"David wrote in message
Update - it seems to be perking up a little - sign of some growth and the
roots have generally turned a healthy(?) green colour.

No, other than the growing tip the roots will only be green if damp,
otherwise they will be a light grey colour. If they are green all the time
then the plant is too wet.
It grows as an epiphyte, clinging to the branches of trees, so the roots get
wet when it rains but dry out quickly when the rain stops, especially the
ones that hang down from the branches and wave in the air. The fleshy leaves
are also storage organs BTW.


I understand the roots have to be exposed to sunlight to allow a
beneficial
fungus to grow, which is why the orchids come in clear pots.

And if growing well the roots will grow outside of the pot where they prefer
it, just don't let them get a grip on anything as you would have to break
them to release their grip..

However the growing medium includes a lot of sponge rubber(!) which will
presumably hold moisture well, but is the very devil to wet once it is
dry.

No again, it could be "Rockwool", anyway, some is made to be absorbant and
some is water repellant and remains full of air to ensure you don't
overwater and that those roots have plenty of air around them.

Trying the 'plunge then drain' method to see if this works O.K.

Excellent, but let the compost dry out almost totally before replunging it.
Never allow water to remain in the crown or on the leaves of the plant,
especially overnight. Most orchid growers water in the mornings for this
reason.

Is sponge rubber a normal addition to the growing medium, or is this a
mass
market 'budget' idea.

Rockwool and spong are a normal types of additions to growing media for
those orchids, it's inert and easier to deal with than the chipped
bark/sphagnum moss type compost although I prefer the latter in different
proportions for my plants.

--
Regards
Bob

Use a useful Screen Saver...
http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
and find intelligent life amongst the stars

"David W.E. Roberts" wrote Update - it seems to be perking up a little -
sign of some growth and the
roots have generally turned a healthy(?) green colour.
I understand the roots have to be exposed to sunlight to allow a
beneficial
fungus to grow, which is why the orchids come in clear pots.
However the growing medium includes a lot of sponge rubber(!) which will
presumably hold moisture well, but is the very devil to wet once it is
dry.
Trying the 'plunge then drain' method to see if this works O.K.
Is sponge rubber a normal addition to the growing medium, or is this a
mass
market 'budget' idea.

I'm no expert, David but I have got half a dozen or so orchids on various
windowsills around the house and, like you, I got them from Homebase and
B&Q over the past 5 years or so. According to the labels, they are all
"Cambria" Orchids and these might have different requirements to yours.
[For the more technically minded, it goes on to say that Cambrias are
"intergenic crosses between Odontoglossum, Cochiloda, Mitonia, and
Oncidium." (!)]

I've found them to be surprisingly robust and I water them about once a
fortnight during the autumn and winter and every 2-4 days in the spring &
summer, depending on how warm and sunny it has been. In spring, I give
them a feed of well-diluted "Baby Bio" (usually when I remember, but
probably equating to once every 2-3 weeks).

The main thing it seems is not to let them get waterlogged at the root.
Mine came potted in coarse bark and I've always done as instructed - i.e.
to water by running water through the pot from the top (I do it by placing
them under a running tap) and making sure that all the excess drains away
before putting the pot back into its holder. I've no experience of the
sponge rubber medium, I'm afraid.

Hope this helps.

- Tom.

"David W.E. Roberts" wrote Update - it seems to be perking up a little -
sign of some growth and the
roots have generally turned a healthy(?) green colour.
I understand the roots have to be exposed to sunlight to allow a
beneficial
fungus to grow, which is why the orchids come in clear pots.
However the growing medium includes a lot of sponge rubber(!) which will
presumably hold moisture well, but is the very devil to wet once it is
dry.
Trying the 'plunge then drain' method to see if this works O.K.
Is sponge rubber a normal addition to the growing medium, or is this a
mass
market 'budget' idea.

I'm no expert, David but I have got half a dozen or so orchids on various
windowsills around the house and, like you, I got them from Homebase and
B&Q over the past 5 years or so. According to the labels, they are all
"Cambria" Orchids and these might have different requirements to yours.
[For the more technically minded, it goes on to say that Cambrias are
"intergenic crosses between Odontoglossum, Cochiloda, Mitonia, and
Oncidium." (!)]

I've found them to be surprisingly robust and I water them about once a
fortnight during the autumn and winter and every 2-4 days in the spring &
summer, depending on how warm and sunny it has been. In spring, I give
them a feed of well-diluted "Baby Bio" (usually when I remember, but
probably equating to once every 2-3 weeks).

The main thing it seems is not to let them get waterlogged at the root.
Mine came potted in coarse bark and I've always done as instructed - i.e.
to water by running water through the pot from the top (I do it by placing
them under a running tap) and making sure that all the excess drains away
before putting the pot back into its holder. I've no experience of the
sponge rubber medium, I'm afraid.

