Orchids in water culture

[Sun rm.N.E.]

Milui

It sounds like your plant could recover with enough humidity in the environment such as a greenhouse or shaded, warm place in the yard in a lot of different media commonly used for Catts. The key thing is whether the new growth can still grow new roots or if there is potential to grow a new lead.

I use water culture because I grow in the house and my humidity is seldom high enough to help a plant to survive without a lot of healthy roots. It usually takes much longer for the plant to go through such a major transition to grow radically different kinds of roots. However, my only other choices are some type of orchidarium setup or sphag and bag neither of which appeals to me at this time.

[Sun rm.N.E.]

Nenella

Your drinking Phal roots are amusing. I am glad you kept this good survivor.

I think you are right that the parts that grew into the water will aid transition into S/H since the same water tolerant root parts will be submerged at the bottom of the pot and the rest will still get some air circulation which is what they were designed to do. If I were you I would accomplish this transition while it is still warm and more humid, if and when there is any sign of new root growth, and not worry about this years flowers. You will have new flowers sooner.

However, water culture is very different in that the parts of the roots that were not developed submerged in water have a different structure, will not tolerate reduced air and constant contact with water, will soon take up excessive water, swell, and die.

[snow]

i have a dendrobium phal in water now foe over 2 months simply because i refuse to give up on it. other tha\en some tiny keikis it has,n,t done a darn thing. it,s in a small greenhouse with easst light and plenty humidity.

[Sun rm.N.E.]

Snow

I guess my expectations may be modest, but producing two keikis in two months would keep me interested in the experiment too. It takes a lot to be able to do that and the plant is obviously trying to survive.

By the way, I often have much more success rooting keikis, as soon as they show a hint of beginning root growth, than the mother plant. I just discarded a large clump of Dendrobium moniliforme I bought this Spring that was just sitting in the solution for a couple of months showing no sign of new roots. The keikis I took off of it 3 months ago are growing like weeds in water culture with beautiful roots. My guess is that these baby plants have more potential to make radical changes in the way they adapt to new environments. Also, the mother plant often comes with lots of different disease causing bacteria and fungi it has collected on its roots, whereas the keiki does not, unless it is virused. At this point, I would rather buy keikis than a mature plant with sick roots, which you may not even notice until you take it out of the pot.

Just a reminder, I now clean off rotting roots at the first sign that the fleshy part became soft and loose enough to be pulled off easily from the fibrous core; change the nutrient solution, at least twice a week, which I believe increased my success with water culture. I also think it helps to use a large enough container ( you may have to tie the plant to something like a plastic spoon to keep it suspended) so that you don't have a tiny pool of stagnant water for the new roots.

Good luck

[snow]

thasnks Sun rm Ne i might just try using the keikis instead. i have this plant already growing in sh; but i am so intrigued by you,re method that i just have to try it.better learn with wornout old noid than more expensive plants for starters.

[snow]

thasnks Sun rm Ne i might just try using the keikis instead. i have this plant already growing in sh; but i am so intrigued by you,re method that i just have to try it.better learn with wornout old noid than more expensive plants for starters.

[Milui]

Sun :

My orchids was lately in Shag-n-bag, and that's what killed the last remaining roots...

[Call_Me_Bob]

is water culture just temporary, or can you use water culture instead of bark or other medium?

[Sun rm.N.E.]

Help

That is a good question. I found it hard to predict which orchid will do well in water culture short term or long-term unless I tried it. It has not always been the same ones. Orchid books and other sources of info. have not been very helpful so far for me. There are so many variables including all the diseases as well as reserves the plant comes with, its genetic potential to grow water tolerant roots (not whether it grows best if you let it dry out or not between waterings if it grows in some organic media like bark or sphag that is subject to decay.) Of course growing conditions such as temperature, light etc. are also important. My temperatures seldom go below 60 degrees F for more than a few hours so I can't comment on colder environments. Here is my 5 year experience.

Longest one I have in passive water culture is Pot Burana Beauty, 5 years. I described before how it had no roots, overcame extensive rhizome rot, bloomed in 2 years and seems to continue to like water culture.

Sometimes I divide a fast growing plant, put the front section in LECA and leave the backbulbs in water culture. I have several of these backbulbs that have been growing and blooming as well or faster in water culture than the ones in LECA for between 3-5 years. Some of these are Bl. Sunset Glory, Blc. Mari's Glory, Pot His Light x Ted and Alice, Howeara Lava Burst, Leptotes bicolor, Onc. Sharry Baby, Onc. John Louis Shirrah, Dgmra. Winter Wonderland. And for 3 years Brassavola Kiliani Stars (nodosa x Little Stars ) 3 separate plants full of buds right now, which is a surprise to me considering how poor new root growth was for the first year of water culture. Also had some hybrid Dendrobiums, Cochleantes, Rodriquezia thriving in water culture for 3 years before transferred to LECCA which I find less work if the pot is not too big and heavy for me to handle. Here is a link to my water culture album if you like to take a look at the variety.

Orchids in water culture - Orchid Board Galleries

However, some did much better long-term after they were transferred into LECA in passive hydro such as Catt hybrids close to their walkeriana heritage, most Laelias and Oncidiums with creeping fibrous rhizomes, Encyclias, Neo hybrids and Phals.

[Call_Me_Bob]

ok thank you im trying my phal in water culture, just started it yesterday. so no progress...yet