Is flushing orchids overrated? Mounted Potted Orchids | ORGANIC | INORGANIC media! 💦💦

[@NinjaOrchids]

👕👚Fabulous Orchid Swag! 👇🏼🤩 #orchidfashions Https:/Teespring.com/stores/ninja-orchids-3 🌸

[@anamourao2983]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge Nina I hope you are well. 🤗🇵🇹🌱

[@NinjaOrchids]

Hi Ana 😍💐thank YOU for taking the time to watch and your kind feedback, Ana! 🙏🏼I had a good day today... stayed within the perimeter of my patio and tried to keep up with filming blooms before they fade! I hope that I can at least film them, save the clips for later videos, but, editing is taking a back seat atm, because there are a lot of them 🤪 orchid growers champagne problems! 😅 but, that makes for a great day! I hope that you had a wonderful day as well, Ana!! Obrigado for your support ❤️🌸

[@anamourao2983]

I wish you all the best Nina, keep strong and happy. 🙏🤗🇵🇹🌱

[@NinjaOrchids]

🙏🏼thank you so much! 🙏🏼❤️

[@woowooone]

So very helpful! Thank you. I'm sharing this to Twitter

[@NinjaOrchids]

Hi 😍💐 woohoo!! You are amazing! Thank YOU!! 🙏🏼 also for watching and for your feedback. Hard for me to explain how much your support means to me. A LOT is an understatement 🙌🏼 hope you had a wonderful day 🫶🏼❤️🌸

[@stephenorchids4943]

Hi Nina great video loads of information very important to keep flushing 👍😘

[@NinjaOrchids]

HI Stephen 😍💐 thank you!! For this feedback 😘 and for watching 😘 hope your day was wonderful, amigo ❤️🌸

[@pennylane5506]

Our walking, talking Orchid encyclopedia! Excellent video! Thank you so much for sharing your vast knowledge of orchids with all of us. Love you dear friend! Keep looking up and stay safe! ♥️🙏♥️

[@NinjaOrchids]

My darling Monachica 😍❤️💐 oh, what a treat it is to see you again! I went to bed smiling last night because of your comment! Not the news, but the fact that I saw you 🙏🏼 bless you, my darling friend!! For making me so happy!! 🙏🏼 and for watching, for being here, for being you, for being a friend... for so so many reasons ❤️ bless you!! And ooooodles of love ❤️🌸

[@robertforrest7956]

Hey Nina... Mike said the surgery went well, they are on their way back home today. Good video, some don't realize how important it can be. Hope your day was a great one. 👍🏻 Shared to the Twitt group. 😅

[@NinjaOrchids]

Robert, hi 😍💐 wooohooo!! What a relief! That sounds promising, for sure 🤞🏼 I bet he is in for a long rest and recovery! One could say that the summer is bad timing, but then again, most people resort to staying indoors in the heat anyways, so, depending how his preferences are, it could be a frustrating time to have to sit still, or a great time 😬 just glad that the surgery went well, and there is no place like home! Really appreciate your feedback on this video. years ago, I did not see the point of flushing as I do now, until of course, I noticed a difference in root growth on those pots that were flushed as opposed to those that were not! Besides, I enjoy flushing when I have enough water to go around and warm temps to play outside and splash around. Last year, I did not have the water so abundantly and it was a real dance! Very relieved to have my RO water going full throttle! thank you, as well, for sharing the video, Robert! 😘😘 always my wingman! 🙏🏼 hope your day is going great after the good new, with your mind at rest!! Really appreciate your time, your friendship and your support! ❤️🌸

[@ingridfoessl1075]

You have a beautiful and save day also, take care!!

[@NinjaOrchids]

Ingrid, hi 💐 lovely lady!! Thank you so much! My patio kept me busy today and in turn it was a wonderful day, thank you!! Hope you had a wonderful day as well 😘 thank you so much for watching 🌸

[@ingridfoessl1075]

@@NinjaOrchids You are very welcome!!!

