How do you grow your Phrags?

[78Terp]

Excuse my ignorance. What is 's/h'?

[kspalding]

I believe it is used to refer to semi-hydroponic

[78Terp]

So far, I am Phrag-less!

---------- Post Merged at 07:26 PM ----------

Thanks!

You wouldn't believe the things I came up with for s/h!

[78Terp]

I have 4 phrags now.

2- I have left in the bark media they came in up till now. I won't consider repotting until they complete their sequential blooming cycle,
and
2- I have moved into s/h. (now that I know what s/h is and how to grow in s/h). And my first one, phrag pearcii, looks like it may be spiking on one of the older growths. I have about 6 new growths popping on it too. I just haven't seen new roots on the new growths yet.

[Chips]

hello i'm new to the phrag growing. I got a keiki from a vendor that is an eric young mt. millais orchid. so i was told to not let it dry out, which it was in sphag moss, well when it's roots would grow they would then become stale and brown even though the sphag was wet, but not soggy. the leaves became droopy, so right now i have it (only the bottom) sitting in water with a tad of growth ferts and there are tons of root tips starting and the leaves have all perked up

so i was wondering if anyone does this kind of method, but don't want to kill the plant. i want to grow them like african violets, mine are going nuts and i have the wicking method. they are planted in 50-50 soil and gravel (small ~ black gravel to grow aquatic plants in the fish aquarium and had a ton left over) so the bottom of the pot wont touch the water and the sting etc will wick up the water. the medium is damp to the touch, but not soggy as far as i can tell. got them to grow, rebloom etc.

so i'm guessing that is semi-hydroponic? can i do this for a phrag, but just with the gravel and no soil, or can i use the soil also, but will it stop air circulation to the roots? would love all ideas to this

thanks

[Chips]

Do you think you can grow a phrag in the wicking method as you would an african violet? 50-50 soil and small gravel? What do you think? I have a keiki and don't know which steps to take.. right now its just sitting with its roots (bumps) in water with a small amount of ferts and they are starting to grow and its leaves too..

[Dorsetman]

Phrags will put up with being stood in a saucer of water all through the summer, even in ordinary orchid composts -like bark or peat. If in rockwool they need to be kept wet. I grow most of mine in baked clay pebbles standing in 1 inch of water - the pebbles are sold under several different trade names in different countries , and this is a so-called semi-hydroponic method ( or S/H) .
According to the guy who has the UK National Collection of phrags, they will stand much higher levels of fertiliser than most other orchids - he talks of 1250 microSiemens - about three times what a paph will stand, for example . But I have to say that when I try high levels I always get leaf tip burn, so I keep down to 400 or thereabouts.
By the way the level of nutrient must be reduced in the winter - shorter days, less light, less fert !