Hi Gricelda! Thanks so much for your sweet comment, it made my day! :) I'm so glad to hear that your orchids are doing well. Have a great day and happy growing! :)
For bringing the pH down, I use Citric acid like Rick L suggested on his channel. A little really does go a long way lol, just like with the baking soda. Great info, humidity monitor (hygrometer) and the TDS/pH meters are so helpful! I also like clear pots to see what the roots are up to as well, gotta make sure they're staying out of trouble 😉
Nice to hear New Zealand mentioned 🇳🇿 I collect rainwater for my indoor plants. Thank you so much for your great videos & knowledge. Much appreciated 👍
thanks so much for your video, for larger clear pots I go to deli supply venders you can get 32oz, 64oz and gallon size at a reasonable price, I then use my soldering gun to put the air holes in. Thanks for all your help
Thanks--- I have Ca Man, 1-1-1 it does work -- I should have this list from 1973.I get the R.O. water from a dispenser 25cents. Thanks again, Escondido, Ca.
I am brand new to orchids and I am so appreciative for your wonderful videos. Your instructions are easy to follow, your voice is very soothing and in turn makes your videos not only informative but very relaxing to watch. Many thanks for sharing your orchid knowledge! Blessings
Hello my friend!!! You know that I always have to check in on you every now and then. Your information is always wonderful I just checked up on Rick as well that him I get to talk to on the phone and email him as well I always enjoy hearing you with your soft-spoken voice that's always so soothing and so intelligent and full of information. What I've been doing about pots and I think of you every time I do I pick up these clear pretty bowls over at Party City or at Ross which I picked up 4 for $5 and then I get my handy-dandy soldering iron and I make little holes wherever I want them and what I've been doing that works is I make the holes about an inch above the bottom add my rocks whichever kind of used whether it's river rock or lava rock and then the rest I put my Moss and then a little bit of rocks on the top just to hold everything down and so they are in semi water culture and I absolutely love love love it. I finally found what's good for me yay!!🎉🎉🎇 my patio pedal arms are both growing new fans and I'm just so excited. And they're full of algae so you know I think about you all the time. Go figure algae and holes make me think of you LOL I love you God bless you.👉👵👈
Hi Libby! It's always great to hear from you! :) I'm so glad you found the growing method that works for you and it sounds like your orchids are doing great! I'm celebrating with you! It's really awesome that you think about me when you see algae...haha! :)) Thanks again for your comment, it made me smile. Love and blessings to you, sweet friend!
Thnx for a great info...those four items (bark, perlite, charcoal), I use for my orchids except the flatter spagmoss...only because Lowe’s or Home Depot don’t sell them....
At Party City they have larger sturdy clear plastic containers for party tables & things. That's what I use for all my larger orchids. They're only $2 or $3.
Check out a video I saw called How to get 100 orchids from one by Classy Flowers...it is a bit long but supposed to be a way to " clone" ( encourage keikis) your favorite orchids from old flower spikes....kinda interesting
Thank you for this video....I have been trying to find a decent brand of sphag moss to use....I got some called Mosser Lee from Lowe's.....NEVER AGAIN.....It is CRAPPY......I am trying to rescue a couple of rootless orchids, and all this stuff does is set up a mold / fungus....and make them worse....Also tried to grow keikis from old spikes....FUNGUS.....SLIME....and Failure...... Will try again.....this time with either the Orchid Pro or NZ spag... Keep it up.....great video....
Joe Terry I keep a quart spray bottle of extremely weak Neem oil to water, as in the smallest amount of oil to water possible. I spray whatever, currently orchid bark, potting mixture I have my orchid in once a week. It keeps out bugs, mold, fungus, you name it. You can also use it to moisten roots or make a fine mist for your leaves. Works for me!
Hi Joe! You will really see a big difference in the quality of the Better Gro orchid grade moss and the NZ sphagnum. It's great for the small, delicate roots of keikis. Have a great day and happy growing! :)
Hi. Just found your channel. Beginner orchid enthusiast here. What is reverse osmosis water and how do you get it? What type of water is best if you only have hand full of phals and may have slight hard water? Thanx!
