proper watering

[naoki]

You can try it, but I think it is easier to redo. When I get plants from Satomi, I just unpot and reuse her sphag to convert it to kokedai. But if your place is hot and dry (so the sphag dries quickly), then you don't have to use kokedai-style.

It is better to water entire plant. Unless there are some problems (e.g. holes made by insects), healthy plants don't get infection by water on leaves. Also, leaves can absorb nutrients. So I intentionally water leaves in addition to roots with the sprayer. The region where these plants are from get fair amount of rain (I grew up there). When you have strong direct sun, I've heard that leaf can be burned from water droplets, but I'm not sure if it is true.

[u bada]

Thanks Naoki, that's how I do it with most of the orchids. I've actually taken to water the foliage more, just afraid with all the neo/ asco stuff I've lost to rot. On other hand I had suspicion that rot was connected to the dirty fish water I use to use, and potentially I wasn't watering often enough, or the plants were staying too wet for too long potted...

and to address Anon question on whether I knew when to water, that's what was tricky... Many say let the sphag ball get crispy but perhaps I let it get too crispy outside when hot and dry... and like stated the ones I had in bark I drenched and it's possibly they were over watered as I suck with potted plants.

Satomi says water when dry, and Dr Uthus says treat like succulents/ cacti, and orchid web (orchids limited) is saying keep slightly wet between waterings in growing season. For instance.

Probably in my conditions the uplifted moss ball frequently misted, and watered watered less frequently, may do well in heat and dry of summer so that may be best way to go for me outside. Inside, too I guess. I'm actually impressed indoor growers can manage with sphag balls inside. Stuff in sphag indoors for me are always wet.