Thank you so much for keeping at this particular information. You are correct, you need to hear it over and over to put it together in your mind and the drawings were just the cherry on the top. Keep up the great work, it's fascinating, Melissa
Dear Rick, I have been using Dolimite lime for a year with great success . It is mostly pelletized, but this can easily be turned into a powder. Used as a powder ,I make a paste from it and "paint " it on my mounts or soak them in a solution of 500-600 PPM .All my other orchids are potted in bark ,so sparkling ( 1 TBS) in each pot once every 2-3 months works well. In summer when the orchids are outside ,depending on the rain,I may only do this one time. Again Thanks for all your great COMMON SENSE advice. P.S . some months ago ,I did an experiment with using the shavings from cedar wood as a 50% addition to my bark mix. The Tanens in the cedar really help my Phals. and Dendrobiums. All the Best to you and your Family Fred Buonocore
Lime helps intake /absorbtion of all nutrients its great for lawns plants etc. Just dont use alot on soil plants orchids will be easier. Even if the minerals are in the medium lime breaks it down and makes it available again. For uptake.
Really happy looking plants, Rick! I have one or two doing the same things and others that are showing a lot of promise. They came a long way this summer, though, all of them whether they have huge roots and big shoots or not. Mine are all indoors. I don’t have the courage to grow outdoors yet. I’m in north Texas. My growing conditions would be about the same as yours, but I dealt with pest and varmint issues a few years back with a general garden I grew in containers and it was a bit of a nightmare. I give all my plants lots of calcium too. I have a non burning slow release NPK and dolomite lime, both pelletized, plus the cal mag/kelp watering they get a few times a month. I still do pot flushes once a month, although it seems silly with the slow release. Anyway, it seems no matter the mastery in feedings, you have to find a way to acclimate to your environment or they aren’t going to thrive no matter what. I’m so glad to see you back and doing well! How is your wife? Happy growing!
I used up all my lime now I have to go buy more... they didn't have any at Walmart the other day when I was there. Rick I don't know whether you or your wife read these comments anymore but I sure do miss you. When I have trouble sleeping sometimes I turn to one of your videos about magnesium or calcium or something about the orchids that I can learn something while listening to your soothing voice while I try to fall asleep. I got some of my orchids to bloom again I'm a newbie at this. I guess about 18 months. You've helped me and so has Carolyn at Jacqueline's orchids but it's Jacqueline with an O since her UA-cam name is a combination of her name Carolyn and her husband's name Jack.. I also listen to Emaans garden about orchids Carol and I found first and you second and Emaan 3rd... all of you have different ways of teaching and explaining and I think I learned the most details from you that have helped me with even my houseplants. I think I've also help people understand on my own UA-cam channel which is just my name to understand mobile and immobile nutrients and understand a lot of the things that you've taught us. Why certain nutrients are important and what they do for the plant not just are orchids. Some of my orchids rebloom. This winter but there have been some things happening in my life and I don't think I was consistent enough with my watering schedule and some of the blooms never matured. But it's fascinating to see the new root tip start to grow and a new Leaf Grow and it's sad to see some of them not do so well and then maybe we get them over their struggle and they start to do well again... But sometimes I've lost a couple! I never give up on my orchids or on my houseplants I'm with my houseplants I'm really terrible because I'll put the tiniest little branch in the water to try to give it a chance to grow roots it's amazing the life force in plants and how they do want to grow where their Planet bless their hearts exclamation I hope you and Jan are doing well and that you've been able to keep some part of your orchid collection in Tip-Top shape. We wouldn't care if the camera was shaky or your voice was shaky it would just be nice to hear from you again. Maybe your camera lady Jan could tell us how you're doing. I've asked Todd sometimes at Todd's work it's how you're doing if he's talked to you or GN lately. He's also another great Orchid Channel to watch. And Rogers orchids he's a great informative guy with a lot of knowledge in his head. But I felt like I've developed as an owner of orchids the most under your teaching. I feel like Carolyn's a friend and you are my teacher! God bless you and God bless Jan!!! And if you ever need foster homes for any of your orchid I need to adopt any of them out I would feel honored if I could buy one of them! We all miss you I know I'm not the only one
wow, Rick. you're a true gift to the world. leaving a mark. in the BEST way - by teaching and sharing knowledge. because what use is having knowledge if it is not distributed and shared? I am a graduate civil engineer and my brain is also programmed to find out what is happening in finer details to understand. that's why your videos clicked with me so much - its something that helped me to connect the dots as I have also done a lot of research on orchids. thanks for helping everyone so much
Hi Rick, surfing your channel & learning a lot esp the replies you do on questions sent. That’s how I learned & gets my answers. Can’t wait till it’s 8, to buy Garden Lime & see the result. How much to add to peppers/tomatoes? A pinch of my orchids. Thank you for sharing. True some don’t responds to ? asked. Love all your collections, fo you get some from mail orders? Any company to share ?
……...I agree....the comment's are the best part...….lots of info...…...on my peppers and tomatoes...…..I take a small handful and spread around them...…..scratch it into the surface a little …..I may add twice during growing season...….depends on rain etc....I have bought from Hauserman, and Carmela Orchids...….both have great orchids......
Thank you so much for all wonderful information..... So needed, I found over the years as hobbyist... no one... gives you all this info.. You have done much work...Now we get to benefit from it and pass it on to others... I had an idea about the Lime granules.... I am going to try .... I have many Vandas that are bare root. Living in Florida.... So going to get some of those small bags they give out at weddings on the table, filled with almonds, I will try the dollar store. Most likely will find them at a party store... and put some granules in the bag, and hang over the plant, as I water, or as they get rain. They will get the Lime .... This might work on your mounted orchids.... Just an idea.... Again , you have given US GOLD .... One thing though... when you explain "parts per million", I get lost.... is there any way to dumb that down for those of us that are mathematically challenged ?????
…...thank you Martha, very kind words...…...the granular lime breaks down over time....those small bags, which is a very good idea,...may or may not work well for that.....Calmag works better with Vanda's, they love it...…..Vanda's in the wild......hanging under or on trees would have lots of calcium around them.....they are calcium hogs, they love and need a lot of it for those stiff rigid leaf structures....spray them with calmag once a week or let them soak in it even..... …..PPM or parts per million is just a measurement …..growers that monitor their nutrients...use TDS Meters [total dissolved solids]...meters for measuring how strong the nutrient solution is...….it reads in PPM or parts per million...for example if my mix is 100ppm...….if you put a million drops of water in a bucket.....100 of them have nutrients in them...its a way of measuring tiny amounts accurately...its hard to put tiny measurement's into teaspoon /tablespoon amounts...….they would be 1/16 tsp or even smaller...…...Orchids like tiny trace amounts of food.....often.....
Stopped on my way home and got the Garden Lime. For the mounted orchids, i put some in a pantyhose secured with knots and tucked the little ball between the orchid and bark. I hope mine will one day look as beautiful as yours! Thank you for all your videos. You explain things VERY WELL! So enjoyable to listen to.
Another informative video! Thank you for doing the research and telling everyone what works. Everything I've tried because of your sharing has helped me grow much healthier plants! 🌸💕🌸
Hello Rick, your videos are very educational, thank you for sharing . I am new at growing orchids, so far I only have Phals I love them. I haven’t have good luck with them , after a few months the leaves get soft and I noticed the roots get rotted. I feed them every 2 weeks and use bark with moss . After seeing your videos I repotted them using Lava rock let see how they do . But I never used lime and Calcium nitrate like you suggested. Soo , I will sprinkle the lime once a month after feeding and when do I sprinkle the calcium nitrate? And finally, when do I flush the orchids? How many days after feeding? Thank you in advance. God bless
Hello Rick, I love your tutorials on orchids. I am new growing orchids. Thank you for sharing. I started growing Phals only for now. I use bark and moss and feed them every 2 weeks and water them weekly. On some of them noticed that the roots got rotted soo I decided to repot them with Lava Rock and I will use lime after feeding and how many days after feeding do I flush the orchids? Also I saw that you use Calcium Nitrate , I bought it but when do I sprinkle it ? Together with the lime or in a different time?sorry about all the questions but I would like to know exactly what I have to do in order to save this orchids. Thank you and God bless
Paula from Mexico. I get Cal-Mag here & Maxecrop seaweed extract here. Not in stores I order Mercado Libre, Mexican web site. I pay more, but I got it. I see I can get that Garden Lime. Next order.
I brought my orchids ( and other plants) outside for 2 nights. Brought them in as the night temp. was dropping down to 10 degrees Celsius. I am excited to try the dolmonite lime. For a 4” pot, how much would you top dress with a pinch of lime? And how often? I have my orchids in a mixture of lava rock, stones, a bit of bark and sphagnum moss. When you flush your orchids, you use rain water with no cal-mag added once a month, right? Thank you so much for your videos. I am hoping my orchids will look as healthy as yours!
Oh my gosh! I've never seem such growth! Roots, Growths, Green Happy Plants!! Thank you soooo much! You're a super star teacher! I hope you're doing well ... you're in my prayers every day!
Thank you Rick..... once again some super information.... the orchids look fantastic... I bet they are singing their little hearts out. Blessings to you xx💖
Hi Rick, I, like your grower friend also have high respect for Espomas' products, in my limited growing experience, have found them to be very good...i ordered the Espoma lime, but the Alaska Ca/N product isn't available to me here. I did order another Ca nitrate with 15.5% N. I think my question is...I am unclear about chelated minerals and the danger of mixing unknown nutrients/products....can you talk to us more about that? Is it only iron that needs to be chelated? Will pray for Libbys healing!
.Caro......any buffered garden lime will work.....be careful with Calcium Nitrate.......can cause very odd growths if its out of balance with other mac and micro nutrients...Chelated nutrients are bonded to other minerals or metal ions.....it allows them to be absorbed easier and outside of their normal ph ranges.....they are designed to be used outside of those ranges and do better when used as designed...its mostly micro nutrients that are chelated.......
