Love the idea of inert media. I've been following Rick L for a long time and I've been slowly converting all my phals to lava rock. So far, they're all doing very well.
Hi Annabelle, this video answers many of my beginner's questions. I will try s/h on one of my phalaenopsis which needs repotting anyway. You have given me confidence in this orchid growing system. It has been obviously very successful for you ! I can’t ignore a system which makes orchid growing easier, I will see how it does in my environment. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Grats to the winners! So nice of you to put together a second gift Annabel. The phals look great, I’ve really enjoyed your study of this method...I’ve seen other channels not analyze or provide such complete care and their plants kinda show that. Yours look very good - part of me wonders if beyond anything, light really is the most vital component for success, because of all the growers I’ve seen, you’re the first to really give it to your orchids w/ artificial lights. Have a wonderful Christmas - looking froward to your next video 🌱💚
Thanks Dustin 😀 I also wonder if having the extra lights and keeping them warm means I can get away with keeping them more wet, which means they've got better access to nutrients, which then goes hand in hand with extra light and faster growth? And if they're growing faster they're drinking more and using more nutrients so it becomes a positive cycle? I definitely feed higher than is typically advised and don't really see ill effects, if they look like they're growing less I drop the feed down and give them more flushes. I feel like there's so much we can't explain with the standard orchid 'lore'! And obviously with LED lights my phals can sit in quite high light but not burn, I use 1500 lumen cool white bulbs from amazon for the phals and they sit maybe 2ft away from the bulbs. So if we compare that to sun, the same sunlight level may well burn the leaves with the excess heat that sunlight produces. So the phals under the LED bulbs may be able to handle more constant light than if they were sitting on a windowsill in sunlight. Just thinking out loud here. I wonder about doing a wet dry cycle comparison, but I'm also scared that I'd be taking an orchid and maybe setting it up to not do so well in my environment 🤔😅 But in the name of orchid research, maybe that should happen...Unpicking it all in a home environment may not be simple though. Thanks again and merry christmas to you too! 😀💗
Very good information. Especially nutrients. I was always confused about when to give nutrients. And I like your timeline. Now I know it will take about 8 months for a nice root system.
The leaves look so lush, glossy and lovely. 😍 I'm based in London, UK. Love mini to small phals. Just added some supplementary lighting for my phals. So will see months goes as none of them have rebloomed for me so far.
Hi Genevieve! Sorry for the delay in replying, I've been a bit swamped recently, catching up now! I love phals too, my passion is fragrant orchids so I mainly tey to collect fragrant phal hybrids now, but the ones I have from when I first started will always stay with me for sentimental reasons! It's great to hear from another UK grower, there aren't that many of us in the community comparatively. I think the extra lighting should help rebloom them, in the UK our lighting is a bit tough to judge. Morning light isn't as hot but also not as intense as some countries, an afternoon light in summer can be too hot for phals, but in winter it can be alright. But you can't always move things around chasing light! I prefer growing under or supplementing natural light with LEDs, more convenient and easier to control . Have a great day and thanks for watching 🙂
Merry Christmas Annabelle, ive really enjoyed this video to compare who we grow phals. My climate can be really cold and sulky during winter and I struggle to heat my place without costing a fortune. But I am truly amazed how you get no rotting roots while they are so moist. You actually tempt me to try to find lacka beads to try them in the mix you recommend. All your plants look wonderfully healthy and happy.😍
Hi, just came across this video and found your comment about leaving water in saucer of Phal. In organic media. When I did this I found my Phals. Did so much better. So I agree with keeping them a little more moist for my environment. Alabama, USA really like your videos, thanks.
