Finding pieces for a more flexible water culture

[katsucats]

I've had a few orchid plants for many years. Sometimes one dies or gets sick and I buy another one. I've never really been committed to the hobby, but I've never fully left it either. I don't like to spend a lot of effort. If we're being positive, I'm efficient. Realistically, I'm lazy. While I've flirted with traditional growing methods, there's always a con. Here in typically dry southern California, I've found that bark dries out too fast on the surface, and I can never tell what's going on beneath. I like packing a ball of sphag, but I dislike the idea of its impermanence. So I've always come back to the tried and true water culture.

Some people on here say that we should mimic original growing conditions, which is fine if you have a greenhouse. But... I'm lazy. I don't worry about humidity (stopped growing Vandas for that reason). I don't worry about ideal temperatures, day/night fluctuations, light levels, water frequency, pH, water hardness, chemicals, etc. I just let them sit in some water and leave them alone. For a week. A month. And certainly they don't grow as well as they could have, but for the most part, once the routine has been settled, they seem to grow fine.

But now I have an itch to scratch: I want to find a more flexible, more attractive approach to minimal effort growing.

I recently bought a few plants, and here's how I'm planting them.


The inside is a standard pot with holes on the bottom, or sometimes a net pot. The outside pot is any pot without any holes. The concept is exactly the same as S/H. I take the inside pot out, rinse it for however long I want, then fill the outside pot up 1/3. I find this to be better than the traditional way, in my opinion. For one, algae isn't a problem, because light doesn't get in. Secondly, I can control the water level for when I want it more moist or dry, as opposed to a fixed side hole. Third I can do it with standard components from the garden store. Also, flushing is much less of an issue, since I can easily dump out the water from the outer pot. I can also tell relatively where the water level is by feeling for the "suction" when I left the inner pot up slightly. The weight change from when the LECA are submerged versus out is noticeable.

The problem is that ideally, the outer pot should be just about the same dimensions as the inner pot, so that they fit perfect. The problem is finding components that match. And for that I've had to look all over, like using crock pots because they happen to have the right diameter for my net pots, or using recessed lighting trims to extend the brim of my net pots.

My motto, unrealistic or not, is set it up right once, and forget about it.

Anyways, I just wanted to share my new mission, finding components to make this reality. And hopefully we can get some good ideas going in the same vein.

[DirtyCoconuts]

I think it is hilarious that you are using your diploma as the planting tray!!! Amazing.

I think that you can make your own pretty easily with two liter soda bottles.

Cut them off at about 2/5 from the bottom and then invert the top and poke a bunch of holes. It will fit inside the bottom and you will still be able to see your fill level and control the height of the top to tailor it to your needs

Given that you are accepting that your motto may be unrealistic you will have to do SOME tweaking

[katsucats]

I haven't given up yet, and it's worked so far. I've had plants I left in a tub of water for months, maybe top it up once in a while, flush it when the salts become too visible. I know I just broke 3 taboos, but they are still alive. I respect people who want to grow these things the right way, get them big and lush and maybe win a few AOS awards. My aspirations have always been on the other end: Figuring out a one-size-fits-all system for lazy people. I do tweak all the time, but toward the ideal, not away from it.

I appreciate your suggestion about the two liter bottle, but as part of my desire to avoid messing with the setup for as long as possible, I routinely over pot all my plants. After the plants are established in water culture, I skip straight to 6"-8" net pots, where they would remain preferably for many years. In fact, the search for components that fit the 2 pot system becomes harder as the pots get larger. I guess I'm searching for brilliant hacks like your 2 liter bottle thing, but on a larger scale.

I understand that my approach may not be for everyone.

[DirtyCoconuts]

Okay. Noted. I will state for the sake of anyone who is a newb and I reading this that:
1) this is a terrible idea
2) as a lazy person, you are taking it to far and in the wrong area
3) your entire premise is hilarious and tickles me to the core.
That said, here is a way to make your ultimate lazee faire orchid plan work
Get net pots with a 6-8” top diameter. Using leca, fill your net pot and add your plant.
Buy a commercially available fish bowl ( I know you are lazy.... Robot Check)

And then pot the plant in the net pot and then fill the fish bowl with water (I would not fertilize but you could) and let it be with the water juuuust below the pot. The roots will soon reach down and then the water will wick up

Again, terrible idea. I am just spit balling for the sake of helping a fellow lazy person.