Rick L. Orchids Ok, so balance with other mac and micro nutrients being crucial....as a percentage of the whole feed....what would that % be for Calcium nitrate?....maybe Rick, could you do a video discussing proportions of all the components that go into a tub of fert water? I know you have done this before...I'm sorry, I guess it is not really necessary unless the % of Calcium nitrate would be different from the % you would use of say Calmagic....I try and stick with the ppm numbers I have seen you use in a tub of feed. Also, will you show us about how much lime you topdressed each pot with? 🤗 thank you! Cara
Ed had a nice video on this a while back, as well as using bloodmeal. Thanks for the reminder and confirmation of success using this. Going to dig mine out of the cabinet. Excellent explanation which I appreciate.
Awesome, informative and inspiring as usual. Sending love and prayers out to everyone who could use a boost and support. Have a peaceful evening and weekend.
Good video! I found giving your orchids proper nutrients is so important. And when you learn something new, then introduce the change and check it out!
Thank you Rick, guess a trip to the garden store is in my near future to get a bag of organic garden lime :) I am going to see if they have the wire you use at the Home Depot. I really like how you anchor your orchids in their pots with the wire. Maybe an orchid or two depending on what they have on hand. Happy gardening Rick....have a great day!
Hi, I was able to find the exact same type of wire that you showed in one of your earlier videos. I bought it at Lowes. I am going to pot some of my water culture orchids. What you have stated in some of your videos about orchids growing better when they are anchored makes so much sense to me. I really like the water culture method, but I am going to use the clay orchid pots, a mixture of river rock and lava rock and the wire to anchor them. My hope is that giving them the stabilization of the anchoring will help my orchids. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge and your time.....take care Rick and happy gardening :D
Awesome advice with the lime Rick! I bought a bag about 2 months ago. Great stuff! I only see adding Can and Mg as a difficult task when orchids are mounted, as you can only use disolved liquid sprays. For some hanging plants I have used slow release fertilizer in little wedding sachet net bags. They work perfectly!
Eds Orchids hi Ed you know that I have to see my people and there's a couple of you guys that I try not to miss the videos especially now that my eyes are working and my throat is kind of working. But I am so glad to always see you on Rick's Channel and of course on your own channel which I watch Faithfully👉👵👈
I just luv it when you come up with a new cure. Going out to get sand will check local Walmart on lime. Have seen the Alaska item on the shelf, was looking for something high in potassium. I hope you enjoyed your nite in the garden. Pray for Libby and anyone else in need. PS...got rain more on the way..did dip in Cal Mag before rain. Take care and tks for new video and info. wwj
Hi Rick, I purchased the Garden Lime this afternoon! I'm so eager to see what it does with my orchids in bark and river rock. I'm watering and fertilizing with distilled water in a large plastic container. I sprinkled about 1/4 tsp of Garden Lime in all my pots. How often should I be flushing my plants? Since they're inside, I'll just rinse them in distilled water? I wish I had a setup outside like yours. Great video!! I'm so grateful for you're videos!! Talk soon my friend!
Bobette.....I think you will like what it does for your orchids....I flush after every feeding....but Im outside.......it depends on how much you feed, the media, the nutrients used.......best thing I can say is...... as often as you can is best.......you cant over flush.
When those Sanseveria's bloom they produce a small droplet of honey at the base of each flower, you should try it it's delicious ;-) (we call them Women's Tongue, strange I never heard them talk ;-)
Rick L. Orchids yea I live in Illinois and it’s similar to Al but not the same. I’m only going to use at first on the plants that has stalled. We’ll see what happens
Many might be using them, but none of them are sharing it like you do. So informative, your plants speaks for themselves. Hopefully will catch you up soon...:)
Lime works great for plants growing in sphagnum, it helps extend the useful life. Diatemaceous earth works the same way. For your mounts, I wonder if the lime could be put into organza bags that could hang on the mount? I use them for slow release fertilizer with my Vandaceous orchids so that a little fert hits the roots with every watering. I get them 8 for a $1 at the dollar store, I believe the material is fine mesh enough to hold the lime. One thing I would like to say is that it can be dangerous to make sweeping generalizations about adding supplements, even if they appear benign on your plants in your usage. Adding calcium _may_ be ill advised if someone is using hard tap water with high levels of CaCO3, I can't say for sure that it wouldn't have a negative effect on some orchids to add more calcium. My tap water, for example, is ~150 ppm TDS. Of that, ~80 ppm is CaCO3, ~30 ppm phosphate and the rest is various other salts. Because of the high calcium levels I have never used, nor do I see reason to, supplement calcium (as opposed to magnesium, which is practically nonexistent in my water). That being said, the average grower can probably get away with added calcium and magnesium - regardless of water source - because they are likely to have the hardier/easier to grow types where "too much" of either is probably high on the spectrum, so hard to overdo it.
you make some very good points.....CAC03 ...calcium carbonate which is in our tap water... is not really a water soluble source for calcium.....so it doesn't add to the total amount of Ca. available..when we drink tap.....our stomach acid breaks the molecular bond and we can absorb the calcium.....microbial activity does it for soil plants.....orchids dont have that ability...and I dont recommend using tap for those reasons....any tap water over 25ppm I wont mix nutrients with, and over 50ppm used only for flushing.....and even then not often.......I feed very small amounts all the time and flush after....I never want any build up of sodium in my pots......love talking nutrients with people that are looking at numbers and trying to think about the process.......thank you
Yes, they say that CaCO3 is not a bioavailable calcium source for orchids but there must be some mechanism through which it becomes available or there is Ca that is not tied up in CaCO3 in my tap water, otherwise I would not see the quality of growth that I do. Take for example my Rhynchovola Jimminy Cricket, this is a plant I bought last year as a seedling, maybe 5 small pb's. It went onto a mount and has easily doubled in size, the roots absolutely cover the mount (cork 1/2 round, about 8" x 4") on both sides and it recently bloomed. I don't think it possible for it to be any more healthy, this is not a Ca deprived plant. When it comes to TDS, it is kind of a sticking point for me. A TDS of 150 is, in reality, a useless number unless you know _what_ dissolved solids are present and in what quantity. I think most people would readily use rainwater assuming it has a low TDS and neutral pH but, in places like Florida, our summer rains can be extraordinarily "dirty" due to Saharan dust. The TDS might be in the 80 range, most of that is inert oxides which are harmless, but many growers would find it unacceptable to use based on that TDS reading. The associated pH can approach 8. What I am getting at is: does it simplify a nutrient regime to start at or near zero R/O water? Sure. Is it really necessary? Depends on the water available in an area, IMO.
Well, I think I'll be taking a trip to Walmart for some new nutrients soon! But right now I need to take care of my husband, who had a massive heart attack last Sunday. He's home and doing great now, but his doctor says he's lucky to be alive. Make sure you tell your loved ones how much you love them every chance you get. Life is precious!
omg..Heather so sorry.......keep you both in my prayers......tell your hubby I had 4 heart attacks.......and now I take zero meds.....heart is doing great....he can do this.....
Rick L. Orchids Thank you my friend. His right artery was 100% blocked and left 75% blocked. He was out of town, driving back home when the pain started. He continued to drive home almost 2 hours because he wanted to get to me. He called me halfway home so I could be ready for him as he pulled in the driveway. It was terrifying! Dr. got the right unblocked and stented, and will do the left side soon.
Great info, thanks! Wishing you a "Glad midsommar!" aka "Happy midsummer!" from Sweden 🌼🐝🌻🍓🐸 .. also sending healing thoughts to your friends.. 💛🙏💛 Hugs & sunshine 🌞 N
How are you applying garden lime? I think you mentioned just using a pinch but how/when? Are you just applying it to the dry top of rocks and roots? How does it filter down through the rest? If you do it before watering, won't it just flush through?
……...great questions........What I do with the garden lime is apply it about every 4-5weeks......I sprinkle a few pinches, with my fingers... over the top of the pots...…….it gets on the roots and the media and doesn't seem to hurt them at all....I usually apply it after a good soak...…...it does filter down and thru the pots.....but some stays behind and gives them a source of calcium, magnesium they can absorb as they please.....self serve.
…..good question...….observe the plants and the media.....the granular lime will wash out over time …..maybe re-apply every month at first...….and see how they do.
Well Rick hands down another great video! I am very blessed to have learned so much from you. You are a very tough and kind person! I wanted to pick your brain on adding this to coconut coir? I have some plants in it. I thought that it was pretty neutral already but when you use it for a while will the fertilizer lower the media? Will it still be beneficial in that media? I also have plants in gravel. Will it stay in the pots for a while or will it just flush out? I use the clear plastic pots with the drainage holes in the bottom and those pots sit inside ceramic pots. I do this so I can give the plants a good soak and drain them after they are done soaking. So my concern is it will just flush right out with a soaking. I ran over to the store and bought some and will use it everywhere lol the garden and the lawn.
......Im a big fan of coco as well as grow with it a lot.....it works very good in coco, with organics growing, like peppers, tomatoes, cannabis, leaf greens, etc.........never used it with coco and hydro nutes.....but it may be fine....try it on one plant see how it responds.......as for flushing out......great question.....in a few of mine, they are smaller plants and dont have a big root mass, they may need it re-applied more often.......others that have a very large root mass in the pots......will hold onto it more, less likely to filter out ......if that makes sense......more root mass, acts like bark, and will hold onto it more.....Im just watching mine to see how often to apply.....Thanks Jessica....
Thank you for sharing this wonderful information with us! And thank you for NOT being a typical grower who is satisfied with attaining merely average growth on his orchids! :) You know, the Orchiata bark that I use with many of my orchids has dolomite added to it. But the manufacturer of the bark recommends adding additional lime after 9 months because it will have broken down by that time. I don't know why I didn't connect the dots between this information and adding lime to my orchids growing in inorganic media! Time to go and sprinkle! Thank you for mentioning Libby & Olivia and the other missing YT growers and commenters. I will add them to my prayer list. I'm glad that Libby is doing okay! :)
...........thank you dear friend....your take on orchiata bark is spot on......I thought the same thing...their website shows how they do it......I hate to admit...I like to understand things before using them....
This must be all over the USA then? I was so frustrated because I have visited three different Lowe's within comfortable driving distance and one of them had some pitiful looking phals. Nothing else. I even wrote in the survey I took (on the receipt for a non plant purchase) that I was sad they stopped carrying orchids. I hope they bring them back
Awesome Rick! Holy cow! I gotta go see if I can find that! Since I grow in bark it will do my orchids great! I have one in lava rock and one in lecca which both did great and bloomed, both are phals. But everyone else is in bark. I’m so excited to get it and try it. Once again great info! Still praying and sending you hugs from Wv!
