Just watched ur calcium video from 5 years ago about how calcium is absorbed & how it has to be available to the orchid. ( & why orchids do not get rot if they have the calcium they need) A great review to what I learned 5 years ago. Thanks so much.
You think we're wonderful? Well, it's because you make such wonderful videos with so much wonderful advice. I've learned so much and converted to scoria after seeing the way your orchids grow in it, and I'm getting good results, thanks. May you both continue to have good health.
Wowww! Your orchids look great, Rick! Lava Rocks are doing miracles of some sorts on orchids... they grow really well on lava rocks and pumice...! Love to see your orchids doing great and love to hear that you're doing well too~ I'm always hoping for the best things and best health for you~ aside from knowledge and ideas, your videos give me peace, comfort and joy. I really appreciate you, Rick! Words couldn't express my feelings on meeting great people like you. We may be living countries and continents away, but we are all connected by our love for orchids.
Good evening Rick.....thanks for the update....they are all looking good......sometimes your temperature drops to 20c......that's a high temp where I live.....102degrees would just about finish me off.......have a good week pal and take care, Ed.
I was so happy to get this video…. I was away last week and my water timer died. It was dry and in the 90s while I was gone. But due to the calcium pushes you and Ed from Ed’s Orchids.. I have been doing that for months. Well let me say I am so thankful to the both of you for this… Not only had my orchids survived, they are really putting out roots and new growths! The lava rock has helped me over come mealie bugs… thanks again rick for your explanation of how and why things work the way they do… my plants are taking off better than they have ever done…thanks to you. Take care
This is my first time keeping orchids, and I primarily have Cattleya orchids. I started using lava rock for all my orchids, so I haven’t experienced growing them in bark. For my smaller orchids, I use smaller lava rock meant for bonsai, which helps retain moisture, especially when transitioning from sphagnum moss or bark. This method has been very effective; my orchids are thriving with new roots and shoots everywhere indoors in a grow tent. I received a couple of bare-root Cattleya orchids from Florida, and one turned out to be from Peru, which was quite dehydrated. It’s a Cattleya rex, and I potted it in large lava rock. To help with hydration, I placed some wet sphagnum moss in a Ziploc bag next to the terracotta pot (not inside it). After two weeks, it now has two new eyes and multiple roots. Your videos over the past seven years have been incredibly helpful, and I’m now a firm believer in this method, which works well for me in NYC. With strong LED lights, my micro tent reaches up to 85°F during the day and drops to around 66°F at night. Humidity ranges from 60% to 80%, and I monitor the Vapor Pressure Deficit (VPD) using an app on my iPhone. VPD measures the difference between the amount of moisture in the air and how much moisture the air can hold, helping to optimize plant transpiration and growth. My iPhone also controls the humidity and the fans. I’m having a lot of fun with this setup. As a tech enthusiast with a passion for growing plants indoors, I love pushing the envelope. I also follow your feeding regimen. Much of the equipment I use comes from the cannabis industry, which has made all of this possible.
thank you for the kind words.....I love to hear of others success......man I would love to sit over coffee and talk growing.....as an engineer, I love how your set up sounds.......well done my friend!
I only found your channel a couple of months ago and living in south Alabama I decided to try growing my orchids in lava rock and they are doing amazing ❤ I only buy "rescue" orchids at Lowes and they are doing so much better with the rock than anything I have ever tried before
Welcome and thank you ......I love the lava rock success story......keep up the great work!....Once growers develop thier watering routine.......it becomes very easy and you can really see a big growth difference being able to feed them more often.....
Your whole yard is peaceful looking . Would love to see one of those large tomatoes when they ripen. Your orchids are very happy & I know that makes you happy too. Thank you for coming back; you were sure missed. Thanks.
Hi Rick! Happy to see those 2 Sogo Viviens have perked up and doing well! They're tough little orchids! Thanks for the tour there in Alabama. Our temps here are high 80s, low 90s...hotter than normal too. Stay cool in that 102 weather! Blessings to you and Jan! 😇
I recently found your channel and enjoy learning from you. Melisa loves orchids recommend you, so happy you & your wife are doing better! Beautiful garden ☀️
Everything are just so happy even if it’s hot…. Your cactus orchids and Hoyas are growing so fast as well….. Here at my place been raining every morning and sometimes evening. I don’t have a chance to mow the grass because soil is so soft… Anyway… stay safe and hydrated y’all…..
Were slogging into the heart of winter here in Perth..it's 50F or 10c. I am freezing and would love a 38c (100f) day to thaw out. Perth winters are cold and rain..thanks for sharing the sunshine. Your garden looks lovely and your 'chids look happy. Enjoy the remainder of the week and weekend.
It is so great to see you well enough to be back on your channel again ❤. You were greatly missed. Your time and knowledge is really appreciated. I also just love listening to you talk. At times I re watched old videos.
So incredibly happy to see you’re sharing your wonderful plants and plant knowledge with us. You really have been greatly missed. Sending much love from the UK .
Hi Rick, great update! Love all those new growths on plants ! Everything is growing nicely and your garden is productive! Nothing bits home grown veggies! Love your green dendrobium. Thanks for sharing and happy growing 😊
Hi Rick. Love the tour of your orchids and garden. Everything looks so amazing. The deer have eaten half of my tomatoes and other plants in my yard. It’s been in the 90’s here in SW Ohio. We are in a drought, about 4 inches below average rain fall. Everyone has brown grass. We could use rain, maybe Wednesday they said. Take care and God bless.🤗❤️
Everything looks great! It's been really hot here too. 98 degrees in the grow room earlier this week. Today it cooled down thank goodness and it's 70 right now. Nice root growth all around!
