Is it possible to overwater a mounted orchid? - Page 3 - Orchid Board

camille1585 · #21 09-16-2009, 04:55 PM

Soaking the entire plant is for me the quickest and easiest way to water them, especially when I fertilize them. As long as you dunk them in the morning and have good air circulation, rot is not an issue. Wet leaves dry within a few hours.

RosieC · #22 09-16-2009, 05:06 PM

I soak mine about once a week as well as the usual water poored over it (and I fertilise at that time). At that point I then dunk the whole thing, mount and plant.

Actually this morning I dunked it in the bath.

We had been told our water suply would be off for an unknown length of time, so we filled the bath so we had plenty of non-drinkng water, and we filled as many jugs as we could find with drinking water. This morning the water had come back on so I decided to use the bath full of clean water to water my 'chids. First the mounted one was dunked under the water and swished arround a bit, then some of the potted ones were dunked in as well.

Shyulace · #23 03-07-2011, 11:29 AM

It seems like by general consensus on this post that majority likes to dunk and soak the plant because of the ease and thoroughness.

But out of curiosity, if you have more than one mounted chid, would you change the water after dunking each mount? I heard that sharing the same water source is a easy way to spread diseases.

Discus · #24 03-07-2011, 11:49 AM

You *should* change the water and disinfect the container between dunking plants, but most people don't because it's usually very impractical. In a well established, stable collection under an experienced grower who can recognise diseases, it shouldn't be too much of an issue.

Fungi and viruses can both easily be spread through water.

Shyulace · #25 03-07-2011, 12:30 PM

Ah, I suspected as much.
I guess I'll do the safer method until I know I can doctor my plants.

Thanks

RosieC · #26 03-07-2011, 04:05 PM

I now DO mist and soak (unlike back when I wrote the above messages in 2009). I mist heavily with fertiliser mix on the other days.

I soak plants together in the sink. I know it's a risk and there is one I'm a bit iffy about that goes in after the others have come out... but it's just impracticle for me to do all of them seperately every morning.

RosieC · #27 03-07-2011, 04:07 PM

Oh, and while I'm here it's worth going back to my original question that started this...

you can overwater. My miltonia was overwatered in the summer when it was out in the rain. It got a large-ish edema blister on one of the p-bulbs as a result. But it's roots didn't rot and it recovered

johnblagg · #28 03-07-2011, 05:14 PM

LOl I mounted a Cattleya Intermedia and it gets sprayed 6 or 7 times a day ....but no moss just placed on bare wood .....and I realy soak it when I do

nenella · #29 03-07-2011, 07:57 PM

Well I have never had a problem but, this winter I was away for 6 weeks and the person looking after my 'chids managed to cause crown rot(i immagine) as a mounted on cork, phal lobbii I have had for a few years died ..
I do not know what happened? exactly...... but I came back to find just one green root on the plant and no leaves... A month later I threw it away as there was nothing left

I believe it got crown rot ...
IMHO does not matter if you spray or soak, BUT it needs to dry out fast'ish.... either with air
movement (fan & or blowing on it) & or absorbing the excess moisture on the plant with a kitchen paper towel..

cday2inflorida · #30 03-08-2011, 07:42 AM

Sphagnum is tricky when mounting or for that matter potting. You can think it is sufficiently watered and it is not or it stays way too wet. There is a learning curve to adjust to for your growing conditions.
Fern Fiber has two ways to mount. Either horizontal which doesn't dry out so quickly and vertical where the water runs out immediately.