I love your teachings and conversations Rick. I am in cold New York it is January. Just catching up. Can you direct me to amounts of nutrients to give per gallon and how much lime to sprinkle per plant? I pray for your wife to heal. Blessings to you both.
the garden lime I sprinkle on the pots about every month or so...….I feed low amounts, to tiny to give in teaspoon measurements...….around 125ppm...…….thank you for the kind words.
hi Rick, thanks so much for your time and information! I keep hearing about folier feeding, since I'm so new to this, how do you do that, can you do or direct me to one of your videos of how to folier feed, of how you actually do it?? would really appreciate it! thanks for your time, Becky..... a newby to the hobby😊😊😊
……there several video's where I feed them....orchids are designed to be dripped on...…..its how mother nature made them.....they feed from what trees slough off and when it rains they get water and food at the same time...……..so they are perfect for foliar feeding....their leaves have stomata (pores) in the leaves that absorb moisture and food...….I use the same feed that I soak them in...….and I put in a pump up spray bottle and spray them all down......soaking them till they are dripping wet like a good rain.....concentrating on the foliage....they love it and always have a burst of growth afterwards...…….evening time is the best time for most orchids for foliar spraying...
Another great informative video, thank Ricky.👍😊Love how your continuously thinking of ways to improve orchid growth and passing it on to your subscribers, thanks gain. In my garden I use a ‘ fish blood and bone’ fine powder fertiliser which works really well, but I haven’t tried it on the orchids, maybe I should! I have had the start stall with growths, and with buds forming, then turning yellow and dropping off, so I’m hoping the Organic Garden Lime will help cure this. I have just ordered some Organic Garden Lime on line from a German company, the only one I could find, it was not really expensive but it only comes in25kilo bags, ( so I’ll probably have enough to last me forever)and they state it contains 30% magnesium and 60%calcium 🤔🤔which seems pretty high so I guess I’ll only need to use only a tiny amount. (Advice welcomed)😊
.....make sure its not a hot lime used to break down clay soils.....they will be too strong for orchids........try tiny sprinkle on a few, over the media........see how they respond.....at 60% & 30%......they shouldn't ever be low......just be careful......blood and bone will work with terrestrial orchids, and some epiphytic if they have enough root mass and have been in their pots for a while.......bio activity is needed when using organics such as blood and bone....helps break down things.......thanks Chris
Hi Rick, this is a pleasant surprise! You might remember that a few weeks ago I asked about using dolomite powder to supplement Calcium. I don't know if dolomite & the organic garden lime you are using has the same chemical composition, but they both do have the same benefits - neutralising acidic pH of medium, source of calcium, source of magnesium. Mine doesn't say how much Calcium or Magnesium percent but I guess it works good enough as this. I'm glad that you found this & shared it with us. Thanks always :)
.......so glad you liked it.....you and several others were why I did this.....I knew it was what the next step would be.......i thank you for asking the questions.....and wanting to grow.......happy to help....your dolomite should be fine......you would know very quickly if it was to hot or alkaline for them.....
Yes, Rick. Delighted that you covered this. The dolomite has NOT produced any negative results till now. My orchids are growing pretty good and I believe the Cal-Mg in the dolomite definitely has some important contribution. The acidity neutralising effect of dolomite is such an added blessing. I will continue using and assessing the results I get, and keep sharing. Keep up the awesome work, as always! And be blessed with good health at all times
I have never tried it but I think it will. However, I have learnt from at least one leca semi hydro grower that pH tends to increase with leca and using this might increase that even further. Please research on that before trying, or try with one plant first to see how it goes
Hi Rick, why WOULDN'T your orchids look great? So well provided for, and they are healthy and soon getting rained on, they are lucky- duckies 🤔... !! :) so..great news about that lime! Everyone asking, how much? Maybe sprinkle surface of pot, or what? Also-- can we put too much or too often? I kinda heard that it's sorta neutral and is just there for the taking if needed--??? Thanks.
I’ve always made a paste out of lime and just lay it on top of my Chinese Paphs nothing else cause they grow on limestone cliffs but I use dolomitic lime
......great idea Terry.......a lot of the slipper orchids take a more alkaline ph than a lot of growers realize and they have a more developed relationship with the medias organisms than other orchids....
I just thought of something that I wanted to mention to you, Rick. I found out about a liquid product invented by a person who lives in I think South Dakota decades ago called Willard Water. Many people thought it was a hoax, but many people have used it as a supplement for their health. Interesting enough, also was that many farmers in the area also began testing it on their crops and plants with real success. So I ended up buying some. I had two orchids that just wouldn't grown any kind of roots. So I put them in water containing the Willard water and within 4 or 5 days roots started to appear. I have been so busy with outdoor gardening, that I have neglected my orchids. But I noticed the orchids in this Willard water have been growing and flourishing. You might want to look it up. Supposedly the Willard water alkalinizes the water it is in. This is very weird indeed as we know that orchids want to be acidic if anything. It might be something someone on here knows about as well. Anyway, it promotes really fast growth for stubborn orchids! Thought you'd find this interesting. Let me know what you think and alert anyone on here if they know about it's benefits as well.
You just like making me work! I only know a few who add this type of lime directly to their pots and they swear by it. I think the reason others don't 'follow' is a lot of growers are set in their ways and won't change. I have a lot of pots and all are either in pure bark or a bark/sphagnum mix. The Orchiata bark has lime added in it's processing but I don't think it lasts too long so can't be relied on. I agree (just did some work) about the way that roots growing on live tree bark would have access to Calcium in the right form readily available and would take what they need - and that info took some finding!!! This is what I love about UA-cam compared with other sources - you get to actually SEE the results. I've already seen better/stronger growth this year and the only thing I've changed is using CalMAG. But as I always say "If things are doing well, great - but then ask, could they be doing better?". The last thing I want to be is one of those who are stuck in their ways.
....lol.....no no...less work......"set or stuck... in your ways"......not so much that ......and I can only speak for myself.....I like to see the reasoning behind someone telling me to change something......dont just tell me it works.....explain it...give me some sound factual reasons....and I agree,....visual proof goes a long way.......I respect everyone's opinions.......but facts, research, and results speak volumes .......they are real and rarely let you down............if that's being stuck in your ways....then...its not a bad thing...........thanks Roger.....I have no doubt this will make your collection better.......probably stop any issues your having...........just use caution with the more sensitive ones....
It was quite an eye-opener to find out just how much Calcium sits on the outside of live bark and in a usable form too. And if it's there, it makes sense that the orchids can pick up as little or as much as they need depending on the amount of growth.
Thank you Rick! I love your take on things! I have had three stalled orchids for a very long time. I have the lime for my pink hydrangeas. I will be feeding that to my orchids today! I ordered the CaliMagic from Amazon and will receive it tomorrow. So this is sprayed onto the plants? Your plants are absolutely beautiful! Thank you for sharing them with us.
the calmag is great for mounts, foliar feeding, soaking etc.......I mix it 50-80ppm and spray it on mine outside...........inside they get to soak in it...
Hi Rick, haven't been on here lately, glad to be back. I was wondering, when you put the lime on top of the pots, do you put it on after you soak them? And then on the next soak, do you add more each time you flush, or fertilize? I am excited to start your new method. Looks exciting! Thanks Rita
hey Rita....I put it on wet or dry.....sprinkle it around the pots.....not on the foliage....in my pots with gravel and rock......it does filter thru faster than bark.......Im re-applying every 30 days.....
Thanks Rick! I'm driving full speed to Walmart for the Garden lime! 🚗🚗🚗. Thoughts and Prayers for all our you tubers and viewers going thru difficult times. I know for me your previous video on your own health has given me courage and serenity that all is well as we leave it in God's loving hands.
Hi Rick thank you so much for another great video, but let me tell you sometimes I feel overwhelmed for all the info. English is not my first language so I have to watch your video many times to get the whole the idea lol but I always enjoyed it. Thanks my friend blessing 😃🙏🏼
Yanet.....thank you... very kind......I need to slow down and speak as clear as I can for all my wonderful viewers.......thank you for reminding me....
Great information Rick. Do I need to avoid getting lime on the plant tissue or just dust it on the media ? Does this make you rethink the concentration of Cal Mag your using on your mounted orchids? When I was a kid in south Florida I remember periods of time when the sky was hazy for days and the weather man would say it was from dust storms in North Africa. I've also heard that the jungles of South America received nutrients from these dust storm settling on the canopy. Kinda makes ya think what other growth limiting micro nutrients we don't know about yet. It also makes me wonder what we are not receiving from our factory farms food.
..I like the way you think......keep it off foliage.....flush it off roots if your concerned about spotting, it could.........I was getting ready to expand on that very topic......we need to mimic what mother nature provides.......personally, I think were only getting started.....
Thank you for best video Rick! Can I use the same fretilizers with water culture orchids? And also, what media you love for your orchids? I see bark, what kind is it? Thank you?
yes...........just feed low amounts often......at the moment I dont have any in bark, .......a few are in cedar cubes, .....the rest are on mounts or planted in rock or stone...lava rock is probably my favorite media to use.........thanks Linda.
Very interesting and informative....I assume it is sprinkled on top of potting media and not the plants themselves? What amount is used..a pinch or more? Just got the cal mag....Will be great for mounts but now that I have switched to the gravel as well as bark this will definitely be easier for them! Thanks for the info! Have you ever used osmocot....time release fertilizer....yours thoughts on that would be appreciated! Thanks
David....in bark just a 1/3 tsp around the top of the media........bigger plants a bit more.....play it by ear.......do a few and watch them.......in your collection this should end any pest issues, stop purple and red leaves, etc....and supply lots of calcium and magnesium.....Im feeding the same amounts with my gravel, rock, lava......
as for Osmocot....never used it.....I like to have control of what my plants get......but...I'm intrigued...curious ..and will have to do a bit of research..........let me get back to you on that David.