🎉 good to see the blooms, spikes and growths! My Dinard is back in sheath after her repot last year, so maybe she will bless us with some blooms again. Love Dinard! I am coming to harvest some of your produce and make you and your lovely camera lady some authentic Gazpacho 😊😊 stay cool and stay hydrated ❤
Thanks Rick! I am trying some local creek gravel, washing it thoroughly, and leaving a good mix of sizes from very small pieces to pea gravel size. So far so good.
......very kind words.....thank you......as long as you have a protective spot to keep them from full sun......they should be fine.......They thrive in the heat and filtered sunshine......so much growth.
Hi Rick, everything is looking great 👍. So lush and full. I live in Maryland, and we were in a heatwave, too. Saturday was 105F, and yesterday, we reached 108F. 🔥 🥵.
Hey Brother 👋 everything is looking great! Im starting to increase the calmag on my hoyas now. Cant wait to mark the difference in them in the weeks to come. You and Jan stay cool! Big hugs from Wv! 🤗🌹🩷💚
Everything looks gorgeous! Much better than I am in this heat, that’s for sure! You two have a good evening. Love hearing your wonderful voice. Thank you.
Also, I do the same with my Hormex Growth & Rooting Hormone mixture! After I finish soaking my orchids, I water the excess to my other ornamental plants and they're doing really good! 🤣💚 Love love love them! I do the same with my excess fertilizer solutions as well~ hehe Also, your encyclias look so healthy! I'm planning on getting one soon~ ❤
Everything looks so beautiful and happy to be alive. After a harsh winter a bit a heat sounds great. Even the birds seem to be resting in the shade today. My temperatures are 68 F, I wish it would be a little warmer and my Cattleyas too but humidity is high. Stay well, keep yourself cool ❤❤❤
Great update Rick. Orchids, but also your other plants are doing great despite the intense heat. I'm integrating Calmag with every watering now . They really seem to like it. My Dendrobium speciosum that I transferred into lava rock is going crazy with root growth. Loving it!. Stay in the shade my friend and have a great day.
It was 115 with humidity at 65% here in central Florida, my dendrobian nobile definitely likes to be indoors in 75f. it can’t tolerate the fl sun. I’ll move it outdoors come winter. I followed your lava rock set up since I was getting root rot. Day and night as far as health and airation.
Great video, and thank your for your calm and happy tour of the garden and orchids. So happy you are back making episodes...my orchids have improved since they heard your voice! Such good ideas you share, thank you! We are even hot on the Pacific Coast...but hope to be back in the 80's soon.
Rick all looks great. Had 90;degree weather last week with some torrential rains. Plants are outside and had to put shade cloth one them to prevent burning.
You have introduced us to a different concept..rocks are there to stabilize the orchid- it’s the water and food plus the sun so the job of keeping the orchids thriving.thank you
Thank you so very much Kel......and thats a great question....Ive had bottles over 5yrs old and no issues.......but its important to not contaminate the calmag with other products.....if it starts to produce an odor or look stringy...or clumping in the bottle I would replace it....
We are going on vacation soon for 1 week. I have about 30 orchids all in lava rock. Do you have any suggestions for care while I am gone? Thank you so much! I love your videos. They are extremely helpful. Have a great day. They are all in clay pots.
.......Let them sit and soak for 20-30 minutes.......then go and enjoy your vacation.....they will stay damp for several days and then a few days of dry cycle and you should be home.....
Hey. We've got the same meter that's kinda cool. Maybe different years. I saw some small differences, I think. Or maybe it's that I am viewing you through a phone. Your plants are looking fabulous, and I am now convinced you can't give too much calcium. So I will now be adding calcium. Every time I top up the water in the aquariums. Maybe it's because I use a reptile calcium, but the fish are not affected.
Hello Rick! I just started the MSU today on my vandas running around 560ppm? 🤔 using the highest recommended amount. They're heavy feeders! Was using Better Gro for years at around 600-650ppm. Wish me luck 🤞 Beautiful plants! 🌿 🌺🌿
......Hello Sharon.....yes they are heavy feeders....make sure to flush them on ocassion, especially with such high ppms.....let me know how they are doing........watch those root tips for signs of burning......thats where it will show first.
I agree with the fact that Lava Rock (together with pumice and charcoal in my experience) are really good orchid growing media. They're really forgiving, even if it rains here for a straight week, no problem whatsoever. I have no issues with fungi growing on the media , no too much algae, and I don't encounter bush snails that eat root tips as well. I'm so glad I really switched to them. hehe
........you are correct, organic medias like bark and moss will attract pests more than inert medias like lava and pumice....and the rains wont cause issues with them.....it will flush them for you and keep the pots clean.......orchids love a good rain.
Just gorgeous! Saw you had a Dancing Lady Oncidium and it looks beautiful. What tips can you give a new grower of this plant...as mine does not look so happy. 😢😢 Actually..in all honesty, she could be on her way out...😂
....thats a new plant, I havent repotted it yet....they have fine roots, and lots of them ....so they need consitant waterings.....not soaking wet all the time,.. but dont let them dry out for too long....With their big bulbs they require lots of calcium , they are calcium hogs.....and they seem to do better with a steady supply of nitrogen....Feed them often, let them dry out a little between waterings......give them a lot of filtered light.....and they will bloom like crazy for you.....Once they get established in their pot, .....and fed well, they will also produce lots of new growths.....To me they are a faster growing orchid.....Ive seen even rootless, leafless bulbs come back once given a good calcium soak....dont give up on it....
