I have never flushed before in a couple years, just watered top down..and never seen any serious issues to be honest. So, personally I am not concerned that much about not flushing them in the winter months while they are inside. I will keep an eye on them of course, and go through flushing them if need be. And i will have them living on grow trays, so i could flush them a few times if i felt truly needed. Just more cumbersome.

So, they were in what I am called semi-semi hydro because they were in netted pots in leca that sat in a water basin for each plant. So the pots were open. My root growth was insane. Like totally off the charts. I have never seen anyone else grow roots like that. But they grew so fast and so prolific that it becomes unmanageable to keep the humidity until i can build a proper greenhouse one day. Which is why I have switched them to fully enclosed pots to give them good humidity. Even though my root growth is not exciting anymore.. and the pots are opaque so i cannot see them and they wouldn't be all bright green and pretty anymore anyways.. Bu.... trade offs until I can build a greenhouse and grow them more like proper epiphytes. Like my Vanda. She is so so happy but she take tons of maintenance.. like having a baby. A 7 foot long baby. 🤣🤣🤣 so, the large humidity change from the first system to the new very high humidty system is what caused the roots to die off.

My small changes to the semi hydro system, I will share more later after I have tested it for about a year. So far seeing incredible results. Want to see more long term before unveiling the method to everyone.

Thanks for everyone's help. I felt I agree with you. That if I carefully unpot them. Just trim the dead roots and carefully place them back in the leca. I do not think they will have much shock. I will probably wait few more months and do it as I bring them inside for the winter time. I feel it would be fine then. I just do not like the idea of all those dead roots sitting in the system. I will maybe only do it on the ones that had massive root systems though, and not all, for time saving.

Also, how often do people give nutrients? I hardly ever have done nutrients, and seen not much difference. Wondering if the increased nutrients is what causes more need for flushing? I did just give them a dose of nutrients in the water reservoir this time.

I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for you to reveal your revolutionary semi-hydro method. But flushing the pots is very important. That's not something you can just skip. Maybe not this year, maybe not next year, but eventually fertilizer salts and dissolved minerals in your water such as calcium will start to build up, and that can do serious damage to the roots. Flushing the pots regularly is not optional.

As I said, I rarely give nutirents at all. So, maybe why I haven't had issues not flushing. But, I do flush them in the summer . But, in the winter, in my house. It is too much work. I also do not feed them nutrient in the winter as it is a lot of work. So, I think lots of theough flushing in the summer should do them well. And I can run a nice hydroponic build up cleaner through them in the summer too to flush extra if needed.

We shall see 😬

Well, sounds like you have a plan. Good luck and good growing!

Sounds like you have it all figured out. We should all be so lucky. Your plants must be just fantastic. I'd love to see them.

Orchids teach me impatience. It's ok to share now hehehehe.

booo....gotta admit, this thread was a let down :(

maybe an update soon???!