I'm going to follow your advice and add garden lime to my orchids. How often do you use the cal/mag +jungle juice+cool bloom, or whatever feed solution you usually use. And if I'm understanding correctly, you use the liquid feed in addition to the garden lime. The orchids will only uptake what they need, is this correct?
you can still use the garden lime with them and feed them cal mag......the garden lime will fill in between feedings.....I still mix nutrients, but Better Gro is my main feed .......I feed several times a week......and vary the mix...
Hello Rick hope you are doing well. I Love watching your videos and I have 2 questions 1) What's the name of the rocks you use in your orchid pots & where can I buy them. 2) Where can I find the wood that your orchids are growing on. Thanx in advance
.....thank you.....the media I use is pea gravel, lava rock, river rock......I get it from Lowes or Home Depot........but any garden center should carry it.......its used for ground cover and in the mulch section....the wood I use comes from a friend of mine Mr Jackson.....its just drift wood, and other pieces he finds in his walks thru the woods.......my favorites are cedar, cypress, heart pine........
Hi Rick, This sounds really good. ! jMy only concern is I don't us RO water, but regular tap water I know that I am unaware of PH levels but they seem to be doing very well. My water is quite hard and the humidifiers get a lot of mineral build up. I am getting strong growths, although had Cattleya that was struggling and put it under the hedge as Roger Frampton would say.. I think they probably can do better. Thank yiou
.......that's exactly what this is Carl......getting them to do better......and on their own.......tap water does contain calcium......but lots of other stuff as well........things made to kill bacteria and other living organisms......you can see how it wouldn't be best for a sensitive plant like an orchid....lots of sodium or salt too.......look at your plants.....do you have black or yellow tips on leaves, have new growths die back....spikes stalled or stopped growing.......all signs of calcium..
Hi Rick, Thank you so much for this video! I was trying to find your video on soaking rootless orchids in a tea solution, but I cannot find it. Do you have the link? Thanks.
.....there was some kind of Utube blip awhile back.......several videos dropped off......the video was for dehydrated orchids......let them soak in some water...and seep a tea bag in it....not a lot, just add a bit of color to the water....that's all..The tea bag will buffer the water, help drop the ph....I also suggested adding a few drops of lemon juice.......the lemon juice adds a tiny amount of Potassium as well as drops the ph of the water....the potassium is what plants use to move water thru their roots stems leaves, cells.....etc......it will help a dry plant rehydrate faster and better.......another method.....much better is to use a few drops of calmag, and a few drops of kelp/seaweed to the water.........will help them hydrate and also allow them to start growing roots again...
Hi Rick, What about smaller plants that have just been re-potted? Or those that may have had poor root systems that have been repotted, would you use the lime right away on those as well?
......great question Mary....your thoughts make good sense......a freshly potted on needs a few days for the roots to heal over......a neglected one, that is stalled or struggling......yes give it a tiny bit....I have and they made quicker turn around...
yes.........had it bad last year.......I had to treat with a systemic.....and vowed to stop it from happening again.....now ....no pests, no issues at all.....and no sprays...
Hey Rick, just a quick question...How did your big cymbidium orchid do in the lava rock ?.....Also, glad to see that you were able to get the Alaska brand Calcium I had asked you about, because it was the best I could find here in my part of Arkansas......Best wishes for you and your family in the new year... Happy growing.
thanks Joe...….I love the Alaska Calcium …..great stuff.....the cymbidium is doing well...….but I am having trouble watering it correctly due to the size of the pot...…...I will be repotting it soon.....
I told you Rick, the old guy who has been growing orchids for 50 plus years swears by a dose of clacium.....we need to listen to these old fellas, they know what their are talking about.....lol
I add coffee grounds to the soil and now the leaves have brown spots that are crusting over. I like to use organic fertilizer. So I want to re pot using your mix plus the lime to help the roots recover. I will get soil meter from lowe's tomorrow to confirm my hypothesis. You got me looking at plants with a whole new set of eyes. When I got the orchid to grow new green roots, I got the fever for plants lol...... Every time I see those roots I'm so proud!! Thank Rick!! My next project will be to try to cross african violet to see what new plant they produce and name it RICK!!!!! LOL Wish me luck!
.....a great question.......Ive been thinking about that........this is where Calmag really shines......10-12 drops to a gallon gives about 50-80ppm of calcium....add that to your feed routine....
Hi Rick. I'm a beginner so excuse this question if it seems obvious to the seasoned growers. Since the lime increases the PH, when you want to do a low PH feed do you have to over compensate by lowering the ph more than you normally would due to the increased ph of the potting medium or does it not matter because a low ph feed will still take? Hope you understand my question. Thank you.
......love these great questions......the fertilizer will lower the ph so the plant can feed and absorb nutrients......after its flushed away from rain.... or you flush with water........it will come back around to neutral.....to answer, yes the feed will still take.....its not quiet so mechanical in nature.....more of a gradual, subtle changes as media is whetted and dries.....and remember....chelated nutrients (check your label).....are designed to be more easily absorbed outside of their normal ranges.....so we dont need to drop to 5.8ph all the time.......
Rick L. Orchids Thank you. Greatly appreciate your response and your willingness to help, even little beginners like me! ❤️ Also, really appreciate your vast knowledge and your constant willingness to continue to learn more!
I have one more question regarding the lime and flushing. How does flushing help to rid the media of build up if the lime that was sprinkled on top of the media (in my case bark and moss mix) is constantly there and dissolves a little with every watering and flushing.? However If flushing each time washes out (dissolves all the lime) won't we need to add the lime more often (you had mentioned we only need to add the lime maybe twice a year)? I'm assuming the lime slowly releases as we water, is that correct?
.......yes......flushing is needed and will remove the lime over time....so to answer.... yes we will need to replenish it occasionally.....how often depends on where we are growing, temperatures, media, how much we are feeding, inside orchids or outside ......Im sprinkling it on my pots every 14 to 30 days....but Im outside, in gravel, rock, etc.....and they are getting flushed all time from the rain.....my media doesn't retain much........which is great for flushing and keeping the pots clean.......I just have to keep on top of the nutrients..
in bark or moss........It will retain a bit more, and be flushed out more slowly........still needs to be added about every 3 months or so......again depends on environment.......plants outside on a patio will be growing stronger than plants on a kitchen counter.......so may need it more often.....
Hi rick, I just bought the garden line, so do I just sprinkle on every pot? How much and how often? I'm doing semi hydrophonic on my orchids. Just thought that may help my settings.
.in bark just a 1/3 tsp around the top of the media........bigger plants a bit more.....semi hydro?.....as in glass vase with reservoir?....lecca beads?.....bareroot?......not sure if I would use it...I have no experience with it in semi hydro....
Question I Ca is best absorbed 5.0 - 5.8 ph, this pellet form at 7.0 ph / when you put on h20 does it not bring up the ph of our rock,bark etc. I'll try it, when you say " the Orchid wants Ca for this or that, I guess it " flushes " out, here we get no rain as yours. Thanks J
......good question John.....a lot of limes will raise the ph.....this one will keep it closer to neutral........which isn't really acidic or alkaline....
Thank you so much for keeping at this particular information. You are correct, you need to hear it over and over to put it together in your mind and the drawings were just the cherry on the top. Keep up the great work, it's fascinating, Melissa
......your making smile this morning Melissa, thank you for your wonderful feedback.
Thank you for this information, God bless!
Dear Rick, I have been using Dolimite lime for a year with great success . It is mostly pelletized, but this can easily be turned into a powder. Used as a powder ,I make a paste from it and "paint " it on my mounts or soak them in a solution of 500-600 PPM .All my other orchids are potted in bark ,so sparkling ( 1 TBS) in each pot once every 2-3 months works well. In summer when the orchids are outside ,depending on the rain,I may only do this one time.
Again Thanks for all your great COMMON SENSE advice.
P.S . some months ago ,I did an experiment with using the shavings from cedar wood as a 50% addition to my bark mix.
The Tanens in the cedar really help my Phals. and Dendrobiums.
All the Best to you and your Family
Fred Buonocore
Lime helps intake /absorbtion of all nutrients its great for lawns plants etc. Just dont use alot on soil plants orchids will be easier. Even if the minerals are in the medium lime breaks it down and makes it available again. For uptake.
.....excellent points........thank you!
Really happy looking plants, Rick! I have one or two doing the same things and others that are showing a lot of promise. They came a long way this summer, though, all of them whether they have huge roots and big shoots or not. Mine are all indoors. I don’t have the courage to grow outdoors yet. I’m in north Texas. My growing conditions would be about the same as yours, but I dealt with pest and varmint issues a few years back with a general garden I grew in containers and it was a bit of a nightmare. I give all my plants lots of calcium too. I have a non burning slow release NPK and dolomite lime, both pelletized, plus the cal mag/kelp watering they get a few times a month. I still do pot flushes once a month, although it seems silly with the slow release. Anyway, it seems no matter the mastery in feedings, you have to find a way to acclimate to your environment or they aren’t going to thrive no matter what. I’m so glad to see you back and doing well! How is your wife? Happy growing!
Thank you and y wife is doing great.....5+ years of remission.....
I used up all my lime now I have to go buy more... they didn't have any at Walmart the other day when I was there. Rick I don't know whether you or your wife read these comments anymore but I sure do miss you. When I have trouble sleeping sometimes I turn to one of your videos about magnesium or calcium or something about the orchids that I can learn something while listening to your soothing voice while I try to fall asleep. I got some of my orchids to bloom again I'm a newbie at this. I guess about 18 months. You've helped me and so has Carolyn at Jacqueline's orchids but it's Jacqueline with an O since her UA-cam name is a combination of her name Carolyn and her husband's name Jack.. I also listen to Emaans garden about orchids Carol and I found first and you second and Emaan 3rd... all of you have different ways of teaching and explaining and I think I learned the most details from you that have helped me with even my houseplants. I think I've also help people understand on my own UA-cam channel which is just my name to understand mobile and immobile nutrients and understand a lot of the things that you've taught us. Why certain nutrients are important and what they do for the plant not just are orchids. Some of my orchids rebloom. This winter but there have been some things happening in my life and I don't think I was consistent enough with my watering schedule and some of the blooms never matured. But it's fascinating to see the new root tip start to grow and a new Leaf Grow and it's sad to see some of them not do so well and then maybe we get them over their struggle and they start to do well again... But sometimes I've lost a couple! I never give up on my orchids or on my houseplants I'm with my houseplants I'm really terrible because I'll put the tiniest little branch in the water to try to give it a chance to grow roots it's amazing the life force in plants and how they do want to grow where their Planet bless their hearts exclamation I hope you and Jan are doing well and that you've been able to keep some part of your orchid collection in Tip-Top shape. We wouldn't care if the camera was shaky or your voice was shaky it would just be nice to hear from you again. Maybe your camera lady Jan could tell us how you're doing. I've asked Todd sometimes at Todd's work it's how you're doing if he's talked to you or GN lately. He's also another great Orchid Channel to watch. And Rogers orchids he's a great informative guy with a lot of knowledge in his head. But I felt like I've developed as an owner of orchids the most under your teaching. I feel like Carolyn's a friend and you are my teacher! God bless you and God bless Jan!!!
