How do you do semi hydro growing?

[zonepusher]

Does anyone have any pictures of how to do a semi hydro setup? This sounds like something I want to try but I am having a hard time trying to picture the concept. Many of my new plants have been dehydrated to the point of wrinkling but have new growth.

Could someone also provide a list of what I need?

How often do you change the water if at all?
Andi

[Sharyn]

I'm ony experimenting with one orchid growing hydroponically so I'm no expert. Here's a link in the potting mediums section that should provide the information you need. Our administrator has also included links for hydro information. Good luck.

what is hydroponic culture?

[charleyismydog]

Hi Zonepusher. I was just on this website yesterday. I've never tried it, but they make it seem pretty simple this way.
http://www.hydro-orchids.com/
Good luck! Let us know what you find out and how your experience goes. I'd be curious.

[gerneveyn]

I am growing phals in s/h, and they're doing fine. Here are three sites with more info and pics:
All about Semi-Hydroponics

Semihydro

[gore42]

I've taken a few pictures of how I do it.... give me a sec and I'll post them

- Matt

[zonepusher]

Thanks for the links. This is EXACTLY what I was looking for. I have a lot of decorative containers that will be perfect for the outer pots and lots of plastic pots that can be modified for the inner pots.


I do have one question though. I have several plants that have 10 and 12 inch long roots. Do I need to find a pot to accommodate these or will they be fine hanging out as they are. Some look like air roots but some do not.

As soon as I figure out how to get the old pictures off this camera I will post the new ones of the orchids.

Anyone know how to delete all the pictures from the memory of a Vivi Cam 5385 digital camera? Send me a pm so as not to go off topic. The user manual is NOT user friendly.
Andi

[zonepusher]

Thanks Gore42,
I am sitting on the edge of my chair waiting for your post and pictures.
Andi

[gore42]

Sorry... I'm having a bit of difficulty posting photos since I haven't made 5 posts yet, I can't post the links. Give me a sec, and I'll take care of that, too...

- Matt

[gore42]

OK, here they are...

[gore42]

Before I get started, let me say that this may not be the "right way" or even the best way to grow in S/H. This is, however, how I do it... and I've had a good success with most of the plants that I grow this way. So, as with everything you read on a forum, take this with a grain of salt and adjust it to suit your needs and growing conditions. That said...


The first thing to do is get a container. I've used all sorts of things, but generally prefer clear containers so that I can see how the roots are doing, which is especially important with test plants... so that you can rescue them if they aren't going to adjust to S/H. In the photo below you can see a plastic cup , which is one of the containers I use most, and a cover for an old CD spindle. I wouldn't waste your money on buying special containers unless you're going to be growing the plant in a display area.



Then you make some holes a couple of inches above the bottom of the pot. In this case, I drilled holes, but with the plastic cups I usually just heat a nail over a flame and poke holes... it's fast that way. The cups, incidentally, are a great size for Phrag seedlings or Phalaenopsis seedlings. Phal seedlings grow at a tremendous rate in S/H.




After a you have a hole or two, add in some of your hydroponic media, light-weight expanded clay aggregate (LECA). Some people are very picky about what brand they use, and will only use Prime-Agra, for example. I can only find Hydroton locally, so that's what I use and it works just fine for me... I don't want to spend the money on shipping for this stuff.... it's just too heavy to be cost effective. Anyway, fill the cup up to the drain holes.




Finally, pot your plant normally in the pot using LECA. Done this way, the roots are not hanging down in the water reservoir, and have a better chance of adjusting to the new conditions. This plant is a Phrag. longifolium species that was not doing well in its other pot, so I moved it. Generally speaking, you should ONLY move a plant to S/H when you notice that it has new root growth. New roots will adjust well to the conditions, but old roots will generally die off. For me, Phrags have always done well, no matter what stage of growth they are in. The roots will generally grow down into the reservoir later.



Here you can see the roots just above the water line.





