Chris,
Water when the surface of the moss is dry -- when you put the finger in
deeper it should still be moist. If there is any doubt about whether the
surface is dry, wait another day.
Joanna

"The Enigma" wrote in message
.com...
Mines in moss. So I feel the top of the mix in the pot and it feels dry
by
if I put my finger a little deeper it starts to get moist. It's been a
week
since I've watered it but I have misted it and I refill my well once every
2
days. When Should I water it?

Thanks
Chris
"J Fortuna" wrote in message
...
Chris,

Welcome to the group and to Phals :-)

Here are some answers to the best of my knowledge, which admitedly is
limited, but is growing fast: Also I would encourage you to search the
archives of this group
http://groups.google.com/groups?grou...ardens.orchids
Lots of useful advice has been given.

Go to http://www.firstrays.com for information and materials for
hydroponics.

Do you have a window which you can place your Phal in? If so, grow
lights
may not be necessary for Phal, they need only low light, and too much
light
is not good. Me, I have to suplement the natural light with artificial,
but
that's only because all I have are northern windows shaded by huge trees
outside, so that's too little light, but as long as you have more than
that,
try growing your Phals without a grow light for a while first. Only get
grow
lights if a) yoir Phal's leaves are too dark and it won't rebloom for
you
without the light; b) You want the flexibility of palcing the plant
somewhere away from the window; or c) You want to get other orchids not
just
Phals.

Opinions on how much to fertilize seem to vary, but my understanding is
that
either the lowest amount listed on the bottle or even half that should
be
enough. Too much fertilizer will be harmful, and will reduce your chance
of
reblooming. It's better to underfertilize than to overfertilize, just as
it's better to water less frequently than to water too frequently.

Water needs to be lukewarm, but not too warm. Why do you want to
microwave
it though? You can get lukewarm from the faucet, or put some water in a
bottle and let it stand in room temp, and it will be lukewarm. I once
heard
that if you let the water stand, at least some of the minerals from the
tap
water will settle on the bottom, which may be a good thing.

Misting is again a topic on which I found people are devided. One side
of
the debate argues that misting makes no difference, since you would have
to
mist constantly to make a noticable difference in humidity. Some people
say
that misting the leaves and roots in the morning simulates dew on the
plant.
Others are big fans of misting whenever they pass the plant. I have not
heard anyone suggest adding fertilizer in the mister though.

Most people say that it is best not to water by schedule, but rather to
water when the plant needs it. If your Phal is potted in moss, touch the
surface and water when the surface is dry. If it is in bark, check the
weight of the pot in your hand until you can figure out how light it is
when
it needs water versus how heavy when just watered. Some claim this is
easy,
me I can't tell enough of a difference in weight to know for sure when
to
water, so for Phals in bark I check the weight, but also keep track of
the
schedule when each plant was last watered, and mostly water the big ones
in
bark every two weeks or so. Of course if you decide to repot in
hydroponics
or semi-hydro the watering schedule will change.

It is best to water in the morning rather than in the evening, so that
the
leaves are dry by night. Pour a lot of water from above and let it drain
well -- excess water should be removed from the tray, unless you have a
humidity tray that is below the plant but the plant is not standing in
the
water.

"The Enigma" wrote in message
.com...
I have been looking into growing orchids via hydroponics. What do you
guys
think? Any one know were I can get a small cheap system?

Also grow lights for Phal? Help speed growth? Waste? What type should
I
get?

If my orchid is blooming right now and the spike is still growing out
with
a
small new bud should I fertilize? I got this Schultz orchid food that
says
1/4 tsp for every gallon and then a book that says what ever the
package
says do half that amount who should I follow? Also can I add cold
water
to
the plant or do I need to microwave it so it is lukewarm?

Misting: How frequent do I mist? What part of the plant do I mist?
How
much should I mist? Should I have fertilizer in the mister?

Watering about once a week right? How do I water, do I pour water all
around the plant till I feel it's soaked then pour out the excess
water
in
the tray? or do I add water to a tray and let it sit for 45 minutes?
Or
something else?

Thanks
Chris