Got dizzy at work today. I am not a young man. 55 and looking for ac. Inside work is about 110. Drank a gallon of water and didn't pee for 8 hours. Sweating like crazy in conecuh county. Can't wait for retirement. Only 6 years to go.
......Hang tough Brian.....drink drink drink.....I worked construction most of my career.....all over the country....Ive seen heat kill people....be safe, be smart....listen to your body.
Leave it to Rick! Even the “left-over”water on his tomatoes are producing fruit that he can’t get his considerable mits around. No green thumb here - more like a green hand! 🍅 #GrowGrowGrow
hi my friend......Im so happy to hear that.......once a grower gets an understanding of thier care in lava its wonderful to grow in.........thank you for that feedback.
..Joe, thanks.....I will add 25-30ppm of calmag to my rainwater.....when Im spraying them or just watering......its not a lot,.... just a few drops in the 1/2 gal. container, but I give it all the time....When I fertilize I dont add Calmag.......cause there is plenty of calcium in my mix already.....
Hi Rick! Remember several years ago you had mounted some things on some kind of wood and you noticed they all started dying-- so you had to remove everything? Do you remember what kind of wood that was? Also, are you just using found wood to mount? Do you treat it in anyway (like bake it or something?) to get rid of pests or molds, etc? I just love your mounts and when you showed your humidity, it made me want to try it again. (I'm in Wisconsin and during the spring and Summer into fall we have plenty of humidity, but in winter when we are heating the house with forced air it drops way down and that is when I lose plants. I suspect it's our temperatures mixed with the dry air. (We have an old house and it's hard to get it above 69° when it's very cold out. For humidity, I use humidifiers in one room but only get it to about 50% .). How often are you watering those when your humidity is so low? Is it more than once a day? Again, thank you for all your wisdom, experience, and inspiration!
......Hi Lara... great questions....the issue I had...and you remembered it correctly ....was red oak wood mounts.......after some time the plants started to die back.....the wood started to discolor....I believe it was tanic acid leaching from the wood......I use cedar and cypress for mounts now. Im very lucky to have a friend that collects the wood for me ....I wash it off with the hose and leave it to dry in the sun...I dont treat them with anything... ......He finds it when he is hunting or fishing......the secret to growing on mounts is to soak them......let the mounts and orchids sit in the nutrient solutuion or your water and soak for 15-30 minutes.....till they are well hydrated......then hang them back up..... I water mine about once a week.....you can water them more if you want...they never really get to wet. .....I hear other growers say mounts are to hard to keep hydrated....its knowing how to water them......and just my opinion.....there is nothing more beautiful than a mounted orchid with roots all over....thank you for the kind words and great questions.
Thank you very much.....and, ..Yes.....they crawl all over the pots....I hear growers say all the time that the roots die when they touch the pots.....thats a sign of to much salts and not flushing well... or not watering enough....great question.
R/O water.......Reverse Osmosis........run your tap water thru R/O filters and it comes out very pure.....close to zero ppm, like rainwater......great for orchids or other hydropoic plants...
thank you Rick for all you show us. I want to get a hoya but don't know how to pick one out. I love the leaves on those. Is there such a thing as too much calcium for the orchids/plants? If so how can you tell?
.......thank you and thats a great question....most plants have self regulation for minerals like calcium....they will absorb what they want or need and leave the rest for later.....but its so important for growth, especially orchids.....so I recommend keeping plenty around them....especially if they are growing strong, with new shoots, canes, bulbs, leaves, spikes, etc.. .....everytime an orchid hanging in a tree gets rained on,... calcium is in that runoff, its leached out of the trees along with other nutrients.....they get it everytime it rains.....mimic mother nature and your orchids will grow strong and bloom well for you.........great question.
Not meaning to be a bother but, how do you accommodate a temp change at night for cattleyas? My temps are almost identical to those in AL and can’t figure out a solution. Thank you.
.......never a bother,..........not exactlly sure of your question......we are in the high 90's.to low 100's here......but still going to mid 70's at night....
💡! I can be so dense! My room must be holding the heat from the day. It may be as simple as leaving the window open during the night. Thank you Rick, you make me think!
89 degrees F with 90 % humidity in the grow room yesterday, it's almost dangerous to be in there for long time, I do all the work as early as possible 😁
......Yes I do.....Orchids that have finer roots, like oncidiums... need water a bit more often, but also need that dry time between waterings...Lava rock works great as well as pea gravel and river rock....it soaks up water and stays damp for several days, but has lots of air flow due to the spaces in the media....very important......They also do well mounted or grown in large wood chunks too.. ...Oncidiums are calcium hogs and love a good nitrogen feed to produce big bulbs,..and those long flat leaves. When you see oncidiums with brown leaf tips... thats usually from lack of calcium or not being water correctly....If the older bulbs and leaves are yellowing and dying back....they need more Nitrogen......They are fast growers and if fed correctly, they produce blooms all the time and lots of new shoots......they will fill pots up quickly.......I have 2... I need to repot soon......I will video that if I can.
