Easiest orchid to transfer to S/H

[Leadfoot]

What do you all think is the easiest orchid to transfer to S/H? I want to get my feet wet, pardon the pun, with S/H, but not sure what plant I should start with.

I'm considering both a rescued Phal that's in water culture recovering from my sister's mistreating (overwatering and the resulting root rot), and a Paph which is in spag and just got done flowering.

Are either of these good candidates? Should I look elsewhere?

Thanks in advance!...Mike

[Magnus A]

I would say

1. Phragmipedium, love S/H
2. Small young Palaenopsis with few roots
3. Cattleya just sending out new roots

Old roots tend to die off and it is the new roots that adopt to the S/H culture.

/M

[Oscarman]

I heartily agree with Magnus on #3, but remember so much depends on the other growing conditions; light, heat, humidity etc.

For example, Phalaenopsis establish really well for me, but they are growing in a really warm space which keeps the root zone warmer.

Oncidium, miltassia, odontioda tend to sulk for a while, eventually coming around and growing well......for me.

Please keep us posted, I'm sure we would all love to hear of your successes.

[Leadfoot]

What's "really warm" for you?

FWIW, I'm growing those plants indoors on a windowsill now. Temp is about 83 during day and 75 at night. RH is between 50 and 60%. Light for both plants is within normal culture range, maybe on the bright side -- SSE facing window. I grow other Phals and a Nodosa in these windows and they are thriving.

I also have an outdoor screened porch where the rest of my orchids grow (Cty, Brav., Vanda)-- I'm in Tampa, FL. It faces ENE and is on a lake -- very high humidity. Again, these plant on the porch are doing very well for me in these locations, but it's much higher humidity and temperatures -- for instance yesterday the measured high temp on my porch was 93 and the low 73 with a RH between 60% (day) and 100% (night).

Thanks for the responses -- I'll definitely update you all on my decisions and progress.

[Ray]

The first plant ever placed in S/H culture while I was developing the technique was a paph. It did so well, it encouraged me to expand my experiments.

There is no universal "best" plant for S/H - as has been stated, it depends upon the combination of all of your growing conditions, more than just the plant choice.

Starting with a weakened plant may not be the best choice, as ANY repotting job is stressful, so it may not have the resources to survive.

The best plant for moving into S/H culture is one that has just begun to actively grow new roots (not only new growth on existing ones).

The caveat about warmth and phals that Dave mentioned concerns the evaporative cooling of the medium in dry environments - windowsill growers in Michigan, for example. Come winter, when they push thermostats down to conserve energy, and the air is very dry, that cooling can make the root zone far too cold for the plant, and they die. That is not likely to be an issue for you.

Phals absolutely LOVE hot temperatures, if kept in deep shade. Move it onto the porch and it'll do great.

[Leadfoot]

Thanks Ray. I was hoping you'd respond. I'm going to move my recovering Phal to the porch and see how it responds -- right now it's in water culture and has only one root. I'm encouraging root growth with kelpmax (it had zero roots when I got it), but I'm wating for it to stabilize and grow some new roots (as per your direction) before moving it to s/h. Thanks again....Mike

[cbuchman]

I am trying a rescued Phal that had one 1/2 inch root left and 4 shriveled leaves as my first try - I figured I had nothing to lose. Already it is perking up and a tiny new leaf had started. I'm not seeing any new roots yet, but am reluctant to look too carefully for fear of disturbing them. We'll see. but I am encouraged by the progress so far.

[Vanda lover]

I was having trouble getting the watering right for my reed stemmed epidendrums until I put them in to s/h. They love it! They all began growing right away and one produced a keiki which immediately went into spike. I also rescued a neighbour's very sad phal which had almost no root. It is send up a new plant!

[Ray]

Mike - the thing will grow new roots, and you want them to be in the environment they will stay in as they grow. Waiting for toots, then transplanting is unnecessary, and actually not as good as transferring it now.

[magicatt]

Ray, waiting for toots....LOL LOL LOL....