New to semi-hydro - my experience so far

[flowerpower]

Originally Posted by chantrelle

Thank you so much for taking the time to share you experience with so much details and pictures.

I'm new the Orchids world. I only have two NOID Phal and a Wilsonara Kolibri that I just got when I visited an Orchids nursery last week.

Before, I got my Wilsonara I had read about S/H and I felt I wanted to start with this type of culture for the sympodial orchids. I actually bought it not flowering and growing a new bulb just to try this. (I'll buy flowering Orchids when I go at the Montreal expo this week-end, Phal and hybrids from the Oncidium alliance.)

But when I got home I kind of got to scared to experiment with the S/H and changed my mind. But your post got me back on track I should try this with my Wilsonara.

Most of what I read so far about S/H was on French web site. Is there a specific " How to do S/H " here that you know of ?

Thanks again

All of my oncidiums seemed fine in semi-hydro if timed with the start of the new growth so it seems fairly safe. I also found cattleya divisions with few roots a good choice.

I removed my phals from semi hydro as I did not like the direction things were headed. They can be converted to semi hydro but I couldn't adapt mine. The new roots stopped growing when they touched the leca so they're just little stumps while the old roots died - leaving me with nothing to support the plants. I prefer water culture or sphagnum moss for phals but I just chalk it up to experience.

My dendrobium nobiles are growing in semi water culture now too and they seem to really like it. They are very easy-going so probably would have been fine in semi-hydro - but I could not get them to stay upright in LECA as they're very top-heavy!