Semi and full water culture (thanks to Samantha) is actually what helped me to become an orchid grower instead of just an orchid killer! Haha! I think you will enjoy your experiment, and like with most things, there are lots of ways to do things successfully. I had great success with my cattleyas in water, but, I love to have a big plant and there just aren't glass containers that big. So now I would say that most of my plants are in clay pots and bark, but I do keep some in water because they do so well. Thank you Rachel for not being dogmatic about how you approach things. That's one thing I love about your channel!
Oh heavens! I feel like I just won the UA-cam jackpot with a personal "shoutout" from you! Woooo! 😂 Thank you so much. I think your epi will do just fine with no root loss. Usually root rot happens on unhealthy or damaged roots but those roots are nearly perfect. I hope this experiment works well for you, Rachel. Have a great weekend!
Good morning, Samantha. Jackpot? You are funny :) Thank you for the advice on the epi and for looking in on my first steps in water culture. Happy growing!
It's always fun to try new things. I was thinking I never had any orchid in SWC, but thinking back I remember I did have for some time a few Dendrobium Berry 'Oda' keikis in SWC. I had removed them from the mother plant when they had already long roots. They were too long and too straight to fit in a pot, and also because they had grown as aerial roots, I was afraid they could rot when potted. So I left them in water for a couple of days, and then I bent their roots in a circle inside a plastic cup. I kept them for 2 days in water, and some days dry. I didn't think I was using SWC, but in retrospect I was. My idea was to make them grow in a way they would eventually fit in a pot, and get them accustomed to being watered. Later I potted them in bark. The short time (a few weeks) in SWC did them good and I accomplished what I was trying to do. I'm looking forward to updates on your epidendrum in SWC, and I'm sure it will do well and grow happily. :)
Thank you, Andrea, for sharing your experience. I guess some uses come instinctively to orchid growers and you found a good solution to potting your keiki.
Thank you again for filling in the gaps of my growing database of knowledge. I am determined to keep several 'damaged' dendrobiums and phalaenopsis alive and am comforted by your insights. And, yes, Samantha's displays and videos are lovely. Thank you and Happy Valentine's Day! Date: 2/12/2017
Well, ladies, I think I surprised myself. It occurred to me recently that I have almost been growing that epi and a vanda in water culture so why not try it out properly. I shall probably have to convert a phal too, just as a control plant. I am not planning on any mass conversion but the more things we try, the more we learn, right? And thank you Samantha for showing us how attractively plants can be presented in water culture, thus encouraging me to try it out.
Fantastic. My take on fwc/swc is, what works and the easier the better😊
7 років тому
Woohoo experiment time! I love experiments because everyone learns from them! I'm really looking forward to see how this works out for you and fingers crossed for the best results!
What a fortuitous experiment! I've always loved and rather envied the fabulous growth you've gotten with clay pots and bark, every one looks so healthy! I have a variety of hybrid phals in water culture thanks to Samantha, they're all doing very well with loads of healthy roots. Best of luck with yours! 🌱
I about fainted in seeing that first orchid of orange and hot pink - omgosh,, I wish I had one like it! Your orchids are GORGEOUS... I may abandon growing my 200+ african violets and go with orchids. They're breathtaking! Great video!!!
So you've been converted too, as Sam might say! but thanks for the good information reg this method! looking forward to see your updates on that. Have a nice weekend.
You make it look so easy, Rachel... I wish I knew how to do that with some of my orchids, where I could enjoy them on the kitchen table or countertops as they bask in the sunshine and soak in water.
This plant was easy to convert, John, but I'm not sure how useful semi water culture might be for the big cattleyas that you grow. How could you support the plant? How might you stake the heavy blooms (although I don't think you're as fanatical about staking as me)? My cattleyas will stay in clay pots for the foreseeable future but it's good to try new things. Thanks for watching.
Gardening at Douentza Though I employ the practice of SWC with rootless Catt divisions in order to induce new growth, I never continued after they started to push out roots in a week or so... and that was simply out of fear, but seeing plump, juicy roots through glass as in the case with your jar, I think I would like that with a not-too-large division to start with. I tried it with Phals in the past but never had any luck... and from what I'm reading here and see in some videos, looks exciting enough to give it a go. Best of luck with yours, Rachel..., and I hope Spring returns fast for you and your garden/greenhouse... :)
Never done an epidendrum but I do have cattleyas in SWC and they are doing well. I do 1 day in water about twice a week but I have watered one large cattleya almost every day like a vanda and it was fine because it dries out so well.
