attempts at getting higher humidity
Login
User Name
Password   


Registration is FREE. Click to become a member of OrchidBoard community
(You're NOT logged in)

menu menu

Sponsor
Donate Now
and become
Forum Supporter.

attempts at getting higher humidity
Many perks!
<...more...>


Sponsor
 

Google


Fauna Top Sites
Register attempts at getting higher humidity Members attempts at getting higher humidity attempts at getting higher humidity Today's Postsattempts at getting higher humidity attempts at getting higher humidity attempts at getting higher humidity
LOG IN/REGISTER TO CLOSE THIS ADVERTISEMENT
Go Back   Orchid Board - Most Complete Orchid Forum on the web ! > >
 
 
Thread Tools Rate Thread Display Modes
Prev Previous Post   Next Post Next
  #1  
Old 08-30-2013, 07:41 PM
Optimist Optimist is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Aug 2013
Zone: 7a
Location: New Mexico
Posts: 2,777
attempts at getting higher humidity Female
Default attempts at getting higher humidity

I posted before about the extreme dryness of the Southwest US and how the medium (bark, even spagham) dried out within a day (to a day and a half) making daily watering a necessity and also risk of overwatering. Today 13% humidity. 90 degree F heat. Very dry climate. Today I am attempting an experiment on the one root problem orchid and a newly saved orchid-- I do not know what type of phal, both were rescues. The root problem orchid has firm but covered in a brown sheath type roots, there are small roots slowly coming out of the brown roots. These are not hollow rotted roots-- they seem quite healthy but they are brown. This is a Yellow phal with little veins. The leaves are stiff and healthy. The other one had 2 flower spikes, but I do not know the color.

Any way, I got a terrarium hygrometer used for reptiles and a temperature gauge. In a large 55 gallon fishtank we had hanging around the house, I put in some bottom grids, like used on a humidity tray, about an inch of bottom rocks then filled the bottom with water. I got a large piece of cork, soaked it, and mounted the 2 experimental orchids on the cork with a scant handful of orchid mix and a tiny amount of spag. I hung the bark with 2 orchids on the side with a hanger made with an old coat hanger.

The after a bit inside of the terrarium was 60% humidity and 90 degree f. The actual humidity where I am is 13%.

I checked what the humidity was and temp in Manila Philippines, and it is humidity 89% and 82 degrees f.

I will move the fish tank farther from the window.

----

I have been a little confused because I have been told to water every 10 days and allow the bark medium to dry.

That is utterly wrong according to some other sources. They say that the bark should be kept moist, but there should not be standing water. In other words good drainage.

So now the phals are not touching anything. They are mounted sideways, on the bark hanging, like they would have been in a natural setting, and now they are in high humidity but well drained environment.

I put some of my weak orchid fertilizer mix in the spray bottle and spray them a few times per day. I will try to keep the humidity at at least 70%, and the temp a little lower than 90. (I will try to get this heat lower, to maybe 85 degrees f).

If this works, I think I can live with it. They look great by the way, but I better get minis next time around.

Can I ask, if anyone knows a good plant that might live on the ground below the phals? I was thinking some peperomia. They seem to be a heat and humidity loving plant. Are there any terrestrial orchids a beginner can do in my temperature/ humidity conditions?

Thanks, any answer welcomed.

Last edited by Optimist; 08-30-2013 at 07:43 PM..
Reply With Quote
 

Bookmarks

Tags
bark, brown, humidity, orchid, roots, attempts


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Help with sunny windows and humidity trays! NYCorchidman Advanced Discussion 8 04-03-2012 12:24 AM
Project 7 (Mystery Project) Sign-up and Discussions cb977 Member Projects 958 12-25-2008 05:08 PM
Project 7 (Mystery Project) - Final Plant List cb977 Member Projects 0 08-14-2008 03:26 PM
Project 7 (Mystery Project) - Tentative Plant List cb977 Member Projects 2 08-11-2008 01:32 PM
Project 7 (Mystery Project) - Plants for discussion cb977 Member Projects 0 08-10-2008 11:16 AM

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 08:25 PM.

© 2007 OrchidBoard.com
Search Engine Optimisation provided by DragonByte SEO v2.0.37 (Lite) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
Feedback Buttons provided by Advanced Post Thanks / Like (Lite) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.

Clubs vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.