# To Mist Or Not To Mist



## wilbeck (Jan 17, 2007)

That is the question.

If so, with what, how often, and when?

Thanks,

Wilson


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## gonewild (Jan 17, 2007)

wilbeck said:


> That is the question.
> 
> If so, with what, how often, and when?
> 
> ...



Mist what?

And under what conditions?


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## wilbeck (Jan 17, 2007)

I refer to misting the leaves of the slippers with a hand-held spray bottle. Is that is advisable? If so, how often and are there any seasonal variations in the schedule? Does one put any "stuff" in the solution, such as fertilizer or Physan 20, etc.? Do you use tap water or RO water? Thanks for any information.

Wilson


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## cdub (Jan 17, 2007)

I'm taking a chance because we're in the 'Beginner' zone, and assuming you don't grow in a greenhouse, but rather in a home. I say NO MIST. Misting only briefly raises the relative humidity just about the surfaces around the leaves an such and quickly dissipates if you're not in a closed area such as a greenhouse, in which case wetting the greenhouse area or running a swamp cooler is more effective. I used to mist things on my windowsill but all it did was get the plants wet and leave waterspots on my leaves (OK I could have used distilled h2o to avoid the spots). But, I switched to humidity trays because they keep the RH at a respectable level (50-80% RH) and my hand has stopped hurting from the hand sprayer.


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## gonewild (Jan 17, 2007)

I'm a firm advocate of misting plants. It is one of the eaisest natural growth elements to simulate. 

Water (moisture) on the leaves can make up for low humidity in the air.
Water on the leaves will have a cooling effect on leaf tissue, temperature wise. (evaporative cooling).
Water on the leaves has a cleansing effect and helps to wash away atmospheric polluntants.
Moisture on the leaves will reduce stress on a plant.

I would avoid misting with tap water if it is high in minerals. Use distilled or RO water instead. Adding fertilizer to the mist water is a good idea as plants can take in nutrients through their foliage. (not to strong)

I mist plants often throughout the day. You will want your foliage dry before nightfall (temperature fall) so stop misting several hours before lights out.

Don't add physan or other treatment chemicals to the mist water for general misting. Save those chemicals for when a problem arises.

Misting is good.... it also gives you one more little thing you can do with your plants to enjoy and observe them. They will respond to the added attention.


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## wilbeck (Jan 17, 2007)

Thanks for the information. I'll start using a spray bottle on occasion with RO water, perhaps in the morning before I go to work.


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## Heather (Jan 17, 2007)

The only plant I have ever misted on a regular basis is my Mexipedium. It likes it! Especially during the winter time, when I water it a little less. FWIW, this is the only plant I water less in the winter. 

Since reading some of the things Lance has posted on this topic, I try to go and mist my other plants occasionally. Just cause I think they might like it...a little extra fresh drink. : ) 

Not scientific, but what I do. Or dew....


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## wilbeck (Jan 17, 2007)

Cdub is correct. I have no greenhouse and won't get one, but I do have a sun room that is reasonably well climate-controlled and keep most of my orchids on humidity trays. All of my slippers look fine except for my P. malipoense which was stricken with some sort of disorder. I bought my first orchid, an unidentified Paph about 2.5 years ago. This last ten months I've gone a little crazy and added twenty more slippers, about half of them seedlings. I'm trying not to get obessed, just very interested in doing well by my plants.


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## Heather (Jan 17, 2007)

wilbeck said:


> I'm trying not to get obsessed...



Good luck with that... 

Your sunroom sounds divine! May I have it?


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## Jon in SW Ohio (Jan 17, 2007)

If you have a sunroom, I'd definitely recommend an ultrasonic (cool mist) humidifier.

Jon


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## NYEric (Jan 18, 2007)

Mist if it's warm or dry. Kind of makes sense.


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## Rick (Jan 20, 2007)

Allot of my plants are mounted so I mist every morning with RO water. The paphs get the overspray, but I don't purposely mist the paphs daily. Maybe every other or third day.

I also maintain a humidity of 70% or more with a fogger. Since this runs on crusty well water it doesn't get directed on the plants. Its on a humidistat, so it comes on whenever the humidity is low day or night.


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## wilbeck (Jan 23, 2007)

I'll mist with RO or DH water a bit more now after getting this advice. Thanks. Perhaps I need to get a hygrometer for the solarium, though the room does have other houseplants and an aquarium in it, so maybe that's all I need to maintain a fair level of humidity.


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## Rick (Jan 23, 2007)

wilbeck said:


> I'll mist with RO or DH water a bit more now after getting this advice. Thanks. Perhaps I need to get a hygrometer for the solarium, though the room does have other houseplants and an aquarium in it, so maybe that's all I need to maintain a fair level of humidity.



That is a good possibility. The more plants the more evapotranspiration, and higher humidity. And open top aquariums are like humidity trays.

Get a hygrometer and see what it says:clap:


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## Greenpaph (Jan 24, 2007)

I agree with Lance!

Especially on cold days (heat comes on more often) or sunny days.


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## NYEric (Jan 24, 2007)

Rick said:


> the more _evapotranspiration_, and higher humidity.


Whoa, SAT time! oke:


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