Impressive results Rick! You are the master!! Just curious if you follow a plant based diet these days. No need to answer if you rather not. Diet can be a touchy subject like religion and politics
.......thank you for the kind words........and I dont mind answering your question....Im not entirely plant based,... but probably around 80% plant with concentrated proteins such as fish.....4 yrs ago...I gave up all junk food and drastically changed my diet completly......I haven't had any fastfood, soda, chips, lunchmeat, or food from a box or can in 4yrs... ..I use sourdough, fermentation, etc .....and fresh fruit and veggies....I still like a piece of pie or a cookie.....but my wonderful wife makes those from scratch.... ....I wish I was eating like this years ago......it one of the reasons I was able to come back and start orchids again.......I need to sit and do a real talk about the natural things I did to get my Parkinsons to almost go away..........thank you for asking.
@@rickl.orchids hi Rick thank you so much for your wonderful reply. I had a feeling that you may have gone plant based at least partially to get the results that you seem to have gotten. I went whole food plant based over three years ago to reverse type two diabetes. It is not totally reversed but I’m still hoping to get there. Still making some dietary changes. I don’t eat processed food either including oils. We make things from scratch as well. I have found people to be resistant to hearing about the health, planet health or other reasons to become part or fully plant based. This is why I was hesitant to ask. I am so happy for you. Take care and have a great day!! 😊😊😊😊
Have to share this information with you! Dr.Oz/s6/Ep116 Montel Williams Emotional Journey with Multiple Sclerosis. Very Important Information. Pray God uses this to heal you in Jesus Christ name!
Shirley, I want to thank you so much for all the links you have sent me.......I check them all out.....I need to do a sit down and talk about what,.. and how I have gotten to where I am with my Parkinsons..I will watch this one as well.....thank you and have a very blessed day my dear friend.
Nice when you can grow outdoors! Beauties, Rick.😊🤗💯👍 Our pest problem is so bad here, the plants get eaten alive and if it’s not bugs then rodents are in abundance and make themselves at home in your yard. I had an outdoors garden a few years ago which I loved, but I will never do that again due to pests and rodents. There was absolutely no end to them.😅🤷🏼♀️🪴. Oh well, I just have to learn how to be an indoors grower. I agree with your cal/mag comments, completely. Happy to see you with more orchids. Are you rebuilding your collection?
.....thanks for the kind words Lori....I too have spider mites, beetles, mealy bugs, scale all around my garden.....The chipmunks and squirrels, have been rough with my garden and vegetable plants as well, digging things up and breaking off branches.....but....since I started feeding and caring for my orchids properly,....the bugs dont bother them,.....I never have any issues with pests on my orchids...they just grow and grow. .. A few years ago I purchased a few rubber snakes from the toy store and left them in my garden.....I move them every few days.....and my chipmunk and squirrel problems went away....you can see them in the videos ocassionally along the brick walls.......just giving you something to think about... .I am really enjoying growing orchids again......but dont think I ever will have 225+ orchids like I had before.....Im just trying to enjoy the time I have left with all you wonderful growers on my channel.
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Just watched ur calcium video from 5 years ago about how calcium is absorbed & how it has to be available to the orchid.
( & why orchids do not get rot if they have the calcium they need) A great review to what
I learned 5 years ago. Thanks so much.
thank you Georgia.......its one of the very best things you can do for healthy orchids.
You think we're wonderful? Well, it's because you make such wonderful videos with so much wonderful advice. I've learned so much and converted to scoria after seeing the way your orchids grow in it, and I'm getting good results, thanks. May you both continue to have good health.
.....thank you so much my friend!.....
Wowww! Your orchids look great, Rick! Lava Rocks are doing miracles of some sorts on orchids... they grow really well on lava rocks and pumice...!
Love to see your orchids doing great and love to hear that you're doing well too~ I'm always hoping for the best things and best health for you~ aside from knowledge and ideas, your videos give me peace, comfort and joy. I really appreciate you, Rick! Words couldn't express my feelings on meeting great people like you. We may be living countries and continents away, but we are all connected by our love for orchids.
thank you my friend......I cant thank you enough for the kind words and your wonderful feelings on the great people that grow orchids.....
Oh Mr. I am so happy you are back, I prey to God to keep you healthy and happy. Thank you for teaching us to love and look after plants.
such very kind words.........thank you so very much........blessings my friend.
Good evening Rick.....thanks for the update....they are all looking good......sometimes your temperature drops to 20c......that's a high temp where I live.....102degrees would just about finish me off.......have a good week pal and take care,
Ed.
......Thanks Ed.....20f is -6 C.......Is what I meant......You continue healing and best to you and your family.
I was so happy to get this video…. I was away last week and my water timer died. It was dry and in the 90s while I was gone. But due to the calcium pushes you and Ed from Ed’s Orchids.. I have been doing that for months. Well let me say I am so thankful to the both of you for this… Not only had my orchids survived, they are really putting out roots and new growths! The lava rock has helped me over come mealie bugs… thanks again rick for your explanation of how and why things work the way they do… my plants are taking off better than they have ever done…thanks to you. Take care
thank you for the great feedback Denise.....I'm so very happy for you....keep up the great work........big smile here!
This is my first time keeping orchids, and I primarily have Cattleya orchids. I started using lava rock for all my orchids, so I haven’t experienced growing them in bark. For my smaller orchids, I use smaller lava rock meant for bonsai, which helps retain moisture, especially when transitioning from sphagnum moss or bark. This method has been very effective; my orchids are thriving with new roots and shoots everywhere indoors in a grow tent.
