I have done some semi hydroponics using normal pots with a cup in the bottom
to hold water and filled with perlite then topped off with pea gravel to
hold everything down. This works quite well. I read where one of the
Botanical Gardens (not sure but think it was Boston's) plants nearly
everything with this method.
I have considered trying this on some seedlings out of flask. Tying them to
a toothpick or something and staking them in a fine silica rock top
layer(used a hammer on some) and a normal grade in the bottom.
Rays S/H in the clear pots looks good. But would a net basket and drip feed
hydro be a step up or a mistake?
Anyone have any experience with hydro and orchids? And with what species?
Anyone grow any Vandas this way?
When we use a very open and airy mix and water more we are doing almost the
same thing as hydro. Using Aliflor, Dyna-Rok or Diatomite or some other
media that wont break down also helps reduce the presence of pests that feed
on decaying matter.

Thanks
Roger in Indy

I have successfully deflasked paphs by placing the entire agar block on top
of the fine LECA (coarse perlite should also be OK) and then filling in all
around it to the level of the agar. As the agar slowly dissolves with each
watering, add more material between and surrounding the seedlings to keep a
constant level.

By doing it that way, there's no need to stake them, as they are held by the
agar at first, then by their own root systems.

I recommend against a net pot, as it will dry the medium faster, negating
the capillary action from the reservoir. If you DO go with net, a constant
overhead drip might be necessary to overcome that, but why bother when the
bottom reservoir works fine.

Personally, I recommend against vandaceous plants in S/H, as their roots
seem to like to dry more than others'. That may have more to do with the
fact that I'm growing in a greenhouse with ample humidity, as I do have some
customers who successfully grow them in S/H in the home.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Artwork, Books and Lots of Free Info!


"Roger Boughner" <rb55 [at] comcast.net> wrote in message
news:L46dnRNFVsi1daneRVn-vg [at] comcast.com...
>I have done some semi hydroponics using normal pots with a cup in the
>bottom to hold water and filled with perlite then topped off with pea
>gravel to hold everything down. This works quite well. I read where one of
>the Botanical Gardens (not sure but think it was Boston's) plants nearly
>everything with this method.
> I have considered trying this on some seedlings out of flask. Tying them
> to a toothpick or something and staking them in a fine silica rock top
> layer(used a hammer on some) and a normal grade in the bottom.
> Rays S/H in the clear pots looks good. But would a net basket and drip
> feed hydro be a step up or a mistake?
> Anyone have any experience with hydro and orchids? And with what species?
> Anyone grow any Vandas this way?
> When we use a very open and airy mix and water more we are doing almost
> the same thing as hydro. Using Aliflor, Dyna-Rok or Diatomite or some
> other media that wont break down also helps reduce the presence of pests
> that feed on decaying matter.
>
> Thanks
> Roger in Indy
>