Orchids.....getting them to grow
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
- .....I struggle with my speech and finding the right words sometimes...….but the subject is so important for getting your orchids to grow correctly...…..thank you for watching...…...Rick L.
I wonder if the orchid community here on RUclips realizes how differently we are growing orchids these days. Many things changed just after you started talking about feed and even before that, when you put everybody thinking how orchids "work". There is a before and after the day you started your channel and the world of orchid fans and growers has to thank you for it. I beleive we all grow better now but yet so much to learn.
Another great vídeo, thanks Rick. Big hug to you and Jan.
Fernanda Nascimento orchids & succulents hear, hear!!
my dear friend.......you touch my heart and make me smile.........I love helping others grow these beautiful plants....Thank you
Fernanda Nascimento orchids & succulents
Fernanda very nicely put
I have to say, out of all the videos found today, i consider only 4 people who i would consider knowledgeable about orchids and from that select group, you are the most sensible . The way you approach the growing of plants is so logical . You sir have taught me more about orchids than anyone I know. Thank you, ....
thank you Kent..........simple info, facts , research are the best
Hey Rick, I hope you can read this and appreciate how many people you've helped over the last few years. You have taught us so much & have inspired us to understand the importance of feeding our orchids the right nutrients they need. Not only that, you have inspired us all, with your courage in the face of overwhelming odds. I hope you know how many people you have touched, and how many people love you, and hope by some miracle you will be healed, and back to making videos.
Your two cents have been of a huge help to me and many others. I've taken your videos, thought about them, made decisions and changes and seen instant and excellent results. So truly thank you for your two cent they have made all of us richer!
so very kind my friend.........thank you.......
I don't know about everyone else, but I LOVE your videos about nutrients and how you mix it up! Thank you!!
thank you......Im so happy your enjoying them...
Rick, thank you for your videos. I have learned so much! Your explaination about nutrients and the importance of pH has opened a whole new world to me as an amateur grower. Thank you so much for sharing this expert knowledge with all of us. God Bless
You are very welcome
Welcome back Rick. I can't get enough of nutrient talks. Thank you!!
Wow, you have quite a huge collection now that you've lined them all up! You sound great and I hope you and your wife are doing well. Thanks for another teaching video.
Hi Ric. Thank you for sharing you invaluable “2-cents”😄. They make a lot of sense. I changed my orchid feeding routine as you suggest. (I just recently discovered your past fertilizing videos) Can I tell you, it made a world of difference! I can’t thank you enough for sharing your wealth of knowledge. Please keep the great videos coming. We look forward to it.
Prayers of good health to you and Jan
Hi I’m a fellow orchid manic from Alabama too!! My hubs & I are obsessed I got a greenhouse for my bday and I’m up to 95 orchids
I miss you on your AV channel and hope you are well.
Your orchids look good. Your channel is a real orchid channel! I am tired of watching so many orchid blooper channels on RUclips, like Attainable Green, Missy Orchid, et al.
Very thought provoking. Some of my lawn nutrients also have sea kelp in them to stimulate grass root growth. I get excited when I take information you taught me and see that it applies to other things. PH is a good example with skin care products. They have to be within a certain ph range in order for skin to reap its benefits. I love that we're never too old to learn.
..........your thoughts and comments are always so refreshing..........thanks Amy
I use all of Ray's nutrients and I have to say it's well worth the money. You get so much general fertilizer (K- lite) it feels like it's going to last forever. I found his products while looking for a suitable kelp fertilizer. I couldn't find anything that compared to his kelp quality wise. I did have questions so I emailed him and he answered all my questions personally. I was blown away by his knowledge and customers service. I decided to go ahead and try the rest of it. My orchids, and all my other plants love his system! For those of us who are still trying to learn to read our plants the way you can, I can at least have the peace of mind that my orchids won't be lacking in any area with this nutrient system and if I ever have a question I know it will be answered. So glad to hear you mention him, I also found all the information he has on his website more than helpful. Between the two of you in the last year I've learned more than I bargained for. Thank you for making these videos!
He is a wealth of information.......and his experience is hands on.......I may have to try his Kelpmax......
This was a good chat. I've definitely noticed a lot of improvement in growth and blooming since I've started adding kelp. Probably the most success I've had thus far actually!
......thank you Gabrielle...remember the results for all this hard work will come this fall....
You are a wealth of information, Rick! You make so much sense and I love to watch each and every one of your uploads. Blessings to you, Jan and family. 💛 Az🌵here.
Thank you Rick for this great video. You and your wife have a wonderful day.
I’m here for it! No rain but I’m making orchids grow!!!! Happy Growing from your PhalPal Durrell
.......you make me smile my friend.......
Thanks Rick!
Just when I was getting discouraged you brighten up my day! I bought KelpMax about a month ago and see nice roots and growth on orchids. Just have to be patient for the blooms. Thank you always for sharing your knowledge.
Many blessings and prayers for your family❤️
Looks/sounds like I need to change just one thing - instead of adding the kelp extract every couple of weeks, it would be better to add less but much more often. And perhaps add the Magnesium Sulphate a little more often too (now the light levels at higher)?
.........you have great instincts Roger.......Your collection will have one of its best growing seasons this year
I miss your videos. I hope and pray you get better. Thank you for sharing your knowledge about raising orchids. God bless and take care.
