transfering catt. from water culture to s/h - Orchid Board

BigRed · #1 01-22-2009, 11:06 PM

Greetings! This is my Catt in water! I got her this time last year in bud. After about a month she had gorgeous green flowers with purple lips. The flowers only lasted a few days and shortly after the pot started to stink. I went to re-pot and realized all the roots were rotten! As a relatively new orchid grower I thought my plant was doomed. I looked on orchid board and saw a post about water culture and decided to give it a try. When I put my precious in this beer mug it had no roots at all. Now it has plenty and two new growths! I bought some hydroton and I want to transfer her to S/H. She grows fine in the cup but I've been wanting to try s/h forever and I figured with such robust root growth right now she'd be a good candidate. If you have any advice on S/H please let me know. I see most people use containers with holes in it above the water reservoir. Is that necessary? I'd like to just use a pretty glass container and fill it up with water part way. The plant is already used to living in water. Let me know what you think.

Ah just for fun. Here are my other orchids growing in water. These two were rootless once. still Not doing great now but alieve.

Ranchnanny · #2 01-23-2009, 12:24 AM

BigRed, I have all my chids in s/h and all are doing well. Having the holes in the container only allow for a small portion of the s/h to sit in water. Two holes drilled one inch from the bottom of container this allows the s/h to wick up the moisture. Yours seem to be doing very well in water so who knows give it a try.

Good Luck
Sheridan

HPS Chris · #3 01-23-2009, 12:37 AM

That is amazing! You dont leave it in water all the time do you? I'm confused... sorry I have been growing orchids for about five years but never tried just putting the roots in h20..... I'd love to learn more! The roots and such seem very very happy though! Great Pics!

Ranchnanny · #4 01-23-2009, 12:39 AM

It looks like BigRed does but I don't. I water my containers at least once a week more often in the summer months.

Sheridan

Zoi2 · #5 01-23-2009, 12:49 AM

WOW--great job saving those babies!
Joann

greenbean · #6 01-23-2009, 01:24 AM

Bigred, I just started experimenting with water culture and really want to try S/H too. If you want to use a pretty glass container for S/H, you might want to try putting pot drainage inserts into the bottom of the container. They are platforms, usually plastic, that hold the medium up and create a reservoir in the bottom of the container. Just an idea.

I'm not sure growing in S/H without the reservoir space is a good idea. I've seen pictures of roots growing down into the reservoir and there didn't seem to be any problems, but if a medium and the roots are both in the water, I believe you run the risk of suffocating the roots. The reason orchids in water culture work is because the water and algae don't suffocate the roots, but when a medium is introduced, it causes problems, sort of like overwatering a traditionally grown orchid. Still, S/H medium is very different from other mediums, maybe if the spaces are large enough the roots won't suffocate.

Sorry, I'm kind of thinking "out loud" here. I don't have much experience in either method so I listen to someone with some experience if I were you.

Here's an example of the pot insert I was talking about. They come in different styles and colors, including clear.

http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page...t=2,51603&ap=1

greenbean · #7 01-23-2009, 01:29 AM

And Chris, to answer your question, water culture keeps the roots submerged at all times, but S/H allows water to drain through the medium (usually some sort of expanded clay pellet) into a reservoir.

greenbean · #8 01-23-2009, 01:32 AM

I almost forgot! Bigred, that last picture is a phal right? Do you have any problems with water wicking up into the base of the leaves and causing disease issues?

BigRed · #9 01-23-2009, 02:01 AM

Wow! Everyone has such great advice and questions.
I absolutely love experimenting with my chids to try and find the best (or most entertaining) ways to grow in my own environment. Which happens to be a very dry apartment. These three were put into cups when they were completely rootless. They had suffered many of my beginners follies. The Catt. and Onc. grew roots rather quickly in the water, about a week. But not strong root system for a few months. I had troubles with the phal wicking up water into it's crown once when I had the water level too high. It lost a leaf but no serious damage. Now I keep the water a lot lower. I don't even cover the top of the roots. It seems to like it this way!
Evan, the insert suggestion is great. However, I think I'm just gonna go for it and put them in S/H with no reservoir. I think it can work on the same principle. If I just put a few inches of water in the bottom it should wick up in the same fashion. Maybe stay a little wetter but the plants are used to all water. If it doesn't work then I'll know for next time, but I think it will be fine.
I sincerely encourage anyone whose interested to try water culture. If you have an orchid you want to save with no roots go for it! What do you have to loose? NOT THE ROOTS! ha ha ha! I'll post some pics after the re-pot to S/H. This is going to be a fun experiment!

greenbean · #10 01-23-2009, 02:05 AM

Thanks BigRed. I'll be looking forward to seeing your results.