I received a couple of bare-root Cattleya orchids from Florida, and one turned out to be from Peru, which was quite dehydrated. It’s a Cattleya rex, and I potted it in large lava rock. To help with hydration, I placed some wet sphagnum moss in a Ziploc bag next to the terracotta pot (not inside it). After two weeks, it now has two new eyes and multiple roots.
Your videos over the past seven years have been incredibly helpful, and I’m now a firm believer in this method, which works well for me in NYC. With strong LED lights, my micro tent reaches up to 85°F during the day and drops to around 66°F at night. Humidity ranges from 60% to 80%, and I monitor the Vapor Pressure Deficit (VPD) using an app on my iPhone. VPD measures the difference between the amount of moisture in the air and how much moisture the air can hold, helping to optimize plant transpiration and growth. My iPhone also controls the humidity and the fans.
I’m having a lot of fun with this setup. As a tech enthusiast with a passion for growing plants indoors, I love pushing the envelope. I also follow your feeding regimen. Much of the equipment I use comes from the cannabis industry, which has made all of this possible.
thank you for the kind words.....I love to hear of others success......man I would love to sit over coffee and talk growing.....as an engineer, I love how your set up sounds.......well done my friend!
I only found your channel a couple of months ago and living in south Alabama I decided to try growing my orchids in lava rock and they are doing amazing ❤ I only buy "rescue" orchids at Lowes and they are doing so much better with the rock than anything I have ever tried before
Welcome and thank you ......I love the lava rock success story......keep up the great work!....Once growers develop thier watering routine.......it becomes very easy and you can really see a big growth difference being able to feed them more often.....
Your whole yard is peaceful looking .
Would love to see one of those large tomatoes when they ripen.
Your orchids are very happy & I know that makes you happy too.
Thank you for coming back; you were sure missed.
Thanks.
........very kind Goergia,.....thank you,.....and I will show off my tomatoes...
So glad you introduced me to your watering routine. Appreciate you and Jan. Blessings to you both.
@@shirleywilhelm1495 .....thank you Shirley......blessings to you my friend.
Hi Rick! Happy to see those 2 Sogo Viviens have perked up and doing well! They're tough little orchids! Thanks for the tour there in Alabama. Our temps here are high 80s, low 90s...hotter than normal too. Stay cool in that 102 weather! Blessings to you and Jan! 😇
.......thank you my friend.....you said they were tough and would be ok.......you were correct.....blessings to you.
I recently found your channel and enjoy learning from you. Melisa loves orchids recommend you, so happy you & your wife are doing better! Beautiful garden ☀️
Welcome and thank you.......I love Melissa's channel, she has one of my favorite orchid collections.....
I can't possibly tell you how wonderful it is to hear you sounding so good!
thank you my friend......it means a lot.
Everything are just so happy even if it’s hot…. Your cactus orchids and Hoyas are growing so fast as well….. Here at my place been raining every morning and sometimes evening. I don’t have a chance to mow the grass because soil is so soft… Anyway… stay safe and hydrated y’all…..
thanks Leah
Were slogging into the heart of winter here in Perth..it's 50F or 10c. I am freezing and would love a 38c (100f) day to thaw out. Perth winters are cold and rain..thanks for sharing the sunshine. Your garden looks lovely and your 'chids look happy. Enjoy the remainder of the week and weekend.
....thanks Julie.....
It is so great to see you well enough to be back on your channel again ❤. You were greatly missed. Your time and knowledge is really appreciated. I also just love listening to you talk. At times I re watched old videos.
.....oh such kind words.......thank you so much my friend.
@@rickl.orchids truly meant
So incredibly happy to see you’re sharing your wonderful plants and plant knowledge with us. You really have been greatly missed. Sending much love from the UK .
.....thank you so very much.
Hi Rick, great update! Love all those new growths on plants ! Everything is growing nicely and your garden is productive! Nothing bits home grown veggies! Love your green dendrobium. Thanks for sharing and happy growing 😊
....thank you Mary.....
Everything is looking good in your weather Mr. Rick L. Be Blessed.
thank you so very much.
Hi Rick. Love the tour of your orchids and garden. Everything looks so amazing. The deer have eaten half of my tomatoes and other plants in my yard. It’s been in the 90’s here in SW Ohio. We are in a drought, about 4 inches below average rain fall. Everyone has brown grass. We could use rain, maybe Wednesday they said. Take care and God bless.🤗❤️
thank you so much Shirley.......Im praying for rain hear also......I'll add you in my prayers too.
Wow your orchids are so lush and green really love them.Thanks for sharing big up from Jamaica🇯🇲.Blessings
thank you my friend!
Orchids are doing great! I love your wood mounts! Stunning! I find lava rocks great! Specially for cattleyas and vandas 😊
.....thank you so much Basha......I hope I spelled that correctly.......
Everything looks great! It's been really hot here too. 98 degrees in the grow room earlier this week. Today it cooled down thank goodness and it's 70 right now. Nice root growth all around!
Your hoyas look amazing!
@@NicoleDeanna ....thank you so much Nicole.
🎉 good to see the blooms, spikes and growths! My Dinard is back in sheath after her repot last year, so maybe she will bless us with some blooms again. Love Dinard! I am coming to harvest some of your produce and make you and your lovely camera lady some authentic Gazpacho 😊😊 stay cool and stay hydrated ❤
......thank you my friend.....I havent had good Gazpacho since I lived in Miami....