[@FernandaNascimentoOrchids]

🦒🙌💐💖 In my collection, flushing the mounts is the easy part, they need water on a daily basis during growing season and so flushing is very frequent. Not so much with the pots with bark as in my climat they take their sweet time to dry out. I still do it regularly, it is part of my watering routine and I like to do it preferably after a soak with epson salts. Much love to you amiga mia, wishing you a very pleasant and productive day 🥰💖🤗 P.S. I have to watch this video again as I did not quite get it about still flushing Catasetinae during dormant period 🤔 I will get back to it later as I am rushing, going out for the day. Fred is growing nicely, I covered the roots now with leca but not watering yet as I want roots to grow a bit more futher down. Your last video on the subject, showing why young Catasetinae roots should not be watered prematurely, was very enlightening. Thank you 🙏🙏🙏

[@NinjaOrchids]

FFF 😍🙌🏼🤸🏼‍♀️🥰💐 good evening, meine liebe Freundin! Flushing mounts is easy, yes! A fun second go around in my collection as well, and then a third and sometimes fourth go around... my mounts are well and truly flushed 😂 there is a video tucked away in the catasetinae playlist, but, in a nutshell... leca in self watering or semi hydro must never dry out, or else it becomes a desiccating agent. So, keeping the wicking strands damp to the touch while the orchid is dormant, is important to maintain the roots that are alive in the pot alive and not have the leca suck the juices out of them. So, in the winter, I always check the feel of the micro fibre and if I can feel that it is still damp, then inside the pot all is ok! At the point I feel as though they are reaching a form of dryness, then, in the pot it is still ok, but I pour 500ml (approx) around the edge of the pot just to dampen the microfibre and no more, leaving the reservoir dry and without any run off water. I hope that makes sense? I am glad to hear that you have filled up your leca! Sooon... 🥁🥁👍🏼👍🏼 thank you so much for watching, amiga mia! I hope your day was productive and that all went well 😘😘 much love to you ❤️🌸

[@FernandaNascimentoOrchids]

@@NinjaOrchids I see 🤔 never really means never, no exceptions, not even for Catasetinae!!! Thank you 🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@NinjaOrchids]

😬😅 😘😘

[@MamasOrchids]

I flush every 2-3 days, many times unintentionally because of my set up, hosing everything daily with a hose lately. Often, I have to drench (a long showering with the hose) the orchids because of heat here and even moss will dry up in a day. I always thought it is a great idea to flush as to cleanse especially to get rid of any fungus/pests/salts that may have landed in the area. I never thought of air circulation as one of the benefits, so thank you! It makes perfect sense. Btw, Neofinetia falcata is gorgeous!

[@NinjaOrchids]

Hi there, lovely lady 😍💐 your conditions are perfect and I would do exactly the same ... hosing daily, or rain, the best flushes ever! I drench 4x / day and it takes me a long time because I have my silly sprayer, but I have time, and this year, I have water ... so, it is a luxury for me to be so on top of things, and I enjoy doing it. To have the luxury to put a hose to my orchids 😅 but not with what is coming out of my faucet!! No way! You are very welcome for the added benefit of flushing! 😃 oh... my little neo! shame that it is 4 weeks late, the warmer July air is reducing the bloom duration and it is a short live thing of beauty! But, she bloomed, and her fragrance has been gracing my blooming alley for a few nights! It has been absolutely gorgeous!! Thank you so much for watching 🤗 hope you had a fabulous day 🌸

[@andreaallum8859]

I note to water my plants as well and have a good look at them well I’m doing it gives you time to look if there’s something wrong interesting video thanks

[@NinjaOrchids]

HI Andrea 😍💐 so nice to see you even though you are preparing to go on vacation!! Thank you so much for being here 🙏🏼 that is soooo true!! Great reminder for anyone watching the comments... it gives time to have a good look at the orchid to see if there is anything that needs to be addressed! 👍🏼 thank you for adding that, Andrea!! And thank you for watching 🌸 vacation count down, in earnest! 💖🌸

[@carolesykes7955]

Hi Nina, I grow in bark with pumice and rockwool so I understand it's not quite the same and I water directly after repots because the bark is so dry, but I have seen it written that if roots have been damaged during a repot it shouldn't be watered for a week to allow the valeman to heal so bacteria can't invade, so I'm never sure I'm doing the right thing. Your video is therefore reassuring, thank you.