Hi and thanks so much for watching! I have a reverse osmosis filtering system for my drinking water and for watering my orchids. You can use a Brita filter or something similar for your orchids, just provide them with the best quality water you can, preferably with a pH of 6.0 to 6.5. Have a great day and happy growing! :)
Hi Gerald! I think using rainwater is great for your orchids and plants. I would use a mosquito dunk in the collection container during the summer months, I've heard of that being an issue for some growers. Have a great day and happy growing!
One of my phals is dropping the flowers after blooming for 4 months or more. It's growing arieal roots like crazy. It needs repotting. Is it a good time to? Thank you Bill from Wisconsin.
Yes, it's okay to repot right now. I have 2 Phals that are in full bloom and have to be repotted. Your blooms have had time to harden, so they'll be fine. Just water them more after you repot to keep the blooms fresh. Happy growing! :)
I am new to your channel and just a little confused. I thought that you grow most of your orchids in water culture. May I ask how you determine which media you will use?
Hi Judy and welcome to my channel! I do grow my orchids in several different media, and also in water culture. I've been growing orchids for 16 years, and I like growing them in bark and moss as well. I did a "Pros and Cons" series on my channel on each growing method I use, and will help to answer your question. That series started on Jan 29, 2018 and went through the next few weeks on my channel. I have several videos on water culture if you want more information about it as well. I changed my water culture growing method last summer, and I've enjoyed a lot of success with it, so I believe the videos on water culture that will help you the most are the ones I've done from Aug 17, 2017 to the present. Have a great day and happy growing!
I just noticed some pests in my spagnum moss around the roots of a few of my plants. I can't fully identify them. Tiny grey mites of some sort? I haven't found any in the pseudobulbs or leaves. How should I explore treatment options? I keep my spagnum moss moist at all times. One board said to let it all fully dry and/or use a weak hydrogen peroxide mixture to remove pests.
Do these pest look more like gnats or like spider mites? Mine do get fungus gnats from time to time, and I just use a few drops of Ivory dishwashing liquid in a spray bottle of water to get rid of them. Also, if you'll use an oscillating fan around the plant, it will help get rid of gnats. I think the same mixture will get rid of spider mites, too. (Or the weak hydrogen peroxide mixture will work as well.) Have a great day, Chays!
im so glad i found your channel..one of my orchids was looking a little weak..and i decided to check the roots..when i started moving the moss around a little..these little tiny flying (gnats) was coming out of the clear container..ive had this orchid almost 2 years.. clear container in a decorative pot..never noticed the root damage or these little flying things until 3 days ago...most of my roots was mush with a little hard string in middle..i cut mostly all off..and did the dishsoap method you shared on another video what other steps should i take to save my phal? and thank you for all your great videos..
Hi Sam, I don't keep the pH pen in a solution. I do keep the lid on it and keep it upright in a glass (with the pen facing down) while I'm not using it. Have a great day and happy growing!
Hi, I use the Better-Gro phalaenopsis mix too! have you heard of a product called "Quantum Orchid"? It's a probiotic formula, and I haven't found any reviews on it yet.
Hi! You mentioned before that you're a newcomer to orchids, so what I do is grow mini Phals in moss and regular sized Phals in bark. I have a repotting playlist on my channel with several different scenarios that will help you. (I only use water culture as a temporary method now and it's difficult for most beginners.) Happy growing! :)
@@OrchidWhisperer Thank you for sharing your knowledge on this very complex topic. ! :-D I have two Phals- One that my sister gave me September 2020 as a gift and one that I bought this month from Sam's.
If you are experiencing poor results in your orchid behavior, first, extensively research the the environment and individual needs of your charge. You should know exactly what it is, of anything, you are introducing to your plant. You will not be successful with a moth orchid giving it no more care and attention as you do your snake plant. Check out The following: 1. placement of plant. 2. what is your medium. Total contents. What type of vessel. Is it mounted rather than potted. 3. Humidity and the circulation of air. 4. complete water profile. Freq. of. 5. Additives - supplements - vit./min. contents - fertilizers. 6. Light. Cycle. Source, intensity, colour. 7. Temperature. Daily and seasonal fluctuations. 8. Re-mounting or re-potting. 9. Diseases and pests. 10. Possible need for trimming, uses of hormones.
