The Orchid Garden

hydroponics

Question:

many years ago I read an article in the AOS Bulletin about growing orchids in pearl-lite.  I tried it and it worked. Has anyone else tried anything like it and would it work for equatant oncidiums.   Thanks for your input.

Response:

Tim, Point your web browser to our website (URL below).  We have a technique we refer to as "semi-hydroponic", based loosely on that same AOS Bulletin Article.  (I call it "semi-" because watering is intermittant, rather than continuous misting or ebb-and-flow. I’ve not tried equitants, but do have some Oncidium hybrids (Carnival Costume) that are 50% equitant, and they’re doing great under that culture. —  Ray Barkalow – First Rays Orchids        http://www.firstrays.com

Response:

many years ago I read an article in the AOS Bulletin about growing orchids in pearl-lite.  I tried it and it worked. Has anyone else tried anything like it and would it work for equatant oncidiums. Thanks for your input.

I would be real careful with the equitants and hydroponics or water culture. I’m assuming you mean Tolumnias and such. These little guys seen to be rather intolerant of wet feet. Mine grow best mounted, or in a very coarse charcoal media, and a small amount of that. I have lost an equitant even that way from too much rain. They like to dry out quickly and I’m not sure the perlite will allow that. If you try it, don’t experiment with your favorite equitant first for sure. I haven’t tried this experiment though, maybe someone else has. If you do try it, I would be interested in hearing your results and methods. Good luck. — Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – many years ago I read an article in the AOS Bulletin about growing orchids in pearl-lite.  I tried it and it worked. Has anyone else tried anything like it and would it work for equatant oncidiums. Thanks for your input. I would be real careful with the equitants and hydroponics or water culture. I’m assuming you mean Tolumnias and such. These little guys seen to be rather intolerant of wet feet. Mine grow best mounted, or in a very coarse charcoal media, and a small amount of that. I have lost an equitant even that way from too much rain. They like to dry out quickly and I’m not sure the perlite will allow that. If you try it, don’t experiment with your favorite equitant first for sure. I haven’t tried this experiment though, maybe someone else has. If you do try it, I would be interested in hearing your results and methods. Good luck. — Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Ray, I see this as a challenge Water culture has a way of casting doubts on our beliefs regarding what is tolerable and what is not I’ll have a few equitants in water within 5 minutes. If you want to email me around the end of March, I’ll let you know how it’s going. -Rod- Venger’s Orchids Website http://www.vengers.com/

Response:

many years ago I read an article in the AOS Bulletin about growing orchids in pearl-lite.  I tried it and it worked. Has anyone else tried anything like it and would it work for equatant oncidiums.  

I grow all my orchids in hydroponic medium.  These are basicly just synthetic ceramic rocks.  They’re great.  They never decay.  They drain well.  I have Cyms and Oncidiae in this medium.  Go to a hydroponic supply store and they’ll sell you some.  They will try to sell you an "ebb and flow" hydroponic system. These are designed to flood your pots with water once a day or more, using a timer and a water tank.  I think this is overwatering for almost any kind of orchid, so I didn’t buy the system.  I just water by hand once a week or more if it’s hot weather.  I suppose you could use an ebb-and-flow system on a slower timer, but hand watering is just as easy for me. It is quite possible to grow orchids without any medium at all.  Look at Venger’s web info about water culture.  A coworker overwatered and nearly killed a Phal, which I have been reviving with waterculture.  The roots don’t rot and the plant is rehydrating itself nicely. So go ahead and experiment with mixtures, including inorganic, synthetic things, and also with waterculture. Tom

Response:

I grow Equitants Oncidiums or Tolumnias whatever quite successfully in clay pots, use the smallest pot possible.  My mix is 3 parts seedling fir bark, 2 parts #3 perlite, and 2 parts pea size gravel.  95% of the plants that I planted right out of flask survived and are thriving into huge 6" tall plants.

Response:

Filed under: Growing Orchids

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