[@NinjaOrchids]

HI Carole 🥰💐 you are doing the right thing for your set up, Carole! When you grow in a set up that is more into wet dry, or almost dry, then the velamen characteristic is tougher and more resilient than that of the same orchid grown in semi hydro or self watering. So, in your set up, you are doing the right thing, because it is better for anything bruised to be given time to heal up. AFTER being watered in. In my opinion, there is nothing worse, than having a bruise or possibly cracked root touch bone dry bark or any media for that matter, because the media will act as a desiccating agent and such the moisture out of a root. Seeing as new bark will dry so much quicker, and doesn't in actual fact absorb water readily, being more repelling than absorbing, it is not as if it is going to stay wet for too long! I used to actually pot new media up while it was wet. A little more cumbersome to get the bark to fall in place, but, for the roots, the media was wet and then back on the shelf it went until the next watering came around. Anything dry on a damaged / bruised root, including a root tip will have a negative effect on a juice root that is damaged. Same with leca... let that go dry, and it becomes a desiccating agent. My dry top layer is proof of that. Keep doing what you are doing, Carole! I think it is the right thing to do 👍🏼👍🏼 really appreciate you watching, lovely lady! Thank you 🤗 hope you had yourself a great day 🌸

[@elbeem20001]

I have no choice but to flush everyday - if I cannot do it, the rains take care of it, due to my geographical location. So far, my orchids seem quite healthy, and are usually pushing roots and/or keikis ... most of them are too young to send blooms, so I have high anticipations for next year. Sometimes I have found that an untimely repot is necessary (accidental falls 😥, plastic break up, due to dry rot caused by heat, or I used a small pot initially), that is when I get to see how healthy my root system is - makes me feel good! Recently, I was forced to repot my Phal. Phillipinenes, because its original plastic pot was broken up, and it had just finished blooming. I was pleasantly surprised by being greeted with a healthy and bountiful root system!! 💃🤩 This was over a month ago. I gave a slight tug earlier this week - there no "give". I still water/flush everyday, and fertilise every two weeks/weakly. I have learnt a lot from you Nina, and although some of your videos are not for me, I still sift thru them to see if there is something for me to learn, or be inspired by. Take care, and enjoy your day/night. You know, sometimes, I wish we could post photos on here ... We could have a "clinic", run by Dr Nina!!!

[@NinjaOrchids]

Hi Lyn 😍💐 I am so happy to hear that the occasional accidental repot happens, but, that it confirms the progress of root growth 👍🏼 the philippenensis sounds like a happy camper if it is already rooted in nicely again! That is always such a good feeling. To have the benefits of nature doing the flushing for you, when the temperatures are nice and warm as well... that is perfect! When I do get rain, it may happen mid September for a little bit, and then I just hope that the temperatures are still ok at night for the orchids to have dried out in time. Usually, my rains come during a time that the temperatures are too cold for 80% of my collection. There is nothing better than watching orchids in the rain! 🙌🏼 I appreciate you, Lyn, for checking out my videos ever so often, despite the different climate and set up! Thank you so much for not passing me by because of the method and climate differences. 🤗 one day, YT will have enough server capacity to be able to post pics in comments as well. Maybe they will only allow one image, but it certainly would up the anti for interaction, even for everyone that checks the comments for more information. btw, I looked at my hoehnei today and checked your image back... it is possible the you have a potinara of sorts, based on what I can see the structures look like! Isn't it crazy? waiting for an orchid to bloom to find out what it is? 😅 can be frustrating, but I look at it as a form of added anticipation and excitement! Thank you so much for being here, Lyn! Hope your day was fabulous 🥰🌸

