I've done it, placed my S/H order online

[whalloper]

Hello,

I thought about this weeks ago, read into it, got scared and didnt think about it for a while. Today I was like, "what the heck". I placed an order online for LECA, S/H pots with meters, and superthrive. Im planning on starting with 2 of my out of bloom phals, and an oncidium whose about finished and horribly rootbound.

Can I have some advice regarding starting?

If my house is air conditioned at 72-74, will this bee too cold for the LECA?

Do the water meters that come with these pots work well?

Should I expect a rough few weeks after transplant?

Thanks for your continued help and advice everyone!!!

[Rivka]

folks that have been doing it longer will be able to chime in with more helpful things, but here is a few things

first where did you buy your stuff, so we an understand what supplies you have?

secondly it is probably the dry air that AC produces that is more of a concern with orchids, no matter what they are potted in. With S/H as with any media to varying degrees the dry air will speed evaporation, and with that the LECA and the roots get cooled down, that could be bad. Some folks use water proof heat pads under the new pots just for that reason.

as for rough weeks that is another thing that really depends on tons of little things, but the big things are what stage your orchid is in (you should have it in a growth phase that is putting out roots) and what media it was in before it went to s/h, and how different it was to what you will be giving it from now on.

have you read firstrays.com and the sticky in the S/H area of this forum?

[whalloper]

Originally Posted by Rivka

folks that have been doing it longer will be able to chime in with more helpful things, but here is a few things

first where did you buy your stuff, so we an understand what supplies you have?

secondly it is probably the dry air that AC produces that is more of a concern with orchids, no matter what they are potted in. With S/H as with any media to varying degrees the dry air will speed evaporation, and with that the LECA and the roots get cooled down, that could be bad. Some folks use water proof heat pads under the new pots just for that reason.

as for rough weeks that is another thing that really depends on tons of little things, but the big things are what stage your orchid is in (you should have it in a growth phase that is putting out roots) and what media it was in before it went to s/h, and how different it was to what you will be giving it from now on.

have you read firstrays.com and the sticky in the S/H area of this forum?

I bought everything from kkorchid.com. The pots seem to be exactly the same as the ones offered at hydro-orchids.com. I didnt like how hydro-orchids only offered small and large size LECA. kkorchid offers a medium size which I chose. Lastly, superthrive is superthrive no matter where u get it.

About the A/C, I have been lucky...I have everything on pebble trays and my humidity, even with the A/C on, never goes below 60% in the growing area.

The last of your concerns, the media they are in now is moss which is obviously much different. I just hate moss though, especially the thought of 100% moss which the phals ALL came in (except the oncidium which is in bark).

My order wont be here for at least a few days, so Im looking forward to everyones thoughts. Thanks for any info and cautions you can give me

[Rivka]

i have heard wet moss is actually one of the things that it transfers smoother from, not sure the details.

as for the size, i think it is the same as the other hydroton, just named differently, the medium is the regular one that most places cary, it is that small they have that seems smaller than i have seen it.
the other place you pointed to had really strange looking and overly rough LECA i think it was a good idea you didn't get that stuff!

make sure you read rays site and also remember to rinse and soak the leca really really well!

[flyfishdoc]

Originally Posted by whalloper

Hello,

I thought about this weeks ago, read into it, got scared and didnt think about it for a while. Today I was like, "what the heck". I placed an order online for LECA, S/H pots with meters, and superthrive. Im planning on starting with 2 of my out of bloom phals, and an oncidium whose about finished and horribly rootbound.

Can I have some advice regarding starting?

If my house is air conditioned at 72-74, will this bee too cold for the LECA?

Should I expect a rough few weeks after transplant?

I have a similar environment to you. I have air conditioning on all the time. I do not use a humidity tray when I have my air conditioning on. I just repotted into semi hydroponics this month and have had wonderful results.

Everything has done well. My phals have lost older leaves on the bottom, some plants losing 4 leaves. But new leaves have bolted out of the top!!

In my short experience, but with 20 plants, there were absolutely no rough weeks