Its all trial an error but I agree, in warmer climates they don't really love to dry out! They may need that for certain media and certain climates though, so it's all a learning process! Sorry for the delay in reply, thanks for watching and have a great day 🥰
Congratulations Caryn 😃👍🏼💥 I wish you, Ariel, your loved ones, incl. orchids 😊 a very Happy Christmas 🎄 love your channel and I wish you all the best for 2020 ... let it (youtube) grow, let them (orchids) grow 🎶✨
I am just learning about semi Hydro for my phals, so I will be re watching this and more videos. do I have to use self watering pots? or a saucer with water in it do, I am in Perth WA. thank you
Hi, Semi hydro traditionally uses a container with no drainage and 2 flushing holes positioned 5-10cm above the base of the container to create a water reservoir. I explain semi hydro in more detail and my experiences with it in this video : ua-cam.com/video/k2nmcWAz_rc/v-deo.html Self watering with inorganic material is a distinct method adapted from semi hydro which yields similar results and allows a larger volume of water in the reservoir, but may create a slightly drier environment in the pot, depending on wick placement and materials used. You can use whatever method you like as long as you are able to control the negatives introduced and how it works with your environment, LECA can be a very drying and detrimental material if you do let it dry out so I would recommend a larger reservoir and clear containers so you can monitor when the reservoir is getting low. You could modify this and use a saucer of water to create an external reservoir but I suspect it would dry out very rapidly, otherwise if you're happy topping it up frequently that would work, as long as you have enough leca in contact with the base (not one of those air cone pots). It wouldnt technically be semi hydro though so just be aware of that, you may be introducing other variables into the mix.
I have a question. I am just learning about orchids I have to go away and leave my plants/orchids for 2weeks at a time . Will the leca pumice self watering mix sustain them for the 2 weeks? Mayhap giving them a wet dry cycle.
Great video. I noticed in the organic media repot you didn’t add any extra drainage holes...I think most of your other plastic pots do have them. Have you changed your thinking around doing them?Thank you.
Most of my plastic pots don't have them, it's only old pots that I reused for self watering that do, which is super annoying because the roots grow through the holes. I did it all in one go because maybe 3 years ago I decided it was a good idea when I was using mainly bark, and it was for bark, but it isn't really necessary for me with the media I use now.
Lovely repotting video! How do you drill into glass jar? I asked my husband to do it for me he siad it will shatter the glass. Thanks very much for the giveaway I just heard my name and was extremely happy! Thanks again and hsve a wonderful Christmas! Do you need me to send you my address?
Hey! 😊 Going to answer in 2 parts because the glass question is a long one 😉 1) The hole in the glass is a bit of a pain to be honest. I follow Michael's method which I'll link here: ua-cam.com/video/h3PKt-UJjpE/v-deo.html I bought a set of glass drill bits from a local hardware chain. I start off with the smallest of the glass drill bits and a pot of water next to me while I work, and a towel to hold the vase firm in on the floor. I wet the drill bit and make an initial drill mark, then keep dunking the drill bit back in water while I'm working on making the hole deeper. It takes some patience and even pressure. Then once that one's done I move up through the drill bit sizes to enlarge the hole. It's not the easiest, I'd practice on some jam jars first not your nicest vase. But once you've got it down it's simple, just a bit of effort 😄 Every now and then the drill bits do need replacing though as I found d my last set were starting to crack vases where they were getting blunt. Very annoying! Hope that helps 😀 2) And then for the package, if you check back to your comment on the giveaway video I've put more details about getting in touch. It will probably be after christmas now before I can send it out 😊
When I was using glass, I was using glass drills and kept the glass under water while drilling. However it's hit or miss as the glass is likely to break, and then I stopped using glass alltogether because it was quickly invaded by algaes in my environment.
@Julien S The glass only ever breaks for me if the drill bits are starting to get blunt... At that point I buy new drill bits and the problem resolves- never cracked a vase with decent glass thickness and a sharp drill bit. I also persistently wet the glass. Wouldnt say it's the way to go for beginners with SH, plastic is so much easier, but when you really need that particular vase sometimes it has to be done 😉 Algae is a whole other debate but I've never had a detrimental effect from live algae, it's when it dies that the decomposing bacteria lower the reservoir oxygen levels, but by then it's usually either time for a repot or often the dead algae will flush out with some persistent flushing with warm water. I actually believe live algae may be beneficial in oxygenating the reservoir, but that's just my theory 😊
I bought a set of diamond drill bits on Amazon, and they work like a charm! I watched a video where a guy first made a guide in wood, where he drilled a hole in the wood with the same diameter as you wish your hole to be. This prevents the drill to glide. He also took a 2 litre plastic bottle and made a tiny hole in it to have that constantly cool the glass and drill. It got somewhat messy so now I just place the glass container in a sink and turn the water on low and get drilling. I still use the guide but I also slant the drill in the beginning and then slowly raise it to a vertical position.
