Hydroton as a potting media

[tinabee]

Here in SW Florida, finding a media to work for me has been kind of tricky. Bark hasn't worked for me too well, and sphagnum is the devil. I repotted most of my phals into S/H. The ones I have in the two staged pots (inner pot is slotted, outer serves as a reservoir w/water gauge) have been doing the best and they are the strongest plants I have.

The other phals I had in S/H pots which only had the two drilled drain holes didn't fare as well because I think those pots hold too much humidity down where I live. So, I unpotted all of them, cut off the bad remaining roots and repotted them (NON-S/H) in properly pre-treated hydroton. I'm holding off on giving those guys fertilizer for a while until they get back in shape.

My question is, now that those plants are in straight hydroton in a regular pot, how often should I water....every three days or so? Or more often than that?

[Ray]

Assuming that you maintained a constant water supply in the outer pot of the first ones you mentioned, the conditions of the root zone of that and the "deli-container" pots are quite similar, so I would look at another reason the latter ones didn't work for you. "Humidity" is not a factor.

Concerning using LECA as a medium in "regular" culture, I think you're just going to have to experiment. The particle size and distribution, size of the pot, type of plant, where you grow (windowsill in A/C or outdoors, for example) are all going to play a role in your needed watering frequency.

[rcb]

tinabee, I have been switching all my bark over to Hydroton here in NW FL, and as with all mediums the answer to how often to water changes based on temp, air movement, growth stage of the plant etc. So basically what Ray said. lol

[maria1971]

It depends on lots of things: humidity, temps, the size of the pot, etc.

I water mine every 1 to 2 days during the summer and WAY less during the winter time.

[tinabee]

The thing is though, how do I tell when it is dry? Skewer method? I don't as of yet have these orchids planted in clear pots, but I plan on changing that soon.

[rcb]

tinabee - I have no idea if skewer method would work with the Leca. I use clear pots and can tell from the condensation inside the pots.

[Rivka]

i know this is old but it gets asked so often.

clear pots and how the condensation and wet spot where the balls touch the sides are really the best way to tell, looking at the top is never a good judge as the top balls dry way way faster than ones even just below them.

[Orchidementia]

Just to throw in .02 from the Sloppy Gardener: I have a lot of my bigger catts/related in hydroton in clay pots. Granted, these are varieties that want to grow wetter than others; I live in an area that's in drought most of the year and they're out where it's windy (the wind helps dry out porous clay), but though lifting a dry pot and the same pot, freshly watered, I need to water every day when they're growing!

This is a long way of saying depends on the plant and your conditions, I suppose, but the ones in clay/clay are doing fantastic here!