So glad to hear from you, I think o f you and your wife often and say a little prayer for you both. You sound very good today. Plants looks great.
Thank you for the info on fertilizer.
It's always good to hear from you and love your canopy. I have just starting repotting some of my orchids with lava rocks medium. We shall see how they do. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge and experiments.
Thank you Rick!!! I appreciate your time, your knowledge, thanks for sharing ❤️😁
Fabulous video! You're such a wealth of information!
Thank you Rick for the amazing information.I guess I am on the right track..I am using seaweed often.Happy growing !
Hi Ricky thanks for the update! Lovely to catch up on how you and your orchids are doing, and good to hear in your voice your all doing well ! Excellent explanation about hormones and how the kelp/seaweed fertiliser helps.
I’ve been using it now in addition to my CalMag in every watering, so my mounts get fresh everyday when I water them, and it really has improved the growth and flowering of all my orchids, and now I know what was causing, particularly noticeable on my Phals and vandas , the roots to get so fat and gorgeous and new root shoots off the main branch!
With hugs always from across the pond😘
Hi Rick and Jan, so much great information. I'll have to use the seaweed and kelp extract more and the cal- mag. My orchid's are doing so well from all your video's. I have phalaenopsis orchids that haven't branched off there old spike and branched off that same spike as well. I have so many in spike right now. Phalaenopsis orchids that lasted all winter and are spiking again. Unbelievable root growth, leaf growth. I have just branched off and purchased a path, an oncidium heaven scent redolence orchid that smells like chocolate it came with a spike. Another oncidium orchid coming tomorrow as well. I just purchased a pink lemonade Miltoniopsis today can't wait for that to come as well. I want to Thank you for all your knowledge you have shared with us all. God Bless you and yours Rick.💕🥰💕💕
........wonderful to hear Roxanne........and I love your choices to add to your collection....thank you my friend.
@@rickl.orchids Thank you 😊💕
50° now,10:50 am. Lucky you people who get warmth. Love your info.
Always look forward to watching your videos. Thank you for sharing.
More excellent information. Thank you so much for all of your research, my plants are thankful, too! 😎
Great video Rick. When you are using a quite a few different 'supplements' sometimes it's hard to put your finger on what action is causing what result. I love that you have focused on calcium , then shown is results. And now focusing on seaweed and showing us results.
One of my liquid fertilizers contains seaweed which I've used about once every 2 weeks. Can't wait to use it more often when the weather warms up here in Brisbane to test the results :) . Thanks again and all the best to you and Jan :)
I have to listen to this video again lots of information that l need to take in al the best to you and your wife God bless
Hi Rick, just found your channel - Great Stuff! watched a few and really appreciate your info. Ordered myself a TDS meter and some kelp sauce. Bought my first 6 orchids last week.
By the way, I am VERY happy to watch you mix nutrients. With your running commentary, it is so interesting and enlightening!
I kinda like watching the mix get made. Oops to much more water lol but the numbers that's definitely the important info. Oh and you have started talking about hormones. Well that gave me a idea. It's fare out lol literally. What can I say my plants seem to do well enough.
Thank You for another great video, I lay in wait for another video from you lol I have learned so much I now have my own Rick notebook. Prayers to you and Jan.
Good to see how well the plants are doing. You sound good so I'm hoping things are going better for you and Jan. Tk1
.......he blesses me with more good days than bad..........thanks Willa......
@@rickl.orchids ❤❤❤🌸🐩
As always, thanks so much for this wonderful vid chat Rick. Thanks for reiterating the points and refreshing the important facts & figures time & time again. God bless you & your wife with good health & happiness always
Hi Rick happy to watch your video, I haven’t mention since I’m following you my orchids are beautiful, flowering all the time.
Thank you so much for you inf.😃🇨🇦
Thanks Yanet
Thanks so much for all the great info. I never get tired of you nutrient talks. Hope all is well at your home.
I think you are wonderful 🤗
Good stuff Rick....I hope you get some rain soon there is nothing better then fresh rain water,plants love it!
Thank you, Rick! I've started to apply your feeding/nutrient practices to my platycerium collection as well. They're all epiphytes getting their nutrients from the same source at the same rate. So far everything looks good!
So true. I think we can all learn something from your videos. All the best for you and Jan. God bless you both. Thanks for sharing.
I so much appreciate your aura Rick. I can think of a RUclips orchid grower who, although very sensitive, comes across to me as snooty, and ignores some good points that I put forward. And I don't believe this particular one really knows too much, but the most troublesome thing is the attitude. You have that great attitude, realising that you are "underneath" the knowledge.... If we don't realise that, then we will not really learn. I always take notice of what you relate to us, and where I can, I will give feedback
........thanks for the kind words.....to me knowledge is a blessing and something to not take for granted....and its not always what comes from books, or classes, or for that matter .....what professionals in that field even say....... Ill take someone with "hands on experience", and an "open mind"... any day........and I regret not being more active in pursuing my side passions till this time in life.....
......As for snooty, stubborn, people.......living with Parkinsons has taught me to never wonder why others are the way they are...... without walking in their shoes for a day..........thanks again.
Mr.Rick thank you for another great video . In one of your video you talk about the important of a dry day on phal, but can't find it.
........I think its important to let all orchids dry out between waterings.......it allows root growth and cell structure to mature and toughen
@@rickl.orchids Thank you 👍💕
You msy have said it before however I had my a ha moment when you said, orchids grow on "living" trees, not dead ones... Media doesn't give the nutrients... My a ha moment! Makes so much commen sense! Thank you!
thank you Tina.... thank you............
