Growing Orchids with Hydroponics?

[Dave]

Anyone have experience growing orchids Hydroponically?

[twirly]

Not me..but Internet research always finds an answer



The word hydroponics is derived from the Greek hudor, meaning "water and pones [work ]." It basically means working water.
Hydroponics is growing plants without soil. It is a more efficient way to provide food and water to plants and is very effective with orchids.
The simplest way to grow orchids hydroponically is to buy a very basic hydroponic planter.
This method puts an end to over or under watering, the leading killer of houseplants . Hydroponic planters will deliver water and nutrients in precisely the needed amount . The indicator on the planter tells when they are dry or need food.
The dirt-free planting medium of grow rocks eliminates root rot, mold and mildew . Grow rocks are clay that have been expanded by heat and then glazed to maintain a neutral pH balance. The result: healthy and happy orchids no matter how unsuccessful efforts have been in the past.

[argus]

Do a search for first rays orchids on the web. He has developed a semi-hydroponic method for orchid growing which apparently works quite well. Lots of useful information on fertilizer, nutrition, water quality etc for orchids as well. Good luck!

PS: As with any new technique only try one or two plants first to see how they do.

[Ladybug]

Hi Dave,

I have several growing in sh right now. Phals, Dends, Angs. and Oncids of various kinds. Wish I could say I'm having fantastic results but so far they're all alive and some are doing better than others after a couple of years. The Dends seem to do best for me though. Most have rebloomed, but they just don't seem to be what I'd call very vigorous. I think it's partly because I grow indoors with lower humidity and partly because I'm not committed to fertilizing with every single watering. (Bad orchid mom!) I installed an RO countertop system which I'd recommend if you're going to go the sh route.

I love the idea of sh growing...I just haven't found the right key yet. Are you growing in sh now or planning to? In either case, here's wishing you lots of blooms!

Maggie

[Dave]

I grew some orchids hydroponically last year with clay pellets. I had a rubber maid tray about 3 feet long, installed a water pump with a timer and everything but as you said above ladybug they didn't look too vigorous so I switched back to organic or semi organic mediums. Now that I look back changing the water more than once every two weeks would have helped things a bit.

[jerrymeola]

I pot Phalaenopsis in a reservour system for gifts to non-orchid types with excellant results. Phals never want to dry out and the system keeps them uniformly damp.

I grow most of my orchids in a hydropnoic pellet (AliFlor brand) but without the water reservour. I like this system as hydroponic pellets can not retain more than 10-15% moisture so overwatering is difficult. The pots dry out faster and require more frequent watering and must be fertilized regularly. But this method means I control the water and fertilizer.

Using these types of medium growers should be aware that salts and fetilizers build up on the pellets. They must be leached regularily. Also know many like AliFlor (clay expanded with air) can float and will float right out of a submerged pot. Flush from the top.

Now I also grow Lady Slippers in a vase of water, but that is a future thread.

[Ladybug]

Hi Jerry, are you also using clay pots on those Phals?

I flush the pots as often as once a week and then sometimes every two or even three weeks. I've checked the ph and tds of the reservoir water, too. I never just fill the reservoir, I always fill the sh pot to the top and let it drain at each watering. (That's the part of sh I'm not fond of as it uses alot more water each watering.)

A friend of mine grows some of her Phals in clay pellets only (no sh) but she's in a gh situation. I'm trying that on a few myself but, so far, they're drying out very, very quickly. No gh. But the humidity is acceptable, ranging from 50-62% and a bit higher on rainy days.

Now I've switched to the MSU fert...sigh...the learning curve with sh is a bit trying, at least for me.

Nice to see you posting here!
Maggie

[Claire]

I have quite a few plants in S/H. 3 or 4 phals that have bloomed, DGM White Fairy blooms every year, my paph spiceranium bloomed for the first time this year. My only problem with S/H is I ignore them. I'll look around the room and realize I haven't watered those plants on a month or two.

[TZ-Long Island]

All of my potted orchids are in hydroponics (400 pots, about 200 different species, and a handfull of hybrids). Plus cactus, agave, and some other stuff stuck in just to prove a point.

Do not put multiple pots in a single water source unless you are prepared to lose you collection to viral or other diseases. Virused orchids are not rare.

[jerrymeola]

Hi Marge,

Sorry I did not see your question earlier.

I use slited clay pots. I feel this pulls water out fo the center of the pot and makes for a more even distribution of water. I glue a clay saucer under the pot for the reservour and it makes a pretty presentation. They are very popular for mother's day gifts. Even the most over-watering mother stops watering when the wate hits the floor.

The clay pot also changes color as it dries as a warning when water is necessary.

As to your friends no reservour growing in a greehouse. I also have a tropical fish house (commercial 5000 sq feet) in which I have Phals growing in hydroponic rock without a reservour over the fish tanks. This was because I had no shade area available in the greenhouse.

They got very little watering as they were ignored too much. I was surprised that watered only once a week or less and no fertilizer, they grew twice as large as the ones I had in the greenhouse that were watered every day and fertilized every week. Phals apparently absorb water from the air into their leaves. They take less water than the reservour ones I have on a covered porch.

We learn more by accident than by design.

[Ladybug]

Jerry, your fish house phals story is a good reminder to me to wait and see. Thanks.

Maggie

[snowflake]

I'm wondering if anyone has tried a phal in a deepwater culture?

it seems to me like it would be worth trying......

i currently have a odbrs. kenneth biven 'santa barbra' in water culture for about a year. i used an old glass wine caraffe. good growth 2 new pbs lots of root many going down into the water. lets see if it spikes. it may take a while the plant was a rescue from lowes table of death.