Trying the Tea Bag Method: Semi-Hydroponics 

I just tried the tea bag method with one of my struggling phals... in 5 days I went from questionable roots to roots with grow tips! Love your channel!

"Awake" English Breakfast Tea !!! love it...

Thank you for great info. I didn’t realize my orchid was dehydrated. I followed your instructions taking out all of the dead roots and the ball of old medium right under the base. I did the tea bag thing and wow. After 3 days my leaves are normal. Not bendy. The roots look fabulous. My next step is to try the semi hydroponic pot.

Wow this video helped me so much! I took two limp raggedy orchids I was given....and they look beautiful now!

Please update link in description box how the orchid is doing post this video. Thanks 😊

I’m in a similar situation with my one orchid that has tremendous sentimental value to me and my boyfriend and I’m on day 3 of this method, thank you for posting this. Please god 🙏 don’t die on me!

Saw this a few weeks ago, ordered my Leca beads, bought tea bags and a lemon - and proceeded to try to rehab my first orchid. It has bloomed three times and I thought was a" gonner." So dehydrated. Had repotted it hoping to save but it seemed to be really failing faster. Then I saw your video and followed your instructions. It took almost a week before I saw any change. I left it in the weak tannin solution and in about 8 days it began to perk up. At the end of two weeks I removed it to the container with the Lea beads. After 10 days it is so healthy looking - dark green and leaves very firm without the soft lined look. Am really looking forward to seeing it progress!. Thank you for your detailed instructions. I have one other orchid, has been blooming since I bought it in early December nearly 4 months back. When it stops blooming will transfer it to this type of growing medium. Thanks again!

Good video. On catts, oldest growths will eventually decline and stop putting out roots but newer growths should stay plump. Hope the tea bag treatment helps - I have found just getting the ph correct (after adding fertilizers etc) has helped more than anything. Also checking pour through media ph too. Nice for the mention of Rick L. - he is terrific especially on the fertilization, ph, etc info from his hydroponics (but not hydro orchids) experience. His plants always look terrific though he admits to issues too and has helped by showing us those and how he has solved or is trying to do so.

I very much appreciate you testing the ph 👍

There is definitely hope with those new roots. Many times the oldest bulb will die off. Don't lose hope this Orchid might pull through yet.

Love that you are using Tazo

I'm so glad I found you! I'm hooked on your channel.

Thank you for this important info🤝

Wishing the best for you Orchid! The Tea Method works. I have Great results! I water my mini phals with tea + honey

I did this method with my orchid and omg. It now is in bloom. This was so awesome.

I absolutely love the tea bag method.. I hope it does good for your orchid and you find the results your looking for..

I luv luv luv your awesome positive vibe. Luv my orchids too. And so sad when I can revive them. I have one more I am going to try this method with. Thanks to so so so much.

I wish the best for this plant, especially that means so much for you.

Wishing you the best , hopefully the tea method works for this precious orchid but I have faith

Do you recommend this tea soak for new/repotting orchids when switching to glass container?

@Michael's Orchids will this still work if I soak at night instead?

I have a Catt hybrid that looks just like your Catt. I also did Rick L’s tea treatment overnight. I now have 2 new growths and new root nubs. The roots are very slow growing.

Wishing all the best for your Cattleya. 🌱🌸❤

Can i make the tea mixture and water the orchids as needed or is this just used as shown here?

yes i watched Rick L teabags too

Trying the tea bag method. Wondering if everytime you place the orchid back in tea water if you have to make a new batch or if you can reuse a few times. Thank you!!

What would you use to make water more basic if mine is too acidic

You can absolutely save it. They just take a long time to bounce back. I have a similar rescue Cattleya that was gifted to me I swear it looked identical to yours. It took about 3 months before it started to really get going and now she is producing a new cane and has another on the way. The new root tips will save it. I don’t know that I would have taken it out of the environment it was in... orchids are finicky and don’t take change very well so if I see forward movement (however slow) I won’t change anything. That being said I really hope this works for you. Best of luck!