Hi Rick, I should tell you , eversince ive learned a lot from you, i need to get bigger pots and have been and will be repotting a lot of my orchids this year, they have grown so much. They are adapting well to lava rock , some in hydroton. some in gravel. I can't thank you enough. Much love to your family from mine here in Cali.
Rick, I love your passion for feeding your orchids! I am going to do exactly what you suggested (10 drops of each cal mag and kelp in a gallon).
I feel the same way, (especially if you use leca as your medium) more feeding is necessary!
Please 🙏🏼, do a video on the lava or river rock you use as your medium to support the needs of nutrients and hormones to grow these beautiful species.
Greatly appreciate you sir.
Thanks for really explaining and Seriously helping me understand. I have been using seaweed for a few weeks and I have already seen results.
Hi Rick 😀 I am glad to hear from you! I have no problem with mine since I follow your recommendation thank you so much, also are you still have your beautiful African Violets?? Please do a video 😆👍
thanks Ashley.......my violets are growing beautifully and blooming..........but they are being cared for by another grower......I had to give them away the last time I got bad.........I miss them and will start some new ones soon.....
@@rickl.orchids well you and Jan health are more important, please take care of each other ...I have y'all in my prayers 🙏❤💖👍
Hey dear brother, you got me more than thinking, MIND BLOWN! So much great information! Your just a wealth of knowledge! So smart! Thanks for sharing your knowledge! I would not be "into" orchids if not for you! I was ready to give up. I pray you and Jan and your mother are all doing great! So glad to hear your voice today! 😁 blessings from Wv
thanks sis......
Great video 👍
Thank you Rick for such an informative video!
Thank you teacher!
Hi Rick, welcome back!!!
Rick, my husband and I have been missing you. We were praying all was OK. So glad to have a new huge lesson again.
Would you write these words you are saying so I can look them up as well?
Auxins and Cytokinins.........Thank you for the very kind thoughts...
My tastes are way too expensive to ever be able to retire but i wish i could putter around my orchid collection all day and feed them and tend to them as you describe...Most of mine are in lava/stone...and when i put them outside i thoroughly believe in moisture moisture moisture...especially as our temps reach into the high 80s...i think my pots hold it more since i dunk them and they get moist all through but my mounts could sure benefit from being dunked twice a day even more in the rain water with fertilizer..i just can't do it now...i can't even come home at lunch and do it...i have too many lol...all i can do is water them with the hose...and that is only flushing them more...so..you are right..they are doing good but would be better if i could only dunk them more often in fertillized solution..anyway thanks for your words
we live with them and they live with us..........concessions have to be made...........a spray system would maybe help you with you schedule......at least for feeding them....
@@rickl.orchids yeah a spray system would help but i prefer the idea of me manually spraying them when needed..I'm not so keen on the lack of control when the weather around here is so damn unstable all the time anymore.
I love this video..so informative!
So informative. Thank you.
Hey Rick, don't forget about the research into the effects of porous clay pots. The experience I, and other growers I've conversed with, have is with cacti and succulents. They cause a big hidden problem in those circumstances.
can you direct me to some other examples of that issue...…...
@@rickl.orchids Well, you've seen that video now on my channel where it was so extreme that it looked like the roots were actually the pot! Basically, all I can say is the particular nature of porous fired clay draws the water constantly out through the sides of the pot, and the roots keep following it. It results in a shell of roots clinging to the inside of the pot, which are very vulnerable to drying out and heat (and cold), and very little root in the main body of the pot. I think these root repeatedly die and are replaced. Then at repotting time, all those roots stuck to the inside of the pot get damaged or removed anyway.
Whereas non-porous pots don't have this problem (including high-fired non-porous unglazed pots). And the roots tend to be well distributed within the pot, and don't stick like a shell to the inside of it.
I mean to be fair, I've been a gardener for 20 years and most of the plants I unpot to put in the ground do have a shell of roots on the inside of the pot. But they usually have a pretty good mass of them within the body of the pot also.
Such beautiful flowers. New friend here, I just subscribed to your channel. I hope we can stay connected!
Hi Ric, thank you for sharing your thoughts it is very appreciated. I am fertilising between 150 and 180/200, and like you this is daily, or if the weather isn't too good, (after all I do live in England) every other day. The orchids are soaking these nutrients and sending out new growths and roots. It is time consuming, if like me, you have to water your orchids in the bathroom but now that I'm retired, it is much easier. I am hopeful that come next autumn my chances of seeing more blooms develop might be achievable. Question: you grow in grow stones etc so your orchids absorb continuously with daily fertilising; in an organic media would the quality of those same nutrients still be absorbed say 3/5 days later, or would they just sit there and eventually accumulate as salt buildups. Am I making sense? 👋😊
Margaret......you are a intuitive grower, and spot on........orchids can only absorb what is right on the roots or right next to them.......everything else just accumulates.....and then needs flushing out.......after 2-3 days they have eaten everything with in reach and need either moisture to move nutrients around again or a new feeding...........bark and moss hold moisture but don't feed the orchids at all......
Rick L. Orchids
Great reply !!
