You Need To Read About Growing Hydroponic Orchids!
Guess what, I have come across something that may interest
you as an orchid lover. It is growing hydroponic orchids. What is hydroponics?
Well, it is growing plants without soil. There
are different systems that can be used, but all in all they have the same thing
in common. It is the use of nutrients - water mixture poured over inert
substance called
aggregates.
Here are some of the benefits I have found these
growing hydroponic orchids:
- easy to use
- no wondering when to water
- disease free growth
- more vigorous growth
- less maintenance
Ease of use goes without saying. With hydroponic
orchids, the
plant is placed in a special pot and is surrounded by aggregates. More on
types of aggregates at a later time. The aggregates will not only hold water but also can
trap air. They also allow for more freer air movement.
After transplanting a plant into a hydroponic system there
is nothing to do except add nutrient ladened water. Yes, that's it, water as needed
according to the system you use and watch your orchid plants grow.
Taking The Guesswork Out Of Watering
I think the neatest part comes with knowing when to water and
taking the guess work out of it. With growing hydroponic orchids there is no more wondering.. . Is this orchid dry enough to
need water or am I giving it too much water. What are the leaves telling me?
The guess work is gone because the system you use allows
you to know when to water. You could even go on vacation and not worry about how
the neighbor or your mother will do with watering your orchids. Will they be
alive when you get back?
No Soil - Less Chance For Disease
Because there is no soil being used and the aggregates are
inert there is much less of a chance for the orchids to get disease. You do not
have to worry about root rot and other diseases. So growing hydroponic orchids
is the best world.
It's The Nutrients That Make The Difference
The nutrients used are the same as are usually obtained
from the soil. They usually will come with the system that is purchased but may
be but in any store that deals with hydroponics. The nutrients may be a bit more
expensive then traditional fertilizers. You can get them either as organic or
chemical nutrients.
Substitutes for Media
There are different medium that can be used in growing hydroponic
orchids. There are LECA, Allflour, and Lava Rock amongst the most common.
- LECA - (lecation) - which is a clay aggregate made
into pellets. The clay is heated to 2000 degrees F and develops a hard shell
with tiny air sacs. It provides for air circulation due to there round size
and can trap water.
- Lava Rock - it is a natural product dug out of the
ground and used as is. These are porous on the surface and can trap excess
fertilizer.
- Allflour - is made similar to the lecation rock but
is not heated to the same high temperature. This makes the aggregate much
weaker and can get crushed easily
Easy To Start
I have been using this a several of my orchids and have
been impressed so far with the results. During the first month I used the
"rooting" nutrients every 2-3 days. I filled the planter with the rooting
nutrients and let the plant stand in it for about 1 minute, then emptied the
nutrients back into the bottle for re-use. After the first month I then used the
system with its watering indicator with "blooming" nutrients. It is so nice to
use an indicator to know when to water.
I bought my system, the pots, LECA, and nutrients from
Creative Hydroponics
Look At The Growth!
You will notice that your hydroponically grown orchids
will grow faster and better. Usually there is between 30 - 50% faster
growth. This is because the water used has nutrients that the plants love. The nutrients really
enhance the growth of the orchids. You will see the blooms which can be larger
and last longer.
As you can see with a system like these require a whole
lot less maintenance for the orchids. It is a self contained system that
is very easy to use.
Wow, I didn't think growing hydroponic orchids could get any easier.
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