Hi i hope its working it did wonders for my phal and for my burregeara yokeara perfection. Just a little tea and a few drop of lemon. A yeah and try to hydrate the leaves 2. and air dry during the day i front of a fan. Good luck let us know when you see change. Kind regards rose 🌹

I have a spider orchid that I probably have had for 25 years. I removed some side shoots that are not rooting and were shrivel8ng up 9n the plant.. Before i found you, i have been spraying the base area of them daily with water and then puttiing it in moistened bark. Will the bulb rot if I leave it in water overnight and how deeply in water should it be covered? Do you keep water in the semihydropnic medium all the time and how do you feed it? My spider, orchid is so lovely, the flowers smell like vanilla! I hope I can save it . Thank you i enjoy your channel.

how often should I change water? Can I keep using the same water every day ?

The new roots are starting so when it has more energy it will do well in S/H. My cattleyas have taken off in S/H. The old roots do poorly but the new roots do amazing. I had a rootless cattleya for well over 6 months. It was tragic, just laying there while I tried to figure out what to do with it. I couldn't even pot it properly in S/H because there was nothing to hold it steady. But somehow, with a couple of stakes and wires, it established and now has a great root system. It plumped up again and sent up a sheath. They are such resilient orchids!

Hi Michael, I'm brand new to your channel. This is my second video today. I had ask u done Austin's previously, then read ur d drop down and find your links, so watched this. One more question: Must I use Tazo Awakening Tea? I drink Tazo Chai, the liquid already made up, like Starbucks uses. I like it better than the tea bag. Anyway, if u could let me know why u prefer that tea specifically, it will be appreciated. Hope this orchid did well. You're so loving toward them. Some plants are finicky and can tell if they are loved or not... At least I think they can tell. Really enjoyed ur video. Thank u for sharing, L :)

Hi Michael! Try misting those new roots everyday. Sometimes Leca beads gets so dry that they'll start 'sucking' moisture from the roots.

Hi Michael. Ive sat two orchids in black tea overnight. I have now drained the tea water and left the Orchids stood in the same container upright to dry off. Is that right ? And how long do I do this for? Do I then repeat the whole ‘Tea Bag method’ again or do I just use tap water or does the water need to be distilled? Thank you Rich

Does this method work with succulents with no roots as well?

I only have green or Earl Grey tea will it work?

How do you make holes to your glass containers?

Hi Michael, might be a silly question but what do u think would happen if you were to water your orchids with the tea solution while they are in the semi hydro system

Hi I just found your channel and my orchid isn’t looking too well he only has 2 valuable roots is he able to come back? His leafs aren’t flimsy like your friends but they are dull and brown. Any advice is appreciated! I’m trying the tea bag method tomorrow morning and hoping I can bring him back thank you

Would you suggest tea bag treatment if leaves are limp but spikes are in bloom?

Try putting the orchid about 2 inches lower in the container with about an 1/2 to 1 inch of leca pellets about the rhizome. enough that it wicks up moisture completely around the roots, but not so much that new growths can't emerge from the pellets

Where can I buy the tea? Where do u get the water? Any Ro water 💦 🤔. I think my new orchid is needing water. I haven’t since I got it. it’s in bloom not a see through pot but roots are growing outside up in pot it’s not nearly as dehydrated as this plant u are showing to us. I need help to get started in right direction. Any advice u can give will help me ! Thank you 😊

Could you direct me to he update video please? There have been a lot of updates since this was posted so it's hard to find. Thank you!

Hi Michael I have been waiting 4 months for root growth on my cattleya, I have new growth but no roots. But I just today got 1 new root on my Brassavola thanks to Rick and his tea. But I’m still waiting on 2 others to do something. It’s so slow lol

Hi Michael don't think I haven't been watching you!! I just don't leave a comment all the time because I've been really busy. Now is my busy time because I can go outside because it's not 96° anymore now it's in the high 80s and at night it goes to the middle 70s so I go outside. I would do what Anna said. And then after that until those roots get a little bit more strong and long I would put it in spagna Moss. Really loose and keep it a little moist. And you can always do the tea bag again. When I went to do my tea bag I asked Rick if the kind of tea I was using was important because I only had the girly girl teas he told me to use just regular tea you know the good old Lipton cheap tea, so you might consider that as well. Much love to you! Miss you in my little garden.👉👵👈

So how long is the dry period?