May i know ?
in my situation while raining in a row for 3-4 days usually my clay pot remain moist in rock media next more 2-3 days and for coconut husk for next 5-7 days media remain wet ,
did you mean still the feeding should continue ?
and
you mean the pot with rock should go for sock with fertilizer !!
do you mean that ?
Hope if i could paint my picture rightly to your understanding ?
wish you a great and blessed time !!
Hi, there isn't always a definitive answer Hamim, because we all live in different climates. Ric lives in Alabama, USA and is able to move his orchids outside (like you), his climate can be hot, followed by rain, but not monsoon. Ric feeds his orchids daily (the majority are grown in clay pots with just river rock as the media, or they are mounted. I feed my mounted orchids every day, so they get a wet dry cycle. I do not feed my orchids which have sphagnum or bark as a media every day, because it would stay too wet. From my question to Ric, I asked whether the orchid roots were able to take up nutrients 3 or 4 days later, and from his reply deduced roots only take nutrients as the fertiliser is passed through their pots, a bit like in nature when an orchid is under a canopy and there is torrential rain which runs down the branches, dropping onto the roots of the orchid as it continues down to the ground. You have several in coconut husk, so if you continue to feed at the same rate as those growing in terracotta pots, then it will just accumulate and you will have a build up of salts and this will burn your root tips. Err on the side of caution when fertilising your orchids in coconut husk, try and let them dry out before fertilising again. Ric is fairly new to orchid growing and he has helped so many of us to understand how to water and feed our orchids; it is how you fertilise and water now that will determine what blooms you will get next time. It has been a long journey of learning for me, but with the help of Ric and other very knowledgeable RUclipsrs, I am at last seeing results - take care!
Margaret East
Hello Dear Margaret East
Excellent delibration from you here on my and rick's weather situations !!
You are so humble person like rick . i am ammaged to be an accompany with both of you here in my orchid wrold .
When ever i shoot doubt you always comes with advice and causion !!
I have started shiftting my pot media and some plastic pots to terracota and river/ Lava rocks .
Now i am half the way , and very often forgets to make dry cycle for media with coconut husk !!
But my issue were raining in a row for 3 days minimum and under that climate .
is the media with coconut husk going to rot my root when out side ?
i mean here ,
should i get them indoor after a day rain water sock ?
and next point is ,
as the clay pot with rocks getting wet with rain in a row .
do i still need to feed by pouring extra food during or immidiately after rain ? ( as the dry cycle might take some time ) so i am concern about their food.
If i am waiting complete dryness of my coconut husk then i might need to wait few more days to restart food , and in my weather after a month may be late jun till aug i might face a rain runing cats and dogs and then drought again in a row,
In such condition there might be a gap of 10/12 days inbetween the feeding days ( If i stop feed due to wet situation of my pot media !!!! )
so far i remember Rick explained innone vedio
" If its raining in the morning still i feed in the evening and if raiing at night still infeed in next morning "
( But what happens when rain in a row? that i am asking for)
I do not know if i could make sense to you about my silly point asking rick and you .
Thanks allowing me to write in to rick's video. Both of you are icon for me !! You two are great .
has anyone in this forum used Peters Excel 15-5-15 Cal-Mag? it's already got Calcium and Magnesium plus trace minerals. how do the orchids respond to this fertilizer?
6/2/19 - Ohhh, Rick, I’m so excited! I repotted (rock/lava again), but with clips and staking them better this time, have been feeding 180ppm at 5.7-6.2ph, AND have been doing foliar feedings on these dry nights with a fan on them 24/7. And. . . . I have NEW leaves, shoots, root tips and buds emerging EVERYWHERE!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR KNOWLEDGE! You’re the ORCHID MASTER! 👏🏻🤗💕😂💕🤗🎉🙌🏻
But, my water barrels are almost empty, so we need rain!
>>> Question: Please correct me - I thought, when the temps get over mid-80s, you were going to stop using the Jacks Calcium Nitrate, and switch back to CalMag for your calcium. Something about getting your calcium from non-urea/monocle source in cooler months, and change back in hotter months. Do I have that backwards? What was your rule on that, please? Love and prayers, Lynn from Tuscaloosa
Just found my answer in ‘How Much, How Often, What I’m Using Now’. “A nitrate you can used year round”, . . . “more calcium available to the plant with a nitrate”, . . . “less build up in the media”. I missed that tiny spot in the string. 😂. So much for taking notes! So glad i have the Jacks A&B (just hate waiting on them to dissolve before getting a stable PPM count). Glad you were having a good day, today. Gods healing blessings on you and Jan. 💕 from Tuscaloosa
Well I am all in Rick. Transplant time for about 30 of my orchids. Phals cats and oncidiums. They are in pebbles for 2 weeks now. So far so good. Should I be doing anything special at this time? Thank you in advance.
......the trick to growing in inert medias such as rock and stone is in the watering........inside I soak them......I never spray them or spritz them.......if they get any water its a good soak.....and then they are fine for several days or more...outside I spray more......With newly potted orchids.......wait a few days for the roots to heal over, then start them on a wet dry cycle..........its super important at this time to make sure they have lots of calcium around them and supplemental hormone's to direct them to grow.........feed lightly till new growth is visible.....then your good
Another wonderful, informative video, Rick. I'm definitely going to add kelp to my mix on a regular basis now (I was just using it monthly). It will be interesting to see how it affects the growth of the plants! Quick question - you said in your video that you plan to increase the Calcium-Nitrate % of the mix bit by bit over the coming weeks. How high do you plan to go as far as the percentage of your mix? Will you keep the Jacks at an even ratio with the Calcium-Nitrate? For instance, if you are feeding at 60% CN, will you also keep the ratio of Jacks at 60% as well? Your orchids look awesome - I hope at some point that you'll do a closeup video of the plants. Take care and give my best to Jan! Love, Caro
great question...........calcium nitrate they use a lot of.......the other micro nutrients they don't use that much of......I will increase the CN %......but ;leave the Jacks the same.......maybe even lower it to keep the total PPM #s from getting to high......if that makes sense......