Set of glass drill bits. Cheap and easy to find, for more info Michael has an excellent video on making semi hydroponic containers from vases, I do it alot for when I want a specific size or shape container as in my Vanda repot.
18 C isn't cool? That is sweater + jacket weather. 😉 Now, about that pop-up photo @2:07, is that a bunch of Adenium seedlings in the background on the shelf?
Hahahah! Oh I wish we had your climate 😂 I'm pretty much walking round with hot water bottles strapped all over 😂 It usually stays more at 20- 25C in the grow room but nights do drop, the heater keeps it above 18.... I figure that's the minimum they should be exposed to in wet clay media! Sometimes I come home from work and go up to the orchid room for warmth 😂 Ok so confession. I became obsessed with how easy it is to germinate adenium seeds. Now I have around 70 rather large adeniums that don't fit anywhere anymore 😂 The rest if the house is too cold for them, yet I can't bring myself to get rid of them. Send help!
@@TheOrchidRoom I have 15 seedlings sitting in pots out front at the moment. I am waiting for them to flower to decide which ones I will keep and which will go. They are all supposed to be double and triple flowers, but you just never know what you will get from seed. (the cast offs may end up in a box at the side of the road, like unwanted kittens 😲) Maybe you can join a gardening club and find respectable homes for them?
IKEA Nekjon, I did link but as it's availability changes according to region, it may not be working anymore. I list it by name in the description, but IKEA didn't sell it online in the UK when I last checked - only available for purchase in store.
I just checked the IKEA link and it still works when I click it, so maybe it's an issue with other regions. You should be able to find it just by doing a search in the IKEA site though if your region stocks it.
Depends on the situation. For a plant that already has roots, seawaed extract, warmth, good light, good fertilizing practice, good levels of moisture and humidity, which all contribute to the plants ability to increase growth of all forms. For rootless orchids, time and as stress free conditions as possible.
All the info with links is in the video description. Pumice : Medium grade ~10mm LAVA-LITE : amzn.to/34C14PY The actual size varies, I'd say most falls between 10-20mm.
I disagree if you look at the starting points, I wouldn't say one looks any better than the other in terms of growth from where they started. Bear in mind I actually have the orchids in my hand and observe them daily.
@@TheOrchidRoom The s/h one might have been in rougher condition at the start, but it's still about the same size as the bark one, a bit smaller but same ball park. And if we compare them to their older selves, In the follow up video, the s/h one 's current leaf is quite a bit smaller than the leaves it had at the beginning. I'm commenting purely on the current size, and the bark one is clearly doing better than the other.
There is a transition period with any new media (they were in moss to start), I didn't set out to try and prove one method is better over the other at all. If I had I would have done bark with wet dry cycles, not essentially self watering with bark and moss.... Commenting based on size, how they flowered, root mass and growth rate I really wouldn't be able to say one was better than the other, looking at them right now in my grow room. Other than the Semi-hydro one being further along with it's second flower spike. Your point about the current leaf being smaller- It made more leaves faster having less leaves to start, but may have had some time adjusting to the dramatic media change. I think those are fair statements?
@@TheOrchidRoom Looking through your videos, I think most of the phals, after they adapt to s/h, start to grow smaller leaves than they would in traditional media. In your latest video, I noticed that the bellina/violacea hybrids are getting smaller leaves than it would in bark/sphagnum. My bellina species/hybrids usually give me a 30~50% larger new leaf after first bloom if I take decent care of it, and same sized leaf if i neglect it. I think it's really interesting that the s/h one produced more leaf mass but didn't create bigger leaves.