And if you ever need foster homes for any of your orchid I need to adopt any of them out I would feel honored if I could buy one of them! We all miss you I know I'm not the only one
wow, Rick. you're a true gift to the world. leaving a mark. in the BEST way - by teaching and sharing knowledge. because what use is having knowledge if it is not distributed and shared? I am a graduate civil engineer and my brain is also programmed to find out what is happening in finer details to understand. that's why your videos clicked with me so much - its something that helped me to connect the dots as I have also done a lot of research on orchids. thanks for helping everyone so much
.....very kind.....thank you
Hi Rick, surfing your channel & learning a lot esp the replies you do on questions sent. That’s how I learned & gets my answers. Can’t wait till it’s 8, to buy Garden Lime & see the result. How much to add to peppers/tomatoes? A pinch of my orchids. Thank you for sharing. True some don’t responds to ? asked. Love all your collections, fo you get some from mail orders? Any company to share ?
……...I agree....the comment's are the best part...….lots of info...…...on my peppers and tomatoes...…..I take a small handful and spread around them...…..scratch it into the surface a little …..I may add twice during growing season...….depends on rain etc....I have bought from Hauserman, and Carmela Orchids...….both have great orchids......
Thank you for timely response. Got my lime. I reported mini phal on river rock & all flowers fell. I’ll keep an eye. Hope you both are doing fine.
Thank you so much for all wonderful information..... So needed, I found over the years as hobbyist... no one... gives you all this info.. You have done much work...Now we get to benefit from it and pass it on to others... I had an idea about the Lime granules.... I am going to try .... I have many Vandas that are bare root. Living in Florida.... So going to get some of those small bags they give out at weddings on the table, filled with almonds, I will try the dollar store. Most likely will find them at a party store... and put some granules in the bag, and hang over the plant, as I water, or as they get rain. They will get the Lime .... This might work on your mounted orchids.... Just an idea.... Again , you have given US GOLD .... One thing though... when you explain "parts per million", I get lost.... is there any way to dumb that down for those of us that are mathematically challenged ?????
…...thank you Martha, very kind words...…...the granular lime breaks down over time....those small bags, which is a very good idea,...may or may not work well for that.....Calmag works better with Vanda's, they love it...…..Vanda's in the wild......hanging under or on trees would have lots of calcium around them.....they are calcium hogs, they love and need a lot of it for those stiff rigid leaf structures....spray them with calmag once a week or let them soak in it even.....
…..PPM or parts per million is just a measurement …..growers that monitor their nutrients...use TDS Meters [total dissolved solids]...meters for measuring how strong the nutrient solution is...….it reads in PPM or parts per million...for example if my mix is 100ppm...….if you put a million drops of water in a bucket.....100 of them have nutrients in them...its a way of measuring tiny amounts accurately...its hard to put tiny measurement's into teaspoon /tablespoon amounts...….they would be 1/16 tsp or even smaller...…...Orchids like tiny trace amounts of food.....often.....
Stopped on my way home and got the Garden Lime. For the mounted orchids, i put some in a pantyhose secured with knots and tucked the little ball between the orchid and bark. I hope mine will one day look as beautiful as yours! Thank you for all your videos. You explain things VERY WELL! So enjoyable to listen to.
Thank you for being so nutrient obsessed, I will try this on my orchids.
Another informative video! Thank you for doing the research and telling everyone what works. Everything I've tried because of your sharing has helped me grow much healthier plants! 🌸💕🌸
thank you Barbara........
Thanks for the new information...no one talks much about this...I'm hoping to incorporate this into my routine. Thank you , thank you!
Hello Rick, your videos are very educational, thank you for sharing . I am new at growing orchids, so far I only have Phals I love them. I haven’t have good luck with them , after a few months the leaves get soft and I noticed the roots get rotted. I feed them every 2 weeks and use bark with moss . After seeing your videos I repotted them using Lava rock let see how they do . But I never used lime and Calcium nitrate like you suggested. Soo , I will sprinkle the lime once a month after feeding and when do I sprinkle the calcium nitrate? And finally, when do I flush the orchids? How many days after feeding? Thank you in advance. God bless
Hello Rick, I love your tutorials on orchids. I am new growing orchids. Thank you for sharing. I started growing Phals only for now. I use bark and moss and feed them every 2 weeks and water them weekly. On some of them noticed that the roots got rotted soo I decided to repot them with Lava Rock and I will use lime after feeding and how many days after feeding do I flush the orchids? Also I saw that you use Calcium Nitrate , I bought it but when do I sprinkle it ? Together with the lime or in a different time?sorry about all the questions but I would like to know exactly what I have to do in order to save this orchids. Thank you and God bless
Excellent, most helpful thanks.
Paula from Mexico. I get Cal-Mag here & Maxecrop seaweed extract here. Not in stores I order Mercado Libre, Mexican web site. I pay more, but I got it. I see I can get that Garden Lime. Next order.
I brought my orchids ( and other plants) outside for 2 nights. Brought them in as the night temp. was dropping down to 10 degrees Celsius. I am excited to try the dolmonite lime. For a 4” pot, how much would you top dress with a pinch of lime? And how often? I have my orchids in a mixture of lava rock, stones, a bit of bark and sphagnum moss.
When you flush your orchids, you use rain water with no cal-mag added once a month, right?
Thank you so much for your videos. I am hoping my orchids will look as healthy as yours!
Best video EVER! Thank you for sharing this awesome knowledge for all of us and benefitting our plants.
very sweet Linda.....hope it helps.....
Oh my gosh! I've never seem such growth! Roots, Growths, Green Happy Plants!! Thank you soooo much! You're a super star teacher! I hope you're doing well ... you're in my prayers every day!
.......today is a great day Bobette, thank you.......very kind.
you are an warrior.a true leader.thanks for the valuable information you find and share with us.
.......your so very kind.....thank you my friend
Wonderful information, thank you :)) This is one of those videos I will have to listen, again and again.
........thank you my friend!.....you inspire me and ask great questions........Im growing better because of viewers like you....
Thank you Rick..... once again some super information.... the orchids look fantastic... I bet they are singing their little hearts out. Blessings to you xx💖
Hi Rick, I, like your grower friend also have high respect for Espomas' products, in my limited growing experience, have found them to be very good...i ordered the Espoma lime, but the Alaska Ca/N product isn't available to me here. I did order another Ca nitrate with 15.5% N. I think my question is...I am unclear about chelated minerals and the danger of mixing unknown nutrients/products....can you talk to us more about that? Is it only iron that needs to be chelated? Will pray for Libbys healing!
.Caro......any buffered garden lime will work.....be careful with Calcium Nitrate.......can cause very odd growths if its out of balance with other mac and micro nutrients...Chelated nutrients are bonded to other minerals or metal ions.....it allows them to be absorbed easier and outside of their normal ph ranges.....they are designed to be used outside of those ranges and do better when used as designed...its mostly micro nutrients that are chelated.......
Rick L. Orchids Ok, so balance with other mac and micro nutrients being crucial....as a percentage of the whole feed....what would that % be for Calcium nitrate?....maybe Rick, could you do a video discussing proportions of all the components that go into a tub of fert water? I know you have done this before...I'm sorry, I guess it is not really necessary unless the % of Calcium nitrate would be different from the % you would use of say Calmagic....I try and stick with the ppm numbers I have seen you use in a tub of feed. Also, will you show us about how much lime you topdressed each pot with? 🤗 thank you! Cara
Yet again, AWESOME information! Thanks Rick!
Definitely going to try it Thank you! 👍💓🙏
Ed had a nice video on this a while back, as well as using bloodmeal. Thanks for the reminder and confirmation of success using this. Going to dig mine out of the cabinet. Excellent explanation which I appreciate.
......Ed is one of the best growers around.....he has forgotten more about growing than Ill ever know......we all could use a reminder....
Very useful, interesting discussion, Rick. Thank you.
Such useful information.
I noticed the orchid simply sitting on the brick , what a cool idea......love all your ideas :D
Awesome, informative and inspiring as usual. Sending love and prayers out to everyone who could use a boost and support. Have a peaceful evening and weekend.
Good video! I found giving your orchids proper nutrients is so important. And when you learn something new, then introduce the change and check it out!
Thank you Rick, guess a trip to the garden store is in my near future to get a bag of organic garden lime :) I am going to see if they have the wire you use at the Home Depot. I really like how you anchor your orchids in their pots with the wire. Maybe an orchid or two depending on what they have on hand. Happy gardening Rick....have a great day!
very kind.........the wire I use is ceiling grid wire.....use to hang acoustical ceiling grids...
Hi, I was able to find the exact same type of wire that you showed in one of your earlier videos. I bought it at Lowes. I am going to pot some of my water culture orchids. What you have stated in some of your videos about orchids growing better when they are anchored makes so much sense to me. I really like the water culture method, but I am going to use the clay orchid pots, a mixture of river rock and lava rock and the wire to anchor them. My hope is that giving them the stabilization of the anchoring will help my orchids. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge and your time.....take care Rick and happy gardening :D
Awesome advice with the lime Rick! I bought a bag about 2 months ago. Great stuff! I only see adding Can and Mg as a difficult task when orchids are mounted, as you can only use disolved liquid sprays. For some hanging plants I have used slow release fertilizer in little wedding sachet net bags. They work perfectly!
thank you my friend.......great info.
Going tomorrow to Lowe's to get some lime thank rich for all you share!! Sending prayer for family
Another good and informative video Rick Never thought of lime as a calcium substitute. .....will give it a try.