[@shirleyholt898]

Your video’s are always helpful. I just got this excellent idea 💡, you should write a book 📖, with all your thoughts and experience on growing orchids in inorganic media.. you could add pictures and stories. Sound good? 🤗👏🌹❤️

[@NinjaOrchids]

HI Shirley 😍💐 I LOVE that idea!! It sounds wonderful! Because.... I have a structure for a book in my head, nothing is on paper yet... but the structure is there, just like you pointed out!👊🏼 I just have to get it on to a programme and start writing! So, I love that you brought that up, because...I have only spoken with one other person about this, and now I have another person bringing the thoughts of a book to the table... It could be something that I can work on during the winter months. I would love to get into the writer's club, I have thought of writing a book since I left Africa, but never thought anyone would be interested. But with the orchids in combo, it clicks and 🤞🏼really appreciate you sharing your idea with me, Shirley! Thank you so much for caring ❤️ very very grateful for you! Hope your day was fabulous and I wish you a perfect Friday evening 🤗🌸

[@josejkoonthanam]

Yes Nina, ample airflow and flushing override all other things in orchid growing. Here in Kerala, India we have automatic flushing from monsoon rains on orchids mounted outside. Orchids enjoy flushing so much. End result plenty of new roots. Shall keep in mind the precautionary tips. Happy Gardening Nina.

[@NinjaOrchids]

Jose, good morning 🤩💐 happy Friday to you, my friend!! Your monsoons are the BEST flushing ever!! I remember our short rainy season and long rainy season in Kenya and everything just took care of itself 😃 mother nature does the best flushing of any out there! Fantastic to be in such a climate! 👍🏼👍🏼 I appreciate that you watched this video even though you have yourself the highest quality flushing regime in place 😃🙏🏼 thank you, Jose! Have yourself a great Friday! And, if you speak to Kathu...please send her these ❤️💖💐

[@MyLoveofCrafts]

😚❤

[@NinjaOrchids]

HI!! 😍💐 thank you!! so much!! Right back at you 😙❤️ hope you had a fabulous day, lovely lady!

[@chantalvillemure2595]

Hi Nina! Yeah you are right about the paphiopedilums, at least some of them in my case, I just killed another delenatii 😢 with my flushing practice… although I can go wild with some of my paphs, delenatii won’t take it… it was a recent import, which probably did not help, but this perfectly looking little specimen’s life was cut short because of my ruthless watering practice… the rotting process was phenomenally fast! Within a week of noticing a bottom leaf yellowing I had crown rot to advance to even try saving it… next delenatii i get my hands on I will be very careful. Strange that my with other paphs I can even have water in the crown and they are perfectly fine. Please note that humidity here is low and temperature high right now…I would not do that in high humidity and low temperature ! 😂 take care Nina 💕💓💕

[@NinjaOrchids]

HI Chantal 😍💐 I am so sorry that you had the same experience!! I lost mine during the summer, they did not dry out fast enough and yes, it happened super fast! I was so shocked, because, summer, outside, in the shade of the blooming alley, lots of constant breeze and they rotted out 🫤 that was a lesson! I was lucky I only lost 2 (if I remember correctly) so now, all I do is soak them and not fill the pot to the top.... an inch below the surface, never higher than that. That took care of that. Now, will I make another mistake and then ... not going to jinx it! I am so sorry about the delenatii! I have had mine 4 years now, it has not bloomed for me (yet) still working towards that, but, the roots are doing well, so I have hope for maybe winter 2023 🤞🏼 they are very slow slipper orchids ... the slowest of the slow! I can douse my phrag from the top, leaving water in the crown and have no issues with that rotting out ever. I think that the slipper orchids that get submerged by rising river levels can handle water everywhere in their leaves, and those that do not have those conditions in the DNA, will perish if something along those lines were to happen. Phrags are sometimes submerged in water in their natural habitat. I don't dare do that with any of the other slippers I have in my collection 😬 low humidity and high temperatures here as well.... and still, I also lost maudiae types. I learned my lesson! Really appreciate you watching, Chantal! Thank you so much for also leaving your experience in the comments, I appreciate that a lot! Hope your day was fabulous ❤️🌸

