Hard grow

[prisana]

Has anybody ever heard of "hard growing" the orchids? , I don't have a greenhouse, and my orchids look much happier outdoor than indoor . I spend so much time babying them that I think I might be doing them more harm than good because some are just not thriving lately . Do you think it's worh trying?

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Never heard of such a thing (45 years).

[Daniel S. Barrett]

i've never heard of "hard growing" the orchids either in 28 years. Unless they are refering to "hardening off" the growth? which means, you need to lower the temperature of the plant at night to harden the plants cells. A good example of this: I started some tomato plants one early spring under some plant lights when I was a 14 years old boy. They were for the 4H fair coming up, & the day of the fair, the tomato plants were magnificent looking! But, as I got them out of the car, a wind blew them all over and ruined them! I was told by an old farmer standing there that I didn't "harden them off", I didn't give them a cool enough temperature at night for the plant tissues to harden up. I had grown them warm 24 hours a day, and the plants tissues were just too soft to stand up to a light wind. It was a good lesson to learn. If you grow plants indoors they need lower night temperatures to rest, metabolize, bloom, & harden up.

[prisana]

Thanks guys, even if you've never heard of it. I was browsing the orchid sites on day and came upon a grower in Brazil that said people should do it more (hard grow ) , that it makes orchids grow more vigorously and more hardy if you don't baby them too much. A little "neglect" I might say, if you live in the area that is pretty much warm all year round. They didn't say how to do it , or if there's any right or wrong ways about it.. and I couldn't find the website anymore..I guess I'll keep looking, or maybe try neglecting just a plant or two for now.

[BillC]

I think that you might try the idea if you have a plant that you don't value too highly. This might sound like sacrilege to our more senior geeks, but if you dont try to grow outside you will never know if it will work in your particular environment. Good luck!! Bill

[agolley]

Prisana,

Here it is Dec and I just ran across your question about hard growing. There are some growers (both hobby and commercial) that prefer hard growing their plants because they think doing so makes them more resistant to disease and just tougher all around. I do not happen to agree with them and think that hard growing makes the plants not in bloom even less attractive than they already are. Hard growing, as I know it, consists of giving the plants more light and less water than another grower would normally give. This makes the plants (particularly cattleya and BLC and SLC) lighter in color, drier and more leathery. I have grown orchids for years and never allowed my plants to get in that condition. Nice fleshy leaves of medium green color are a lot more attractive and gives me the knowledge that the plants are healthy and doing well. Hard growing was popular about 25 years ago in Florida. Not sure how it rates now. My recommendation is to give your plants 50 to 55 % shade and according to your growing medium water thoroghly once a week (usually) Be observant and watch your plants everyday. You don't have to baby them just be observant. Do you see new roots, leaves or spikes coming on? How do the pots feel after watering and then 5 days later? They should be lighter but maybe not dry. I only give special care to plants that have just been repotted and only then until I'm sure they are on the rebound. Hope this answers your question and is some help to you.

Andy

[Pconch]

Definately go the hard grow. I am also in Ft. laudie and nearly all of my orchids are outside and happy (even the ones the cats hide in, jump over and gnaw on). I am no expert but I would recommend many family members as such. They like pots for portability of the blooming plants.

My great-grandfather started putting orchids in the trees and rocks of his yard in the early 1930's. They have impressed me more than anything I have seen in a pot (south florida is pretty sweet).

I am here today as I hoped to find advice on cutting up all my guys as they grow well and I'm a renter. I hope to invest these into the yards of my friends homes.

I hope you have fun And a variety of trees.
My simple knowledge equals=
-start them relatiively small
-use coconut husk or palm burlap or something similar between the roots and the tree and tie it secure with some natural fiber that will hold a bit of moisture and and biodegrade.
-they seem to like dead wood and palms and trees with some substance to their bark. Always place them where they are supported and secure, you can use a a bit of some husk or burlap as a little pillow or brace before you tie down.
-remember if you want portability you can always find a good dead branch cutting, especially if it has an attractive crotch.

Good Luck!

[prisana]

Thank you all for your input on very useful info. I have had all my orchids outside since the begining of this year and most of them do very well. After I posted on hard grow , I tried ignoring my orchids, but it only lasted half a day! Now I'm back to checking them whenever I have time..I'm blessed with coconut trees in my yard , and I have been chopping them up into different size pieces for mixing in with other medium..I will keep them outside for now, but I probably won't change the culture on them ..I've always wanted to tie some of them to the trees, but with hurricanes and all ,probably not. Thanks again.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

You are mixing coconut wood chips in with your mix? Coconut husk (coconut chips) is from the coconut fruit, and is removed from the exterior of the coconut before we buy it in the market. If you are using the wood of a coconut tree, you are a true pioneer with orchid medias, so let us know how this experiment turns out.

[prisana]

As always, I'm notorious about not being clear , I apologize. No, I'm not that silly :-) I twist off the coconuts from the tree, and after I indulge myself with their sweet water (good with rum ) and the jelly, I chopped the husk into pieces , soak them in the bucket with water and fungicide and air dry for a week. This way the coconut trees are alive to give me more free potting medium :-}. I've only been doing that for a few months, trials and errors in preparing the husk and I love it so far. Sorry..no new technique here..he he.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Sounds neat. Sounds like you could use the larger chunks for mounting like tree fern is used. I wonder why chunks of coconut husk are not sold like that for mounting.

[prisana]

Actually my neighbor is more adventurous than I am , so when I suggested mounthing her orchid to her tree with a big chunk of my coconut husk, she went for it, and it's doing superb. I guess the material is too easy to come by , at least around here.. they wouldn't make any money.

[Pconch]

Remember orchids are naturally occuring here in Florida. Do your part for Johnny Orchid-seed! All of mine have been through hurricanes. In my experience the tree goes down before the orchid, they really are tough little guys. If you put them in a happy spot they will be there for centuries! The flowers aren't so bad either. To be honest the only one I dont keep outside naturally is the one I collected from the wild here (I left the majority of the colony intact, responsibly) it is a dwarf and my Grandfather tells me they have all but dissapeared so I worry for it (he had one of these in a tree of his for 40 years before it was stolen (Miami). Have fun!

-Pconch (somewhat biased naturalist )

[BillC]

Prisana, thanks for entering this thread. None of it applies to me in a geographcal sense but I have enjoyed following the thread as has been so interesting. Bill

[prisana]

Pconch- It's must have been nice to have someone with experience in the family even if they're not growers, I'm sure they have lots of useful tips for you..I used to live in a house that had tons of orchids left behind by the old tenent and I remember watering them all the time..fasinated but had no idea what else to do with them..( I was only 9 or 10 )
Bill- I'm glad you enjoyed the thread, so did I. I really appreciate all the help I have been getting from junior and senior members alike. Seems I always have questions, I feel bad posting them sometimes but to me it's better to talk to someone who's been through the same problem, unlike reading the book where they only show problems in black and white..but the problems I've been having seem to be coming in different shades.. = )