Ed
Just done a search and found that this type of lime is found in Tomorite.......which I use around Once per month.
Ed
Eds Orchids hi Ed you know that I have to see my people and there's a couple of you guys that I try not to miss the videos especially now that my eyes are working and my throat is kind of working. But I am so glad to always see you on Rick's Channel and of course on your own channel which I watch Faithfully👉👵👈
I remember your show on this Ed.....made me think........Im just catching up to you experienced growers...........
Thanks for the tip, going to try it.
Also, just love the twisted driftwood mounted on the stone.
thanks Jayne.......need a special phal for that....
Hi Rick-
I’m pretty excited to try the lime, this sounds like a lot of various plants will benefit! Thanks for the video...
I just luv it when you come up with a new cure. Going out to get sand will check local Walmart on lime. Have seen the Alaska item on the shelf, was looking for something high in potassium. I hope you enjoyed your nite in the garden. Pray for Libby and anyone else in need.
PS...got rain more on the way..did dip in Cal Mag before rain.
Take care and tks for new video and info.
wwj
.......it will gives us better orchids.......stronger and less work...thank you my friend...
I love tropical plant party!
Hi Rick, I purchased the Garden Lime this afternoon! I'm so eager to see what it does with my orchids in bark and river rock. I'm watering and fertilizing with distilled water in a large plastic container. I sprinkled about 1/4 tsp of Garden Lime in all my pots. How often should I be flushing my plants? Since they're inside, I'll just rinse them in distilled water? I wish I had a setup outside like yours. Great video!! I'm so grateful for you're videos!! Talk soon my friend!
Bobette.....I think you will like what it does for your orchids....I flush after every feeding....but Im outside.......it depends on how much you feed, the media, the nutrients used.......best thing I can say is...... as often as you can is best.......you cant over flush.
When those Sanseveria's bloom they produce a small droplet of honey at the base of each flower, you should try it it's delicious ;-) (we call them Women's Tongue, strange I never heard them talk ;-)
thank you my friend......never tried the sap, but will........they bloom spikes get large and drip a lot......
;-)
Mother in law’s tongue here in USA
Wow I needed this talk. Ty it’s making so much more sense. Yes I have a plant or 2 stalled and I give Cali mag
thanks Linda......I have several orchids.....that even though I was giving calmag......still not much happening....this seemed to change things......
Rick L. Orchids yea I live in Illinois and it’s similar to Al but not the same. I’m only going to use at first on the plants that has stalled. We’ll see what happens
Many might be using them, but none of them are sharing it like you do. So informative, your plants speaks for themselves. Hopefully will catch you up soon...:)
Lime works great for plants growing in sphagnum, it helps extend the useful life. Diatemaceous earth works the same way. For your mounts, I wonder if the lime could be put into organza bags that could hang on the mount? I use them for slow release fertilizer with my Vandaceous orchids so that a little fert hits the roots with every watering. I get them 8 for a $1 at the dollar store, I believe the material is fine mesh enough to hold the lime.
One thing I would like to say is that it can be dangerous to make sweeping generalizations about adding supplements, even if they appear benign on your plants in your usage. Adding calcium _may_ be ill advised if someone is using hard tap water with high levels of CaCO3, I can't say for sure that it wouldn't have a negative effect on some orchids to add more calcium. My tap water, for example, is ~150 ppm TDS. Of that, ~80 ppm is CaCO3, ~30 ppm phosphate and the rest is various other salts. Because of the high calcium levels I have never used, nor do I see reason to, supplement calcium (as opposed to magnesium, which is practically nonexistent in my water). That being said, the average grower can probably get away with added calcium and magnesium - regardless of water source - because they are likely to have the hardier/easier to grow types where "too much" of either is probably high on the spectrum, so hard to overdo it.
you make some very good points.....CAC03 ...calcium carbonate which is in our tap water... is not really a water soluble source for calcium.....so it doesn't add to the total amount of Ca. available..when we drink tap.....our stomach acid breaks the molecular bond and we can absorb the calcium.....microbial activity does it for soil plants.....orchids dont have that ability...and I dont recommend using tap for those reasons....any tap water over 25ppm I wont mix nutrients with, and over 50ppm used only for flushing.....and even then not often.......I feed very small amounts all the time and flush after....I never want any build up of sodium in my pots......love talking nutrients with people that are looking at numbers and trying to think about the process.......thank you
Yes, they say that CaCO3 is not a bioavailable calcium source for orchids but there must be some mechanism through which it becomes available or there is Ca that is not tied up in CaCO3 in my tap water, otherwise I would not see the quality of growth that I do. Take for example my Rhynchovola Jimminy Cricket, this is a plant I bought last year as a seedling, maybe 5 small pb's. It went onto a mount and has easily doubled in size, the roots absolutely cover the mount (cork 1/2 round, about 8" x 4") on both sides and it recently bloomed. I don't think it possible for it to be any more healthy, this is not a Ca deprived plant.
When it comes to TDS, it is kind of a sticking point for me. A TDS of 150 is, in reality, a useless number unless you know _what_ dissolved solids are present and in what quantity. I think most people would readily use rainwater assuming it has a low TDS and neutral pH but, in places like Florida, our summer rains can be extraordinarily "dirty" due to Saharan dust. The TDS might be in the 80 range, most of that is inert oxides which are harmless, but many growers would find it unacceptable to use based on that TDS reading. The associated pH can approach 8. What I am getting at is: does it simplify a nutrient regime to start at or near zero R/O water? Sure. Is it really necessary? Depends on the water available in an area, IMO.
Well, I think I'll be taking a trip to Walmart for some new nutrients soon! But right now I need to take care of my husband, who had a massive heart attack last Sunday. He's home and doing great now, but his doctor says he's lucky to be alive. Make sure you tell your loved ones how much you love them every chance you get. Life is precious!
omg..Heather so sorry.......keep you both in my prayers......tell your hubby I had 4 heart attacks.......and now I take zero meds.....heart is doing great....he can do this.....
Rick L. Orchids Thank you my friend. His right artery was 100% blocked and left 75% blocked. He was out of town, driving back home when the pain started. He continued to drive home almost 2 hours because he wanted to get to me. He called me halfway home so I could be ready for him as he pulled in the driveway. It was terrifying! Dr. got the right unblocked and stented, and will do the left side soon.
Sending love and prayers to you and your hubby!
Great info, thanks! Wishing you a "Glad midsommar!" aka "Happy midsummer!" from Sweden 🌼🐝🌻🍓🐸 .. also sending healing thoughts to your friends.. 💛🙏💛 Hugs & sunshine 🌞 N
very kind.........thank you.......
Use a piece of deer antler in your water spray bottle. The calcium leeches into the water. Clean eggshells work as well.
How are you applying garden lime? I think you mentioned just using a pinch but how/when? Are you just applying it to the dry top of rocks and roots? How does it filter down through the rest? If you do it before watering, won't it just flush through?
……...great questions........What I do with the garden lime is apply it about every 4-5weeks......I sprinkle a few pinches, with my fingers... over the top of the pots...…….it gets on the roots and the media and doesn't seem to hurt them at all....I usually apply it after a good soak...…...it does filter down and thru the pots.....but some stays behind and gives them a source of calcium, magnesium they can absorb as they please.....self serve.
@@rickl.orchids I use LECA and flush every time I water which is about weekly. How would I use lime then? Reapply after watering weekly?
…..good question...….observe the plants and the media.....the granular lime will wash out over time …..maybe re-apply every month at first...….and see how they do.
I use this on my plants. 21% calcium 10% magnesium. Great source of macronutrients.
Well Rick hands down another great video! I am very blessed to have learned so much from you. You are a very tough and kind person!
I wanted to pick your brain on adding this to coconut coir? I have some plants in it. I thought that it was pretty neutral already but when you use it for a while will the fertilizer lower the media? Will it still be beneficial in that media?
I also have plants in gravel. Will it stay in the pots for a while or will it just flush out? I use the clear plastic pots with the drainage holes in the bottom and those pots sit inside ceramic pots. I do this so I can give the plants a good soak and drain them after they are done soaking. So my concern is it will just flush right out with a soaking.
I ran over to the store and bought some and will use it everywhere lol the garden and the lawn.
......Im a big fan of coco as well as grow with it a lot.....it works very good in coco, with organics growing, like peppers, tomatoes, cannabis, leaf greens, etc.........never used it with coco and hydro nutes.....but it may be fine....try it on one plant see how it responds.......as for flushing out......great question.....in a few of mine, they are smaller plants and dont have a big root mass, they may need it re-applied more often.......others that have a very large root mass in the pots......will hold onto it more, less likely to filter out ......if that makes sense......more root mass, acts like bark, and will hold onto it more.....Im just watching mine to see how often to apply.....Thanks Jessica....
Rick think a lot for your info you open my eye now i know what to do
.......makes me smile......thank you my friend.
Awesome orchid place in Sarasota Florida
Thank you for sharing this wonderful information with us! And thank you for NOT being a typical grower who is satisfied with attaining merely average growth on his orchids! :) You know, the Orchiata bark that I use with many of my orchids has dolomite added to it. But the manufacturer of the bark recommends adding additional lime after 9 months because it will have broken down by that time. I don't know why I didn't connect the dots between this information and adding lime to my orchids growing in inorganic media! Time to go and sprinkle! Thank you for mentioning Libby & Olivia and the other missing YT growers and commenters. I will add them to my prayer list. I'm glad that Libby is doing okay! :)
...........thank you dear friend....your take on orchiata bark is spot on......I thought the same thing...their website shows how they do it......I hate to admit...I like to understand things before using them....
We have a lousy Lowe’s and Home Depot... no bag babies
.....same around here.......something changed......no new orchids in months.....
This must be all over the USA then? I was so frustrated because I have visited three different Lowe's within comfortable driving distance and one of them had some pitiful looking phals. Nothing else. I even wrote in the survey I took (on the receipt for a non plant purchase) that I was sad they stopped carrying orchids. I hope they bring them back
California and Florida have good Lowe’s and Home Depot
Kathy Macomber such a bummer I am nowhere near those states. :( But now, knowing that, maybe I should consider a road trip hehe 😂
Awesome Rick! Holy cow! I gotta go see if I can find that! Since I grow in bark it will do my orchids great! I have one in lava rock and one in lecca which both did great and bloomed, both are phals. But everyone else is in bark. I’m so excited to get it and try it. Once again great info! Still praying and sending you hugs from Wv!
