I've changed my orchids to water culture for about a month now. My orchids leaves before was starting to become brownish, now after a month they started to become green again 😄.. Still waiting for them to start growing flowers 😊
i have all my phalaenopsis in water and they never stop blooming...i gave my orchids home made banana liquid fertilizer and have bloomed for me all this time..
Thank you so much for the advice. I started converting 2 mini phals that I found on clearance. They did so beautifully that I switched a couple of my full-size phals over. They seem so happy. Can't wait for them to bloom!
Your dog is so cute! I once had a solid black mini schnauzer. I got him straight from his momma when he was about 9 weeks old. He unfortunately began suffering from seizures at about 2 1/2 years old. Eventually I had to have him put to sleep when he was about 7 1/2 (as advised by his vet hospital) because of a series of almost continuous seizures. They thought he likely received too much brain damage. Needless to say it absolutely my heart. I actually saw your video in search of care for my new orchid. I received it for Mother’s Day this year (2021). I am afraid I may end up losing it because of my inexperience! This happened to me about 10 years ago when the internet was not as easy to access (not for me anyway). So, I would like to say thank you for your good information AND of course for sharing your little guy with everyone!!
Thanks so much, my friend! :) Buddy is my little heartbeat...I guess that is pretty evident, right? lol! Always great hearing from you...happy growing!
I’ve had an orchid for a few years that hasn’t been doing well since I last repotted it. Going to try this! Fingers crossed she likes it and flourishes! Thanks for the tips!
Hi! ive been watching your videos for a long time and switched my orchids to water culture about 2 years ago and they were doing wonderful compared to the dry media. They were growing roots and leaves SOO fast. I was also giving a water orchid fertilizer like 1-2 times a month by diluting in the regular distilled water. Recently, maybe 5 months ago they all started not doing well. All the strong hard roots that they had grown over a long time were starting to rot quickly. And this happened to all my orchids (4) phalaenopsis : 3 minis, 1 medium. I assumed that maybe there was a pest or something but I checked thoroughly and did not see anything that matched possible pests online. They surprisingly are still trying to grow leaves but are not growing roots fast enough. (especially compared to when they were doing well 1 year in). Granted, I am guilty of neglecting them every now and then (white mold) but I clean them all off and was using hydrogen peroxide. Their leaves are not dark green color and werent turning yellow/dying so I think sunlight wasnt the issue. You said in videos that you let them have a "rest" day without water then put them back and I wasnt doing this often just because they were doing well in full water culture. They would also wilt a little when they werent in water 24/7. I am so upset bc within a few months they are all struggling.. I even had to throw one out bc it just didnt seem to be responding to anything. I am heart broken bc they are my babies and seeing their decline is very saddening :( if you could maybe give me some tips or ideas of what is causing this I would greatly appreciate it.
Hi I was so excited about this method of growing orchids and I've already started out wrong so I did my research and ran into your site and I have to slow down and do it the way you are Thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge of water culture 🙏 👌 👍
You automatically got a like for starting your video with a schnauzer LOL. It’s one of the few things I love more than orchids ❤️ thx for all the advise. I have 2 orchids that are so dehydrated that I can’t seem to get them to thrive so I’m looking to try this for the first time. I don’t want to loose them as they where gifted by my husband
Hi Blanca! I've had schnauzers all my life...I love them! Little Buddy is my heartbeat. :) He knows he's the king around our house! lol! Happy growing! Amy
I am extremely happy to have found your video before doing water culture....I love that you're brutally honest about the difficulty of the process.... I think I'll stick with regular growing lol Mine is doing awesome...not sure why I wanted to try this really intricate process lol
Ah soooo helpful! I went back to watch your stem cleaning. I'm still a newbie with orchids and actually would kill everyone that I bought until october. I replaced the media in river rock but thanks to rick l it was getting dehydrated. I'm not sure what type of water culture I'm doing. The stem of mine has that black mold (which now I know how to clean). I have troubles with it because the roots grew out that is level with the pot then goes straight down. So the stem was constantly sitting in water. Then noticed the stem and keep the water at the very bottom but soak the roots once and maybe rinse the roots off daily. I'm still figuring out how to keep that one happy lol. Well that was long winded. Shew. Great video
Oh Hunny, I don't usually reply to videos but I could hear something in you that I wanted to share, I feel you girl, I only have one orchid left that has that kind of meaning to me, I lost a few too and I'll never get that kind of relationship back because the gifter is no longer with me. Hugs Hun.
