I have some newbie questions Re: Phals

[Neofalcata]

Anyone have some wisdom to share about growing phals. Do they need a winter rest with cooler temps and less water? I am switching them a few at a time over to S/H.

[Ray]

In my experience, phals tend to be active year 'round. In fact, many of them, especially white/pink/purple hybrids, tend to be winter bloomers. They do want a ten- to fifteen degree (F) day/night temperature drop for about ten days to two weeks to initiate spiking (that usually comes about 6 to 8 weeks after that), never letting them go below about 50F. That drop is usually a natural autumn occurrance, and in the home, leaving the plant near a window (even a closed one if it's really cold outside) will do the trick.

With S/H cuture, I use shallower pots for phals, as they generally like to stay wetter, and I use relatively large diameter pots, as well, often planting young ones in pots of the same diameter as their leaf span. They seem particularly happy when they can spread those roots out.

[Neofalcata]

I am wondering if I should water my Phals in S/H more. I was shooting for once a week, since they don't like to be as wet as phrags. But the top 1/3 or more of my pots seems to be dry after a couple of days, and that is where most of the roots reside in my phals. I wonder also if the roots that find their way to the reservoir are going to be prone to rot? Does keeping the reservoir lower in the pot and watering more often counter any benefit I am getting from growing in S/H? Should I maybe adopt an every other day watering schedule for my phals, just like I do for my phrags? If you can't overwater, I guess the main problem is making sure you don't underwater. It never ends with orchids!

[Ray]

I believe you're "overthinking" this.

1. Just because it looks like the pebbles are dry doesn't mean they are totally so. There is a gradient, not a step in moisture.
2. In order to increase the height of the visibly wet column of rocks, shorten the distance from the top of the reservoir (the holes) to the top of the pot.
3. If you don't like the drying rate, increase the humidity in the area, don't water more often.
4. Root cells grow in a manner that is tailored to the environment they grow in. If that means submerged in the reservoir, they'll be fine. The only caveat being that if you keep the plant too cool, you might end up with rot, but that's from temperature, not water.
5. Having the reservoir be totally full or maintaining it at half depth or less - or making it shallower by drilling the holes lower - doesn't appreciably change the root environment. Watering every two days is probably overkill.
6. As long as there is water standing in the reservoir, there is no urgent need to water. You can water more frequently than that, but as I said, it doesn't make that significant of a difference to the root zone.

[Neofalcata]

Thanks Ray.

[Tindomul]

I think I would like to try and grow a Phal in S/H. Would a shallow but very wide pot/contianer be better than narrow and deep?