@@rickl.orchids Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my question. :) I understand much better how you are mixing your nutrients after watching your latest video. Seeing the formula written down on your notepad really helps! I'm still getting the hang of using the two part mix but even though I've only been using it since January I've seen some amazing results, especially on a couple of phals that developed spikes late this year. I've got one that has some wonderful amazing branching that I've never been able to achieve before. I'm going to send you a picture of it as soon as it blooms! :)
Great video Rick. Iam going to have to have a talk with the birds .... I live in South Florida. My orchids are attached to trees or under. I feed them once a week. I do give them maxicrop, but your orchids look/bloom better than mine. Just wanted to let you know you are doing it right better than my birds and trees😹😹😹. I stated using calcium nitrate as you recommended. Should I use that all the time as well mixed with regular fertilizer. I am not giving calcium that much then. Again thank you
Ana.....yes you can add calnit to you mix.......they will love it...
Hi Rick
I am so glad I found your videos! I have 30plus Phals attached to my palm trees and they are doing so well. All glory goes to nature for them but I have branched out to Oncidiums which require more care and expertise. Living in South Florida the heat makes it quite a challenge and I have lost a few. That said I would love to try your river rock medium method. Do you use any special rocks? Where can I purchase them?
Many blessings to you and thank you for your words of wisdom.
Ines
thanks Ines...…..I use pea gravel and river rock from Lowes......I give it a quick rinse with the hose and its ready to use.
Hello from Florida, I have transferred all my phalaeopsis over to lava an river rock, and I have them outside under trees, when I say all my phalaeopsis that's four plants in total, I'm new to growing, they seems to be doing well they are growing new leaves an roots, my question is, as long as they are producing new leaves an new root growth, should I be concerned that they won't bloom when the time comes.
I try to mimick nature as you so often say, you try to do as well.
I just worry I'm not doing enough, I am looking to increase my collection, little by little when I can afford to, thank you for your fast knowledge, an all your help since I have changed over to the rock medium, that has taken the fear/ worry about too much water in they seem to love it. God Bless
Hot & dry here, getting to where I can take the heat any more.
........hang tough brother.......always in my thought's....
Hope you get rain soon, Rick.
Two questions: Have you ever had to up-pot an orchid that has been growing for a while in lava rocks? Is it similar to up-potting from orchid bark, or, do the roots cling to the rock like they appear to cling to the mounts?
Does an orchid out grow a mount? I'm wondering how one would detach the roots from the mount and attach them to another - if that is ever even necessary. Thanks.
.........great questions.....I have up-potted several orchids........they come out of the rock very well.........what clings to the roots is fine to reuse......no need to remove it like moss or bark....Mounts do out grow them selves........sometimes its easier to attach the wood to another piece of wood and allow the plant to grow onto it.....vs removing it ......if that makes sense.
Wow
I just watched the entire video and my God I am like mind blown. I cant thank you enough. I have read up on this so many times but the way that you just explained it really made me understand. How do you also feel about aloe? Thanks so much for all your information. Very appreciated.
thank you.......I have seen and read some about results with aloe.......I don't have enough knowledge to say if it works........but I don't see why it wouldn't contain growth hormones as well.......lots of things give reactions and results.......you have to ask are they logical to use and are the results natural or artificially stimulated......
@@rickl.orchids thank you Rick. You have made such an amazing impact on RUclips and the orchid community. You're my favorite. Much love and prayers to you and your family
Ok thats convinced me to give kelp a go :) I was wary of the hormone thing thinking it was unnatural and would be forcing a plant to grow in a way it didn't want to. I would be interested to know if you think humic acid and fulvic acid supplements have a role to play in orchid growth ... they are included in an orchid feed I use.
Hi Rick, good to see you back here (~8.
Just wanted to put in an experience - I was concocting a mix, and I put Solufeed Rose Special (a granular soluble fertiliser) into a jug, then added some potassium nitrate (granular soluble), seaweed extract (liquid), and some MagneCal + (liquid), and AFTER all that I added the water. Somewhere in all this, a white precipitate formed, which also seemed to be hydrophobic. It did not matter what I did, I could not dissolve it, even repeated shaking and leaving overnight.
On a hunch I tried this - Solufeed Rose Special, THEN all the water. then into this I added all the rest, same concentrations. In this case there was no precipitate. It's very odd, but no doubt there's a sound chemical reason why it should happen that way.
I was so put off by the mix with the precipitate that I poured it outside under the hedge, because I actually did not know what was in it anymore.
By the way, all those "have gotten"s in the beginning there, are actually perfect English!
that's a perfect example of nutrient precipitation......probably from the calcium and the magnesium.....as long as they are mixed well separate they are fine...........good eye and good catch.
