Post a reply

Image
Jan 1, 2016 9:25 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Chris Pollock
Copperas Cove, Tx (Zone 8a)
Adeniums Cactus and Succulents Dog Lover Greenhouse Hibiscus Plumerias
Seed Starter Region: Texas Garden Ideas: Level 2
The above is probably an obscure subject but I'll try to explain further. This year I've setup another greenhouse for all the rest of my plants other than my Orchids and seedlings. Inside this one I have plants like Angel Trumpets, Datura, Oleander, Geranium, Asparagus Fern, Bougainvillea and a couple of Hibiscus. The humidity inside is usually running between 75-99% at all times so it's practically raining inside. In fact water does drop off the top and sides onto the plants. With this in mind and the fact that the low temp is usually around 50 and the high around 65 with my heater (unless the sun comes out) should I cut back my watering schedule to maybe every week and a 1/2 or even more?
Chris - Linux since 1995
Image
Jan 1, 2016 10:05 AM CST
Name: Sue
Ontario, Canada (Zone 4b)
Annuals Native Plants and Wildflowers Keeps Horses Dog Lover Daylilies Region: Canadian
Butterflies Birds Enjoys or suffers cold winters Garden Sages Plant Identifier
Chris, you should water when your plants need it and that won't be on a fixed schedule because of weather variations such as the sun coming out as you mentioned, and individual plant needs. One of the easiest ways to tell if they need water is to lift the pot. Water when the pot weight feels light. Given the plants you have I imagine some pots will be too big for that, so the next suggestion is just to push a finger into the medium of each pot and water when it feels dry. Some of this will take a bit of experience so you may feel safer getting a moisture meter and testing instead - you can do that on a schedule more so than watering.
Image
Jan 1, 2016 11:31 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Chris Pollock
Copperas Cove, Tx (Zone 8a)
Adeniums Cactus and Succulents Dog Lover Greenhouse Hibiscus Plumerias
Seed Starter Region: Texas Garden Ideas: Level 2
Thanks Sue, the moisture meter sounds like a great idea. I'll take a look around to see what I can find. Happy New Year.
Chris - Linux since 1995
Image
Jan 1, 2016 1:43 PM CST
Name: Elaine
Sarasota, Fl
The one constant in life is change
Amaryllis Tropicals Multi-Region Gardener Orchids Master Gardener: Florida Irises
Herbs Region: Florida Vegetable Grower Daylilies Birds Cat Lover
I found the moisture meter works fine for plants in potting soil, like most of your tropicals but for orchids potted in chunky bark mix, it was rather undependable. Probably the large air spaces between the bark chunks Shrug!
Elaine

"Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." –Winston Churchill
Image
Jan 1, 2016 2:53 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Chris Pollock
Copperas Cove, Tx (Zone 8a)
Adeniums Cactus and Succulents Dog Lover Greenhouse Hibiscus Plumerias
Seed Starter Region: Texas Garden Ideas: Level 2
Thanks Elaine, I was thinking about putting the orchids on a every week and a half schedule of feeding? But I don't know if that is good or not with a lot of them putting out flower spikes.
Chris - Linux since 1995
Image
Jan 1, 2016 3:07 PM CST
Name: Elaine
Sarasota, Fl
The one constant in life is change
Amaryllis Tropicals Multi-Region Gardener Orchids Master Gardener: Florida Irises
Herbs Region: Florida Vegetable Grower Daylilies Birds Cat Lover
As Sue said, it really can't be on too strict of a schedule for any of your plants, Chris. If you have a week of sunny weather and lower humidity, you might need to water sooner, than if you get cloudy, rainy or snowy weather with cooler temperatures and higher humidity.

The critical thing for the orchids is to make sure that the roots are getting almost dry between waterings. So really, sticking your finger in there every few days is the best gauge. In cool weather I'd err on the dry side. Overwatering kills more orchids than any bug or disease, for sure. As far as the fertilizer, just make the solution maybe half as strong if the weather is cold.
Elaine

"Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." –Winston Churchill
Image
Jan 1, 2016 3:28 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Chris Pollock
Copperas Cove, Tx (Zone 8a)
Adeniums Cactus and Succulents Dog Lover Greenhouse Hibiscus Plumerias
Seed Starter Region: Texas Garden Ideas: Level 2
That's what I was looking for on the orchids Elaine! So if I were to take the wooden skewers I used to use on them and put them back in, check every few days to see if they're damp or not that would probably be a better indicator than sticking my fat fingers into them? Since it's staying between 50 (night) and 70 (on cloudy days) at the orchid table I'd imagine that would call for my orchid food being 1/2 strength?
Chris - Linux since 1995
Image
Jan 1, 2016 3:37 PM CST
Name: Elaine
Sarasota, Fl
The one constant in life is change
Amaryllis Tropicals Multi-Region Gardener Orchids Master Gardener: Florida Irises
Herbs Region: Florida Vegetable Grower Daylilies Birds Cat Lover
The skewers sound like a great idea, and yes, 1/2 strength should be plenty. If it gets colder for any length of time, cut back to 1/4 strength for a while.
Elaine

"Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." –Winston Churchill
Only the members of the Members group may reply to this thread.
Member Login:

( No account? Join now! )