# Beginner



## ldrhawke (Jan 26, 2010)

I was bite a few months ago by the orchid bug. Boy is there a lot to learn! I decided to use the LECA and s/h method, and have been very pleased with results so far. I combined it with Lechuza planters to keep them watered. I soaked the LECA in a double dose of fish emulsion for 48 hours and seeded the original plants bacteria into the soaking media. All the bare rooted plants have responded well.

I did notice an interesting thing today that happens when the filtered sunlight hits the dark colored Lechuza pots. The sun warms up the water stored in the system and then very effectively wets out and collects on the cooler LECA as it evaporates through it. A few snap shots.


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## SlipperFan (Jan 26, 2010)

Welcome to slippertalk, Idrhawke! It looks like you have a little different system for s/h than what I've seen. Could you explain it a little?


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## ldrhawke (Jan 26, 2010)

SlipperFan said:


> Welcome to slippertalk, Idrhawke! It looks like you have a little different system for s/h than what I've seen. Could you explain it a little?



What is your question specifically?


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## goldenrose (Jan 27, 2010)

Welcome ldrhawke! Plants look like they're responding quite well. 
I think this will answer Dot's enquiry, I'm not into S/H but this is what I found on a search -
http://www.indoorflowerpots.com/


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## biothanasis (Jan 27, 2010)

Welcome!!! Nice growing... :clap:


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## SlipperFan (Jan 27, 2010)

Thanks for the link, Rose. Very helpful.



ldrhawke said:


> What is your question specifically?



Your explanation here also helps:
http://www.slippertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14704&page=3


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## NYEric (Jan 27, 2010)

Welcome from NYC.


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## Ernie (Feb 3, 2010)

ldrhawke, where are you??? 

I did some poking and found your posts on other forums identical to your intro here. All plugging Lechuza and dropping links that seem harmless and using images directly from the Lechuza site. Even craftily making it past the admins on some other orchid forums where non-sponsored plugs are strictly forbidden. Bravo. You might be happy to know you are welcome to be a vendor here at no charge to you other than posting once in a while and maybe donating a little or holding an auction once in a while as a voluntary show of appreciation. Just contact one of the the admins. 

If you have something to sell, fine. What bugs us (correct me if I'm wrong, my ST cohorts) is trickery and deception. 

IMHO it is also advisable to try growing plants in a media/with a method for more than a couple months before you pass any major judgements on its performance ("I was bite [sic] a few months ago by the orchid bug..."). I'd recommend at least one year or one complete bloom cycle- whichever is longer- before loving or hating a system. Plants establish super fast in Lechuza apparently. And even send up multiple spikes immediately after repotting (assuming it takes the typical couple or four months from spike initiation to full flush)? If this is true, and the pix you posted are actually your established, three-months-from-the-grower plants, PLEASE continue to share! 

If I'm wrong. Consider this a friendly call out to post your real name and some info about you and we'll start from scratch. Clean slate from me.

Fellow Slippertalkers, if i'm out of line, and you guys aren't getting bad vibes from ldrhawke, please set me straight. 

-Ernie


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## NYEric (Feb 3, 2010)

At least there were responses to inquiries. If a person is interested in what Idrhawke has shown, now that person can follow up. That's the freedom to pursue what interest you that's allowed by our great forum.


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## goldenrose (Feb 3, 2010)

Ernie said:


> ldrhawke, where are you??? ......
> Fellow Slippertalkers, if i'm out of line, and you guys aren't getting bad vibes from ldrhawke, please set me straight. -Ernie


:clap: Ernie & Ray, I don't think you two were out of line at all! I was very tempted to say something but I'm not very tactful, being a moderator, I thought it was best to keep my mouth shut! I felt like he was trying to shove it down my throat! I don't think we're going to hear back, his last post when he & Ray were hashing it out said something to the effect, well you guys fight it out, bye ......


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## SlipperFan (Feb 3, 2010)

I'm with Rose.

Ernie, you are not out of line. I thought Ray's post was a little strong, but he saw though things like I didn't. I agree with you: ldrhawke -- be honest. But I suspect s/he has gone on from here.


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## etex (Feb 5, 2010)

Ernie and Ray were right on the money!
I didn't respond earlier because his focus was on the Lechuza planters and not on orchids. As a relative beginner, I know it takes more than 'a couple of months' of growing to brag about benefits with a certain systems. Unless, you were selling those systems in which case his posts were dishonest- as he said he was a new orchid grower.


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## ldrhawke (Mar 8, 2010)

*For the Lynch mob*

For Christmas, I sent my sister; who lives in Chicago, a bare rooted phal and a Lechuza planter, that I purchased in Florida. I also sent some LECA media that I presoaked in fish emulsion. 

Even during the winter in Chicago it is doing great. It sits in a west window in her kitchen. In less 10 weeks it is loaded with new roots on all sides of the planter insert, as you can see in the photos. It has also thrown up several new leaves and spikes with dozens of buds. This photo isn't great because it was made over iChat on the computer while talking.


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## musiclovertony (Mar 8, 2010)

that's great that it is working out well for her. does she have experience growing plants?


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## ldrhawke (Mar 8, 2010)

musiclovertony said:


> that's great that it is working out well for her. does she have experience growing plants?



She has a black thumb. The only other plant in her house is Flowers.com orchid I sent as a gift a couple of years ago. It was nearly totally dead when she decided it may help to water it. It popped back after a life of neglect. She hasn't done anything to the phal I sent other than keep the water gauge on half full. I was really very surprised how well it was doing when she showed me.


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## ldrhawke (Mar 12, 2010)

ldrhawke said:


> For Christmas, I sent my sister; who lives in Chicago, a bare rooted phal and a Lechuza planter, that I purchased in Florida. I also sent some LECA media that I presoaked in fish emulsion.
> 
> Even during the winter in Chicago it is doing great. It sits in a west window in her kitchen. In less 10 weeks it is loaded with new roots on all sides of the planter insert, as you can see in the photos. It has also thrown up several new leaves and spikes with dozens of buds. This photo isn't great because it was made over iChat on the computer while talking.



Another computer photo of the orchid. Both the leaves shown are new growth and several new additional stems are coming up at the base that are hard to see in this poor quality computer screen shot. I was impressed with the size of the blooms. I think the cold trip to Chicago fooled the orchid into believing spring had arrived when it was removed from the cold dark box. She says she only watered it once.


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## NYEric (Mar 12, 2010)

Thanx for posting.


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