Reconsidering S/H

[Tindomul]

How about topping the S/H with some sphagnum moss to maintain local humidity?

[Gwenchanter]

Thats a good idea too as long as there are plenty of holes in the pot so it's getting a lot of air from underneeth. We don't want to put the layer of spag on top and create a blanket that chokes the roots. If there are plenty of holes though, I think its a great idea!

Also, I read somewhere on this forum someone talking about taking two pots about an inch apart from eachother in size and putting one inside the other, then stuffing the space between the pots with wet sphag to keep the humidity up, then put your s/h in the inner pot for good drainage and the roots arent sitting in soggy sphag, but the whole area will retain moisture. I think you would have to use clay pots for this too. Of course this is just an idea and i guarentee nothing.

[AHAB]

Hello,
I have been using S/H for a little over a year now. Maybe I am lucky but I have not lost a single orchid or plant (african violet, tropicals and a bunch of miscellaneous plants).
I fertilize at 125 PPM nitrogen and flush once a week or so.
I follow what Ray suggests and it works very well. It is not a magic fix,it is a good non-degrading medium that I will not have to repot due to the media breaking down. The media is a foothold for the roots to grab hold of and has the benefits of releasing the solution back. How can it not work? Take care of the other aspects of your culture and you will be successful.
Best of luck!
AHAB

[jane]

Can any one show picture/s of chids grown in s/h, that including pot. Please. R hydroton the only media for this culture? Can charcoal be used? Highly appreciate.

[quiltergal]

Hi Jane. Welcome to OB! I'll be posting pictures of a couple I have in S/H to the Updates thread here in the Semi-Hydro forum later today.

LECA has a wicking quality to it that charcoal doesn't . It moves the water from the bottom of the pot up into the root zone where the plant can use it without blocking air to the roots. I don't think charcoal would work.

[Buds!]

Hi Jane,
Welcome to the OB! I am glad you are able to join us!
You might be interested in the following links:
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...wing-area.html
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...roots-s-h.html
I have never used charcoal for s/h, I am not sure if it is suitable.
Maybe other experts on the subject can chime in.

[Buds!]

Originally Posted by quiltergal

Hi Jane. Welcome to OB! I'll be posting pictures of a couple I have in S/H to the Updates thread here in the Semi-Hydro forum later today.

Terri,
Can't wait for your !

[quiltergal]

Don't get too excited Buds! The pictures won't be that dramatic.

[Tindomul]

Hi Jane. I recently tried aquarium gravel in place of hydroton. I made sure the gravel would be of the same size. It just didn't work. The water simply does not wick. Its not just shape, but material as well thats important. I'm thinking if I had used tiny gravel it could maybe have worked, but thats an experiment for another day. Charcoal, so much of it may make too much powder and kill your roots. Have never tried it, but sounds plausible to me.

[jrhennek]

I only water once a week for most of my S/H plants. Why would you want to mix something that will break down in your Prime-Agra beads? You will have a harder time reusing the beads if you mix bark or other things with it.

Jayme