Love your channel, I'm a newbie to growing water culture orchids, yet to purchase one. I'm concerned about the temperature for the water culture orchids, I am in Central Western NSW Australia we are in Winter atm 1 - 5 degree days at the moment nights are colder. The temp inside fluctuates as I have wood heating & work full time so not home to feed the fire as such. I look forward to your advice.
Hey nice to meet you! I started to water culture growing my orchids now, and I am just a new learner of water culture. I agree that it a easy way to take care the orchid but needs to pay attention to them all the time, everyday I wake up I will go to take a look my orchid first to make sure the water level and all the stuff is ok😵
Orchids in water is easy - less work -flowers last longer . 1-2 weeks change water (drinking water). Flowers keep re-bloom after few months . Keep orchid away from the window.
I purchased 3 orchids and they were in a very crowded planter with no water flow, so I removed them, cleaned everything off and repotted them as per a video I watched. Quickly they started to die, I removed them from the pot I repotted them and had to literally cut down all the roots, all rotted ( I only watered once a week), needless to say they are healthy and thriving now. I decided to let them flourish in water culture, using distilled water, I change the water every week (water only touching bottom of roots) I am much happier now that they are thriving
Vigilance! Is the word. And I thought I was possessed. My hubby thought I was crazy. I converted all my orchids all at the same time and watched and still watching them like the Royal Guards. I am still figuring out what levels of water and fertilizing schedule they need. I do my rounds with them like a nurse on a 24hour shift. Of the 8 that i now have after 3 months, I think I've got 3 that are stable. This video of yours is very informative. Thank you for sharing your wisdom.
You are being very vigilant, my friend! I like the comment about you "watching them like the Royal Guards"! :)) (I can identify with that! lol!) It takes a while to figure out the water levels and the fertilizing. I can show what I do in my videos, but you're wise to realize that your environment and growing situation is different than mine. It sounds like you're doing really well. I'm hoping your other phals stabilize soon. Thanks so much for sharing your story, it made me smile....have a great day!
Hi, I love the way you grow your orchids :) I wanna asked about something (i didn't understand that from the video): if I have a problem with some black roots or a little bit black/brown stem, just SPRAY or DIP them in hydrogen peroxide ( and of course brush or clean them with old toothbrush or something) Thanks for the answer :) And Hello from Poland :) This method is still quite unknown in here.
Hi and thanks so much for watching! To answer your question, I used to use hydrogen peroxide on the roots, but I stopped using it last July due to some problems I was seeing with my orchids. I have a video, publish date Aug 17, 2017 where I go into the topic in detail. Since I stopped using the peroxide, my orchids grow much better. I simply wash off any problem areas with clear water and allow the roots to dry for a day. If it's the stem, I simply use a toothbrush dipped in water and clean it off. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask! I'm so glad you found my channel, and Hello from Tennessee, USA! :)
So, unrelated to the topic of the video, but that is one super adorbs mini schnauzer. OMG. 😍 I love my female, she's cute as hell, but I can admit defeat in the cuteness department.
Hi Michael! Schnauzers are the most wonderful dogs...I've had a schnauzers all my life! :) Thanks so much for the compliment on my lil Buddy, he's the star of the show! Have a great day!
Buddy, you are one funny but sweet dog. You would be so much fun to tease! 🐕 Growing orchids in WC can definitely be a challenge - you have to be vigilant and monitor them. Especially in the beginning. I wish I had these wonderful tips when I first started using the method. They would have saved me alot of heartache for sure! 😊
Hi Caroline! Thanks so much for your sweet comment. :) Water culture can be a challenge for sure, and I learned to monitor them very closely. (Just like you said, especially in the beginning!) Now, Buddy WANTS me to put his toys in his food bowl before he eats! LOL! What a little character he is! :)) Have a great day my friend, and thanks always for your encouragement! :)
Great info - I had 3 orchids in moss a couple of years ago, but could never get them to bloom. I converted them to water culture last year and now, after a lot of care (mostly everything you talked about on this video) I have 7 orchids that have flower spikes. Oddly though, they each have only one spike. Any recommendations on getting more than one spike at a time?
