Inherited many orchids, need advice and identification help!

[malteseproverb]

There's no story behind the photo really. I found it flipping through an issue of "The Face" magazine when I was 13 and for some reason I was extremely taken with it. The boy was a spectator in the crowd watching as Saddam Hussein's statue was toppled in Baghdad. I've had this ripped out page on the wall of every place I've lived in since that age. My boyfriend doesn't like him so he's relegated to the basement.

Having an overflow bucket was something I was thinking of. I guess I was trying to raise the humidity because they were in a more humid environment before and were only being watered once or twice a week. Now I think some of these need water everyday, which is annoying. I already have some I water everyday in my regular grow space in my bedroom. It's easier upstairs because the shower is just down the hall and I go in the bathroom from my bedroom in the morning anyway. Now I also have to go to the basement, then bring stuff upstairs to my kitchen sink... etc. I broke off part of the mounted mini bulbo this morning doing that while also trying to hold 3 other ones! It was the top and what I'm guessing newer part of the plant. I'm so mad at myself. It's so cute

[Dollythehun]

Sometimes, I take the bucket to them. I hold them over the container to water them. Or find a tote to put them in to haul them around. Trying to balance them leads to disaster.

We have cats. I reuse my plastic kitty litter jugs for water both fresh and used. It makes it easier to carry it to site if needed. Also, if you have patio plants they love used orchid water!

[Roberta]

For what it's worth, when I was using the spare bedroom as my "greenhouse" http://orchidcentral.org/GrowingAreas/indoor.jpg I never emptied the bins - the water just evaporated, which provided a bit of local humidity. I'd wash them out every 6 months or so if they got too gross, but really didn't have much of a problem with algae, etc.

[No-Pro-mwa]

OK so all the humidity talk is making me laugh. And I'm not trying to make fun of anyone, but my orchids are saying take us there. I have 16% as we speak.

[Roberta]

When I had the spare-bedroom setup, the pans weren't for humidity, they were there to catch the runoff so that I didn't have to deal with it. (They evaporated pretty quickly). Any humidity was a bonus. I have never found it to be much of an issue except for some of the oddball species that I have been gravitating toward. What I think that the orchids hate is sudden changes in their conditions.

[malteseproverb]

Repotting is underway. I have 5 plants soaking now. The Darwin orchid surprisingly had a pot FULL of healthy roots! The media was basically soil. I think it used to be coconut husk chips but it was really broken down. And there were not many bugs in it. Very surprised. I know these hate to be repotted so I have to strategize with the new potting media. I've got coconut husk chips but I'd have to soak it and clean it. It's a hassle since all of my buckets have soaking orchids right now... I might just use small orchiata instead. I've never used orchiata before but I've heard it doesn't break down.

The other angraecum, the eburneum, had roots completely covered in white fluffy bug stuff. The dibyana was also completely infested but with small round eggs. Not sure what kind of pest that is. It also seems like they brought some small ants with them from their old grow space. Stupid, scale-loving ants!

[Dollythehun]

Yuk. You go girl...kill em all!

[Roberta]

Soapy water soak will help debug... maybe throw a little Bayer's Advanced in there for good measure?

I use medium Orchiata for Angcm. sesquipedale and relatives... with those big, thick roots, I think that they need to dry out a little between waterings, small bark may stay too wet.
I used to use coconut husk chips for a lot of things, but over the last several years quality really declined - where they used to last 5-6 years for the Cyms, when I gave up on them, they were lasting maybe 2. Maybe your supply is better than what I could get, but keep an eye on it.

[estación seca]

30% is fine. The ants aren't stupid. They hitchhiked while a human transported them hundreds of miles to a new place to live.

There most likely isn't a nest with a queen, so the ants will probably not set up housekeeping. The soak will take care of them.

[WaterWitchin]

Maltese... Look what I just found on Amazon while looking for something for my violets:

Amazon.com : Countryside Flower Box Planter, White, 36-Inch : Window Box : Garden & Outdoor

Might help?