Phrags and wet feet

[estación seca]

You mentioned tap water. Slipper orchids, and especially Phragmipediums, are known for doing best with extremely pure water. These are definitely plants you want to give only rain or purified water, unless your tap water is extremely low in dissolved minerals. Here in the desert, using our highly alkaline and mineral-laden water on slippers leads to their decline and death.

You can find information about your water online at your water utility's Web site; search for their water quality report.

[Leslie]

I always sit my indoor 'wet feet' phrags in clean RO water. Details: After I water or fertilize, I will drain the pot/saucer, and fill it with new RO water, then sit plant back in. That way, it doesn't sit in 'dirty' water. Also I put them in clear see-through containers so I can always see the color of standing water, which should be always clear-ish. I will also change the saucer water daily or every 2-3 days, depending on plant. This way, I know the water is always fresh. Since I've done this years ago, no dying phrags or fertilizer leaf tip burns. Hope this helps.


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[Lady Meera]

Thank you everyone. All of this information is really helpful! I think I have a good plan for success now.

[Lady Meera]

Ok, here it is. Repotted and sitting in an open saucer of RO water. I am only going to use RO to water my phrags from now on and I will only fertilize once a month using 20-20-20. It is in a room full of west facing windows but it is not in direct sun because the sun hits too hard. It is sitting next to my oncidium Heaven Scent Sweet Baby (ruffles x sharry baby) which has been flourishing. Fingers crossed!

[Lady Meera]

Hopefully this photo is better...

[estación seca]

I have only Paphs and no Phrags, but everything I've read says slipper orchids should have only very dilute fertilizer solution. Don't mix your 20-20-20 at the recommended strength on the label. Phrag growers here will probably provide more detailed advice.

[orchidsarefun]

A couple of things
- definitely check out your water quality. Hybrids are not that picky and I use local water
- they do not need much fertiliser, probably 1/2 recommended dose during growth months only. 20-20-20 is good.
- a sprinkle of extended release fertiliser in Spring is also good. ( dynagro or osmocote 6 month release )
I have posted photos of my phrag on OB. They all get the above treatment with the addition of being hung outdoors for most of Summer. They love it.

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[orchidsarefun]

Schroderae, sedenii and Paul Eugene Conroy are a few that grow like weeds for me. I have to split schroderae every year. Mine currently has 8 new growths and I will probably split it in 2.

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[My Green Pets]

I'd like to add my Grande to this thread as well, to compare notes with you!

I am still figuring it out. It has never sat in water but it does get watered often, even daily in the summer. I use tap, but we have pretty decent water here (although I can't remember the tds numbers).

I have had to deal with rot twice, both times starting with the lowest part of the plant and working its way up, leaf by leaf.

I bought it as a two-growth division in autumn 2014. It put out two new growths last year and I'm hoping for a bloom this summer (?).

Here he is:

[No-Pro-mwa]

Originally Posted by Lady Meera

I just looked up Les Diroules and it looks so beautiful, I'm jealous. I want ALL the long petal slippers ha! The vendor I got the Grande from had one for $100, but I don't remember the name because I tried to delete it from my brain before I splurged. I need to be confident I can rebloom a $50 phrag before I buy a $100 phrag.

I will definitely post a picture *when* my Grande blooms. I just ordered some saucers so it will have a new home soon.

Is the Grande a sequential bloomer like the Nicholle?

And to make it worse I got it several years ago from a friend that is a florist for free. Now that's a win, win. I'm amazed I kept it alive as I had no idea they took that much water and I bloomed it twice. Then I got on here and found out from Mr. Happy about how much water they take but it is really doing so much better. It had 3 blooms on the one spike and we will see about the other one. Is going to open soon. It's a very big plant and so it soaks up water fast.

I am still a bit scared about the setting water. The other 2 I have if I am going to be gone I will keep water in them but most the time I just run water through them every day. I was setting my, oh I can't think of the name it does have some Kovachi (sp) in it. I had it in water and thought it was doing well but then the root ends seemed to die off so I am trying to just water it every day.

I want more of them also but I'm like you before I spend to much on them I want to have good luck with all of them. I am having good luck with 2 of them.