That's cool. I've never really tried full oder semi water culture (except for my Vanda watering that resembles SWC), but I think if I had been in your situation with the unpotted orchid I might have given it a try. I was tempted recently, but it was quite pricy, small Phal that had gone through a tough transport and I didn't want to take any risks. I'm looking forward to updates. Happy growing! :)
Yes, I remember in your recent vanda video how you compared your watering method to semi water culture. And I agree about not trying it with precious plants. The one I am using is a keiki from an existing plant - perfect for experimentation. Thanks for watching.
when a friend gave me 9 dying orchids one of them had a kaiki so I got it and put it in a little shot glass with only the very tips of it in water it's been in there like that ever since it's now been two months it's grown like crazy the only times the other routes get any water is when I go add water to the little glass that it is in now. it went from a shot glass to a little bourbon glass and it just does perfect. I cleaned out the water this week for the first time. it just stays clean.
Oh NOOOOOOOOO - not you too! I'm on my way, but not taken the plunge yet. My 'stopper' is what to put them in - where the hell would I get all those glass vases? I've been watch Samantha's channel for some time (still like the big hairy grey one best) and also the set of vids on OME. Between them they have sparked an interest - but it's just the tinniest little spark at the moment - not enough to 'start a fire'! Good luck with this - I'll be watching with interest.
Must say I am quite surprised at this. Your orchids grow so well in bark. I have been using SWC in LECA for about 5-6 months but I started it because I needed to rescue some plants. I just cannot grow Oncidium types well. I either over water and rot them, or under water and dessicate them. Just recently I have put. few tatty looking phals in FWC and today a large Oncidium that I have been slowly killing. The LECA has certainly worked well and I can see new roots emerging on my plants. I am a bit worried about the others in FWC as I know they can dump their roots. I do have a couple of Cattleya pieces in SWC as a last attempt to get them going again. Maybe you will try a few a more too.
I think you have described my original thoughts on a good use doe water culture. I will try a phal in it too at some stage. I wonder why you have such difficulty with oncidiums. Thanks for watching.
Gardening at Douentza. I just can't seem to get the watering right, and to be honest I keep trying to divide and repot after flowering when I should probably just leave them be. I will endeavour to do that from now on so I stop destroying them.
Excellent video. Do you still have the Epidendrum in SWC? How is it doing? How also is the Vanda doing in SWC? I am in the process of converting my Catt and some Epidendrum into SWC . Lots if work? Thank hou. I love all your or hid .
Well, never change a running system. And I like to grow plants in a "humane" way as far as possible. Yeah, they might grow and flower sitting in water, but why stress a living thing? Aborting all roots sure does that. That's why I don't care about every new whim and spleen that pops up on YT or the internet. One wouldn't try to keep fish in the air, would they? And where is the advantage of SWC? Forget to pour out the water for 2, 3 days, espec. with a Cattleya, bam, root rot. I cannot see any reduction of workload. Yeah, no repotting, oh well. And if someone doesn't like the workload, he should not keep plants (I don't refer to you, of course.). Sorry, being a bit ranty here, but I would hate to see a good plant perish or being set back. I get why you did it here, and of course it is your decision. And maybe this plant prospers in SWC and I'd be happy for it and you ;-)
I understand where you are coming from, Isabell, and you have pretty much vocalised my position on water culture up until now. I do believe I am not a person to follow fashions and I do love my clay pots :) I know that water culture would not work in many cases. For example, large cattleyas - how on earth could you support the whole plant or find a big enough jar. And staking the blooms would be sure to involve some ugly workarounds. Also I worry about what happens to the beneficial mychorrizal fungus that orchid roots need in the case of water culture. And, yes, is the periodic replacement of water any easier than just watering plants in the normal way? I don't know the answer to these questions but I see other people successfully growing in water culture and I would like to try it and see if it works in my environment. I will probably convert a phal to water culture now too and leave them for a year. A year is a good length of time to assess whether something can work longer term or not. My next video is especially for you and deals with potting cattleyas in the traditional way ;-)
Semi and full water culture (thanks to Samantha) is actually what helped me to become an orchid grower instead of just an orchid killer! Haha! I think you will enjoy your experiment, and like with most things, there are lots of ways to do things successfully. I had great success with my cattleyas in water, but, I love to have a big plant and there just aren't glass containers that big. So now I would say that most of my plants are in clay pots and bark, but I do keep some in water because they do so well. Thank you Rachel for not being dogmatic about how you approach things. That's one thing I love about your channel!
We all may follow different routes to get there in the end :)
Thank for your comments, Julia.
Oh heavens! I feel like I just won the UA-cam jackpot with a personal "shoutout" from you! Woooo! 😂 Thank you so much. I think your epi will do just fine with no root loss. Usually root rot happens on unhealthy or damaged roots but those roots are nearly perfect. I hope this experiment works well for you, Rachel. Have a great weekend!
Good morning, Samantha. Jackpot? You are funny :)
Thank you for the advice on the epi and for looking in on my first steps in water culture.
Happy growing!