Thanks Rick! I am trying some local creek gravel, washing it thoroughly, and leaving a good mix of sizes from very small pieces to pea gravel size. So far so good.
........wonderful way to get some great media......keep me posted how it works out for you.
You are so inspiring. I need to binge watch! I wondered if I could take my orchids outside.
......very kind words.....thank you......as long as you have a protective spot to keep them from full sun......they should be fine.......They thrive in the heat and filtered sunshine......so much growth.
Hi Rick, everything is looking great 👍. So lush and full. I live in Maryland, and we were in a heatwave, too. Saturday was 105F, and yesterday, we reached 108F. 🔥 🥵.
thanks Wanda.......I feel much cooler after reading that......wow 108*
Hey Brother 👋 everything is looking great! Im starting to increase the calmag on my hoyas now. Cant wait to mark the difference in them in the weeks to come. You and Jan stay cool! Big hugs from Wv! 🤗🌹🩷💚
.....Thanks Paula, It made a big difference in mine......hugs from Bama
Not only your orchids look great and healthy but also your garden! Wonderful update. Thank you!
thank you my friend.....
Everything looks gorgeous! Much better than I am in this heat, that’s for sure!
You two have a good
evening. Love hearing your wonderful voice. Thank you.
thank you!
Also, I do the same with my Hormex Growth & Rooting Hormone mixture! After I finish soaking my orchids, I water the excess to my other ornamental plants and they're doing really good! 🤣💚 Love love love them! I do the same with my excess fertilizer solutions as well~ hehe
Also, your encyclias look so healthy! I'm planning on getting one soon~ ❤
.......perfect.....everything will grow better with the added nutrients.....
Everything looks so beautiful and happy to be alive. After a harsh winter a bit a heat sounds great. Even the birds seem to be resting in the shade today. My temperatures are 68 F, I wish it would be a little warmer and my Cattleyas too but humidity is high. Stay well, keep yourself cool ❤❤❤
......thank you Fernanda.....68 would be a wonderful change.....
Great update Rick. Orchids, but also your other plants are doing great despite the intense heat. I'm integrating Calmag with every watering now . They really seem to like it. My Dendrobium speciosum that I transferred into lava rock is going crazy with root growth. Loving it!. Stay in the shade my friend and have a great day.
.....thank you my friend......I love to hear about your success.....made my day!
It was 115 with humidity at 65% here in central Florida, my dendrobian nobile definitely likes to be indoors in 75f. it can’t tolerate the fl sun. I’ll move it outdoors come winter. I followed your lava rock set up since I was getting root rot. Day and night as far as health and airation.
....wow 115.....mine are at thier limits Im sure......that would be over probably....
Great video, and thank your for your calm and happy tour of the garden and orchids. So happy you are back making episodes...my orchids have improved since they heard your voice! Such good ideas you share, thank you! We are even hot on the Pacific Coast...but hope to be back in the 80's soon.
......thank you for the very kind words....
Rick all looks great. Had 90;degree weather last week with some torrential rains. Plants are outside and had to put shade cloth one them to prevent burning.
thank you Naomi......I thankful for my shadehouse....
High Temps are a big struggle here too. Thanks for another video Rick 😊😊
My pleasure!!
You have introduced us to a different concept..rocks are there to stabilize the orchid- it’s the water and food plus the sun so the job of keeping the orchids thriving.thank you
....Kathy you get it......big smile here.
So VERY good to hear your voice again!!! Rick, you were missed. Thank you for your dedication to educating aspiring growers. Does CalMag expire?
Thank you so very much Kel......and thats a great question....Ive had bottles over 5yrs old and no issues.......but its important to not contaminate the calmag with other products.....if it starts to produce an odor or look stringy...or clumping in the bottle I would replace it....
@@rickl.orchids Thanks for this
We are going on vacation soon for 1 week. I have about 30 orchids all in lava rock. Do you have any suggestions for care while I am gone? Thank you so much! I love your videos. They are extremely helpful. Have a great day. They are all in clay pots.
.......Let them sit and soak for 20-30 minutes.......then go and enjoy your vacation.....they will stay damp for several days and then a few days of dry cycle and you should be home.....
Thank you so much!!😊
Hey. We've got the same meter that's kinda cool. Maybe different years. I saw some small differences, I think. Or maybe it's that I am viewing you through a phone.
Your plants are looking fabulous, and I am now convinced you can't give too much calcium. So I will now be adding calcium. Every time I top up the water in the aquariums. Maybe it's because I use a reptile calcium, but the fish are not affected.
thanks Victor....
Hello Rick! I just started the MSU today on my vandas running around 560ppm? 🤔 using the highest recommended amount. They're heavy feeders! Was using Better Gro for years at around 600-650ppm. Wish me luck 🤞 Beautiful plants! 🌿 🌺🌿
......Hello Sharon.....yes they are heavy feeders....make sure to flush them on ocassion, especially with such high ppms.....let me know how they are doing........watch those root tips for signs of burning......thats where it will show first.
@@rickl.orchids THANK YOU! I will let you know.
All the orchids look beautiful! ❣️
thank you so much.....
I agree with the fact that Lava Rock (together with pumice and charcoal in my experience) are really good orchid growing media. They're really forgiving, even if it rains here for a straight week, no problem whatsoever. I have no issues with fungi growing on the media , no too much algae, and I don't encounter bush snails that eat root tips as well.
