new to semi-hydro (picture series)

[Buds!]

Originally Posted by RPfeiffer

My experience with s/h....hehe...has been good and bad, but bad due to my stupidity. I thought I read into it before diving in, but I guess I just dove in because I didn't find out until after repotting several of my orchids that I needed to wait for new root growth....ooops! Due to this, I have had some struggle and some do well. Even after I learned about needing to get the timing right, I still ignored it once or twice, not sure what I was thinking there...well I guess I wasn't. I have had several Catt's do well, some not do well, a couple of Paph's seem to be doing well, but what might seem to be doing well really may not be, it is hard to tell somethimes what is really going on with the roots! My Cymbidiums took right to it and I did not wait for new root growth with them.....I got very lucky! I have had luck with several other plants as well....but I have pulled my head out of the sand now and I am waiting for new growth on my plants that I plan on switching over from here on out. My only questions is that I know sometimes there are orchids that should only be repotted during certain times of the year. So if they are putting out new root growth, should I still wait until this proper time of the year, and how do I know what plants require that proper time of the year? I have several Catt's I still would like to convert and they are putting out new roots.

Hi Becca,
There are good questions! Maybe you should start a new thread!
I've just started to learn about s/h too. I am also 'waiting'!
Buds!

[elvinwei]

HAHAHAHAA, hahahahaa

i love how you started your photos with the potato salad. i also love how you are planning on what deli food you will buy next
like someone said, you could just buy the empty containers from them

but anyway, i love s/h
i also have Ray to thank for introducing me to this.
i have tried both Ray's PrimeAgra and Hydroton. i think PrimeAgra is more fine and thus makes things wetter.

i have recently found a new medium i am using: diatomite
it can be used like s/h or like bark. it is pretty cool, as it stays drier on the outside, holding moisture in, and release it slowly as it dries

lots of choices out there nowadays

[ruthann]

I purchased a catt via internet in Jan. When it came it looked poorly. I put it in S/H. With regular watering and fertilizing every 2 wks with Ray's Fertilizer the catt has gone crazy!!! It has become hugh. It is so happy.... This was my first real attempt at S/H. I'm so happy too! Ruthann

[Candice]

Originally Posted by ruthann

I purchased a catt via internet in Jan. When it came it looked poorly. I put it in S/H. With regular watering and fertilizing every 2 wks with Ray's Fertilizer the catt has gone crazy!!! It has become hugh. It is so happy.... This was my first real attempt at S/H. I'm so happy too! Ruthann

Ruthann, Can you take !!!!!

I just repotted two phals into s/h two days ago and I am h=just awaiting a shipment of more containers from Rays so I can transfer the other 'chids into s/h. I can't wait till my 'chids grow big and strong, too!!!

[ruthann]

Never posted pic, however, I will try.

[Grandma M]

I bought some acrylic glasses, used my hand held drill. They promptly splintered. It looked like a good idea but it didn't work for me.

[luckygrower]

I'm also new to S/H I bought a starter kit from Ray's and planted a Lc. white spark panda and a Phal. memoria karen sara from Hausermann and they seem to be doing fine, as far as containers, just to see if it would work, I used an old plastic skippy peanut butter jar, drilled two holes one inch from bottom and planted a Phal. Talin Gold in it, someday I plan on transfering most of my plants as I have a problem of over watering

[luckygrower]

On another note as their are a alot of questions on when to plant in S/H I'm going to ask another one. I have 3 Phal's. that have new root growth and have keiki's growing on the spike's, they also have some root rot, is it ok to repot now or should I wait until the keik's are ready for their own pots?

[quiltergal]

Do the Keikis have root rot or the mother plant?

[luckygrower]

The mother plant has a small amount of root rot with 4 new roots above the rot, the keikis don't have any roots yet just a couple of small leaves