Hi Lynn, Yes I boil it vigorously for around 10 minutes 😊 If there's alot of algae or I suspect the previous plant had any issues at all I also bleach soak the LECA after the boiling, and then do a few rinses and water changes before reuse 😊
The Orchid Room Wow that was a quick response. I just heard you actually say you boil n re-use. I tend to soak for a couple of days in a bleach solution then rinse a few times and let it soak out. Have tried the boiling method though. I do t use leca a lot but I’m considering trying again as I do lose a lot of my minis.
If you check the descriptions you'll find links to most of the products I use. Pumice and leca are linked at the top under inorganic media. I use the same diameter/grade for all my orchids of those brands.
Link to the Playlist following these Phalaenopsis: ua-cam.com/play/PL76ceLYvhJssYSgXpiKA96k-gulrHq7Hu.html
THAT MOSS BARK AND PEBBLE ORCHID is Amazing!! never seen one with no rot!! great job!
Love the idea of inert media. I've been following Rick L for a long time and I've been slowly converting all my phals to lava rock. So far, they're all doing very well.
Hi Annabelle, this video answers many of my beginner's questions. I will try s/h on one of my phalaenopsis which needs repotting anyway. You have given me confidence in this orchid growing system. It has been obviously very successful for you ! I can’t ignore a system which makes orchid growing easier, I will see how it does in my environment. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Grats to the winners! So nice of you to put together a second gift Annabel.
The phals look great, I’ve really enjoyed your study of this method...I’ve seen other channels not analyze or provide such complete care and their plants kinda show that. Yours look very good - part of me wonders if beyond anything, light really is the most vital component for success, because of all the growers I’ve seen, you’re the first to really give it to your orchids w/ artificial lights.
Have a wonderful Christmas - looking froward to your next video 🌱💚
Thanks Dustin 😀
I also wonder if having the extra lights and keeping them warm means I can get away with keeping them more wet, which means they've got better access to nutrients, which then goes hand in hand with extra light and faster growth? And if they're growing faster they're drinking more and using more nutrients so it becomes a positive cycle? I definitely feed higher than is typically advised and don't really see ill effects, if they look like they're growing less I drop the feed down and give them more flushes.
I feel like there's so much we can't explain with the standard orchid 'lore'! And obviously with LED lights my phals can sit in quite high light but not burn, I use 1500 lumen cool white bulbs from amazon for the phals and they sit maybe 2ft away from the bulbs. So if we compare that to sun, the same sunlight level may well burn the leaves with the excess heat that sunlight produces. So the phals under the LED bulbs may be able to handle more constant light than if they were sitting on a windowsill in sunlight. Just thinking out loud here.
I wonder about doing a wet dry cycle comparison, but I'm also scared that I'd be taking an orchid and maybe setting it up to not do so well in my environment 🤔😅 But in the name of orchid research, maybe that should happen...Unpicking it all in a home environment may not be simple though.
Thanks again and merry christmas to you too! 😀💗
Very good information. Especially nutrients. I was always confused about when to give nutrients. And I like your timeline. Now I know it will take about 8 months for a nice root system.
The leaves look so lush, glossy and lovely. 😍 I'm based in London, UK. Love mini to small phals. Just added some supplementary lighting for my phals. So will see months goes as none of them have rebloomed for me so far.
Hi Genevieve! Sorry for the delay in replying, I've been a bit swamped recently, catching up now! I love phals too, my passion is fragrant orchids so I mainly tey to collect fragrant phal hybrids now, but the ones I have from when I first started will always stay with me for sentimental reasons! It's great to hear from another UK grower, there aren't that many of us in the community comparatively. I think the extra lighting should help rebloom them, in the UK our lighting is a bit tough to judge. Morning light isn't as hot but also not as intense as some countries, an afternoon light in summer can be too hot for phals, but in winter it can be alright. But you can't always move things around chasing light! I prefer growing under or supplementing natural light with LEDs, more convenient and easier to control . Have a great day and thanks for watching 🙂
I am gradually transitioning to semi hydro from organic mix. So far so good.