So glad to hear this video was helpful, Jamie! I did several videos on WC the past few months, including one on how I fertilize now. Once I started using this recipe, my orchids started double spiking. It might not happen for you this year, but you can try and see if you get double spikes next year. Also, you'll keep the older spikes on the plants so they can spike a second time. Hope that helps! :) Happy growing! Amy
Hello, great info. Thanks for sharing. I have a question - I live in Georgia (Atlanta) not to far from Tennessee. Do you think rain water is good for water culture plants?
Hi Odette! I think rain water is awesome to use for water culture...but be careful in the summer with it. I've heard of growers finding mosquito larvae in their WC from rain water. Happy growing!
I started 2 of my Orchids in a water bath since they were not doing well after several years. I was moving from NJ to Florida. One orchid did not survive because I was not able to get all the media and base cleaned and it developed black rot. I have the other orchid and it's growing new roots at the base, but I noticed some white mold looking fuz on the longest root. Should I dry it out or cut that part off? I think it's because the way I transported it to Florida. I wrapped the root in a wet paper towel and put it in a plastic bottle.
So what happens when all the vellum has rotted off the root . I’ve read you should leave the remaining older root cores to hydrate the orchid until new roots grow. In that case, do I submerge the entire root cores in water and leave the stem dry as usual? Also, both these store bought Phals have beautiful flowers sprays that are trying to hold on. Except the remaining buds are not opening, the baby Phal’s buds and a few of her small flowers are drying up😢...I feel like a failure...once I unposted them and saw they were suffering from root rot I cleaned the roots, removed the dead vellum only, sprayed their roots with peroxide, a mixture of alcohol/distilled water/tiny amount of dawn soap and let them dry overnight. The next day - I put them in separate vases with just enough water to cover the root cores and the bottom of the remaining roots. I check them everyday (it’s been three days) a few of the remaining longer roots have gotten soggy as well 😞...too much water?? I love them so but I feel like I just can’t get get this right and I’m going to lose them😢😢Any suggestions would be so appreciated
Ola, my big phase in water now 3 weeks-- Its working,new leaf, it's a p belena.,3 of petals looked " limp ".covered more roots, ie: water up, I think they are getting turgid in last 3 days. Make sense, Happy Easter John aka Dr. HOUSE.
Hi and thanks so much! I have heard of growers using aquarium water for water culture, but I've not done that personally. I don't have an aquarium. You could experiment with one orchid and see how it does. (Great experiment!) Just be sure to use a regular orchid fertilizer regularly for the other nutrients the orchid needs. I haven't noticed any difference in Dtps phals adapting to WC better than other hybrid phals. Have a great day and keep me posted!
Hi! I am trying water culture on a rescue phal. I think ive had in water culture for maybe a year now it seems to be doing ok . I have some new roots a few new leaves and I'm not sure if this is a spike or an areal root but I definitely have new growth. After watching this video I realized I took the word full water culture literally. I have in 1/3 water ( I hope I have that right) you mean a third from their stem? but I never gave a day without water. Since its not use to it do I start? I just watched your cleaning the stems. I wasn't sure so I got a brand new toothbrush and brushed the stem and added some peroxide. Nothing seemed to bubble up or foam so I was glad. I then rinsed it off put it back in its jar. Some of my roots that don't hit the water look a little brown not sure I'm afraid to cut. What do you suggest? I really value your advice. Love all your videos. I still have to watch the fertilizer one.. Fertilizer scares me.. I use some once I still have it but, I think I kinda over did it. So now I'm don't use at all. Maybe the 3 phals I have would benefit from it. I have to watch that one. Is there a way of sending you a picture of this ones roots ? I so want this water cultur to work? thanks again. Oh bye the way I love Buddy!!!!
Hi Judy! Thanks so much for your sweet comment! :) If your water culture phal is doing well, then I would continue to grow it the same way. It might benefit from a dry day, mine do, but if yours is growing well, that's the main thing. Brown roots aren't a problem, squishy, rotten roots are the only ones you need to remove. I do have a video from Oct 27, 2017 about how I fertilize my WC phals that will help you. Have a great day and happy growing!
Lisa Curtiss I've had miniature schnauzers all my life...I love them! They are such great dogs, and my little Buddy is my heartbeat! :) Have a great day, Lisa! Amy
New to orchids. I understand no fertilizing when the phal. is in bloom. But when do I stop fertilization? At the sign of the spike or when the buds are stating to swell. Do I continue the wet/dry cycle when the flower is blooming?
Hi Kathi! I actually fertilize mine while they're in bloom at a low dose. I don't fertilize mine while the buds are setting. (Growers do different things according to their experience.) I do continue the wet/dry cycle while they're blooming. Have a great day and happy growing!
