Wicking

[dnatural1]

Hi all. Its very encouraging to hear of your positive results. I've started using semi-hydroponic culture methods this season (its summer in Australia now). So far it looks good - no real issues to report and the plants (mainly Phalaenopsis type plants but also some Cattleyas) are doing very well. I'm also trying wicking as it may be worthwhile in Winter when growth slows down significantly but some moisture around the rootzone would still be beneficial.

[SallyO420]

I have used semi-hydro for 25 years. For me, starting to use the wicks took everything to a whole new level with all my orchids, succulents, cactus, caudiciforms and the other 75 plants I have in s/h. If you are using regular fertilizer you need to add a booster with calcium, mag and iron. Soil has these minerals and reg fertilizers don't. I love it and it cut down on my rot 95%. You can get great information on semi-hydroponics on "First Rays" the inventor.

[dnatural1]

Hi Sally, The main fertilizer I use, Peters Excel CalMag Finisher, is the standard for professional use here in Australia. It's contents are: N:P:K:Ca:Mg = 13:5:20:7.0 (as Calcium Oxide):2.0 (as Magnesium Oxide). It's got the trace elements as well (Boron, Copper, ...). I am not using it for the Semi-hydroponics trial as it contains Urea (2.2%) and I'm not sure if it can be easily processed by plants without adding microbes of some sort (this will be the subject of a future experiment). For semi-hydro I'm using Growth Technology's Orchid Focus Grow. It has the Ca, Mg and trace elements but at lower concentrations than Peters Excel. It has no Urea.

"First Rays" is where I discovered and learned about semi-hydro. It's still my default goto if I need to find out about a particular topic (eg using biologicals). There now seems to be other good sources of information on semi-hydro - even some which are not orchid specific but nonetheless provide insights on what's required to make plants grow well.

Thanks for sharing you successes with both orchid culture and that of other plant families.

[SallyO420]

I will check that out I just felt the orchid fertilizer didn't have as NPK as I would like for the rapid growing and constant flowering of african violets. I still used the orchid semi-hydro for the orchids and other plants. I will check out the one you use. I loved Australia and New Zealand. I was from Philadelphia when I went there. I am in CA now.