Your orchids are very well cared.
Thankyou 🙂 Good luck! I hope everything goes well!
:)
Merry Christmas Annabelle, ive really enjoyed this video to compare who we grow phals. My climate can be really cold and sulky during winter and I struggle to heat my place without costing a fortune. But I am truly amazed how you get no rotting roots while they are so moist. You actually tempt me to try to find lacka beads to try them in the mix you recommend. All your plants look wonderfully healthy and happy.😍
Hi, just came across this video and found your comment about leaving water in saucer of Phal. In organic media. When I did this I found my Phals. Did so much better. So I agree with keeping them a little more moist for my environment. Alabama, USA really like your videos, thanks.
Its all trial an error but I agree, in warmer climates they don't really love to dry out! They may need that for certain media and certain climates though, so it's all a learning process! Sorry for the delay in reply, thanks for watching and have a great day 🥰
I love the way you care your phal. I have no luck with this my own phal. Is die I don't why ☺
Congratulations Caryn 😃👍🏼💥
I wish you, Ariel, your loved ones, incl. orchids 😊 a very Happy Christmas 🎄 love your channel and I wish you all the best for 2020 ... let it (youtube) grow, let them (orchids) grow 🎶✨
Thanks Nina!! 😀💗 Merry Christmas to you too 🎄🎅 May 2020 be a great year for orchids, and in general 😀
Semi-hydro is so much easier than bark!
Thank you for this video 😊
I am just learning about semi Hydro for my phals, so I will be re watching this and more videos. do I have to use self watering pots? or a saucer with water in it do, I am in Perth WA. thank you
Hi,
Semi hydro traditionally uses a container with no drainage and 2 flushing holes positioned 5-10cm above the base of the container to create a water reservoir.
I explain semi hydro in more detail and my experiences with it in this video : ua-cam.com/video/k2nmcWAz_rc/v-deo.html
Self watering with inorganic material is a distinct method adapted from semi hydro which yields similar results and allows a larger volume of water in the reservoir, but may create a slightly drier environment in the pot, depending on wick placement and materials used.
You can use whatever method you like as long as you are able to control the negatives introduced and how it works with your environment, LECA can be a very drying and detrimental material if you do let it dry out so I would recommend a larger reservoir and clear containers so you can monitor when the reservoir is getting low.
You could modify this and use a saucer of water to create an external reservoir but I suspect it would dry out very rapidly, otherwise if you're happy topping it up frequently that would work, as long as you have enough leca in contact with the base (not one of those air cone pots). It wouldnt technically be semi hydro though so just be aware of that, you may be introducing other variables into the mix.
I have a question. I am just learning about orchids
I have to go away and leave my plants/orchids for 2weeks at a time .
Will the leca pumice self watering mix sustain them for the 2 weeks?
Mayhap giving them a wet dry cycle.
Great video. I noticed in the organic media repot you didn’t add any extra drainage holes...I think most of your other plastic pots do have them. Have you changed your thinking around doing them?Thank you.
Most of my plastic pots don't have them, it's only old pots that I reused for self watering that do, which is super annoying because the roots grow through the holes. I did it all in one go because maybe 3 years ago I decided it was a good idea when I was using mainly bark, and it was for bark, but it isn't really necessary for me with the media I use now.
Thanks for all the informative vids.
I just bought a Wildcat/Bobcat Cattalaya..help me any tips would take for me...
I love those roots👌🏼
Hey Annabel a very very happy new year 🌹2020🌹 to you ... Annab l am your fan .. can I know where from you collect orchids ?
Happy new year to you too! 🙂 I live in the UK
Thank you madam. I am from India . How your days going on sir
Lovely repotting video! How do you drill into glass jar? I asked my husband to do it for me he siad it will shatter the glass. Thanks very much for the giveaway I just heard my name and was extremely happy! Thanks again and hsve a wonderful Christmas! Do you need me to send you my address?
