Does anyone grow their orchids using the water culture or semi water culture method? I just learned of it and was wondering if it is effective?

I haven't tried it yet but plan to as soon as I find a suitable victim (ur... candidate). I got ahold of a couple free goldfish bowls and some clay pellets left over from my daughter's hydroponic system. I plan to use the semi-hydro method as I suspect that, long term, the all hydro wouldn't work (I think the orchid roots would rot). Using a clear container, I can monitor the amount of water my orchids get and I can watch the roots grow. I was going to try it with a Phalaenopsis and a Cattleya seedling.

This would be an interesting topic to move over to the orchid forum.

Oops...thought I had started it there!! LOL

I've been following a group on Facebook and they seem to be doing very well with them.... say the roots don't rot, just keep about 1/4 of the roots in the water and keep the crown completely out.

Thought it might be fun to try something new! (NOT my picture!!)

That's what I envisioned when I first heard about it. Like growing Peace Lilies in a glass vase with a Betta Fish swimming around in between the roots (Am I showing my age?). I did that once and still have the vase and thought growing orchids that way would be cool. But when I started researching, I couldn't find anything about it.

You may have started in the Orchid forum and I was just lost and confused.

If you youtube "water culture orchids" , there is lots of info and this is the facebook group I've been following... maybe they can help you...

Water Culture Orchids and General Orchid Care

https://www.facebook.com/group...

Seems like a great way to grow orchids especially in areas with low humidity. My daughter in Salt Lake has an Onc. Sharry Baby that I bought her 3 years ago. She grows it in a large, square glass vase with about 4in. of pea gravel in the bottom, the orchid's roots sitting on top of the water/gravel, and most of the foliage out the top of the vase. It seems really happy in there and has bloomed regularly for her. She keeps the water sweet by rinsing the gravel once in a while with a hydrogen peroxide douse. So far, I haven't noticed any of the roots venturing down into the gravel, though.

Interested to see how your Cattleya does growing with this method, Daisy. You too, Kim, keep us posted.

Some friends have asked me to adopt their mother's orchids (she died in January). They are mostly Phalaenopsis. I am getting out the vases and goldfish bowls in anticipation. I have to find something small enough for the little Cattleya seedling - maybe a 1/2 pint jar (its that small).

Have read about semi-hydro a lot and I have tested with some of my other plants. As to orchids, I think the best candidates will be those from the Oncidium alliance, they are such water hogs. Got to do proper timing in switching to semi-hydro though, at the time when the orchid is actually actively growing new roots, otherwise, so easy to rot the roots. But as always, got to make consideration for overall temps and airflow in ones growing area. It is indeed nice option if one does not like to water often, or the orchid is just so water needy.

And orchids do go in phases of going somewhat dormant after blooming, so one will still have to be observant about it, and just allow plant to rest. I like that with semi-hydro the media used are clay rocks, they do not rot, have lots of air pockets for airflow at rootzone, but it will also hold a lot of salt, so a good flushing of the media has to be done every so often.

I grew all my orchids in full water culture and have great success.

I've noticed that, especially with phalaenopsis, the bloom lasted longer.

I always made sure to sterilized the roots with hydrogen peroxide, removed dead/diseased roots with sterilized tools, and apply listerine (original orange/brown colour) on the roots which acts as antifungul. Let it dry for a day, rinse and then start with semi water culture. I moved them to full water culture after a month or so later. Refer to Samantha's orchid on YouTube. I learn a lot from her.

That is nice to know Orchidwaterculture. So at what time of the year do start the set-up? And what kind of water are you using? Tap water, rainwater, reverse osmosis water, distilled water?

I understand the semi-hydro portion, so with full water culture that you do, do you aerate the water or just replace the water every few days?

Hi Tarev,

First semiwater culture convert was done in mid winter, with full bloom. I bought a few new one is spring and early summer and converted all of them to semi water culture (all with blooms too). Blooms lasted 4-6 months. I know!! I was super happy!!

