What to do?

[stormzy]

Hi Everyone, I wanted to know how everyone waters there neo's. Is it ok to soak them in a bucket of water? Also, what should I do if we have cold rain for 4 days, should I bring the plants inside? How many days of rain can they take?

[WhiteRabbit]

I just water mine either under the tap, with a watering can, or with a hand pump pressure sprayer.
I'd bring them inside (or under shelter) if there's lots of rain.

[AnonYMouse]

As with most answers to orchid related questions, it depends.

You can soak them in a bucket as long as it is not sharing the water with others. Great way to transfer pests and pathogens.

I spray or squirt water for quick drink. I soak in individual cups for a proper bath. I have a few situated that those methods are not practical, those I spray.

I grow indoors so can't help with the rain. If you grow in sphag (I don't), it can't be good.

[stormzy]

Thanks for your responses. I am trying to find the method of watering, that I would like. I am soaking them in a bucket for 5 minutes, when the moss is completely dried. I think spraying them would be much better. I brought mine in because it is going to rain for 3 days, plus the wind would of blown them away. I do grow them in sphag, how fast should the moss mound take to dry out, before you see root rot?

[MattWoelfsen]

As AnonYMouse advised, watering is an individual task. At last count you have four Neofinetia? (Is that all? LOL!)

I have stopped misting my plants because of leaf spotting and cool temperatures. My plants have developed crown rot when I have allowed water to coagulate (is that the word?) around the stem of the plant. If water is left in the crown, and remains in the crown, and the temperature drops, this causes crown rot. This is more likely to happen in the winter. So I do not spray/mist, water deeply in the Winter time. Instead I raise the relative humidity to around 60%.

For the growing season--which is now, I water deeply. I take every plant to the kitchen and water them under the faucet. I water the root ball. I try not to water the plant. If I do wet the leaves I try to blow out the excess moisture from the crown or stem (jiku).

I do this early in the morning. I run a fan throughout the day to get the plants dry but moss damp by nightfall.

This is a lot of work! So I look forward to warm summer temperatures when I can take a water hose and water them when it hasn't rained.

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[stormzy]

Just wanted to thank everyone, for all the input! I have been using distilled water. Would love to just use my tap water. Have any of you, test your water for Total Dissolved Solids? What is the recommended amount aloud to be in your tap?

[AnonYMouse]

TDS<200ppm, the lower the better. Municipalities allow for a lot higher so you might have to mix with distilled or RO. Most/many/some municipalities provide this info.

[stormzy]

Originally Posted by AnonYMouse

TDS<200ppm, the lower the better. Municipalities allow for a lot higher so you might have to mix with distilled or RO. Most/many/some municipalities provide this info.

Thanks AnonYMouse, I will have to test my water again. Last time I did it was about 75ppm. So I should be fine?
Why I was so concerned was, I was getting some root burn. I think it was because I mixed fertilizer and tap, also putting to much fertilizer in. At the time, I thought it was because of the tap.

[Fairorchids]

Originally Posted by stormzy

Thanks for your responses. I am trying to find the method of watering, that I would like. I am soaking them in a bucket for 5 minutes, when the moss is completely dried. I think spraying them would be much better. I brought mine in because it is going to rain for 3 days, plus the wind would of blown them away. I do grow them in sphag, how fast should the moss mound take to dry out, before you see root rot?

My advise: From Feb through Nov, NEVER let Vandaceous plants dry completely**. Water when still slightly damp. One of the reasons many people have problems with Vandaceous orchids (& Paphs), is the erroneous understanding that they need to dry out between waterings.

** Only exception is Rhy gigantea, which can be treated more like a succulent.

[stormzy]

Thanks Fairorchids, I will change to watering them, when slightly damp. I have noticed that if I do let one of my vandas go dry, it's buds blast.