Hey! 😊
Going to answer in 2 parts because the glass question is a long one 😉
1) The hole in the glass is a bit of a pain to be honest. I follow Michael's method which I'll link here:
ua-cam.com/video/h3PKt-UJjpE/v-deo.html
I bought a set of glass drill bits from a local hardware chain. I start off with the smallest of the glass drill bits and a pot of water next to me while I work, and a towel to hold the vase firm in on the floor. I wet the drill bit and make an initial drill mark, then keep dunking the drill bit back in water while I'm working on making the hole deeper. It takes some patience and even pressure. Then once that one's done I move up through the drill bit sizes to enlarge the hole. It's not the easiest, I'd practice on some jam jars first not your nicest vase. But once you've got it down it's simple, just a bit of effort 😄 Every now and then the drill bits do need replacing though as I found d my last set were starting to crack vases where they were getting blunt. Very annoying! Hope that helps 😀
2) And then for the package, if you check back to your comment on the giveaway video I've put more details about getting in touch. It will probably be after christmas now before I can send it out 😊
When I was using glass, I was using glass drills and kept the glass under water while drilling. However it's hit or miss as the glass is likely to break, and then I stopped using glass alltogether because it was quickly invaded by algaes in my environment.
@@TheOrchidRoom Thanks Anna for the thorough reply. Have a wonderful Christmas and happy and healthy new year!
@Julien S The glass only ever breaks for me if the drill bits are starting to get blunt... At that point I buy new drill bits and the problem resolves- never cracked a vase with decent glass thickness and a sharp drill bit. I also persistently wet the glass. Wouldnt say it's the way to go for beginners with SH, plastic is so much easier, but when you really need that particular vase sometimes it has to be done 😉 Algae is a whole other debate but I've never had a detrimental effect from live algae, it's when it dies that the decomposing bacteria lower the reservoir oxygen levels, but by then it's usually either time for a repot or often the dead algae will flush out with some persistent flushing with warm water. I actually believe live algae may be beneficial in oxygenating the reservoir, but that's just my theory 😊
I bought a set of diamond drill bits on Amazon, and they work like a charm! I watched a video where a guy first made a guide in wood, where he drilled a hole in the wood with the same diameter as you wish your hole to be. This prevents the drill to glide. He also took a 2 litre plastic bottle and made a tiny hole in it to have that constantly cool the glass and drill. It got somewhat messy so now I just place the glass container in a sink and turn the water on low and get drilling. I still use the guide but I also slant the drill in the beginning and then slowly raise it to a vertical position.
What nutrient solution do you use?
Good Job👍
Annabel, how did you make holes in the glass container? Do you have a diamond bit on your drill?
Set of glass drill bits. Cheap and easy to find, for more info Michael has an excellent video on making semi hydroponic containers from vases, I do it alot for when I want a specific size or shape container as in my Vanda repot.
18 C isn't cool? That is sweater + jacket weather. 😉
Now, about that pop-up photo @2:07, is that a bunch of Adenium seedlings in the background on the shelf?
Hahahah! Oh I wish we had your climate 😂 I'm pretty much walking round with hot water bottles strapped all over 😂 It usually stays more at 20- 25C in the grow room but nights do drop, the heater keeps it above 18.... I figure that's the minimum they should be exposed to in wet clay media! Sometimes I come home from work and go up to the orchid room for warmth 😂
Ok so confession. I became obsessed with how easy it is to germinate adenium seeds. Now I have around 70 rather large adeniums that don't fit anywhere anymore 😂 The rest if the house is too cold for them, yet I can't bring myself to get rid of them. Send help!
@@TheOrchidRoom I have 15 seedlings sitting in pots out front at the moment. I am waiting for them to flower to decide which ones I will keep and which will go. They are all supposed to be double and triple flowers, but you just never know what you will get from seed. (the cast offs may end up in a box at the side of the road, like unwanted kittens 😲) Maybe you can join a gardening club and find respectable homes for them?