Help!!! I have a lysudamuloa red jewel that all leaves and roots are absent. It has 3 pseudobulbs and I have been trying to save it with the tea method- they soak all day and dry all night.. should I give up ( it’s been 3 weeks )?
Hi Heidi! You've certainly worked with this orchid and been very patient with it! If you want to give it one last try, I would suggest placing the bulbs down in damp New Zealand sphagnum moss. (About 1/4 of the bulb in the moss would be about right.) Keep the moss damp but not wet, and see if you can get some roots to grow. Keep me posted and have a great day! :)
I have a orchid that is struggling since last summer. I left it home and my family used a swamp cooler and it didn’t like it. I have been babying it all winter and it is just not improving at all. I’m wonder if I should try water culture? I was going to post a picture but it won’t let me. HELP!!
Hi! You can give water culture a try, but I encourage you to learn as much as you can about the method before you start. I have a playlist on water culture that will help you, here's the link: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-zFPrQ962JNo.html Happy growing!
You can soak the roots, but don't scrub them. I have a playlist on my channel about WC, and one of the videos I convert an orchid to WC. Lots of info there. Happy growing! 😇
Hi and thanks so much for watching! I recommend the highest quality water you can find. I use reverse osmosis filtered water, and my orchids really thrive. Happy growing!
Thank you! I am still confused. Full water culture you let sit for a few days and then empty half and let it dry out for a day (but still half the water?) and then fill up other half?
Hi Diane and thanks so much for watching! It depends on the quality of your well water. I cover how I decide which water to use in my video, "My favorite products for growing orchids" from last month. The basic idea is to use the highest quality water on your orchids that you can provide. Have a great day and happy growing! :)
I have found a 2 pack of clear storage containers at Dollar Tree....They are 34 ounce, and seem to be a little thicker plastic than the Solo cups....I will try them out with my next repotting in a day or so, and get back to you with the results....Are you able to get any orchids other than phals at your local Lowe's or Home Depot??? My local store personnel have told me that they will not be able to special order or get any orchids sent to them.....they don't even carry the sphagnum moss anymore.....Here in Romance, Arkansas, we are not close to anywhere, so I guess my next option is internet ordering.....Any ideas???? Thanks, Joe
Hi Joe! I buy all my orchids (except for a group of Dens) at Kroger...even my Vandas came from there. Now, they're getting beautiful Dens and I'm having to talk myself out of buying them. ha! I really like choosing my plants myself, since I'm going to take care of it, I want to pick them. Are there any orchid shows that you could go to, this time of the year, they are everywhere. That's a great way to get some interesting orchids. If you're going to check the internet, I would order from somewhere relatively close to you. That way, the orchids won't be in transit for a week. (That's hard on them.) Keep me posted about those 34 ounce containers, I hope they work well for you! Happy growing!
I really enjoy your videos! & I have a water culture question. I have a Phal, that was in Moss, was dehydrated and had root rot. I trimmed all of the orchid roots, and then found out that if you do that, you should not put the trimmed edge into the water culture - because it will cause rot (mushy). What do you recommend for a watering schedule initially? 1 day water culture, 1 day dry? Misting roots? Will the trimmed roots eventually develop a firm tip? Thanks in advance! ~ Jen
Hi Jen and thanks so much for watching! After I trim a root, I rinse the entire root system with clean water and allow it to dry for a day. This will cause a callous to form on the root tip. You can initially try 1 day water culture, and 1 day dry. But just be aware that if you start out with a dehydrated plant and it had a lot of rot to begin with, it's going to take a lot of time. I would place this one in New Zealand sphagnum moss (you can get it from Amazon). (Not brown basket moss.) New Zealand sphagnum moss will encourage root growth. I have several videos on my channel about sphagnum moss. Have a great day and happy growing! :)
My cats desperately try to get my orchid clips off the stakes, and they just want to put them into their water dish. I guess they think I should be doing water culture?
