At this time, I have successfully transitioned ten Phalaenopsis Orchids from traditional orchid bark to Semi Water-Culture. I feel Starbuck’s transition was the easiest of all my orchids and the experience has given me a proven method for the future..
What Worked
- Starbuck was in bloom when her transition began and she never dropped her blooms prematurely.
- Though Starbuck lost most of her original roots, she has replaced them with new “water roots.”
- At no time during the process did Starbuck appear to be stressed or dehydrated.
My Transition Method
QUARANTINE AND ACCLIMATION
- New orchids are quarantined for 5-7 days to ensure the plant has no pests. This also allows the plant to acclimate to the temperature, humidity, and lighting conditions of my home.
- Within the first day or two, I’ll take care of any needs the plant might have. This is usually no more than moving the plant to a larger, vented nursery pot and watering it.
- After the quarantine period, the orchid is moved to my plant shelf. At this time it begins living 12 hours per day under grow lights. The orchid then stays here in its original media for a week or more.
MOVING TO WATER
- Approximately one month after arrival, I start the transition by cleaning the roots.
- Soak the roots in filtered water for 30-60 minutes to loosen original media.
- Gently remove as much of the original media as possible.
- Remove any black or brown mushy velamen and leave the string roots.
- Place the orchid into a dry vase and allow it to dry for two days.
- When the roots are totally dry and silvery, add water* with Cal-Mag, at a rate or 1/2 teaspoon/gallon, to cover lower 1/3 of roots
- Begin wet and dry day cycles.
*Water should be one of the following:
- Tap water with water conditioner to neutralize heavy metals and remove chlorine/chloramine.
- Tap water that has been filtered to remove chlorine/chloramine.
- Reverse Osmosis (RO) or Reverse Osmosis De-Ionized (RODI) water
- Distilled water.
WHAT ARE WET AND DRY DAY CYCLES?
The most important part of transitioning an orchid to water-culture happens during the next few months. During this time, roots that are used to living in bark must learn to receive water and nutrition from water. Many, if not all of the roots will fail and new roots will grow to replace them. In the past, this is where my orchids became stressed and/or dehydrated. The solution is to do this slowly, over time; this is why we call it transitioning. Each step of the way should last for at least 4 weeks. The water used should have Cal-Mag added at 1/2 teaspoon/gallon. The water level should never cover more than the lower 1/3 of the roots.
WET AND DRY DAY SCHEDULE
4-Day Cycle for at least 4 weeks
2 days wet / 2 days dry
5-Day Cycle for at least 4 weeks
3 days wet / 2 days dry
6-Day Cycle for at least 4 weeks
4 days wet / 2 days dry
7-Day Cycle – Transition Complete
5 days wet / 2 days dry
Tips for Success
If/when a root becomes soft or mushy, remove the velamen and leave the inner string root. String roots only absorb about 1/10 of what a velamen covered root can absorb, but that is better than nothing. I used to think mushy roots needed to be cut off but my orchids suffered when I did. Once your orchid has a full set of roots you can safely remove them.
Stick to your schedule as closely as you can. I have begun using a To-Do app to schedule my transition schedules and it has really helped a lot.
When in doubt, ask for help. You can ask on my Facebook page or a Facebook group that I trust, the Water Culture Orchid Club group.
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