.......as always thank you.....this will make things easier and they will be more self sufficient....try it on just a few.......
Hello Rick,if I use calmag on the kids do I use it on its own with water? Or do I use it with my fertiliser and or seaweed extract ???
I love your teachings and conversations Rick. I am in cold New York it is January. Just catching up. Can you direct me to amounts of nutrients to give per gallon and how much lime to sprinkle per plant? I pray for your wife to heal. Blessings to you both.
the garden lime I sprinkle on the pots about every month or so...….I feed low amounts, to tiny to give in teaspoon measurements...….around 125ppm...…….thank you for the kind words.
Looks like you use lava rock or stone in lieu of bark. What’s the reason?
hi Rick, thanks so much for your time and information!
I keep hearing about folier feeding, since I'm so new to this, how do you do that, can you do or direct me to one of your videos of how to folier feed, of how you actually do it??
would really appreciate it!
thanks for your time,
Becky..... a newby to the hobby😊😊😊
……there several video's where I feed them....orchids are designed to be dripped on...…..its how mother nature made them.....they feed from what trees slough off and when it rains they get water and food at the same time...……..so they are perfect for foliar feeding....their leaves have stomata (pores) in the leaves that absorb moisture and food...….I use the same feed that I soak them in...….and I put in a pump up spray bottle and spray them all down......soaking them till they are dripping wet like a good rain.....concentrating on the foliage....they love it and always have a burst of growth afterwards...…….evening time is the best time for most orchids for foliar spraying...
@@rickl.orchids , THANK YOU❣I appreciate the response, have a wonderful day😊😊😊
Another great informative video, thank Ricky.👍😊Love how your continuously thinking of ways to improve orchid growth and passing it on to your subscribers, thanks gain.
In my garden I use a ‘ fish blood and bone’ fine powder fertiliser which works really well, but I haven’t tried it on the orchids, maybe I should!
I have had the start stall with growths, and with buds forming, then turning yellow and dropping off, so I’m hoping the Organic Garden Lime will help cure this. I have just ordered some Organic Garden Lime on line from a German company, the only one I could find, it was not really expensive but it only comes in25kilo bags, ( so I’ll probably have enough to last me forever)and they state it contains 30% magnesium and 60%calcium 🤔🤔which seems pretty high so I guess I’ll only need to use only a tiny amount. (Advice welcomed)😊
.....make sure its not a hot lime used to break down clay soils.....they will be too strong for orchids........try tiny sprinkle on a few, over the media........see how they respond.....at 60% & 30%......they shouldn't ever be low......just be careful......blood and bone will work with terrestrial orchids, and some epiphytic if they have enough root mass and have been in their pots for a while.......bio activity is needed when using organics such as blood and bone....helps break down things.......thanks Chris
Hi Rick!! Is this product similar to dolomite?
Thanks for the talk on garden lime. I got some a while back and have afraid of using it on my orchids. You have quelled that fear. 😎
.......im with you Sue........try a few see how they respond.......I was very pleased...
Hi Rick, this is a pleasant surprise! You might remember that a few weeks ago I asked about using dolomite powder to supplement Calcium. I don't know if dolomite & the organic garden lime you are using has the same chemical composition, but they both do have the same benefits - neutralising acidic pH of medium, source of calcium, source of magnesium. Mine doesn't say how much Calcium or Magnesium percent but I guess it works good enough as this. I'm glad that you found this & shared it with us. Thanks always :)
.......so glad you liked it.....you and several others were why I did this.....I knew it was what the next step would be.......i thank you for asking the questions.....and wanting to grow.......happy to help....your dolomite should be fine......you would know very quickly if it was to hot or alkaline for them.....
Yes, Rick. Delighted that you covered this. The dolomite has NOT produced any negative results till now. My orchids are growing pretty good and I believe the Cal-Mg in the dolomite definitely has some important contribution. The acidity neutralising effect of dolomite is such an added blessing. I will continue using and assessing the results I get, and keep sharing. Keep up the awesome work, as always! And be blessed with good health at all times
Does this work for semi hydro LECA media?
I have never tried it but I think it will. However, I have learnt from at least one leca semi hydro grower that pH tends to increase with leca and using this might increase that even further. Please research on that before trying, or try with one plant first to see how it goes
Hi Rick, why WOULDN'T your orchids look great? So well provided for, and they are healthy and soon getting rained on, they are lucky- duckies 🤔... !! :) so..great news about that lime! Everyone asking, how much? Maybe sprinkle surface of pot, or what? Also-- can we put too much or too often? I kinda heard that it's sorta neutral and is just there for the taking if needed--??? Thanks.
.in bark just a 1/3 tsp around the top of the media........bigger plants a bit more......it works exactly like your saying......
I’ve always made a paste out of lime and just lay it on top of my Chinese Paphs nothing else cause they grow on limestone cliffs but I use dolomitic lime
......great idea Terry.......a lot of the slipper orchids take a more alkaline ph than a lot of growers realize and they have a more developed relationship with the medias organisms than other orchids....
I just thought of something that I wanted to mention to you, Rick. I found out about a liquid product invented by a person who lives in I think South Dakota decades ago called Willard Water. Many people thought it was a hoax, but many people have used it as a supplement for their health. Interesting enough, also was that many farmers in the area also began testing it on their crops and plants with real success. So I ended up buying some. I had two orchids that just wouldn't grown any kind of roots. So I put them in water containing the Willard water and within 4 or 5 days roots started to appear. I have been so busy with outdoor gardening, that I have neglected my orchids. But I noticed the orchids in this Willard water have been growing and flourishing. You might want to look it up. Supposedly the Willard water alkalinizes the water it is in. This is very weird indeed as we know that orchids want to be acidic if anything. It might be something someone on here knows about as well. Anyway, it promotes really fast growth for stubborn orchids! Thought you'd find this interesting. Let me know what you think and alert anyone on here if they know about it's benefits as well.
thanks Rita.........I will
Hey I'm gonna try some!
I add some " Oyster shell " from my " Purina Store " .3rd aisle on the right. Flakes ---- 40 cents a pound. Stay strong.!!!
......wonderful alternative ......thanks for sharing...
You just like making me work! I only know a few who add this type of lime directly to their pots and they swear by it. I think the reason others don't 'follow' is a lot of growers are set in their ways and won't change. I have a lot of pots and all are either in pure bark or a bark/sphagnum mix. The Orchiata bark has lime added in it's processing but I don't think it lasts too long so can't be relied on. I agree (just did some work) about the way that roots growing on live tree bark would have access to Calcium in the right form readily available and would take what they need - and that info took some finding!!! This is what I love about UA-cam compared with other sources - you get to actually SEE the results. I've already seen better/stronger growth this year and the only thing I've changed is using CalMAG. But as I always say "If things are doing well, great - but then ask, could they be doing better?". The last thing I want to be is one of those who are stuck in their ways.
....lol.....no no...less work......"set or stuck... in your ways"......not so much that ......and I can only speak for myself.....I like to see the reasoning behind someone telling me to change something......dont just tell me it works.....explain it...give me some sound factual reasons....and I agree,....visual proof goes a long way.......I respect everyone's opinions.......but facts, research, and results speak volumes .......they are real and rarely let you down............if that's being stuck in your ways....then...its not a bad thing...........thanks Roger.....I have no doubt this will make your collection better.......probably stop any issues your having...........just use caution with the more sensitive ones....
It was quite an eye-opener to find out just how much Calcium sits on the outside of live bark and in a usable form too. And if it's there, it makes sense that the orchids can pick up as little or as much as they need depending on the amount of growth.
You " teachers " are great. Roger watch's Ed watchs,whisper watch's, an me ? Need it up, we love all the above.
Roger uses Cal-N-mag?? Good job Rick.a new trick for ole dogs like me😃🤣😂😁
Roger's Orchids have you started using lime on yours?
How I like your purple phal! It's my favourite :))
Thank you Rick! I love your take on things! I have had three stalled orchids for a very long time. I have the lime for my pink hydrangeas. I will be feeding that to my orchids today! I ordered the CaliMagic from Amazon and will receive it tomorrow. So this is sprayed onto the plants? Your plants are absolutely beautiful! Thank you for sharing them with us.
the calmag is great for mounts, foliar feeding, soaking etc.......I mix it 50-80ppm and spray it on mine outside...........inside they get to soak in it...
Very informative and definitely will save a lot of orchids now that we know!!!💪💜.... Btw... Kinda cool the orchid you have in a brick! Nice 😁
thanks Sarah......
Hey! Rick a very good video .......
Heppy growing
Hi Rick, thanks for information video. Do you now put a tea spoon of garden lime on top of your orchids pot?
......maybe a 1/3 tsp sprinkled around the top of the media......
Hi Rick
Just wondering how often would you add the lime? Love your videos....great job
MaryG Orchids Rick are you planting in native rock?
Hi Rick, haven't been on here lately, glad to be back. I was wondering, when you put the lime on top of the pots, do you put it on after you soak them? And then on the next soak, do you add more each time you flush, or fertilize? I am excited to start your new method. Looks exciting! Thanks Rita
hey Rita....I put it on wet or dry.....sprinkle it around the pots.....not on the foliage....in my pots with gravel and rock......it does filter thru faster than bark.......Im re-applying every 30 days.....
Thanks Rick! I'm driving full speed to Walmart for the Garden lime! 🚗🚗🚗.
Thoughts and Prayers for all our you tubers and viewers going thru difficult times. I know for me your previous video on your own health has given me courage and serenity that all is well as we leave it in God's loving hands.
....wonderful sentiments.......thank you.....
Hi Rick thank you so much for another great video, but let me tell you sometimes I feel overwhelmed for all the info. English is not my first language so I have to watch your video many times to get the whole the idea lol but I always enjoyed it.
Thanks my friend blessing 😃🙏🏼
Yanet.....thank you... very kind......I need to slow down and speak as clear as I can for all my wonderful viewers.......thank you for reminding me....