Watering becomes very easy. Just top up the reservoir whenever it needs it... around here it's usually once or twice a week, depending on the pot size. Then, every few weeks I flush the pots with pure water to help remove any salts that may be building up. I also fertilize more lightly with this system, usually only 1/4 strength.

That about all you need: some sort of container and some LECA (found at many nurseries and all hydroponic stores).

Hope that helps

As Ever,
Matthew Gore

[gore42]

You may notice that the LECA in this pot is pretty high in the pot. This Phrag had a huge root system so I potted it too high... normally, you should leave a couple of inches of lip at the top of the pot because the LECA can easily get washed out while watering

- Matt

[Vivienne]

Thanks for this education in semi-hydroponics. Great pics and info!

[zonepusher]

Thanks for the pics. That looks very simple. Those pebbles look a bit large for some of these plants. In fact they look a bit lost in their 2 inch pots, but thats all that was left when I removed the dead parts. Is there anything smaller I can use?
Andi

[zonepusher]

OK I called the local nursery and they do not carry the LECA pebbles but they did say I can use the Aquatic potting soil that I already have for S/H culture. I have a boat load of those plastic cups from our last reunion. I will have to find something else for the larger plants. Off to raid DH's kitchen for the plastic ware cupboard.
Andi

[gore42]

Andi,

Hydroton does come in different sizes... some of it is about half the size that I have these planted in, but it's not especially easy to find the smaller stuff locally (at least, not here). On the other hand, I've planted some really small plants in the mid-size LECA that I have, and they have developed new roots and grown very quickly... so you may want to experiment a bit. I don't usually take anything out of a community pot until it's large enough to be grown in S/H (if I decide to grow it that way). Anyway, if you can't find small enough hydroton, you could also try Diatomite, or even just perlite. I've never done it, but it might be worth a shot.

Here are a couple more pics of my results with Phals. I usually put my Phal seedlings in S/H pots once they're about 3" wide, a little smaller than the Phal stuartiana in the first photo.



Generally, after about a year in a S/H pot, they are blooming size... like the Phal schilleriana below. That may not be too amazing for those of you living in Hawaii or Florida, but in Colorado, it's much faster than in a plain bark mix (though I've had good results in CHC, too).



As Ever,
Matthew Gore

[janet_a]

got an AV in a starbucks frappucino cup; a sharry baby in a one quart chinese food container; a phrag in a "real" s/h pot (which i suspect started out as a one quart chinese food container.... )

good on y'all that have gotten phals to grow in this; i came *that close* to killing two.

[zonepusher]

Great looking plants Matthew. ALL orchids are great looking.

The expanded clay Aquatic soil looks kinda like kitty litter. Will this work for some of the smaller plants. I would have to place a screen over the holes to keep it from falling out. I will see if I can find a supplier for hydroton this weekend.
Andi

[NancyG]

Excellent photos and explanation. I just switched a bunch over to s/h. Hope they all turn out well.

NancyG

[Dlynne]

This forum was very helpful. I'n new to this site and just starting with s/h. My problem was finding containers - I did order some from First Rays. I never thought of CD/DVD spindle covers! I must have five of them sitting in front of me. I've been using yogurt cups for my "experiments", the ones that are hanging on by a thread - the one leaf wonders. I plan on transplanting my paphs as soon as my containers arrive and then go onto phals. I also am going to look in bait & tackle places. First Rays spoke at our orchid society meeting a couple months ago and I was very impressed. One of our members has transplanted quite a few of his orchids and says they are doing very well. I have a converted carport covered by shade cloth and that is my gh - crude but does the job! LOL

[Hummer344]

Would the rock material from Dyna-Gro work just the same as the LECA? It comes in two sizes, fine and medium, and absorbs 150% of its dry weight in water. Only trouble is, you have to order it from Dyna-Gro as there are very few places that carry it

[Vivienne]

is Dyna-Gro that gel like stuff?

[fred]

Hi Dlynne

Welcome to the forum

I hope that you enjoy your stay here with all of us orchidgeeks.

If you have any questions please ask as we have alot of knowledge here on the forum and also with the members.

happy chatting