Water Orchids or Go on Vacation

[sadie]

What do you more experienced growers do when you go on vacation -- about the orchids I mean? How do you handle watering the plants that can't go more than a day or so without watering?

[MikeWA]

I always soak the heck out of them for a few days prior and ask a friend to water when I am gone.

[Piper]

I have to 'dumb-it-down' for a non-orchid friend. For my mounted ones (plants, not friends), I usually lie them out in the shower and just ask whoever's feeding my cats to run the shower on luke warm while they're in the house each morning.

Otherwise I set aside the guys that really need water every second or third day in or near the kitchen. The rest might get it once if I'm gone for two weeks.

It works better for short trips, but the 'chids can survive a bit of dryness occassionally.

Julie

[mde]

This summer I'm paying an employee of a local orchid grower to come in and do it. Last few trips I actually took the damn things (the mounted and small pot ones) with me! Man, now that I think about it, I really am displaying the behavior of an addict. Yikes! At any rate, I tried to have my brother tend to my plants once, and that was a HUGE mistake. I don't know how someone can kill a fern in 10 days, but he did it!

Matt

[LaurieD]

Just did this last month..........I soaked everything really well the day before we left. I left instructions for the housesitter on dunking the mounties and grouped them by dunk every day and dunk every other day. She did a great job! We were only gone for a week, though. If I were to be gone for longer, I'd take them (the mounties) down to Mike's house. They could have a vacation, too at Mike's Orchid Spa.........I wonder if he charges extra for orchid massage?

[MikeWA]

mmmmm I need a message, my back is killing me!

That is a good idea. Join a society and pay someone to take care of them or contact a local grower and see if they would board them if you trip is a long one.

[Gin]

My daughter , her husband, my grandson ,and a couple of neighbors, I group the mounted ones and red flag the ones that need more than the otheres . Gin

[Piper]

I hear there's another gal in town with an impressive collection and her waterers keep killing her plants. Sounds like mutual need, so I'm going to give her a call and get acquainted (and go see her babies!)

Julie