Hope this helps.

- Tom.

"David wrote in message
Update - it seems to be perking up a little - sign of some growth and the
roots have generally turned a healthy(?) green colour.

No, other than the growing tip the roots will only be green if damp,
otherwise they will be a light grey colour. If they are green all the time
then the plant is too wet.
It grows as an epiphyte, clinging to the branches of trees, so the roots get
wet when it rains but dry out quickly when the rain stops, especially the
ones that hang down from the branches and wave in the air. The fleshy leaves
are also storage organs BTW.


I understand the roots have to be exposed to sunlight to allow a
beneficial
fungus to grow, which is why the orchids come in clear pots.

And if growing well the roots will grow outside of the pot where they prefer
it, just don't let them get a grip on anything as you would have to break
them to release their grip..

However the growing medium includes a lot of sponge rubber(!) which will
presumably hold moisture well, but is the very devil to wet once it is
dry.

No again, it could be "Rockwool", anyway, some is made to be absorbant and
some is water repellant and remains full of air to ensure you don't
overwater and that those roots have plenty of air around them.

Trying the 'plunge then drain' method to see if this works O.K.

Excellent, but let the compost dry out almost totally before replunging it.
Never allow water to remain in the crown or on the leaves of the plant,
especially overnight. Most orchid growers water in the mornings for this
reason.

Is sponge rubber a normal addition to the growing medium, or is this a
mass
market 'budget' idea.

Rockwool and spong are a normal types of additions to growing media for
those orchids, it's inert and easier to deal with than the chipped
bark/sphagnum moss type compost although I prefer the latter in different
proportions for my plants.

--
Regards
Bob

Use a useful Screen Saver...
http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
and find intelligent life amongst the stars

"........... However the growing medium includes a lot of sponge rubber(!)
which will presumably hold moisture well, but is the very devil to wet once
it is dry. ........"

When compost gets really dry and doesn't want to wet, add a few drops of
washing up liquid to the water, this will act as a Wetting agent.


--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

"........... However the growing medium includes a lot of sponge rubber(!)
which will presumably hold moisture well, but is the very devil to wet once
it is dry. ........"

When compost gets really dry and doesn't want to wet, add a few drops of
washing up liquid to the water, this will act as a Wetting agent.


--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

"David Hill" wrote
When compost gets really dry and doesn't want to wet, add a few drops of
washing up liquid to the water, this will act as a Wetting agent.

That's a useful tip, David.

Some years ago we once saved 7,000 liners which we'd forgotten to water
sufficiently during a sudden warm snap in late April.

The Finnish blond peat compost had dried out almost completely and all
attempts at rewetting it had failed. The pots floated when we tried to
immerse them and overhead watering just ran straight off.

Over the nth cup of tea (our usual thinking aid) and staring financial
ruin in the face, we dreamed up the idea of using our commercial liquid
fertiliser applicator to mix 2 full bottles of Fairy Liquid with the
umpteen gallons of water we then hosed over the plants.

This took an hour or two, by which time I was chest deep in soap-suds.
But it worked like a charm, and with no ill-effects on the liners.

I've also used detergent as a very successful way to wash greenfly off
plants as well.

- Tom.

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"David wrote in message
Update - it seems to be perking up a little - sign of some growth and
the
roots have generally turned a healthy(?) green colour.

No, other than the growing tip the roots will only be green if damp,
otherwise they will be a light grey colour. If they are green all the time
then the plant is too wet.

Thanks - useful tip!

However the growing medium includes a lot of sponge rubber(!) which will
presumably hold moisture well, but is the very devil to wet once it is
dry.

No again, it could be "Rockwool", anyway, some is made to be absorbant and
some is water repellant and remains full of air to ensure you don't
overwater and that those roots have plenty of air around them.

Definitely sponge - like the filling from old cusions or bits of a 'washing
up' sponge - much finer than a 'car washing' sponge. I know Rockwool and
that ain't it :-)

Hopefully the poor thing will revive - we shall see.

Thanks for the info.

Dave R

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"David wrote in message
Update - it seems to be perking up a little - sign of some growth and
the
roots have generally turned a healthy(?) green colour.

No, other than the growing tip the roots will only be green if damp,
otherwise they will be a light grey colour. If they are green all the time
then the plant is too wet.

Thanks - useful tip!

However the growing medium includes a lot of sponge rubber(!) which will
presumably hold moisture well, but is the very devil to wet once it is
dry.

No again, it could be "Rockwool", anyway, some is made to be absorbant and
some is water repellant and remains full of air to ensure you don't
overwater and that those roots have plenty of air around them.

Definitely sponge - like the filling from old cusions or bits of a 'washing
up' sponge - much finer than a 'car washing' sponge. I know Rockwool and
that ain't it :-)

Hopefully the poor thing will revive - we shall see.

Thanks for the info.

Dave R