Watering issues

[Orchid Whisperer]

Originally Posted by lotusbird

Wow, thanks for all the great ideas! I've always watered all my orchids for at least a minute, somewhere I read about orchids needing deep watering? So it's okay to just water until you see it coming out of the drainage holes?

I only do this with high-quality water (collected rain only in my case, but you could use distilled, de-ionized, or reverse osmosis water). Minimal or no fertilizer is important too.

[estación seca]

There are backpack reservoir sprayers meant for people to strap on and walk through fields or greenhouses spraying with a wand. Are you strong enough to use one of those? Lots of people water orchids with various kinds of spray bottles, but it can be hard to hold a 2-gallon sprayer in one hand and work the nozzle/wand with the other. And many people have arthritis trouble when using a standard 1-quart / 1 liter spray bottle for very long.

[Dollythehun]

Backpack sprayers are quite akward to put on. I have to set mine in the back of the pickup to slide into it. Also, when full, they're heavy. You can buy a small rolling sprayer that might work. Some even pump themselves up as they roll.

[Ray]

For watering, you might consider a small tank and electric pump on a cart (a friend has a 12-gallon bucket and pump on a kid's wagon).

The tray drain idea is easy amd quite effective. After watering, you could pour the collected runoff into the watering tank, roll it to the sink, and pump it out, or use it on non-orchids.

[Mrphil1997]

Try using a water pump from from the local fish store. Put pump in buckrt of water and get large tubing from Lowes (cheaper) and stretch to your plants. Put shut off valve at end of the tubing when watering one plant to another.

[WaterWitchin]

LotusBird, I have a trays and drain system. Pics of it are on my photo gallery. Before I drilled a hole in the floor it drained into a very large pot with a small water pump in the bottom. I opened a window, and pumped the water out the window when it would get too full.

[lotusbird]

Originally Posted by Dollythehun

I'm not suggesting you recycle it to other orchids. I water each plant until the water runs through and into the bucket below. Each orchid gets fresh water, then the used water waters my other plants.

Sorry Dolly. I misunderstood, I'm having a lot of cognitve issues lately. Today I went to grab a bag of fertilizer and picked up the dishwasher powder bag instead. I actually started to mix it, then caught myself. Thank goodness I didn't water any plants with it!
I too water other plants with the orchid runoff, I also use it to fill my humidity trays, which I'm not sure if they really do any good or not.

Barbara

[Dollythehun]

Originally Posted by lotusbird

Sorry Dolly. I misunderstood, I'm having a lot of cognitve issues lately. Today I went to grab a bag of fertilizer and picked up the dishwasher powder bag instead. I actually started to mix it, then caught myself. Thank goodness I didn't water any plants with it!
I too water other plants with the orchid runoff, I also use it to fill my humidity trays, which I'm not sure if they really do any good or not.

Barbara

Barbara, do not be sorry. I have those moments too! I really get this whole thread since I am not a spring chick any more.

[lotusbird]

Originally Posted by Mrphil1997

Try using a water pump from from the local fish store. Put pump in buckrt of water and get large tubing from Lowes (cheaper) and stretch to your plants. Put shut off valve at end of the tubing when watering one plant to another.

Such good ideas, I'm so grateful. I really like the 1 from MrPhil, I happen to have 4 aquariums, so I have a couple of extra pumps. So how long do I really have to water my orchids? I usually run water through the pot for a minute, can I reduce the time?

Barbara

[Mrphil1997]

All depends on the size pot, media used, some plants drink more than others. Once a month I use a bucket I got from Home Depot and hold the plant over the bucket and let the water run long enough to flush out all the media. Let the pot drain and put the pot back.