The white outter plastic pot, where is it from? You've left a couple of links but I could not trace it. Thankyou
IKEA Nekjon, I did link but as it's availability changes according to region, it may not be working anymore. I list it by name in the description, but IKEA didn't sell it online in the UK when I last checked - only available for purchase in store.
I just checked the IKEA link and it still works when I click it, so maybe it's an issue with other regions. You should be able to find it just by doing a search in the IKEA site though if your region stocks it.
Will check again. I'm in Switzerland hope it works. Thanks alot
Hi. What is your best tip for root grow?
Depends on the situation. For a plant that already has roots, seawaed extract, warmth, good light, good fertilizing practice, good levels of moisture and humidity, which all contribute to the plants ability to increase growth of all forms. For rootless orchids, time and as stress free conditions as possible.
I wish i won the grow light :(
There was only one on offer unfortunately, it was a random draw. Maybe another time! 😊
Please tell me whate size pumice you use with your Leca.
All the info with links is in the video description.
Pumice : Medium grade ~10mm LAVA-LITE : amzn.to/34C14PY
The actual size varies, I'd say most falls between 10-20mm.
Интересный обзор орхидей.🌼🌺🌹
the bark one looks so much better than s/h...
I disagree if you look at the starting points, I wouldn't say one looks any better than the other in terms of growth from where they started. Bear in mind I actually have the orchids in my hand and observe them daily.
@@TheOrchidRoom The s/h one might have been in rougher condition at the start, but it's still about the same size as the bark one, a bit smaller but same ball park. And if we compare them to their older selves, In the follow up video, the s/h one 's current leaf is quite a bit smaller than the leaves it had at the beginning. I'm commenting purely on the current size, and the bark one is clearly doing better than the other.
There is a transition period with any new media (they were in moss to start), I didn't set out to try and prove one method is better over the other at all. If I had I would have done bark with wet dry cycles, not essentially self watering with bark and moss.... Commenting based on size, how they flowered, root mass and growth rate I really wouldn't be able to say one was better than the other, looking at them right now in my grow room. Other than the Semi-hydro one being further along with it's second flower spike.
Your point about the current leaf being smaller- It made more leaves faster having less leaves to start, but may have had some time adjusting to the dramatic media change. I think those are fair statements?
@@TheOrchidRoom Looking through your videos, I think most of the phals, after they adapt to s/h, start to grow smaller leaves than they would in traditional media.
In your latest video, I noticed that the bellina/violacea hybrids are getting smaller leaves than it would in bark/sphagnum. My bellina species/hybrids usually give me a 30~50% larger new leaf after first bloom if I take decent care of it, and same sized leaf if i neglect it.
I think it's really interesting that the s/h one produced more leaf mass but didn't create bigger leaves.
Hi Annabelle, do you recycle your leca?
Hi Lynn,
Yes I boil it vigorously for around 10 minutes 😊 If there's alot of algae or I suspect the previous plant had any issues at all I also bleach soak the LECA after the boiling, and then do a few rinses and water changes before reuse 😊
The Orchid Room
Wow that was a quick response. I just heard you actually say you boil n re-use. I tend to soak for a couple of days in a bleach solution then rinse a few times and let it soak out. Have tried the boiling method though.
I do t use leca a lot but I’m considering trying again as I do lose a lot of my minis.
What mm of leeca and pumice you use??do u use different mm for different varieties?or u use same mm for all Orchids??
If you check the descriptions you'll find links to most of the products I use. Pumice and leca are linked at the top under inorganic media. I use the same diameter/grade for all my orchids of those brands.
WHATS LECCA!!???
MOSS WOITHJJ PEARLITE? THE SUBTITLE DO NOT HELP!! POLEASE ANNUNCIATE?>??
I know I'm late but WTF are you on about? You ok?
WHY WOULD YTOU EVEN WANT TO DISTERBN THGAT!?
v