My s/h project from the dollar store!

[Sugar Magnolia]

Ok, so I made a trip to the dollar store today and bought a bunch of containers... anything that I could try to play around with, and if it didn't work, well, it was only a dollar. Plus, this was my first dremel experience.

So, here's what I found..


Here's the dremel thingy I used.


I drilled holes in all the cups. Some more than others. Not sure how many I need for enough airflow, so it varies.



Here's a couple of water bottles I cut the tops off and drilled holes too.


An hour or so later, all the holes are done.


A couple of Phals I got for a dollar... and not from the dollar store.


And here's the end result.


This is another I did about a week ago in the bottom of a soda bottle.

[Zsophia]

What is that one in the bottle? So interesting! I do not mind that most of mine are not blooming I just like to look at the leaves and the areal roots, but this one is so different!

[mehitabel]

WOW! I'm impressed. Really enterprising.

Give an orchid person a drill or a soldering iron and all of a sudden everything is a pot that needs new holes in it. Sorry, that's just so true I just had to say it -- I have a blast burning holes in plastic pots with a soldering iron

[Zsophia]

Very good idea. I live in Florida, they sell coconuts cheap here. I drilled holes on them , dremmel wood balade was used to cut the top off, cleaned the coconut out, drilled more holes on the side and hang them with boyfriends fishing line, everything for a Dollar. I reather spend my money on orchids than on pots

[solay]

Looks great. I think the orchids will love it too.

[syndywindy]

Great ideas, I never thought of the bottom of a soda bottle. We have so many of those. I did try the tinted acrylic glasses, but I found you couldn't see through them well enough to see how the roots looked. Maybe I need to find lighter tinted tumblers. They are alot sturdier than a Starbuck's cup, etc. Dremels are great aren't they!

[FLLAURA]

OK... please don't think I'm stupid.. lol I'm a newbie... but what are those little round brown things you've planted the orchids in? They look great!

[CharliesAngel51]

I use my husbands soldering iron to make the holes. I can't always find the right size pot so I improvise.

[jdmatthew]

Great idea, and much better looking than a plastic pot.

[Leathal]

I did that with an glass I never used. I thought I'd try it and see how it turned out before doing anymore. Yours looks real good. If I can find a flask I want, I may do the same thing...hehe

[Sugar Magnolia]

Originally Posted by FLLAURA

OK... please don't think I'm stupid.. lol I'm a newbie... but what are those little round brown things you've planted the orchids in? They look great!

Nah, I'm still quite a newbie too! It's Hydroton. Probably available at any hydroponics shop, but I got mine on ebay. 10 pounds for $20 with shipping. I gotta get more now cause I went a bit crazy with repotting today. I have so many more to do yet!

[Sugar Magnolia]

Originally Posted by syndywindy

Great ideas, I never thought of the bottom of a soda bottle. We have so many of those. I did try the tinted acrylic glasses, but I found you couldn't see through them well enough to see how the roots looked. Maybe I need to find lighter tinted tumblers. They are alot sturdier than a Starbuck's cup, etc. Dremels are great aren't they!

I've always wanted a dremel tool. I've been dreaming up crafts to do if I ever got one. My bf's uncle passed away recently and we seem to have inhereted many tools of his and I'm glad to put them to good use as he was such a great builder as well. This tool is the best!!

[Sugar Magnolia]

Originally Posted by Zsophia

What is that one in the bottle? So interesting! I do not mind that most of mine are not blooming I just like to look at the leaves and the areal roots, but this one is so different!

hmm... that one issss....#21, Encyclia Cordigera
lol, my bf makes fun because I am ridiculously organized and they're all numbered and I keep such a detailed log. Good thing, huh!

[delphiguy]

wow thats a great project you did there. i wouldn't have thought of using those acryllic
glass. Tho i have used the bottom of the soda bottle, but for tomatoes not orchids. i
need to get more hydrotons as i am out of it, and the store i am getting it from has ran
our of it too. now i am thinking of buying online. thanks for sharing this.

[syndywindy]

Originally Posted by FLLAURA

OK... please don't think I'm stupid.. lol I'm a newbie... but what are those little round brown things you've planted the orchids in? They look great!

There are no stupid questions. As Sugar Magnolia said, hydroton are expanded clay pellets used when you are growing hydroponically. They retain water extremely well, and because of their shape, water can drain away quickly. It doesn't decompose and you can reuse it. There are several threads in the forum that explain in more detail about semi-hydroponics(S/H).The key to using it is repotting into it when you have new root growth. There are alot of opinions on the subject, I myself have most of my orchids in hydroton with very good results. Welcome to the forum, you'll find a wealth of info about orchids and alot of great people!