I'm so glad I really switched to them. hehe
........you are correct, organic medias like bark and moss will attract pests more than inert medias like lava and pumice....and the rains wont cause issues with them.....it will flush them for you and keep the pots clean.......orchids love a good rain.
Looks great Rick. God bless.
.....thank you so much Richard....have a blessed day.
Just gorgeous! Saw you had a Dancing Lady Oncidium and it looks beautiful. What tips can you give a new grower of this plant...as mine does not look so happy. 😢😢 Actually..in all honesty, she could be on her way out...😂
....thats a new plant, I havent repotted it yet....they have fine roots, and lots of them ....so they need consitant waterings.....not soaking wet all the time,.. but dont let them dry out for too long....With their big bulbs they require lots of calcium , they are calcium hogs.....and they seem to do better with a steady supply of nitrogen....Feed them often, let them dry out a little between waterings......give them a lot of filtered light.....and they will bloom like crazy for you.....Once they get established in their pot, .....and fed well, they will also produce lots of new growths.....To me they are a faster growing orchid.....Ive seen even rootless, leafless bulbs come back once given a good calcium soak....dont give up on it....
Thanks so much! Will work with her and keep ya posted.
Got dizzy at work today. I am not a young man. 55 and looking for ac. Inside work is about 110. Drank a gallon of water and didn't pee for 8 hours. Sweating like crazy in conecuh county. Can't wait for retirement. Only 6 years to go.
......Hang tough Brian.....drink drink drink.....I worked construction most of my career.....all over the country....Ive seen heat kill people....be safe, be smart....listen to your body.
Leave it to Rick! Even the “left-over”water on his tomatoes are producing fruit that he can’t get his considerable mits around. No green thumb here - more like a green hand! 🍅 #GrowGrowGrow
thank you....
God is blessing you after all you went through
......what a wonderful sentiment.......thank you so much.
Can't wait to see when your Dinard blooms.
......me too, .......thank you!
Hi Rick, I use lava rocks and I love them and so are my orchids.
hi my friend......Im so happy to hear that.......once a grower gets an understanding of thier care in lava its wonderful to grow in.........thank you for that feedback.
Rick, great to hear you again. What is the PPM of the Calmag spray you use on your plants? God Bless. Joe S.
..Joe, thanks.....I will add 25-30ppm of calmag to my rainwater.....when Im spraying them or just watering......its not a lot,.... just a few drops in the 1/2 gal. container, but I give it all the time....When I fertilize I dont add Calmag.......cause there is plenty of calcium in my mix already.....
@@rickl.orchids Thanks for the info Rick. Stay well. Joe S.
Hi Rick! Remember several years ago you had mounted some things on some kind of wood and you noticed they all started dying-- so you had to remove everything? Do you remember what kind of wood that was? Also, are you just using found wood to mount? Do you treat it in anyway (like bake it or something?) to get rid of pests or molds, etc? I just love your mounts and when you showed your humidity, it made me want to try it again. (I'm in Wisconsin and during the spring and Summer into fall we have plenty of humidity, but in winter when we are heating the house with forced air it drops way down and that is when I lose plants. I suspect it's our temperatures mixed with the dry air. (We have an old house and it's hard to get it above 69° when it's very cold out. For humidity, I use humidifiers in one room but only get it to about 50% .). How often are you watering those when your humidity is so low? Is it more than once a day? Again, thank you for all your wisdom, experience, and inspiration!
......Hi Lara... great questions....the issue I had...and you remembered it correctly ....was red oak wood mounts.......after some time the plants started to die back.....the wood started to discolor....I believe it was tanic acid leaching from the wood......I use cedar and cypress for mounts now. Im very lucky to have a friend that collects the wood for me ....I wash it off with the hose and leave it to dry in the sun...I dont treat them with anything...
......He finds it when he is hunting or fishing......the secret to growing on mounts is to soak them......let the mounts and orchids sit in the nutrient solutuion or your water and soak for 15-30 minutes.....till they are well hydrated......then hang them back up..... I water mine about once a week.....you can water them more if you want...they never really get to wet.
.....I hear other growers say mounts are to hard to keep hydrated....its knowing how to water them......and just my opinion.....there is nothing more beautiful than a mounted orchid with roots all over....thank you for the kind words and great questions.
@@rickl.orchidsperfect! Thanks so much!!
Your plants look so healthy, one question, does your orchid roots stick to the clay pots
Thank you very much.....and, ..Yes.....they crawl all over the pots....I hear growers say all the time that the roots die when they touch the pots.....thats a sign of to much salts and not flushing well... or not watering enough....great question.
Great information and thank you for the updates! What is R water that you are referring to ?
R/O water.......Reverse Osmosis........run your tap water thru R/O filters and it comes out very pure.....close to zero ppm, like rainwater......great for orchids or other hydropoic plants...
thank you Rick for all you show us. I want to get a hoya but don't know how to pick one out. I love the leaves on those. Is there such a thing as too much calcium for the orchids/plants? If so how can you tell?
.......thank you and thats a great question....most plants have self regulation for minerals like calcium....they will absorb what they want or need and leave the rest for later.....but its so important for growth, especially orchids.....so I recommend keeping plenty around them....especially if they are growing strong, with new shoots, canes, bulbs, leaves, spikes, etc..
.....everytime an orchid hanging in a tree gets rained on,... calcium is in that runoff, its leached out of the trees along with other nutrients.....they get it everytime it rains.....mimic mother nature and your orchids will grow strong and bloom well for you.........great question.
