s/h growers another repotting question

[Cinderella]

I was wondering: of the s/h growers out there, how many of you wait for new root growth before transferring to s/h and how many of you just go ahead and move it over?

Also if you could note if you grow only slippers or you grow other genus too.

 

[Candace]

s/h

Cinderella, have you visited and read all the info. at www.firstrays.com? That's one of the most important "rules" of s/h....

 

[Cinderella]

I know it is recommended but it seems slippers and some phals are less picky about it so I wondered what everybody else does.

Also I find it easy to see new root development with phals, catts and some other genus but a little tougher with slippers. Maybe that is just me?

 

[Candace]

s/h

Most people who don't have success with s/h transfer plants over when not in active growth. It's recommended to do so for a reason. Many to most of the roots that haven't acclimated to s/h die and rot. This is normal. If the plant isn't in active growth, that means no roots and eventual decline and death. Why even risk it?? I have over a thousand plants in s/h, all genera.

 

[Heather]

I only have Paphs and Phrags. The only ones that struggled were the ones with no active root growth when I moved them. I would wait.

 

[Cinderella]

What if you get a bareroot plant? I just go ahead and put it in s/h.

 

[Candace]

s/h

I wouldn't order bareroot plants unless it were Spring/warmer weather and they'd be in active growth. Throwing bareroot, inactive plants in s/h is asking for trouble. Again, why risk it.

 

[Cinderella]

OK, but what if you trade with someone or someone gifts you with a new plant? Those usually come bareroot. What would you do? Also when a grower grows in some kind of medium that you cannot. e.g. Norman's (I don't order from them anymore, but just for example) 6 feet of sphag. I can't grow in that here.

 

[smartie2000]

I have gotten plants bare root in the middle of Canada's winter...It is possible, and it was a paph that was in bud.

 

[gonewild]

OK, but what if you trade with someone or someone gifts you with a new plant? Those usually come bareroot. What would you do? Also when a grower grows in some kind of medium that you cannot. e.g. Norman's (I don't order from them anymore, but just for example) 6 feet of sphag. I can't grow in that here.

Under these conditions I would just pot them up in the s/h. Better to have them in a media you can grow in. When you do pot them into s/h try to keep the old roots above the waterline, which will help the old roots adjust.

I've moved plants into s/h from old normal mix that had poor roots and they grow just fine. Actually I just move plants into s/h whenever I feel like it regardless of whether they have active roots or not. Just take some extra care with watering until new roots begin to grow.

Who made up the rules anyway? :evil:

 

[Candace]

"I have gotten plants bare root in the middle of Canada's winter...It is possible, and it was a paph that was in bud."

That means it was in active growth. I've got many paphs in bud in the winter.


"I've moved plants into s/h from old normal mix that had poor roots and they grow just fine. Actually I just move plants into s/h whenever I feel like it regardless of whether they have active roots or not. Just take some extra care with watering until new roots begin to grow.

Who made up the rules anyway?"

Basically, people who want to be able to grow orchids better, and easier than in organic media. I'm not saying it can't be done, but if you have to "take special care" and baby it, then the benefits of growing in s/h are thrown out the door.

 

[Cinderella]

Maybe it also depends on how good your conditions are too, Lance. My conditions are not that stellar so I can't afford to cut too many corners.

 

[gonewild]

I guess my point is that there should be no strict rules for s/h. There are guidelines that should be altered to fit ones growing conditions. I don't see how repotting a plant into s/h as opposed to normal media will cause the roots to rot unless the plant is suddenly kept to wet. There are no miracle mixes or methods that allow us to ignore the plants needs. I think s/h is a good method to use and the care a plant requires will be more forgiving than with organic mixes.

The reason roots rot when moved into s/h would have to be because they suddenly are kept to wet compared to what they were adjusted to. If your s/h air water ratio is correct the roots should not rot, but rather slowly die out as new roots grow in. If you have a plant that is bare root, potting into s/h and watering it sparingly should be no different that potting back into an organic mix which should be watered carefully also.

Once the plant is bare rooted it is likely better to pot it into the s/h media you want in in permanently regardless of what mix it came out of.

 

[Candace]

S/h inherently has a wetter gradient than organic mixes. Hence the name semi-hydro. This means it will usually be wetter than the original plants previous medium.


"Once the plant is bare rooted it is likely better to pot it into the s/h media you want in in permanently regardless of what mix it came out of."

I agree with this one statement of yours. But, if it's not in active growth I wouldn't grow it using the true s/h techinique. I would simply put it in leca and water sparingly and make sure to empty out the resevoir. Upon seeing new active growth, I'd up the watering and then carry on as usual, keeping the usual one inch. plus resevoir of water filled.

 

[gonewild]

S/h inherently has a wetter gradient than organic mixes. Hence the name semi-hydro. This means it will usually be wetter than the original plants previous medium.

I'm not sure it is actually wetter than mixes containing sphag, chc or even pumice. It may be wetter than fresh bark but I think broken down bark will even have a "wetter' effect on the roots. I assume when we are referring to s/h we are talking about media such as leca which has a tremendous air space compared to organic mixes. This extra air space should neutralize what appears to be a wetter root environment. Of course the area of the water reservoir is wetter.

And I would suggest it is better to replant most plants just before they begin active growth, regardless of the media.

 

[ScottMcC]

something I've done with plants that weren't actively growing when I got them is just pot them in a normal pot in primeagra. They require watering every 1-2 days that way, but stay a lot dryer than s/h. I figure this is a transition phase, subject to conversion to s/h later, once they're growing actively.

But I've moved a few plants from bark to s/h when they weren't growing actively. They struggled a little, but they didn't die. I'm kinda with Lance--the rules aren't exactly set in stone, and while they exist for a reason, you shouldn't get too dogmatic about them.

 

[Candace]

I don't know how Ray deals with you people:>

 

[Grandma M]

I usually pot them up whenever it is convenient for me. I have not had a problem doing that. All of my slippers are in S/H and they love it, especially the phrags. A few other orchids are also in S/H and doing well.

EXCEPT.....I just paid $100.00 for a phrag and $39.00 to have it sent by air because of the cold. I may wait to put this into S/H until it adjusts to it's new home. Am I being a chicken????

Grandma

 

[gonewild]

I usually pot them up whenever it is convenient for me. I have not had a problem doing that. All of my slippers are in S/H and they love it, especially the phrags. A few other orchids are also in S/H and doing well.

EXCEPT.....I just paid $100.00 for a phrag and $39.00 to have it sent by air because of the cold. I may wait to put this into S/H until it adjusts to it's new home. Am I being a chicken????

Grandma

Yes oke:

 

[NYEric]

S/h inherently has a wetter gradient than organic mixes. Hence the name semi-hydro. This means it will usually be wetter than the original plants previous medium.

I hate to be the Devil's advocate :evil: but... My organic mixes are hydro and therefore wetter than S/H media.