Hi and thanks for that great comment! :) That's too funny...your cats want you to do water culture! LOL! Happy growing and Merry Christmas to you and your cats! (They sound like characters! :)
Orchid Whisperer Merry Christmas to you and your family, Miss Amy, including the people, plants, and animals. No matter how hard I try to keep my boys (the cats; they’re litter mates and came to me from Denmark). I take them to shows when I have time, we’ve even gone to Roanoke, VA, (that was a LOOOOONG trip with the sound of singing Korats in their car-sized travel shelter!) and Washington, DC, because their breeder came to the USA and knew some other fellow “Korateers” would be at the show, plus we drove up and back to New Orleans, so she and her friend (another Danish Korat breeder) could see some of the sights in the USA, like we took the Blue Ridge Parkway home, they’d never seen mountains like that other than the Alps. The show in Washington, DC, was in 2015, and the breed that was in “the spotlight” was the Korat, so we flew up for that trip - they’re a talkative breed and I felt sorry for the poor individuals who had to sit near us on the plane and hear their “singing” all the way from New Orleans to Washington, DC. We try to go to shows within driving distance, so we go to the show in Baton Rouge every year. They’re almost always the only two of their breed, and the judges tend to favor the “European” version of the Korats, as they more closely follow the breed standards that were set sometime between the 1400s and the 1800s in Thailand, as the breed is quite rare in our area (the southeast), so it’s typically a competition between the two of them for “Best of Breed,” and there’s a picture of Spirit - the one who distracts me while his brother Candy steals the little orchid clips to put in their water dishes - with a show judge that was put in the Baton Rouge Advocate in March of 2018, and he was just saying “Meow” at the exact moment that the photographer snapped the picture, and he has his eyes wide open, they’re almost as wide as his mouth in that picture! I was so shocked that I cried, because in that particular ring, the judge gave him not only the “Best of breed” but also the “Best shorthair in Premiereship” (“Premiereship” meaning the very small group that are spayed/neutered), but he beat nine other cats, including his brother. That was the first rosette that either of them have won in the five years they’ve owned me, and I am so proud of him, actually, both of them. But, not proud enough of either to allow him (or his brother) unfettered access to the orchid room! 🤣
Hi Kari and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the adventures of your Korats! :) And I don't blame you for not allowing them free access to your orchid room! lol! They sound absolutely amazing, and congratulations on winning that rosette! I also know someone else who rules the roost...sounds like my lil Buddy! :) (He rules in the nicest way, tho! haha!) Merry Christmas to you and your beautiful cats! Amy
My son gifted me a beautiful orchid for mothers day in 2019 and it's dying please need advice asap. Leaves are shriveling and falling off and roots are drying out. There is one root that still has green color. Thank you
I guess I spoke too soon.... Kroger has an "assistant" floral person who refuses to do much of anything...I asked her to water an orchid for me, so I could check the roots......REFUSED....." I just watered it , LAST MONTH" is the response I got....It was BONE DRY....in sphag moss......so I asked her about marking it down( only had 2 flowers left).....REFUSED...."When the new flowers bloom NEXT WEEK it will sell for the full price"..... STUPIDITY is REALLY frustrating.....she was even giving out papers saying she had about 5 orchids at home, so she knew how to grow them.....She wanted to argue, but I just walked away....I know that wasn't very nice, but I just wasn't going to argue with her
Not sure where you live but as an "assistant florist" for Kroger I know she was completely wrong. She should have marked it down for you. But most likely marked it down later and bought it herself. Kroger has a policy about when we should do markdowns according to the date when it arrived in the store but also according to how the plants look. If that plant was in the store for a month it should be marked down no matter its condition. On the tag there is a code that will say "WK" and a number. This is the week of the year it was sent from the warehouse to the store. They should be marked down 3-4 wks after this date. Also, you can go above her head to a manager and inform them of the situation. They will not argue. They will "Make it right". Its company policy. Hope this helps.
@@kellydobberstine5011 wow good to know! So even if it has nice full blooms and its been more than a month I can ask? Can it be any other employee or just the florist? Every time I go to Kroger I never see anyone in that station
dear Amy, When you say 1/3 of the plant is in water, you mean, the plant starting from the base, where the roots begin, right below the leaves? 1/3 of that part of the plant( the root system), right? It's 1/3 of the plant roots"not the leaves. Sorry, but I think I've got it, right. thank you for a wonderful video!
Hi Nanette! You are right...1/3 of the root system goes in the water (the tips of the roots). I did a video yesterday about water culture, and I show a close-up of the root system and the water levels that will help clarify your questions. Have a great day and happy growing! :)
@@elyse1996 I used to strap them onto my mango tree when I was a kid! They grew sooooooo good! I am doing that again once I slowly recover financially, its reallllyyyyyyy expensive here in australia :(