Samantha's Orchids well-deserved shout out!!
It's always fun to try new things. I was thinking I never had any orchid in SWC, but thinking back I remember I did have for some time a few Dendrobium Berry 'Oda' keikis in SWC. I had removed them from the mother plant when they had already long roots. They were too long and too straight to fit in a pot, and also because they had grown as aerial roots, I was afraid they could rot when potted. So I left them in water for a couple of days, and then I bent their roots in a circle inside a plastic cup. I kept them for 2 days in water, and some days dry. I didn't think I was using SWC, but in retrospect I was. My idea was to make them grow in a way they would eventually fit in a pot, and get them accustomed to being watered. Later I potted them in bark. The short time (a few weeks) in SWC did them good and I accomplished what I was trying to do. I'm looking forward to updates on your epidendrum in SWC, and I'm sure it will do well and grow happily. :)
Thank you, Andrea, for sharing your experience. I guess some uses come instinctively to orchid growers and you found a good solution to potting your keiki.
Thank you again for filling in the gaps of my growing database of knowledge. I am determined to keep several 'damaged' dendrobiums and phalaenopsis alive and am comforted by your insights. And, yes, Samantha's displays and videos are lovely.
Thank you and Happy Valentine's Day!
Date: 2/12/2017
Thank you and I'm glad the video was helpful. Happy Valentine's Day to you too tomorrow!
Hello.! Welcome to big SWC family! Happy growing! Samantha is our teacher and Mom of this method)))
:D Thank you.
Very interesting Rachel and quite an exciting experiment. Hope all goes well and keep us updated.
Eddie.
Thank you, Eddie. Quite an exciting experiment for me. Happy growing!
Wow Rachel, you are doing a 360 on us. Fantastic 😊How vibrantly beautiful they are. Happy growing.
SHARON SHORT hahha 360 😂 I have to say, I was rather surprised too!
Well, ladies, I think I surprised myself. It occurred to me recently that I have almost been growing that epi and a vanda in water culture so why not try it out properly. I shall probably have to convert a phal too, just as a control plant.
I am not planning on any mass conversion but the more things we try, the more we learn, right?
And thank you Samantha for showing us how attractively plants can be presented in water culture, thus encouraging me to try it out.
Fantastic. My take on fwc/swc is, what works and the easier the better😊
Woohoo experiment time! I love experiments because everyone learns from them! I'm really looking forward to see how this works out for you and fingers crossed for the best results!
Thanks, Robert.
What a fortuitous experiment! I've always loved and rather envied the fabulous growth you've gotten with clay pots and bark, every one looks so healthy! I have a variety of hybrid phals in water culture thanks to Samantha, they're all doing very well with loads of healthy roots. Best of luck with yours! 🌱
Thank you, Laurie.
I about fainted in seeing that first orchid of orange and hot pink - omgosh,, I wish I had one like it! Your orchids are GORGEOUS... I may abandon growing my 200+ african violets and go with orchids. They're breathtaking! Great video!!!
Haha. Orchids are very rewarding. Good luck with it all!
So you've been converted too, as Sam might say! but thanks for the good information reg this method! looking forward to see your updates on that. Have a nice weekend.
Not converted, just experimenting :)
Have a great day, you too!
You make it look so easy, Rachel... I wish I knew how to do that with some of my orchids, where I could enjoy them on the kitchen table or countertops as they bask in the sunshine and soak in water.
This plant was easy to convert, John, but I'm not sure how useful semi water culture might be for the big cattleyas that you grow. How could you support the plant? How might you stake the heavy blooms (although I don't think you're as fanatical about staking as me)? My cattleyas will stay in clay pots for the foreseeable future but it's good to try new things. Thanks for watching.
Gardening at Douentza Though I employ the practice of SWC with rootless Catt divisions in order to induce new growth, I never continued after they started to push out roots in a week or so... and that was simply out of fear, but seeing plump, juicy roots through glass as in the case with your jar, I think I would like that with a not-too-large division to start with. I tried it with Phals in the past but never had any luck... and from what I'm reading here and see in some videos, looks exciting enough to give it a go. Best of luck with yours, Rachel..., and I hope Spring returns fast for you and your garden/greenhouse... :)
Thanks, John.
Never done an epidendrum but I do have cattleyas in SWC and they are doing well. I do 1 day in water about twice a week but I have watered one large cattleya almost every day like a vanda and it was fine because it dries out so well.
Thank you for sharing your experience. Much appreciated :)
That's cool. I've never really tried full oder semi water culture (except for my Vanda watering that resembles SWC), but I think if I had been in your situation with the unpotted orchid I might have given it a try. I was tempted recently, but it was quite pricy, small Phal that had gone through a tough transport and I didn't want to take any risks.