Just get into growing herbs

[WaterWitchin]

I’ve always been interested in finding the easiest, quickest way to do everything, without sacrificing quality. Not because I’m lazy, but because there are more things I want to do than there is time.

There are many folks who do semihydro that way Katsucat. I think it’s less efficient, and far from easier. Especially if one is lazy.

All my orchids are in SH, and have been for a long, long time. If I had to lift a pot, dump a reservoir, water the inside pot (presumably over a sink?), then reinsert the pot, fill the reservoir for 100 plants every five to seven days, I’d never get much else done. Mine sit in glass containers, hole on side, in a tray. I walk along and water, touching nothing. The excess water drains off from the tray, and I go on about my business.

I choose glass, because I can see the roots, the roots photosynthesize as they do in nature. If you don’t like algae, either occasionally use an aquarium algaecide in your water, or choose opaque pots.

It’s not what you asked, but I’m putting it out there in the event someone new to SH doesn't assume your way is the best way. It’s just more work.

For what you did ask, google restaurant supply places, or go on Amazon. Deli food containers come in many sizes, up to gallon and larger. Pick the size you want, order in quantity, and choose translucent, semi opaque, or opaque as you desire. Cheaper than pots one buys for growing plants.

You can buy more than one size, poke holes in the smaller one, and get a tight fit if that’s your desire. Frankly, the plant could care less whether there’s a quarter inch or two inches difference circumference between the inner and outer pot.

[mofms1]

I have seen a FB group where they use Full Water Culture (FWC). They take the orchids (typically phals, but sometimes they do this with others) and place them in vases, bowls, cups, jars, whatever they have handy or choose to use. They make sure hte plants are above the rim (sometimes anchoring them there wich the floral sticks or chopsticks) and then they just let hte roots hang down into the water. That's it. No rocks or anything else, sometimes they let it go for a long period of time with the water only changing it out if it smells. IFertilization seems to be subjective to each person, and algae is often considered beneficial.

Are you talking about doing something like that?

[Subrosa]

Here's my method for full water culture in pictures:

[WaterWitchin]

Originally Posted by mofms1

I have seen a FB group where they use Full Water Culture (FWC). They take the orchids (typically phals, but sometimes they do this with others) and place them in vases, bowls, cups, jars, whatever they have handy or choose to use. They make sure hte plants are above the rim (sometimes anchoring them there wich the floral sticks or chopsticks) and then they just let hte roots hang down into the water. That's it. No rocks or anything else, sometimes they let it go for a long period of time with the water only changing it out if it smells. IFertilization seems to be subjective to each person, and algae is often considered beneficial.

Are you talking about doing something like that?

I thought he was talking about semi-hydro with the two-pot method, but guess I could be wrong. If the concern is the easiest (laziest) way of going about it, that would sure be his best route. Not saying I advise it, but it would sure suit his goals.

---------- Post added at 09:18 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:17 AM ----------

Originally Posted by Subrosa

Here's my method for full water culture in pictures:

Subrosa... are there particular orchids you grow this way for a reason? Or just because? Curious. And they thrive as well or better than SH?

[Subrosa]

Originally Posted by WaterWitchin

I thought he was talking about semi-hydro with the two-pot method, but guess I could be wrong. If the concern is the easiest (laziest) way of going about it, that would sure be his best route. Not saying I advise it, but it would sure suit his goals.

---------- Post added at 09:18 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:17 AM ----------



Subrosa... are there particular orchids you grow this way for a reason? Or just because? Curious. And they thrive as well or better than SH?

I've had no success with Phalaenopsis or Vanda in s/h, likely because of a combination of marginal winter temps in my plant room and s/h running cool compared to other cultures due to the increased evaporation. I have a couple Vanda in baskets that at this point have little to no media left, and they do very well for me. But the daily watering can be a pain. Like you, I look for the easiest way to get where I want to go, and fwc is definitely working for me. I used it to rescue the last Phal in my collection, a declining amabalis, and it has turned around nicely, growing a couple new leaves and some decent roots. Since the plant is sitting in the exact same spot in which it was dying in s/h, I presume that the water acts as thermal mass to keep the roots warmer at night. The basket and vase technique allows me to easily maintain the plant at a constant height relative to the water level. I set the plants up with about .5" of root tips in the water and let the roots grow naturally into the water. It's much less work than any other culture method I've tried, requiring only a bit of topping off and about a weekly change of water in the vases.

[WaterWitchin]

Subrosa... Other plants than Phals? And are they actually blooming for you?