Phrag Inca Embers...time to DIMP?

[Heather]

Dude, you gotta learn to end your quotes. oke:

Yes, I was trying to catch your head on fire and Blake got the flavum. Wussy plants. They are all so darn weak!

 

[Cinderella]

Lance I grow 90% of my orchids in s/h. It has mostly worked for me because of my propensity for overwatering and less than stellar conditions. I water my paphs and phrags twice a week at this time of year, in the Winter a little less but still 2x a week ( in other words, maybe every 3-4 days in summer and every 5-6 days in winter).

I have 2 little kids so I don't have that much free time. I love to spend time with my plants but am also trying to get a garden growing outside this summer at our new house. So....I make time for watering about 4-5 days a week and just water what needs it. Maybe this is a lame system? I have about 60 orchids, a small collection.

 

[gonewild]

So....I make time for watering about 4-5 days a week and just water what needs it. Maybe this is a lame system? I have about 60 orchids, a small collection.

No system in lame if it works.
Since you have your plants in s/h you can water more often without harm. That is a good thing.
For the Phrag you are having problems with start watering it every time you water. Even everyday if you can. Include drenching the foliage if you don't already. If your media is an open inorganic type as it usually is for s/h then you can't over water a Phrag.

How often do you fertilize and at what strength do you mix your fertilizer?

 

[Candace]

Cinderella, what I wrote in my P.M. to Heather went along these lines...

I don't know for sure why, but from my forum experiences those who grow indoors are the ones who have problems with s/h. Those who grow in greenhouses LOVE it. People who have indoor growing set ups seem to either like it or don't. I don't know if it's the increased light and temp. controls that greenhouse growers have that indoor folks don't... But, it's a bit trickier to grow indoors anyway, so.... But, I've just noticed over the years that anyone writing in to the forums whose have problems with s/h are growing inside. This may be a good new topic to discuss actually, as there are different variables to why this is the case.

 

[gonewild]

Cinderella, what I wrote in my P.M. to Heather went along these lines...

I don't know for sure why, but from my forum experiences those who grow indoors are the ones who have problems with s/h. Those who grow in greenhouses LOVE it. People who have indoor growing set ups seem to either like it or don't. I don't know if it's the increased light and temp. controls that greenhouse growers have that indoor folks don't... But, it's a bit trickier to grow indoors anyway, so.... But, I've just noticed over the years that anyone writing in to the forums whose have problems with s/h are growing inside. This may be a good new topic to discuss actually, as there are different variables to why this is the case.

The major variable is water. People who grow indoors tend to water less both in quantity and frequency. Greenhouse or outdoor growers generally water with a hose and apply lots of water with less effort. I personally don't like the idea of relying on the s/h pot reservoir to be the only water source for the plants for a daily basis. Leca makes a fine media in normal pots as long as it is watered frequently.

 

[NYEric]

2 kids mean future waterers!

 

[Cinderella]

So far the little one has been a bud picker. She picked a bud off of my phal pulchra and also a blooming (freebie) phal from Big Leaf.

So I water with about 3/4 tsp of MSU fertilizer say about twice, 4 days apart and then the third time would be flushing with no fert. This is approximate.

Candace I think your statement is very true, people who grow inside have more trouble anyway. Lots of inside growers don't have RO systems, so the quality of water is poorer, and of course, less light.

 

[Candace]

I have two children, as well, Cinderella. I started in orchids when they were probably the same age as yours now. My daughter is now almost 14 and my son almost 12. They never touched my orchids, but I was lucky enough to always have a big enough home to seperate the plants from them. And when I got my greenhouse it was even easier to make sure they didn't get into trouble. It does get better, really:> They grow up so fast an occasional infraction, is just something to put down in the "will laugh" at this someday category. I keep hoping one of them will start to show some interest in orchids as they get older. So far, not. I still don't like them in my greenhouse, even at this age. I've got mouse/rat traps down that could really hurt if snapped on a finger or toe. So, I'm still the sole waterer of the household.

 

[Cinderella]

Candace how long have you had your g/h and what are it's dimensions?

BTW, this Phrag problem is probably more about water quality or something than about s/h...it is the only slipper with this problem and they are almost all in s/h except the Parvis which now I come to find out that Candace grows her Parvis in s/h...

 

[Candace]

My greenhouse is 12' x 18'. Large enough to be a lot of work, yet too small for all the plants I really want to have! We are planning on buying acreage when our youngest goes off to college in 5-6 years. I will be building one that's commercial sized, then. I think I had it intalled about 8 years ago? Maybe even closer to 9. It was one of the first things I did when we built our house and moved into it.

It took me about 3-4 years to fill it up completely and wish I'd have built bigger. But, we only have .38 acre in a subdivision and if I'd built it any larger than it might not be a plus for resale.

 

[Cinderella]

So how many plants can you have in a 12x18 g/h? Of course that is a relative question so how many do you have? At last count?

 

[Candace]

I've never counted them all except I did a quickie count of paphs and phrags the other day about 150 paphs and 150 phrags. If I had to guess, I'd say I've probably got maybe 500-600 plants? After paphs and phrags I have mostly cattleyas. Luckily, my greenhouse has a 10ft tall peak so I can hang lots of plants in and around the aisles so I can make use of the space well. I also have probably 50 plants inside growing in windows and a greenhouse window in my kitchen.

 

[NYEric]

Addicted!