Humidity (Not an issue in my experience)
 

Hi everyone,

After doing plenty of growing in Arizona where humidity is frequently below 10 percent I have come to the following conclusions.

First, orchids will grow and bloom in low humidity if you are diligent about keeping them watered as soon as they dry out.

Second, low humidity growth is only achievable by utilizing water retentive materials. Of course with cattleyas and species that need to dry these materials are mixed with chunky bark and other airy materials. It also helps to have air movement to help dry out the pots.

Third, humidifiers reduce the consequences of a skipped watering, but are not necessary if you water when the plants need it. (I have had long periods of time without having a humidifier at all and my plants bloomed). Missing a watering in low humidity is my most frequent cause of bud blast. As soon as I increased my watering frequency my plants reliably bloomed.

Has anyone else experienced this or is my experience unusual?

I have HR's around 15% for 4 months a year and the only thing I do in that time is to adjust my watering scheme and misting on the cool growers.
I have more control over my watering in low HR's.

It depends on the plants. A lot of Cattleya, Phalaenopsis and Vanda alliance hybrids don't mind lower humidity. Some orchid groups do mind very, very much.

True, I'd love to grow draculas but I know they couln't make it.

I agree that it really depends upon what you are growing. Many of the cloud forest orchid species (i.e. Lepanthes, Lepanthopsis, Platystele) do seem to need that higher humidity. I need to grow them in a tabletop greenhouse, along with a few of my smaller Bulbophyllum, even though I don't have as low humidity as you do.

my indoor orchids just live in the living room with us....they have their lights, that run pretty much as long as we stay up, lol....I wake up at 7am when the lights come on, and go to bed shortly after they go off....at 9ish....no fans, no humidity assist....just a gravel pit they grow in, 2'x4' tray. I have grown cattleyas in it, but it mostly is for my bloomers, whatever they be, and my ladyslippers....which I cherish....here in texas, the humidity can be awful low.....out in my back porch greenhouse, I used to keep the jaybird 700 on a low setting, like 20%, blowing mainly on my few vandas and some babies...

I water inside about every two or three days, and the little gh got water more often, sometimes daily....I have pretty much moved to the new/larger gh now...

the new gh will have a more humid environment, as it is on a gravel base....

the plants on the light stand was abandoned for 3 weeks, I left the light on all the time as the timer got broke....and we just had pressing issues here in texas...I could hardly believe it when I went back to get them! they were alive! and it didn't seem to hurt them much!

so, humidity for me is highly over-rated....orchids live just like I do, the good with the bad....

There's no doubt some plants do eventually acclimate but I have found phals prefer more humidity. My ambient humidity can reach 60-70% and they all have magnificent aerial roots ( which I prefer in phals ). In fact when they return from show displays a couple of roots in each plant always dry up. But if you can't supply humidity, then that's ok too.
I also maintain that if you can't grow a genus in your cultural conditions, then don't punish yourself by trying.


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I would say it is the same for me. But yes the aerial roots are goners if they try and escape the pot.

I always mist them, at 2x the watering frequency. I've been sucessful in keeping them alive.

As already mentioned, really depends on the species or in case of hybrid species genetic background, or simply it's just genetics... many of the developed hybrids you'd find at stores/markets- ie phals, catts, oncidum intergenerics, cymbidiums, et al.- can definitely handle lower humidity and bloom in it with modified care measures as you mentioned... but I can tell you from personal experience that many orchid species, and many hybrids made up of humidity loving species, humidity can be an absolute requirement to grow them well. But that's what adds to the joy of growing orchids, being up to the challenge (and creativity) of making them happy...