Drying Periods?

[KarlBrown74]

More research & questions.

I have read mixed reports about s/h with various types of orchids, some recommending drier periods and the need to let them dry out.

After reading about what is involved in preparing the LECA for s/h, it sounds that letting it dry out would be bad for the hydraulic processes involved.

With the way LECA shares moisture with neighboring particles, is there a point where it gets dry enough to start leaching moisture out of the surrounding roots? If so is this bad/harmful to the orchid.

If the LECA does dry out, either through negligence or dry periods how hard is it to get reestablished?

I understand different orchids need different settings but how does one correctly deal with orchids that have recommended dry cycles?

Are there special steps that need to be done for dry cycles, such as pure water flushing to remove fertilizers & minerals before allowing it to dry?

[mtorchid]

If by "dry periods" you are referring to the winter rest period that some orchids, like Dendrobiums, need in order to re-bloom, you need to pay close attention to the pseudo-bulbs/canes to make sure they are not starting to shrivel, which would indicate they are too dry. "Reestablishing" LECA is just a matter of adding more water. I generally just mist the LECA during the rest period with a minimal amount of water in the reservoir. However I also maintain 50-60% humidity as well.

In nature, even though the monsoon season is over, orchids still receive moisture via fog and dew so "dry" is a relative term. It would be more accurate to think of it as a "not-so-wet" period. Dew sounds minimal compared to monsoon, but as far as the roots are concerned, they are both 100% moisture, just for different durations.

Since this sounds like a new adventure for you, better to err on the side of a slightly wetter environment than running the risk of dessicating the roots and killing the orchid. The orchid might not re-bloom, or it could send out keikis, but it will still be alive for another try next "season". The first artificially induced winter is the toughest, after that it gets easier