[tangers40]

looks great! i hit the dollar store for my s/h pots too. i am fond of a particular size of food container (think: gladware) they have at only one store in the area. and i found a $6 dremel tool knock-off at a local hardware store, so i have one of those now too...no more dragging plastic things out to my dad to ask him to saw part of it off or poke holes in it for me.

[Ray]

Sugar, the only caveats I might make are as follows:

1. Drill two, 1/4" holes with about an 1/8" space between them. A piece of LECA can block one hole, really restricting the drainage, but if that happens, that same piece will prevent another piece from blocking the other hole!
2. Be really careful doing a wholesale switch to S/H. You really should pay close attention to the formation of new roots and do it then for each, individual plant.

[Sugar Magnolia]

Originally Posted by Ray

Sugar, the only caveats I might make are as follows:

1. Drill two, 1/4" holes with about an 1/8" space between them. A piece of LECA can block one hole, really restricting the drainage, but if that happens, that same piece will prevent another piece from blocking the other hole!
2. Be really careful doing a wholesale switch to S/H. You really should pay close attention to the formation of new roots and do it then for each, individual plant.

The least amount of holes I drilled was 4 or 5. Most have about 10 or so because I was thinking the same thing about some holes being blocked. I only have one size drill so I tried to make it up with more holes... I think they are about 1/4" and on most of the pots go all the way around to help with airflow.
Also, I didn't do as many plants as I would have liked to. You're definately right with not doing too many at once... I may have gotten a bit carried away. I was so 'in the zone'! lol. Plus, I ran out of pots!

[Ray]

Too many holes can be an issue, as well.

The wicking of the medium has to compete with the evaporation rate. Introducing more air flow near the bottom of the pot might accelerate that, leading to an overall drier pot - or a lower "wet line" if you want to look at it that way.

Some would argue that more airflow is better, but if your LECA is fairly uniform, it doesn't make that much of a difference, and the faster evaporation negates the potential advantage.

[patticake]

Cool! That's what I've been doing, too! Great minds think alike!

[hera]

Originally Posted by Sugar Magnolia

hmm... that one issss....#21, Encyclia Cordigera
lol, my bf makes fun because I am ridiculously organized and they're all numbered and I keep such a detailed log. Good thing, huh!

Watch this one carefully. I bought a beautiful Enc Cordigera last year that DID NOT like being in S/H. You could lose roots rapidly to rot with this one. It tends to like an open traditional bark mix.

[Sugar Magnolia]

Originally Posted by hera

Watch this one carefully. I bought a beautiful Enc Cordigera last year that DID NOT like being in S/H. You could lose roots rapidly to rot with this one. It tends to like an open traditional bark mix.

ooo! Thanks! I'll keep an eye on this one. It needed to be repotted the second I bought it from the clearance table and I wanted to try s/h, so I just went for it.

[jay]

Love your containers. I look forward to updates as they progress.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by hera

Watch this one carefully. I bought a beautiful Enc Cordigera last year that DID NOT like being in S/H. You could lose roots rapidly to rot with this one. It tends to like an open traditional bark mix.

That again goes to show that there is a lot more to orchid growing than medium/pot/watering technique. Mine thrives in S/H.

Most people grow encyclias on the dry side, which can be perfectly appropriate considering the pseudobulbs. To me, that is also an indication that they are plants that need to be timed really well when moving them to S/H, and I would expect the old roots - being vastly dissimilar to those appropriate for s/h - to die. The new roots will carry the plant well though, once established.

[hera]

Ray

I had the timing when the new roots were forming, it just never thrived and eventually lost all of the roots. I also have a enc hybrid that I put in to s/h last year and it never did much of anything. Some root growth, but it never thrived. I moved it back to bark and its doing much better. I found the same was true for a Brassavola/ Catt jenmanni cross. It of course has to do with my environment and watering schedule. I have all of my phals and most of my catt hybrids in s/h. They are loving it and I have no complaints . I go to the hydroponics store to get supplies and I brag about the method. I've mentioned your site many times. I have learned a great deal from your posts. That being said, I think there is a learning curve for someone new to the medium to be able to judge what plants and when to transfer. I didn't want to see her lose a nice plant to inexperience.

[hulaorchid]

Great job! Great ideas! Keep us posted!