I just learned something.....

[delphiguy]

It was raining here for about 10 or so days now, its really weird since its
supposed to be summer until mid June when the rainy season comes in.

Anyways, since it was raining, I dont have to water the plants outside, well
this morning there was a pause from the rain that I was able to take a good
look of the garden, and arrange some plants that have been misplaced by the
winds, mostly the hanging Vandas.

First off, some of the blooms on my Phal Type Den have withered, and some from
the Vanda's fell also. So either the wind did that or the nonestop rains.

Also on the bright side, the plants seemed to love the rain water, everywhere I look
i can see new roots growing that hasn't been there before, about 1/4 - 1/2 of an
inch long. Especially the Vandas, new root growths galore. Also my tillandsia started
to bloom, my Champagne Palm put up a new leaf, my Grammatophyllum had new bulbs and leaves,
new growths on my oncidium sharry baby, my oberonia iridifolia bloomed, new growth in most
of my dens. My sarracenias seems to love it also, they just put up new pitchers, as well
as my nepenthes are putting up new pitchers.

The only thing that wasn't happy with the rain is the Venus Fly Trap, sadly i think its
going into dormancy, maybe it took the cold rains and lack of light a cue for it to go dormant.

Well, at least the plants loved it, now i understand why i've always read to water plants with
rainwater. Maybe it has a magic potion that makes the plants happy.

hehe

[LouisW]

Rain water IS magic potion! That sounds so nice. It rained here in the desert about two weeks ago and i managed to collect a little bit (about 4 gallons). Most of my plants dont mind the hard water but the Phrag Grande really has a hard time with it. I started watering it with my rain water and I can see about seven new roots through the pot.

I love the rain.

[flowerchild]

We are raining right now as we speak, maybe I will have to collect the rain to water orchids with eh? We have a rain barrel, I must get my husband to set it up so's I can start collect as soon as possible!!!!

[digitalgate]

now would be a good time to apply fungicides.

[lmartiny]

It is amazing what you find when you don't look at our plants everyday. We were gone for a week and I came back to find lots of new growth. But we still need some rain.

[delphiguy]

digitalgate
why the need to apply fungicide? does rain water promote the growth of fungus?
i'll be doing it anyway since i havent applied fungicide for about 2-3 weeks now, i usually
do it every 2 weeks. thanks.

[solay]

Nothing beats mother nature. Plants just know it's the real deal. I've been thinking about getting a rain barrel myself. I'll have to do it before the next rainy season starts.

[norris]

I've noticed that rain water seems to cause a growth spurt in my plants. In So. California we have a relatively short rainy season, so I knew I had to act fast when it was raining I managed to collect about 35 Gallons last winter, and every 3rd or so watering my orchids get some rain water.

[delphiguy]

yes as we are in the process of expanding our house, we are already contemplating on
catching and storing rainwater.