@@rickl.orchids Yes Rick, in themselves both very reactive elements. I'd be intrigued to know what the precipitate was, and exactly why it formed. Several lifetimes are needed 😉
Oh I forgot you had me busting a gut over them all going JUMANJI! I'm still laughing!
May I suggest that it's not so much the trees (in the wild) which our orchids miss so much, as indeed many orchids we grow are also lithophytes in nature.
Instead, in the wild, orchids grow in a web of living organisms, where near the orchid are fungi and bacteria which continually break down organic matter, as well as taking inorganic molecules and fixing them to organic molecules. And the waste from the fauna contain not only NPK in various states but other elements too.
And while mycorrhiza are known to be needed for orchid seed germination and growth, they may also play a supporting role for fully mature plants too, as orchid populations may be adapted to having their roots in contact with fungi. People have tried adding mycorrhizae to their potting medium, but I don't know if there is a good answer on how much improvement comes from such addition.
In our labs and grow spaces we don't really recreate these environments... which is why we try this additive or that, to see what improves the health of our orchids.
Growing outdoors (in Southern California), during the warm part of the year when most of the growth occurs I occasionally added fish emulsion to my regular fertilizer. It was not just the extra nitrogen which helped, but all the micronutrients, which though needed in orchids only in microgram amounts are essential for the best health.
As for auxins - there is plenty of literature on them but as far as orchids are concerned I think their greatest use is in forcing growth for the suppliers of millions of phals/dendrobiums plants annual for the big box stores, growers who are forced to grow more quickly than they would otherwise in order to cut down on the time needed to get a plant to blooming size. In the old days, when orchid plants were relatively more expensive, the supplies of both cut flowers and plants for market allowed the orchids to grow more slowly.
wonderful comment.....and spot on....Mycos is fine and stays alive with constant moisture.....if it dries out with salts around it dies back and needs to be reinoculated.....I wish I could sit and talk growing with some of my subscribers........thank you Dan
Wonderful info, as always. Hmm, wondering if one could add some rooting powder into their orchid water?
great question......but I don't recommend it.........rooting compounds are typically only auxins........and you want a full range of hormones....not just one....
Rick another observation comment for you and this is it I have some orchids that are like a burgundy purplish color and they have that color in their leaves. And it seems to be orcas with that coloring have that coloring in their leaf and those leaves have a certain shape. I've also noticed other orchids have a more rounded leaf oval type leaf. And then other orchids have like a lance shaped leaf more of a spear like shape. These are all phalaenopsis that I have. I was wondering after this observation if maybe they're related somehow because of the shape of the leaf I was also wondering if they have different growth characteristics and different needs. Not sure if you've noticed any of these characteristics but I do know the Lance shaped leaves seem to have a healthier plant.
........love your observations.......phals probably come in more varieties than any other orchid ...72 different species alone....and due to the commercial market its super varied...they come from lots of different climates as well......I think the longer the leaf the more sun they require......the short fat leaf types like more shade
Thanks for that information because I'll adjust where are they are am I 3 row set up in my bay window. I just think it's really interesting the different shapes all of the leaves and thanks for your reply I appreciate it
Another great video Rick!!! And quite eye opening about the importance of supplemental hormones that really have not been emphasized much with orchid culture in the past. Hey do you see a benefit to using lava rock compared to LECA in your feeding setup? I’m torn on which to use with river rock for my Cattleyas. Much appreciated!!
How do you keep the bugs off your orchids? The last time I moved my orchids out on the patio, they loved it until a couple of caterpillars decided to have lunch! No idea how they got up on the table. Anyways, great info, thank you for the video.
Hey Rick! Can you suggest a less expensive alternative to Jack's 5-15-26? I found a far less expensive alternative to the CalNit ($13 vs $75) but not the other. I suspect that the vast majority of us can't/won't pay that much. It may make sense for you, but not for those who have far fewer plants. Thanks!
Rene Sonse what is your least expensive source of calcium magnesium
Rene..........where do you live.........US....state?
@@rickl.orchids Long Beach/Los Angeles
@@kathleenmurphy2379 I haven't done an extensive search but PowerGrow 15.5-0-0... 5 lbs. for $13.45 looks good to me but I would defer to Rick's opinion of course. It has good reviews on Amazon. amzn.to/2WeranK
@@renesonse5794 Be careful, that 15.5-0-0 might have other ingredients in that mix. You want the 15-0-0 , just Nitrogen and Calcium. Maybe the Cal-Mag.
Wow this video is so helpful! I thinking of getting my very first orchid and I would like to grow it in water, so I am wondering if I should leave all this nutrients permanently in the water until I will change it once a week. I don't know if you will answer, but I have a few questions. For example how do I know how much of everything they need in gr. Or in ppms and do you know of some good international brand I can find? I am in Italy, so I don't know if over here we have the righ stuff. Thank you so much if you answer, it would help me so much.
I will be needing lots of lessons about using lava and river rock medium. I have developed a respiratory reaction to sphagnum, peat and fir bark. Even with a mask, the particles can become airborne once the medium is dry in the pots. Going to move my plants (60+) to rock or I will have to give up my orchids.😢. Should I expect much set-back when I do the transition? If so, I want to get through that during the growth period which is now. Would you post your e-mail again? Thanks.
.........sorry to hear.......but you will love the rock and stone.........there is a small learning curve with watering them.......other than that they will love the media.......moss and bark are difficult to grow in compared to rock and stone.....
