Perfect root moisture content

[Fairorchids]

Orchids will grow just fine in highly diverse set-ups.

In general, I find that very few orchids really need to dry out between waterings. I do it for C. walkeriana, but not for any of my other (500+) Cattleyas. Likewise, all** my Vandaceous plants are in baskets or net pots, filled with spaghnum/bark mix (about 4:1). When I water, I make sure that these all get fully waterlogged.

I also do experiment at times. Couple of years ago I stuck a Vandachostylis Dainty (Rhy. retusa x Neof. falcata) into a cork tube filled with Aliflor, and set it in a plastic tray with 1-2" of water. It happily adapted, and sent live roots right into the water.

Then I got tired of tipping out stale water, so I hung the cork tube on a wire mesh wall together with my mounted plants. There it gets watered at the same time as all the potted plants (currently 3 times a weeek during the summer). It is still doing fine (and roots that used to be in the water are still alive).

And, it happily bloomed under both setups.

** = One exception. Rhy. gigantea is more like a succulent, with thick fleshy leaves. These I put in a basket filled with Aliflor/LECA nuggets (with a thin liner of coconut fibres to prevent nuggets from falling out). This accomplishes two purposes:

1. It allows this plant to reach a dry stage between waterings.
2. It minimizes the number of times I have to repot, since Rhy. gigantea HATES having it's roots disturbed.