How much CalMag should I use per gallon for large Cattleyas in a grow room? I water every week. They are in Orchiata only. Thanks
.....1/2tsp per gallon.....check your nutrients that you feed with... to see how much calcium it has in it.....
Not meaning to be a bother but, how do you accommodate a temp change at night for cattleyas? My temps are almost identical to those in AL and can’t figure out a solution. Thank you.
.......never a bother,..........not exactlly sure of your question......we are in the high 90's.to low 100's here......but still going to mid 70's at night....
💡! I can be so dense! My room must be holding the heat from the day. It may be as simple as leaving the window open during the night. Thank you Rick, you make me think!
89 degrees F with 90 % humidity in the grow room yesterday, it's almost dangerous to be in there for long time, I do all the work as early as possible 😁
......sounds like a sauna .....not a grow room, I see how well they grow for you in there.....they love the warmth and R/H
@@rickl.orchids 😁
Looks awesome!
thank you!
Rick. What’s the ratio of cal mag & water that you spray on your plants?
my hand sprayer holds about 1/2 gallon....and I add about 8-10 drops of calmag in it....sometimes with a few drops of kelp and seaweed as well.
How do you grow oncidiums Rick? Do you use lava rock also? Thanks
......Yes I do.....Orchids that have finer roots, like oncidiums... need water a bit more often, but also need that dry time between waterings...Lava rock works great as well as pea gravel and river rock....it soaks up water and stays damp for several days, but has lots of air flow due to the spaces in the media....very important......They also do well mounted or grown in large wood chunks too..
...Oncidiums are calcium hogs and love a good nitrogen feed to produce big bulbs,..and those long flat leaves. When you see oncidiums with brown leaf tips... thats usually from lack of calcium or not being water correctly....If the older bulbs and leaves are yellowing and dying back....they need more Nitrogen......They are fast growers and if fed correctly, they produce blooms all the time and lots of new shoots......they will fill pots up quickly.......I have 2... I need to repot soon......I will video that if I can.
I just finished my Cal Mag soak.
........oh, you made my evening so much better......such a smile I have!...
Impressive results Rick! You are the master!! Just curious if you follow a plant based diet these days. No need to answer if you rather not. Diet can be a touchy subject like religion and politics
.......thank you for the kind words........and I dont mind answering your question....Im not entirely plant based,... but probably around 80% plant with concentrated proteins such as fish.....4 yrs ago...I gave up all junk food and drastically changed my diet completly......I haven't had any fastfood, soda, chips, lunchmeat, or food from a box or can in 4yrs...
..I use sourdough, fermentation, etc .....and fresh fruit and veggies....I still like a piece of pie or a cookie.....but my wonderful wife makes those from scratch....
....I wish I was eating like this years ago......it one of the reasons I was able to come back and start orchids again.......I need to sit and do a real talk about the natural things I did to get my Parkinsons to almost go away..........thank you for asking.
@@rickl.orchids hi Rick thank you so much for your wonderful reply. I had a feeling that you may have gone plant based at least partially to get the results that you seem to have gotten. I went whole food plant based over three years ago to reverse type two diabetes. It is not totally reversed but I’m still hoping to get there. Still making some dietary changes. I don’t eat processed food either including oils. We make things from scratch as well.
I have found people to be resistant to hearing about the health, planet health or other reasons to become part or fully plant based. This is why I was hesitant to ask. I am so happy for you. Take care and have a great day!! 😊😊😊😊
❤❤❤❤❤
thank you....I miss your videos,......I hope your still growing orchids.....
OK RO water, reverse osmosis... got it
howdy rick! the orchids look great, as usual!! mind sending us some of your heat?? ive already asked florida, but they declined :(
.....lol....you can have all you can handle.....be safe, and enjoy your vacation and time off.......
@@rickl.orchids thank you!!!
Have to share this information with you! Dr.Oz/s6/Ep116 Montel Williams Emotional Journey with Multiple Sclerosis. Very Important Information. Pray God uses this to heal you in Jesus Christ name!
Shirley, I want to thank you so much for all the links you have sent me.......I check them all out.....I need to do a sit down and talk about what,.. and how I have gotten to where I am with my Parkinsons..I will watch this one as well.....thank you and have a very blessed day my dear friend.
Nice when you can grow outdoors! Beauties, Rick.😊🤗💯👍 Our pest problem is so bad here, the plants get eaten alive and if it’s not bugs then rodents are in abundance and make themselves at home in your yard. I had an outdoors garden a few years ago which I loved, but I will never do that again due to pests and rodents. There was absolutely no end to them.😅🤷🏼♀️🪴. Oh well, I just have to learn how to be an indoors grower. I agree with your cal/mag comments, completely. Happy to see you with more orchids. Are you rebuilding your collection?
.....thanks for the kind words Lori....I too have spider mites, beetles, mealy bugs, scale all around my garden.....The chipmunks and squirrels, have been rough with my garden and vegetable plants as well, digging things up and breaking off branches.....but....since I started feeding and caring for my orchids properly,....the bugs dont bother them,.....I never have any issues with pests on my orchids...they just grow and grow.
.. A few years ago I purchased a few rubber snakes from the toy store and left them in my garden.....I move them every few days.....and my chipmunk and squirrel problems went away....you can see them in the videos ocassionally along the brick walls.......just giving you something to think about...
.I am really enjoying growing orchids again......but dont think I ever will have 225+ orchids like I had before.....Im just trying to enjoy the time I have left with all you wonderful growers on my channel.