BTW-where did you get that great structure for your shade cloth? I love it.
the connectors are from Canopy & Tarps fittings....the rest is chain link fence rails.......and the shade cloth is 60% from Greenhouse Mega store
I asked you a question on your previous video about my orchids. I don't think you saw it it was a week ago. The question is about the fact my orchids are growing Roots new leaves and are throwing out new Spikes all at the same time. I'm thinking maybe it's because I haven't put them outside yet and they're near and air conditioning vent and so there's some cold or are coming out even though they're in a nice window and are getting lots and lots of sun direct sun in the morning. It's causing me to have to water the more often than once a week because they get very dry. The humidifier is off for the summer so I was wondering if that's bad for my plants to be doing all three things at once new leaves new roots new blooms. Some of my orchids still have their original Spike from December In Bloom and forming new buds at the end. The one is arching down and was very tall Spike to begin with and with the new blooms forming at the tip it's almost touching the shelf that the Orchid is sitting on. Should I worry about them should I cut the flower spikes off. Also every week when I water them I add seaweed Emulsion fertilizer to the water I soak them in for half an hour they are also all growing in bark. I give the fish Emulsion for the I'm sorry that seaweed Emulsion fertilizer every week. I don't have fish Emulsion fertilizer cuz I don't want to stink up the house
sorry Kathleen.......Im behind on answering questions......but I did answer it....
I went back and found your answer thank you so much for telling me you answered it I wasn't trying to give you a hard time so I hope you didn't take it that way. I know you don't always feel good so I understand that. I suffer from a lot of physical pain and your site and your wonderful calming voice helps me forget about what's going on with the pain. The orchids help take my mind off of it also. The only thing that helps besides pain meds is epidurals and I can't get them all the time or else my this will just dissolve the little bones in there they said you can't get that all the time so tending to my orchids is a big help and you've been a great help and are the reason my orchids are alive. Wish I could send you a picture of this one Orchid I have that has like two strands that are like weeping to spikes that are Weeping and it's been blooming since the beginning of December and it keeps adding new bugs to the tips and pretty soon it's going to touch the shelf that it's sitting on and I'm going to need to put it in a hanging basket or something I don't have and I even have the original sticks in the pot they're supposed to hold it up so they've bent down beyond the stick I bet you it's almost 24in at least the spike is that long I'll have to measure it and let you know take care of my plant friend and thanks for your reply
……..you ask anything you want.....and I do my best to assist you. Keep fighting and know I keep you in my thoughts and prayer's…….I would love to get a site where we could all share our orchids and help each other......
Hi Rick - Great video. I have a sick orchid that’s starting to grow roots and new leaf in a spat and bag setup which I will transfer to lava rock this week. The orchid has two weak, dehydrated leaves left but I’m not sure if I should wait to apply nutrients since the root are in the beginning stages or possibly try a foliage feed. Not sure if orchid will be able to benefit now or if it’s too early. I also read about using sprouting seed rich in abscissa and gibberellic hormone. Do have any experience with that and if so how was it? Thanks again for your videos. Any tips greatly appreciated.
..........ive never been a huge fan of the spag and bag method.........I get roots to grow in several days or a week.......but the bag method takes much longer with less success rate.........To get a sick or neglected orchid to grow roots..........add 10 drops of kelp/seaweed...and 10 drops of calmg to 1 gallon water.........good pure water.....and soak the orchid in it......for a few hours or even over night............if it hydrates it should start putting out roots in a few days .....if it doesn't hydrate........it probably never will......The kelp seaweed contains the hormones you mention...as soon as you see any sign of growth.....roots leaf etc.....feed the orchid........if you don't it will move nutrients from its other leaves to start new growth and those leaves will turn yellow and drop off. Just feed it low amounts............like a pinch in gallon water.......its all they need to get started....
Rick L. OrchidsThis Orchid is steadily holding on so I want to make sure I give it what it needs to thrive. As always, great advice - Thanks Rick! I will continue to watch and support for more great tips!
Thank you for the awesome video. I do have a quick question, where do you purchase your plant stands?
Would u be able to share your reference(s) regarding wild orchids receiving plant hormones from trees? This is news to me and I find it perplexing as orchids are not characterized as parasitic, but rather, epiphytic. If they are indeed deriving a resource from the tree, that generates a lot of questions!
…..I may have confused you........I agree, and your correct,.... they are epiphytic, not parasitic...….but the trees they live on supply 99% of their food.....living trees drip sap and slough off nutrient cells as they grow, it mixes with rainwater and flows down to the orchids.... the orchids feed off this mixture.....this is what I mean when I say the plants get their food from the trees......
Hi Rick! I have a question for you. I have a number of phals that have bloomed and dropped their flowers. The empty spikes are now branching and buds are forming on some of them. They are also putting on new leaves. Is this normal? Should I allow them to bloom again when they are forming new growth?
..........yes they are fine........some are spring bloomers and some fall bloomers.......and some are hybrids and do both........
Hey rick ❤️ I am also in Alabama. My orchid’s leafs are leathery but it is growing a new flower spike from the one I did not cut yet I am confused. I am confused with this orchid now I don’t know what to do with him anymore 😭 Thank you Rick love your videos!
leathery leaves means it needs water.........let it soak in some over night........see if it hydrates fully........