[@michaelmccarthy4077]

Shh, don't tell anyone that I am a really, really lazy flusher. And certainly don't tell anyone that I'm a lazy flusher that feeds at a relatively high level. I think the only reason I get away with it is because my media is generally not bone dry when the next watering comes and I pour through quite a lot of water every time. Not to say that I don't flush, but it isn't regular, it's when I think to myself "you know, I haven't flushed in a while". Obviously the outside orchids are a different animal and they get flushed way more than they get fed, simply because we get a lot of summer rain and it is far easier to just spray with the hose than with the feed sprayer during the drier months.

[@NinjaOrchids]

Don Miguel 🥰💐 hola jefe! Only someone with your growing skillzzzz can get away with no regular flushing of orchids that are not exposed to the elements! Oh, to grow in a climate where mother nature does her daily flushes! I remember in Kenya we would get short rainy season and long rainy season... it was awesome! Honestly, looking back, I did not know how good I had it growing orchids 😂 I really did next to nothing! It was heaven! Hope your day was fabulous, my friend! Thank you so much for watching ❤️ I have not finished editing a video for 2 days straight! I am filming blooms seeing as they will fade and I have clips 'everywhere' which take a while to put into projects! I am a little all over the place atm, and hopefully, I can sit and finish videos tomorrow or else there will be a day sans anything! Great problem to have, ... filming blooms that everything else is on the back burner 😆 have yourself a relaxing feet up evening 🌸

[@luckyteachers8498]

Thank you for making this video Nina it was very informative. I’m very new to Leca and self watering. I have been growing my cattleya’s is tradition set ups for a while here in Thailand with great success, but wanted to try self watering as a way to combat my humid environment. My traditional media always has trouble drying out in between watering, so I thought if I can’t beat it I might as well try keeping them moist all the time. I recently purchased two new cattleya’s Rlc Nakornchaisri Red and Ports of Paradise and have been waiting patiently for them to start growing new growths today repot and today was the day. All went well except for accident snapping off a new growth with my fumbly fingers. I watered them in with fertilised water and a little bit of root accelerator that my orchid man gave me. Now my question is, regarding flushing every 3 or so days to oxygenate the roots and flush out debris, do I flush with plain water? Or flush with the fertiliser mix? If I flush with plain water is it ok to just have the fertiliser mix in the reservoir and let the wicks bring back up the nutrients to the pot or should I then pour fresh fertiliser mix back through the Leca? Sorry for the long question I’m just a little confused because all I have read and watched regarding Leca and self watering everyone says to just flush just every 4th watering. Although what you said makes perfect sense.

[@NinjaOrchids]

