S/H Update and More S/H Questions

[Bmorepaph]

Hey guys! Well I am having pretty good luck with S/H culture. I have a very large majority of my Paphs in it and as you can see I have some new growth, a spike or two and a couple of flowers. I still have some questions if anybody would care to help me out: I grow in fairly high humidity situations. I have had some minor problems with some brown rot but nothing major. This may sound odd but do roots look different in S/H culture? I have several paphs that seem to be doing great;even sending up spikes but I have to be honest the roots don't look as healthy as I would like them to. I only water when the resevoir is depleted, but still feel like the roots are just sitting in too much moisture. I have some Physan and was wondering how I should go about using it becasue I have noticed some fuzzy white mold on some of the roots. Funny thing is again the plants seem to be doing great! Obviously the mold is making me a little nervous. Hope you enjoy the pictures: The closeups are of a Paph. Fowlei sending up a spike and a Paph. Pinnochio about to open a bud. The third is one of my two grow tables!

[snow]

i think you worry too much as your paphs look yerry happy the white mold on your roots are most likely verry fine hair roots, some one correct me if i,m wrong

[Ray]

You're going to think this is crazy, but your plants will actually do better if you water more frequently.

1. Whether the reservoir is full or nearly empty, the amount of moisture in the medium is fairly constant.
2. With a coarse particle size like that, there's plenty of air flow, so moisture level isn't an issue anyway.
3. In the leaf litter of a forest floor - the natural habitat of paphs - their roots stay most anyway.
4. The chemistry of the liquid in the reservoir changes over time, as the plant is "exhaling" into that environment, and is taking nutrients out in a non-uniform way. Watering more often restores the intended chemistry.

[quiltergal]

I think they look fantastic. Paph. Pinocchio is one of my personal favorites. I'm picking one up in a couple of weeks. What is the Paph. in the last pic hiding behind the lamp post? It's very nice too.

I meant to ask....since you can't see Paph. roots when they are planted in traditional media, how do you know when it's a good time to transfer to s/h? Wait for a new growth to appear?

[Bmorepaph]

Thanks guys! I agree: I do worry to much!!!! The plant hiding behind the lamp is Paph. Dolce Vitta (sp?) (Paph. Liemianum x Paph. St. Swithin) I bought this palnt while it was in bud so it is still in traditional medium. Since then the initial bud has opened along with a second! Quesetion: If Physan was necessary, how would I go about using it? I have gotten the impression that it should only be used in a worse case scenario.

[Bmorepaph]

For example: This is the minor "brown rot" problem that I was talking about. This plant is Paph. Jade dragon. I feel like I should dip a q-tip in a diluted Pysan solution and dab it on the brown spots. I am really looking forward to spiking this plant so I don't want this to spread. I need to get a stronger fan, but unfortunately fans are seasonal products and I have seriously not been able to find any in area stores! Is the physan q-tip the right way to handle this?

[Ray]

Terri, Paphs don't seem to care when they are moved.

BMore - I can't really see what you're referring to, but of you have an infection going on, watering thoroughly with about 1/2 - 1 tsp/gal Physan ought to take care of it. Forget dabbing.

[quiltergal]

Thanks Ray. I may try some seedling paphs in s/h. Nothing too expensive.

[Pensacola Eric]

Ray, when you say water thoroughly with the Physan solution, should the solution be kept in the resevoir until the next watering or flushed out after some period of time?

Thanks, Eric

[Ross]

Just to jump in, I have found Thiomyl to be more effect on brown rot than Physan. In fact the label on Physan says "except rot". Thiomyl is a systemic and seems to stop brown rot in its tracks. They aren't interchangeable in my opinion and according to the labels.