S/H Update and More S/H Questions

[Ocelaris]

I'll jump in with Ross... I was having some rotting problems from decomposing materials left over from the transplant, they were dying (my paphs and phals). I soaked with Thiomyl for about 20-30 minutes and then drained. Everything since then has been doing wonderful, I have used physan on occasion for some plants, just watered it like normal with it, or maybe held the holes closed for a few minutes while it soaked, then drained.

Thiomyl is powerful, so I wouldn't want to use it on any regular basis, but it certainly did a turn around job, all my paphs are growing spectacularly now compared to when they were maybe growing, but really just "surviving". Take the rot out, and you will see it's not necessarily the environment which is bad, but just decomposing material which needs to stop decomposing!

Pysan also has a nice side effect of discouraging algaes... not that they are bad, but unsightly, especially on open air roots like vandas...works wonders here and there. I got RD-20 instead of Physan 20, same thing basically.

[ruthann]

I'm confused about how much to water cyms and phals in S&H. Mine are in a greenhouse. The containers have moisture beads that are visable and of course the reservoirs have water. What is the magic button which says "water me"? Does a den require a lot of water? Sorry, you all have probably answered these questions dozens of times. ruth ann

[quiltergal]

Ruthann, that's the beauty of s/h, you can't over water. As Ray states in a previous post watering more often is actually better. As time goes by the chemical composition of the water in the reservoir changes as the plant uses what it needs and leaves behind what it doesn't. Most of us are striving to provide 125ppm N, and we may start out with that when we flush and refill the reservoir, but as time goes on I'm guessing it's not even close to that. That's also why it's important to not just "top off" the reservoir. I do a complete flush with plain water and refill with new solution at least weekly.

[ruthann]

Thanks, Terri, for imfo!! I now have a direction 8) Ruth Ann