Watering, flush or soak?

[jcec1]

Originally Posted by vpsihop@hotmail.com

Interesting. I may start soaking more of them. Are you all using the same vessel? New vessel and water for every orchid? I imagine cross contamination being an issue

I use separate vessels.

---------- Post added at 10:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:30 PM ----------

Originally Posted by jkofferdahl

It concerns me that you're just rinsing your soaking bowls out with a soapy sponge. Doing so really won't kill or remove any viruses if such exist in your plants. Each plant should be soaked in its own, sterilized container.

I've never really understood regular soaking, and maybe in part because of my philosophy on watering. As I approach it, the roots absorb the water and the media gets wet with a simple, quick flush. The roots will absorb the water quickly. Once the roots and media are wet, it is the roots which provide water to the plant, while the purpose of the media is to insulate the roots from drying too quickly. I can't imagine soaking to be at all detrimental to the plant (unless you leave it too long) but I can't see how it's beneficial either, unless a plant is essentially desiccated.

I've never known how quickly an orchid takes up water, or if there is a cut off switch when it has taken as much as if needs, I have no idea of plant physiology. So I err on soaking them, thinking if they stop taking water in the soak time, then all that is lost is some time, whereas if I didn't give them enough then that could cause problems. Hopefully, someone will chip in with some physiology about water uptake.