Can you use any kind of tea bags?

Interesting, I have not heard of that trick before. Hope it works for you! You have a root, so I have high hopes. The classic treatment is 'sphag-in=-a-bag', which also is a good rescue method.

Hello! New to your channel. Question, does it matter what type of tea you use? Also, do I soak all day in tea, then air dry, and on the third day do I soak in water or tea again? Just tea the first day?

What kind of pot do you use? Which brand?

Having good luck with recouping dieing orchids with sphagnum moss. Maybe it's worth a try. Or self watering.

Michael those roots look good. In a couple of weeks they will be an inch long or longer. It will take awhile for them to hydrate the plant so make sure that your medium doesn't dry out while they are growing. I had some good results with the tea bag method. I did lose one phal as the stem didn't dry out before I soaked it again. Good luck.

How is your cattleya doing? Has it grown more roots? Did you update its situation?

Im going to give this a try. My only question is: does it have to be BLACK TEA? Seems I have a variety of tea flavors & colors in the cupboard...none of which are black. Lol

Hi dear ..I am using tea barks .do u think my orchids will survive. I sterillized them in oven ..hehe .

Can I use orange pekoe tea!?!?

I am doing the same thing for my orchid.

Can you make the tea solution with a used tea bag or two? Asking for a cheap friend.

😊 me sending good thoughts

Ahhhhh!! I’m dying to know. Did the orchid make it?!?

Hi Michael, I tried this a few weeks ago with a species orchid I was trying to save. I think I overdid the treatments because it went downhill fast. He does say only do it occasionally. I did it every day for about a week and I think it was too much. Hope you have better results.

I hope it works !!

Best wishes Michael! I know how heart-breaking it is to lose one of your 'special orchids', as I've experienced in the past. I hope she pulls through for you:)

hi. i did the opposite. i soaked it in tea, and then put it in clear water. i guess i should have soaked in tea, and then dry it out. do i need to put in clear water, or just tea water? what i did in the beginning i opened a tea bag and emptied it out on the dirt. that did not work. then i read orchids need calcium... i broke up a 500 calcium.... that did not work. ah ha! watched this... after a few weeks i did this... and 1st day after destroying the plant... it turned green dark green, then it turned light green for i soaked it in water. i did this in the day time. i guess i will reverse the order. i simply chopped up the plant, removed all the leaves, and little flies were very upset with me... oh well.

Why do you use distilled water?

Hello from April 2019! How is #2 doing now since the tea bag method?

What types of tea should you use for this? Can you use peppermint tea?

Checking in with you about your #2 orchid, hows the tea method coming along?

Hello Michael!! Each time you put the orchid back in the tea solution, do you use new solution? Also how long is the drying period and the immersed period? I love your videos (I told you that before). Thank you so much for your help.

I mean, this is literally how i grow orchids, i do a sort of "Daily Soak", full bare root.

Its alwAys the ones we get as gifts, That we totally mess up. I have done Rocks method, I believe it helped very much. The nibs that did nothing for weeks finally got that kick start. Also I used warm water when I did it.

Do you have an update on how this turned out?

Why distilled water?

So it died right?

Add 2 drops of lemon .that is what Rick dose .

:( im hoping it bounces back... i have this anthurium that is kind of in the same situation. im praying for both. goodnight hun

Well?? How’s your orchid doing??

Nice video but distillate water by definition have pH7 (neutral) not around 8....simple school chemistry. If you measure pH8 maybe your tester is not calibrated or the water is not distillate or was contaminated after. Second point, nice "how to" video but what results ? any update ? the method works or is only a urban legend...

Grow plant! Grow! Just grow!

This makes me wonder if willow water has a place in the care of orchids.

Light water !? Oh no 😂 My tea is black and the tea leaves are in the water still.

oh :(

HUSBAND ????!!!

Why distilled water?