My first Phal in my first S/H set-up

[eager2learn]

Previous thread here:

What now?

I almost killed the thing.

I just planted it in my S/H pot today. I bought the pot from kelly's korner.



I'm using Ray's method of taking care of this set-up as explained on his site.

Simple, easy, effective, fun.

---------- Post added at 03:14 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:09 AM ----------

although I do have a question for ray:

on his site:

Semi-Hydroponics™ Basics >> First Rays LLC

He mentions to...

"Pot your plants to a normal depth."

What is considered 'normal depth' in quantitative measurements?

[camille1585]

"Normal depth" generally means (for most orchids), that the substrate should be level with the base of the plant. You need to avoid planting it so deeply that the base is below surface level, which can lead to rot.

As to that pot, seeing the gauge on it, it's not a true S/H pot. The problem with these types of pots (inner and outer pot with gauge) is that topping up the water when the gauge indicates a low water level does not remove the accumulated waste or rebalance the nutrients. So you'll have to pull out the inner pot, dump the remaining water, flush the inner pot, replace in outer pot then fill the reservoir again, adding fresh nutrients. The beauty of a real S/H pot, with the 2 holes on the side, is that the act of pouring water through the pot does all of that at once.

[eager2learn]

Originally Posted by camille1585

"Normal depth" generally means (for most orchids), that the substrate should be level with the base of the plant. You need to avoid planting it so deeply that the base is below surface level, which can lead to rot.

As to that pot, seeing the gauge on it, it's not a true S/H pot. The problem with these types of pots (inner and outer pot with gauge) is that topping up the water when the gauge indicates a low water level does not remove the accumulated waste or rebalance the nutrients. So you'll have to pull out the inner pot, dump the remaining water, flush the inner pot, replace in outer pot then fill the reservoir again, adding fresh nutrients. The beauty of a real S/H pot, with the 2 holes on the side, is that the act of pouring water through the pot does all of that at once.

Interesting.

Although the pot is made of very flimsy plastic.

I could drill a hole on the outside where the gauge reads where I like it.

Best of both worlds.

Thanks for that comment.

[eager2learn]

EDIT:

It isn't flimsy plastic. It's hard, durable plastic. But it is drillable

[Optimist]

I also think it is too deep. The place where the roots start to come out should be at the line of the top of the lecca beads, it can actually be higher. Phal roots also do better with light because they photosynthesize. I would put them in a dark cover pot only if they were on a table and guests were coming over.

[eager2learn]

Originally Posted by Optimist

I also think it is too deep. The place where the roots start to come out should be at the line of the top of the lecca beads, it can actually be higher. Phal roots also do better with light because they photosynthesize. I would put them in a dark cover pot only if they were on a table and guests were coming over.

Alot of the bottom roots died off when I first got it. (See the thread I linked in my OP).

A lot of the new roots are very near the base of the plant just below the leaves you see in the photo.