Great information Rick. Do I need to avoid getting lime on the plant tissue or just dust it on the media ?
Does this make you rethink the concentration of Cal Mag your using on your mounted orchids?
When I was a kid in south Florida I remember periods of time when the sky was hazy for days and the weather man would say it was from dust storms in North Africa. I've also heard that the jungles of South America received nutrients from these dust storm settling on the canopy. Kinda makes ya think what other growth limiting micro nutrients we don't know about yet.
It also makes me wonder what we are not receiving from our factory farms food.
..I like the way you think......keep it off foliage.....flush it off roots if your concerned about spotting, it could.........I was getting ready to expand on that very topic......we need to mimic what mother nature provides.......personally, I think were only getting started.....
Thank you for best video Rick!
Can I use the same fretilizers with water culture orchids?
And also, what media you love for your orchids? I see bark, what kind is it? Thank you?
yes...........just feed low amounts often......at the moment I dont have any in bark, .......a few are in cedar cubes, .....the rest are on mounts or planted in rock or stone...lava rock is probably my favorite media to use.........thanks Linda.
Very interesting and informative....I assume it is sprinkled on top of potting media and not the plants themselves? What amount is used..a pinch or more? Just got the cal mag....Will be great for mounts but now that I have switched to the gravel as well as bark this will definitely be easier for them! Thanks for the info! Have you ever used osmocot....time release fertilizer....yours thoughts on that would be appreciated! Thanks
David....in bark just a 1/3 tsp around the top of the media........bigger plants a bit more.....play it by ear.......do a few and watch them.......in your collection this should end any pest issues, stop purple and red leaves, etc....and supply lots of calcium and magnesium.....Im feeding the same amounts with my gravel, rock, lava......
as for Osmocot....never used it.....I like to have control of what my plants get......but...I'm intrigued...curious ..and will have to do a bit of research..........let me get back to you on that David.
I'm going to follow your advice and add garden lime to my orchids. How often do you use the cal/mag +jungle juice+cool bloom, or whatever feed solution you usually use. And if I'm understanding correctly, you use the liquid feed in addition to the garden lime. The orchids will only uptake what they need, is this correct?
you can still use the garden lime with them and feed them cal mag......the garden lime will fill in between feedings.....I still mix nutrients, but Better Gro is my main feed .......I feed several times a week......and vary the mix...
Hello Rick hope you are doing well. I Love watching your videos and I have 2 questions 1) What's the name of the rocks you use in your orchid pots & where can I buy them. 2) Where can I find the wood that your orchids are growing on. Thanx in advance
Thanks Rick! Have a great weekend.
.....thank you.....the media I use is pea gravel, lava rock, river rock......I get it from Lowes or Home Depot........but any garden center should carry it.......its used for ground cover and in the mulch section....the wood I use comes from a friend of mine Mr Jackson.....its just drift wood, and other pieces he finds in his walks thru the woods.......my favorites are cedar, cypress, heart pine........
NO... we are just now catching up with you👏
......very sweet......we'll figure it all out eventually......
Hi Rick, This sounds really good. ! jMy only concern is I don't us RO water, but regular tap water I know that I am unaware of PH levels but they seem to be doing very well. My water is quite hard and the humidifiers get a lot of mineral build up. I am getting strong growths, although had Cattleya that was struggling and put it under the hedge as Roger Frampton would say.. I think they probably can do better. Thank yiou
.......that's exactly what this is Carl......getting them to do better......and on their own.......tap water does contain calcium......but lots of other stuff as well........things made to kill bacteria and other living organisms......you can see how it wouldn't be best for a sensitive plant like an orchid....lots of sodium or salt too.......look at your plants.....do you have black or yellow tips on leaves, have new growths die back....spikes stalled or stopped growing.......all signs of calcium..
Do you think the garden lime be use on African violets???
I add some with every media mix I make.......it will keep the ph from getting to low....and the peat form breaking down to fast....
Hi Rick, Thank you so much for this video! I was trying to find your video on soaking rootless orchids in a tea solution, but I cannot find it. Do you have the link? Thanks.
.....there was some kind of Utube blip awhile back.......several videos dropped off......the video was for dehydrated orchids......let them soak in some water...and seep a tea bag in it....not a lot, just add a bit of color to the water....that's all..The tea bag will buffer the water, help drop the ph....I also suggested adding a few drops of lemon juice.......the lemon juice adds a tiny amount of Potassium as well as drops the ph of the water....the potassium is what plants use to move water thru their roots stems leaves, cells.....etc......it will help a dry plant rehydrate faster and better.......another method.....much better is to use a few drops of calmag, and a few drops of kelp/seaweed to the water.........will help them hydrate and also allow them to start growing roots again...
Hi Rick, What about smaller plants that have just been re-potted? Or those that may have had poor root systems that have been repotted, would you use the lime right away on those as well?
......great question Mary....your thoughts make good sense......a freshly potted on needs a few days for the roots to heal over......a neglected one, that is stalled or struggling......yes give it a tiny bit....I have and they made quicker turn around...
Thank you for your information, question....do you recommend Epsom salt instead of the lime?
Epson salts provides magnesium only......the garden lime will provide calcium as well as magnesium........
Rick L. Orchids thank you I love your plants
Have you ever dealt with pests? Spider mites...aphids.mealys...scale?
yes.........had it bad last year.......I had to treat with a systemic.....and vowed to stop it from happening again.....now ....no pests, no issues at all.....and no sprays...
Hey Rick, just a quick question...How did your big cymbidium orchid do in the lava rock ?.....Also, glad to see that you were able to get the Alaska brand Calcium I had asked you about, because it was the best I could find here in my part of Arkansas......Best wishes for you and your family in the new year... Happy growing.
thanks Joe...….I love the Alaska Calcium …..great stuff.....the cymbidium is doing well...….but I am having trouble watering it correctly due to the size of the pot...…...I will be repotting it soon.....
I told you Rick, the old guy who has been growing orchids for 50 plus years swears by a dose of clacium.....we need to listen to these old fellas, they know what their are talking about.....lol
.......your so right.....that one statement by you.....change the way I grow..........cant thank you enough..
I think have high acid in my African violet soil and I'm try to drop the PH.
........why do you think that?.......Im curious........Peat, perlite, lime, .......is what I use for violets....
I add coffee grounds to the soil and now the leaves have brown spots that are crusting over. I like to use organic fertilizer. So I want to re pot using your mix plus the lime to help the roots recover. I will get soil meter from lowe's tomorrow to confirm my hypothesis. You got me looking at plants with a whole new set of eyes. When I got the orchid to grow new green roots, I got the fever for plants lol...... Every time I see those roots I'm so proud!! Thank Rick!! My next project will be to try to cross african violet to see what new plant they produce and name it RICK!!!!! LOL Wish me luck!
Hi Rick
What would you recommend for orchids grown in spag. moss?
I would treat them the same..........I would sprinkle a tiny amount around the pot.....
Hey Rick, with this method do you put it in the pots or sprinkle it on the plants
over the top of the media.........it may dry or spot foliage...
Orchids should we avoid roots?
Hi Rick how do you think I could implement this in my water culture
.....a great question.......Ive been thinking about that........this is where Calmag really shines......10-12 drops to a gallon gives about 50-80ppm of calcium....add that to your feed routine....
No am not flushing actually. But then everything am doing is probably strange or fishy to most growers.
lol......excess nutrients and unwanted or unused nutrients accumulate over time.....
Hi Rick. I'm a beginner so excuse this question if it seems obvious to the seasoned growers. Since the lime increases the PH, when you want to do a low PH feed do you have to over compensate by lowering the ph more than you normally would due to the increased ph of the potting medium or does it not matter because a low ph feed will still take? Hope you understand my question. Thank you.
......love these great questions......the fertilizer will lower the ph so the plant can feed and absorb nutrients......after its flushed away from rain.... or you flush with water........it will come back around to neutral.....to answer, yes the feed will still take.....its not quiet so mechanical in nature.....more of a gradual, subtle changes as media is whetted and dries.....and remember....chelated nutrients (check your label).....are designed to be more easily absorbed outside of their normal ranges.....so we dont need to drop to 5.8ph all the time.......
Rick L. Orchids Thank you. Greatly appreciate your response and your willingness to help, even little beginners like me! ❤️ Also, really appreciate your vast knowledge and your constant willingness to continue to learn more!
I have one more question regarding the lime and flushing. How does flushing help to rid the media of build up if the lime that was sprinkled on top of the media (in my case bark and moss mix) is constantly there and dissolves a little with every watering and flushing.? However If flushing each time washes out (dissolves all the lime) won't we need to add the lime more often (you had mentioned we only need to add the lime maybe twice a year)? I'm assuming the lime slowly releases as we water, is that correct?
.......yes......flushing is needed and will remove the lime over time....so to answer.... yes we will need to replenish it occasionally.....how often depends on where we are growing, temperatures, media, how much we are feeding, inside orchids or outside ......Im sprinkling it on my pots every 14 to 30 days....but Im outside, in gravel, rock, etc.....and they are getting flushed all time from the rain.....my media doesn't retain much........which is great for flushing and keeping the pots clean.......I just have to keep on top of the nutrients..
in bark or moss........It will retain a bit more, and be flushed out more slowly........still needs to be added about every 3 months or so......again depends on environment.......plants outside on a patio will be growing stronger than plants on a kitchen counter.......so may need it more often.....
Hi rick, I just bought the garden line, so do I just sprinkle on every pot? How much and how often? I'm doing semi hydrophonic on my orchids. Just thought that may help my settings.
.in bark just a 1/3 tsp around the top of the media........bigger plants a bit more.....semi hydro?.....as in glass vase with reservoir?....lecca beads?.....bareroot?......not sure if I would use it...I have no experience with it in semi hydro....
Rick L. Orchids ty
Question I Ca is best absorbed 5.0 - 5.8 ph, this pellet form at 7.0 ph / when you put on h20 does it not bring up the ph of our rock,bark etc.
I'll try it, when you say " the Orchid wants Ca for this or that, I guess it " flushes " out, here we get no rain as yours. Thanks
J
......good question John.....a lot of limes will raise the ph.....this one will keep it closer to neutral........which isn't really acidic or alkaline....
got it If the plants needs or wants it It will be there. Thanks keep coming.