palm in a 15 inch pot I water about once every 2-3 weeks.

Your mileage may vary.

Cheers.
Jim

[MT-Phal]

You really ought to check out Ray's site and go through the semi-hydro forum. There are lots of variables involved here, some of those being; the roots need air, and watering by filling to the top and then letting the water drain back to the holes provides fresh air to the roots, and the chemistry of the solution tends to change over time. This can become harmful to the orchid roots. Ray has mentioned this in better detail in previous posts.

[tokyo]

I understand what your saying, and if the orchid was for me I would do everything I could to increase my chances for success. But it isn't for me. So I figure it's better to use the automatic watering system and have one to four flushes a month than to risk having the plant go without water for two weeks.