Watering Routine

[2009zohsix]

Originally Posted by tmoney

howdy!

ray has hit the most important points, and as usual i totally agree with his comments.

from my end, i found a terrarium to be tricky to get the balances right. i.e., in such a small box, i found that humidity went up quite a bit when i sprayed the mounted plants. perhaps when you spray will also be as important as how much.

also, depending on the media the potted phals have, you may need to water less than once a week. are any of them in moss, or are they all in the same bark media? phals in compact moss, in a terrarium, would give me nightmares and i probly wouldn't water them any more than every week and a half to 2 weeks (a total guess). is water going to drip down into the potted plants when you spray the mounts? is a bunch of heavy spray going to get onto the leaves? these sorts of details are the things that terrariums seriously bring to the forefront.

really, i feel your starting parameters seem fine and dandy, but i would urge you to watch the plants closely for a couple months to find your own schedule. (honestly, i just prefer to grow plants in the open, hehehehe)

Thanks for your insight! The vivarium has several screened areas for ventilation that I adjusted, before I bought the orchids, and found a setting that keep some moisture in but allowed for good ventilation. With lights and fans running the humidity stays right around 75%. I haven't noticed large swings in humidity when I have watered. I watch the sphagnum moss around the mounted orchids an waited for them to dry out completely (maybe too dry??) before I water.

I do have a potted phal in there with a bamboo skewer in the pot and it seems to hold moisture so your warning is well placed.

I will observe an watch what the plants are telling me. Thanks for the YouTube link.
Regards!
Dan



H

---------- Post added at 12:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:17 PM ----------

Originally Posted by estación seca

Agree with the above. Different orchids may have very different needs. Which plants do you have potted and mounted?

Hello Dry Season.

I concur. In my planted aquariums, I watch the plants. Watering plants is a new area for me.

Vanda Nana / Ascocentrum Pusillum potted
Phalaenopsis Violacea “Coerulea” potted,
Dendrobium Uncatum potted,
Dinema / Encyclia Polybulbon mounted,
Gastrochilus Japonicus mounted,
Brachypeza Semiteretifolia mounted.