HI there! 🤩💐 welcome!! I have not seen you here before, so a warm warm welcome and thank you so much for being here! I really appreciate it 🙏🏼 I am sorry to hear of the breaking of a new growth! It always makes us feel bad, and I hope that your orchid will not even notice that it happened and just grow another new growth 🤞🏼 the cleanest plain water that you have is perfect for flushing! If, you have your rainy season at this time, or whenever you have just repotted an orchid into self watering, then, your daily rains will do the flushing for you! Just remember to take the orchid out of the mask so that the pot does not fill up. The best flushing is what mother nature can provide. IF you do not have those rains after a repot, then, clean water only, for flushing. It is perfectly fine to leave the fertilizer mix in the reservoir after flushing! No flushing with fertilized water, because that will just waste your product. If you would like to check out the following video kzbin.info/www/bejne/pIm9eWppZ6yBjqs where I go around showing how I distribute fertilizer amongst my orchids after a flush, then it might help when it comes to quantity and why some get more, some get less and others get nothing. Keep in mind, that in that video, I just flushed the whole table so I am adding fertilizer to the reservoirs. IF, is in the case of post repot, then just flush, and if there is still fertilizer in the reservoir, put the orchid back into that mask until the next flush or, the reservoir is absorbed. I flush a pot through every time a reservoir is absorbed before filling it up again with fertilizer solution. Remember.... if it is raining daily, don't flush! But take the orchid out of the outer pot 😬 flushing every 4th watering is a practice that many do ... why? I have no idea, no one really says why! When growing in inorganic media, and self watering, we cannot be leaving a pot stagnant for so long. And during the growing phase of an orchid everything it requires doubles or triples and that includes flushing, in my opinion! As I am filling a reservoir frequently to keep the fertilizer access going, I take the opportunity to flush that pot. Then, there is no risk of build up, oxygen is always accessible, the pot stays fresh and the work load is greatly reduced. Let me know if you have any further questions. I have a whole playlist for 'Everything Semi Hydro' in case you want to have a look at that and see if there are any videos that match information which could be of interest, here is the link kzbin.info/aero/PLE0Vsyo7oBN7gNLucwHBHurSoyVz1j8nX really appreciate your question and once again, welcome!! Thank you so much for watching 🌸

[@luckyteachers8498]

Thank you so so much for your reply I greatly appreciate it. I am relatively new here….just been watching in the background for a little while 😂 but your videos are great. I will take everything on board that you recommended, it all sounds great. Yes it is definitely rainy season here at the moment and will be until around the end of September, with heavy rain most days. So I will just pop them out in the rain to flush, that’s a great idea. I was doing that with my other plants that are in bark but I’ve stopped because they are just staying way to wet. I’ve resorted to actually bringing them inside at night in the hope to dry them out a bit which is working. One other thing I would like to ask is would you recommend doing a repot - repot in about a month or so? I saw on another channel where after about a month and new growth has started to go down into the media, you gently unpot and cut away everything that’s died. I have done this with 2 recent reports and it seems to have worked out great, only fresh roots in these pots and hopefully a happier plant.

[@NinjaOrchids]

The repot after a month or 2, to cut away anything that has died, is not a bad idea. I know that many recommend that, and if time is available, then I would be very very careful in doing that because new roots are sensitive, and attach to leca, which can be heavy adding weight to the fresh roots, causing them to crack. Not that the root will then die, as a rule, but, extra care when doing it to clean up. I never did that with my transition orchids. Not because it is wrong to do it, but because I felt that my repot schedule of 2, maximum 3 years would take care of a clean up eventually anyway, and then I don't disturb the new roots at all. Seeing as the media is inorganic, it did not matter to me to have some possible decay in the pot. The ratio of roots that have decayed to the inorganic media is so minute, it would not change the climate in the pot. If you have time, and feel comfortable doing a clean up after a month or 2, then there is nothing wrong with that at all. 👍🏼 I am glad that you are not in the background anymore! Really appreciate that you are now front row in the room 😅 (I always sat at the back left corner of my classroom ) 😆

[@luckyteachers8498]

Thanks again for your reply Nina I appreciate it a lot. I’ll see how they go and decide later if I do a clean up in a month or two. I have one more question regarding my self watering pots. I’m not sure if they are retaining as much moisture as they should or what I imagined they would. What I have is an opaque outer pot and then the inner pot in black (sealed lip as the top) but the inner pot has fine slots running down the sides. I know yours are fully closed but I could not find them where I live. I thought what I got would be great but they don’t seem to be holding as much moisture as I thought. The top layer is dry and when I insert my finger into the Leca it feels almost dry to the touch…let’s say 70% or so. Is this normal? Or should I perhaps find a way to close off the slots on the inner pot, maybe jimmy it up with some industrial gaffa tape and leave just the drainage holes at the bottom? I hope that makes sense. I wish there was a way to upload a picture into the comments so I could show you exactly what I mean.