I'm looking forward to updates. Happy growing! :)
Yes, I remember in your recent vanda video how you compared your watering method to semi water culture. And I agree about not trying it with precious plants. The one I am using is a keiki from an existing plant - perfect for experimentation. Thanks for watching.
Agree with your rational on keikis! I think water is the best start initionally
when a friend gave me 9 dying orchids one of them had a kaiki so I got it and put it in a little shot glass with only the very tips of it in water it's been in there like that ever since it's now been two months it's grown like crazy the only times the other routes get any water is when I go add water to the little glass that it is in now. it went from a shot glass to a little bourbon glass and it just does perfect. I cleaned out the water this week for the first time. it just stays clean.
Sounds like you are on the fast track to success :)
I am very curious to see this when it flowers. Can't wait.
Haha. It might be tricky as this one grows a very tall spike before flowering :)
Best of luck...i will stick with my bark-seramis mix for while 😊
I will let you know how it goes :)
Good luck, Rachel! I hope it goes well.🤗
Thank you.
Oh NOOOOOOOOO - not you too! I'm on my way, but not taken the plunge yet. My 'stopper' is what to put them in - where the hell would I get all those glass vases? I've been watch Samantha's channel for some time (still like the big hairy grey one best) and also the set of vids on OME. Between them they have sparked an interest - but it's just the tinniest little spark at the moment - not enough to 'start a fire'! Good luck with this - I'll be watching with interest.
I will watch with interest :)
Must say I am quite surprised at this. Your orchids grow so well in bark. I have been using SWC in LECA for about 5-6 months but I started it because I needed to rescue some plants. I just cannot grow Oncidium types well. I either over water and rot them, or under water and dessicate them. Just recently I have put. few tatty looking phals in FWC and today a large Oncidium that I have been slowly killing. The LECA has certainly worked well and I can see new roots emerging on my plants. I am a bit worried about the others in FWC as I know they can dump their roots. I do have a couple of Cattleya pieces in SWC as a last attempt to get them going again. Maybe you will try a few a more too.
I think you have described my original thoughts on a good use doe water culture. I will try a phal in it too at some stage. I wonder why you have such difficulty with oncidiums. Thanks for watching.
Gardening at Douentza. I just can't seem to get the watering right, and to be honest I keep trying to divide and repot after flowering when I should probably just leave them be. I will endeavour to do that from now on so I stop destroying them.
Excellent video. Do you still have the Epidendrum in SWC? How is it doing? How also is the Vanda doing in SWC? I am in the process of converting my Catt and some Epidendrum into SWC . Lots if work? Thank hou. I love all your or hid .
Hi. No, I don't have any of those plants any more.
@@GardeningatDouentza Did a quick search for an update video and then had the sense to come back and read comments. No Go, then...
great video
Thanks :)
Great video .... I am replanting my 2 year old healthy phal using your advice ! PS Love your accent ...
I hope it works out for you!
Thanks, Trac. Only time will tell.
Good luck!
Thank you.
Any update on this?? ☺
It went to Switzerland :D
Gardening at Douentza 😂😂😂
How is the plant now
ua-cam.com/video/dwAbe0WBVA4/v-deo.html&
Hi @@GardeningatDouentza ..thank you for the up date
Best of luck on two days in and five day out :)
Thanks, Tina.
Well, never change a running system. And I like to grow plants in a "humane" way as far as possible. Yeah, they might grow and flower sitting in water, but why stress a living thing? Aborting all roots sure does that. That's why I don't care about every new whim and spleen that pops up on YT or the internet. One wouldn't try to keep fish in the air, would they? And where is the advantage of SWC? Forget to pour out the water for 2, 3 days, espec. with a Cattleya, bam, root rot. I cannot see any reduction of workload. Yeah, no repotting, oh well. And if someone doesn't like the workload, he should not keep plants (I don't refer to you, of course.).
Sorry, being a bit ranty here, but I would hate to see a good plant perish or being set back. I get why you did it here, and of course it is your decision. And maybe this plant prospers in SWC and I'd be happy for it and you ;-)
I understand where you are coming from, Isabell, and you have pretty much vocalised my position on water culture up until now. I do believe I am not a person to follow fashions and I do love my clay pots :)
I know that water culture would not work in many cases. For example, large cattleyas - how on earth could you support the whole plant or find a big enough jar. And staking the blooms would be sure to involve some ugly workarounds. Also I worry about what happens to the beneficial mychorrizal fungus that orchid roots need in the case of water culture. And, yes, is the periodic replacement of water any easier than just watering plants in the normal way?
I don't know the answer to these questions but I see other people successfully growing in water culture and I would like to try it and see if it works in my environment. I will probably convert a phal to water culture now too and leave them for a year. A year is a good length of time to assess whether something can work longer term or not.
My next video is especially for you and deals with potting cattleyas in the traditional way ;-)