I used tap water. I'm based in Toronto, Ontario so we have pretty hard water.

At the moment, all my orchids are in full water culture. Each of them are kept in their own glass vase or wine glass. Nothing else in the glass except water and the orchid. Only 1/4 -1/3 of the roots are sub merged in water. I don't aerate the water. I always top up the water so that some of the roots are constantly covered in water. If you are concern with algae growth, just change the water. Some one said algae is good for the roots as it produces oxygen and would benefit the orchid roots. I noticed that the ones that I don't touch at all (as in remove the plant from the glass vase while doing water change) strives better.

Tips: make sure you removed all dead cells or you might get a lot of fungus. Sometimes it is difficult to remove all dead skins or roots, so I just apply listerine on the fungus or mold. I always rinse it off later. Alternatively, I will just submerge the fungus in water and drown/kill it. Seems to work for my phal.

DO NOT let the base of the leaves touch the water.

One final note, some of my orchids initially looses a few roots BUT new water roots grew and appears to strive in water.

Hope this helps.

Do post pictures. So we can all see what types of orchids you have. You mentioned Phals, are there other types you have used in this set-up?

Hi,

I have phalaenopsis, dendrobiums and oncidium in full water culture. I have given away 8-9 of my orchid collections (all in full water cultures) to friends.

I currently have a paphiopedilum, in semi water culture, with some "dragon stone" to provide calcium supplement. I'm still experimenting this setup.

Yes I will try to get some pics tomorrow. Here is a pic (apologies for the poor quality) of one phalaenopsis in full water culture, all set up in a glass vase with pebbles and ready to give to another friend. It is a keiki from a mummy plant converted to full water culture.

Mommy Dendrobium


Experiment: Baby Dendrobium loves to Be submerged way to the base. Took 6 months before water roots (lighter green colour) start shooting out from every direction.


Oncidium recovering from severe root rot when I first got it.


Phal in beer glass(beer culture?)

Your plants look beautiful!!! Some would say you have too much water in them, especially the 2nd picture but it really seems to be working for you.... keep up the good work!!

Thanks KLC.

Left plant from 2nd pic has gone through some abuse from cigarette smoke (from a visitor during one weekend). The top part of the root started dying and Fungus started attacking it. That water level is to drown the fungus before I clean it with listerine (when I have more time to do so).

@Orchidwaterculture Its great to find someone who knows what they are doing! I adopted some Phalaenopsis in the middle of March from a friend who's mother had died in January. So, for two months, they were cared for by people who had no idea what they were doing.

When I got them, they all had lost their roots to rot and spent the night in the trunk of my friends car (it was snowing, she didn't want to get them out). Add frostbite to root rot. I didn't have much hope for any of them.

Two months down the line, they are alive and growing new leaves and roots!

I want to try this. Mine dry put too quickly with bark, get soggy with moss. They are surviving, but not thriving.

I am in the northeast. Super dry in the winter. Breezy in the Sumner with fans in the windows. I need to find a good place for the orchids to live in my new place too. They need more sun, but I have the windows open, except in the bedroom where I have a window ac and a ceiling fan.

I have been thinking about this water culture regarding orchids. I came up with this point as first and foremost that an orchid is an epiphyte, it grows on another plant for support. Secondly their roots need air in order to survive. Water culture goes against point#2. So if you want to grow orchids hydroponically, you are walking on the edge. What it boils down to is growing orchids with marginal cultural practices where they might limp along for years, never performing like they should. OR you can grow them using accepted cultural practices such as pots, media, baskets and mounts.
I tell beginning orchid growers this point over and over again, if a big orchid blooms, is it healthy?? Or if the same plant is big enough to properly have eight spikes with 44 flowers, which plant is most likely to be healthier????? Stick to begonias or maybe impatiens with water culture, not orchids.
I had a few friends up North who tried to grow Phalaenopsis and Phragmipediums in shallow flowing water through connected plastic window boxes. Both had initial success and both later abandoned this method due to leaks, clogged pumps and gross looking algae growing every where.