[@NinjaOrchids]

@@luckyteachers8498 I would like to see images, so that I can be more specific. Also, I would like to know if you have any wicking material that touches a reservoir, and what that is. It would also be good to know how deep, or shallow your reservoir is 👍🏼so, please send me any images to [e-mail] and lets have a look. Also, let me know what your climate or growspace is like when it comes to temperatures. If you have a dry climate, like mine with an average of 30% humidity or if you have a high humidity environment of 60% or more. Looking forward to hearing from you and 'let's have a looksee' 👍🏼

[@josephrapp]

I try to keep up with this......i have limited good water with low ppm, so havre to use tap often. Not sure this really helps.

[@NinjaOrchids]

Hi Joseph 😍💐 so your are not one of the blessed growers with a low ppm coming out of your faucet? Anything below 100ppm can be used for flushing without any issues!! I know how difficult it is to be flushing all the time when water supply is limited! Last year, my RO system was down for the 4 months of June - October! I was in a panic and had to pick and choose who needed it most! This year, I have the RO system working efficiently again, and what a relief it is! I don't want to jinx my circumstances, but... I know that feeling of wanting to, but not being able to 😣 I appreciate you watching, Joseph!! thank you so much! I hope that you had yourself a great day 🤗🌸

[@pirvclaudiamaria2342]

Many growers ( from what I’ve seen on media ) use RO water to flush and water orchid . What is the next best alternative , in your opinion , to RO if the tap water is very hard ? From what i understand, distilled water is a no . I thought if I water with plain water , I’m flushing them ( as I don’t add any fertiliser) but then I’ve check online the type of water in my area 😂 boomm very hard ! I feel sometimes orchid growing is goes hand to hand with chemistry! 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@NinjaOrchids]

Hi!! 😍💐 its good to see you! I hope you are doing well 🫶🏼 very hard water... just like me! My tap water is useless for orchids. If you live in an area where you get regular rain, then I would get a rain barrel collector thingy and use rain water. It is the best there is for orchids. What RO water does, is try to simulate the purity of rain water, but unfortunately without any of the mineral goodies and run off that rain water comes with. During the winter, it is then possible to store any excess in bottles indoors so that it is room temperature ready for use. The other alternative would be bottled water. Not sure how feasible that is for you? You could also get a brita filter for your tap water and filter the water that way just to see if it reduces the ppm? Not sure if I am of any help here at all. I opted for a RO system because it just made life a lot easier for me. How I wish I could just take my pots to the kitchen and pour tap water through them 😬 orchid growing and chemistry, yes, there is a connection there, for sure. 😅 thank you so much for watching and if what I wrote prompted further questions, please let me know 🫶🏼 hope your day was beautiful ❤️🌸

[@pirvclaudiamaria2342]

@@NinjaOrchids many thanks for your replay . I’m living in London , raining season will start soon and I should be able to collect some rain water . My concern with rain water is algae and moss , because the roof have plenty 😂on it . Wouldn’t that affect my orchids ? Or I can just flush them with fresh rain water (without store it ) when possible and bottled water when not . I’ll get a TDS meter (which I’m totally out of its use ) and test . Wishing you a lovely weekend and looking forward tomorrow’s live ! 🌹🌸🌹

[@NinjaOrchids]

If you do get moss spores into your pots, personally, I would not worry about it... some orchids actually love the moss if it grows naturally, but that is personal preference. Algae can happen even without using rain water. Also, the goodies in the rain water, in form of tanins from whatever debris it has flowed over, is beneficial for orchids as well. Those of us that do not have the rain to fall back on, use plain water and add a teabag into the water so that our orchids can benefit from the tanins that leach out of the tea. 😬 However, if you would like to try distilled water, ... a thought I had overnight, there is nothing wrong with doing so. I don't know why distilled water has been dissed for being good to flush orchids with, but it is as pure as it gets as well. 🙃 I look forward to seeing you later today as well. Thank you for considering participating during the actual stream 🙌🏼🥳 hope your day is going beautifully for you 🫶🏼❤️🌸