This is my Phalaenopsis bellina ('Ingrid Ohh' x 'Joy'). It was a gift from Wendy about a year ago. Earlier this year, on April 2nd, I unpotted the plant, washed off the roots and "planted" it at the mouth of this 2 litre jar, which is filled with rain water. It hangs on the side of my kitchen cupboard, right next to the sink, where I see it and enjoy it, umpteen times a day. It continued to grow roots in the water as well as that nice, new, large leaf. Since April, the roots have added about 3 to 4 inches to their length; plus, it's added two more new roots, both of which have grown down into the water.
The plant had produced it's first 2 single blooms, one at a time, prior to being switched over to the water culture. After becoming aquatic, it has produced single flowers, 3 more times, opening it's latest (flower #5), just today.
Once I could see that the plant was happy and would ramain so, I bought a young Betta and installed him (Larry) and a small, feathery water plant on June 25. I feed Larry 3 granules of fish food 3 or 4 times daily, from the tip of my finger. Larry comes when he's called! Of course, the water plant and the Phal use his waste as their food. I do not fertilize the plants, ever. That would kill Larry.
Once a day, I use a small plastic air-hose to siphon out Larry's solid waste which collects at the bottom. This process also removes about 1/4 to 1/3 of the water, which is replaced with fresh rain water that is stored in the kitchen so as to be at the same room temperature. This reduces the risk of any temperature-shock stress being caused to the Phal, or to Larry.
The Phal bellina has grown foliage, roots and flowers continuously since becoming aquatic in April. The feathery water plant has grown, too....needing to be trimmed once already. Larry is about double the size he was when I bought him. So, all in all, I seem to have gotten things fairly well balanced and stable. I'm really enjoying this set-up. It's so easy to care for, being handy, right next to the kitchen sink. I can't wait to see how big the Phal will get and how many flowers I can get it to produce at the same time on multiple spikes.
Stay tuned.........
The flower below is fresh opened today. It has a bit better form than the previous one in the photo at the top. If the flower keeps on improving at this rate, it should be really incredible in a few months.
I should add that once I saw how well the bellina was doing, I tried it with a Phal. philippinensis. That one didn't work. The roots all rotted and that turned the water putrid. 'Had to repot that plant into a more "normal" potting mix and get it to regrow some new roots!
Also, to hang up the jar, I wrapped a 16 guage piece of florist wire around the neck of the jar and formed a small loop on the other end. The loop is hooked onto a nail on the side of the cupboard. The dark charcoal paper is behind the flower to make the bud face away from the wall as it develops. Flowers don't face towards the light, they face away from the dark. So, putting something dark where you do NOT want the flowers to face, makes them face the other way.