I have two rescue onchidiums with their leaves twisting along their axis. The twist is like a gradual helix. Can this be corrected? Thanks.
typically not.......lack of water, as well as nutrient deficiency can cause distorted leaves, canes, bulbs, spikes, etc.......if there isn't to much cell damage they can sometimes out grow it......
How do you calculate the amounts like that? I can say that after I have added my MSU and Epsom salts, the PPM will be around 140-150. But how do you determine how much of each nutrient you are giving?
Wow your video is informative! Thank you for taking the time to share your learned knowledge.
My calcium nitrate is separate......I use a 2 part mix.......so I can adjust my calcium and nitrogen levels....MSU is a single part mix....
Hello Rick
welcome after a while with a highly professional educative video !!
i may be wrong but lookslike your plants are not going well ? any reason ? is that due to weather ?
Not going well?..........not sure if I understand............they are doing very good, but yes we need rain.
Rick L. Orchids
My always and all the time Good wishes for Rick , Jan and their orchids !!
We have rain in a row for last 3 days but not all the time still ocessional but weather not sunny due to low presure at bay of bangal !
I am worried for my pots with coconut husk/Cheeps which are compact media and out door laying alone getting socked under rain !!
Do you think such condition for my media is seriously bad ???
…...coco fiber is great stuff.....as long as they have lots of calcium around them...….they should be fine......calcium keeps them from getting bacterial and fungal infections...….keep their cell structure tough...make sure the pots are draining well and not holding water.....you should be fine.
Could you please tell the names of the hormones they need? Thank you so much.
Tried to respond to you but it hasnt posted. He said AUXINS and CYTOKINS. Plant hormones and growth hormone compounds.
@@Misslou2425 thank you so much. I'm going to find out where I can buy them, his plants are so beautiful!
@@elizabethdeleo426 I believe Rick uses Maxicrop Liquid Seaweed which contain the hormones that he was referring to --> www.amazon.com/Maxicrop-1001-Liquid-Seaweed-1-Quart/dp/B000COBUQC/
I found a seaweed fertilizer at Home Depot but in December but I can't find it now. It was $9 a bottle and was reduced in December to about $4 a bottle that might be why it was reduced because they were no longer going to carry it. They still carry the fish Emulsion Alaska brand fertilizer but they no longer carry the Alaska brand seaweed fertilizer. I've been using it with mine and right now they're getting a lot of branching of root tips and new root tip scrubbing and new roots in addition to Growing new spikes but that might be from the air conditioning being on now and new leaves all three at the same time
@@tobiesmom Thank you! Going to order it!
I am no maths person so would like to know the parts per million part. I prefer 1 part to whatever part solution such as water. Thanks.
parts per million is a measurement...of an amount of dissolved solids in a solution.….the amounts with orchids is very small......hard to give in ratios or teaspoon typoe measurement's….
Eeeerrrmm...... I've just tested the water I soak my orchids in .... It's 1600 ppm 😱 ...... The weirdest thing about it is, they appear to be thriving. They are bareroot Phalaenopsis, soaked for 9 - 24 hours about twice a week.............. So I've just diluted it down to 950ppm.......
Now down to 840ppm.... still working on it!
Do I use this formula everytime or do I need to flush between feedings?
This seems funny as I don't. But if you use commercial fertilizers and am betting you do I'd flush regularity.
@@Zapton5 I am using what you recommend, but because of the heat,I am watering everyday.We have not had any rain either in Mississippi.Its terrible with the humidity!
This is why I normally start with. I am not whoever. In this case Rick. Sorry for any confusion. Rick will no doubt reply soon, all am trying to add is I'd flush regularly anytime salts are part of the mix. And most if not all commercial fertilizers have salts in them.
@@Zapton5 Sorry,I didn't notice the name, just saw I had a reply.Yes,I thought a good flushing occasionally would be good idea so as not to build up salts or burn the roots? And thanks for the response.
depends on media used.........bark and moss will hold onto nutrients more than rock or stone.....so they need flushing more often........Im in stone and I feed low amount's.......they basically flush themselves with every feeding.
Can you spell the word augsen? And sitizens? Also are you still feeding calmag every feeding?
Auxins: plant hormones.
Oh the other word he mentioned was Cytokins. So....cytokins and auxins. Plant hormones and growth factor components in plants.
Auxin. I had not thought of those since college botany. If you google auxin you will find much information there. I thank you, Rick, for helping so much with my understanding of the important nutrients and hormones that will help my orchids thrive. I am still trying to buy a ph meter and a ppm meter so I can do this properly. Can you recommend a brand? I tried to buy them on Amazon and the seller, from China, never sent them. In Saint Louis, hydroponics stores sell them for about 100 dollars each, and more. I want to buy a set for much less yet want a quality of meters which I can rely on. Thank you for your wonderful explanations and videos.
@@Barbara63121 I bought mine last year from ebay, it was about $15.00. I believe the ph tester was about $61.00. I think Rick said a couple years ago he used the HM Digital TDS-EZ Meter Tester PPM Solution Combo.
@@Barbara63121 www.ebay.com/itm/HM-Digital-TDS-EZ-Meter-Tester-PPM-Solution-Comb-New/272291064036?epid=1600169615&hash=item3f65cfe8e4:g:3rAAAMXQskFRGzKu:sc:USPSFirstClass!44047!US!-1
Whats askson??
auxins...…..hormones that tell plants to grow more roots