from the cultivation thread:
Quote:
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WATER is especially critical for phalaenopsis. Because they have no major water-storage organs other than their leaves, they must never completely dry out. Plants should be thoroughly watered and not watered again until nearly dry.
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i am not sure what threshold the "nearly dry" means. i am using the bamboo skewer method, and mist the plants heavily every day or other day. when i check the skewers, there is always still some dampness in the bottom 3/4 of the pot, and even found some fuzzy mold on one of them! am i overwatering? other than the regular misting, i think i have run them straight through water only 2 times since acquiring them in february. so far all of them are putting on happy looking new growth (leaves and root tips!) so i don't know if they are suffering root rot at all. i did trim them quite thoroughly when i got them, and haven't noticed any dead roots at the surface. 3 of the orchids have orchid pots, with the holes in the sides for ventilation, and another one is still retaining it's flowering stalk with no fallen flowers yet.
questions:
1. am i overwatering (compared to how often they should be watered)?
2. should i pull one of the larger plants and see if root rot is happening?
3. should i wait until the skewer shows very/completely dry before watering heavily again?
i feel like i am just on the edge of understanding the culture of these tempermental plants! some advice would be quite appreciated. if needed, i can add pictures.