Growing Hydroponic Orchids
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 laedened 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, Aliflour, 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. This is what I recommend.
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.
Aliflour - 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.
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.
As easy as it sounds remember that orchids can be fickle and blooming can be a bit exasperating.
What You Don't Know About Professional Carpet Cleaning
So you have stained your carpet, and you are scratching your head trying to work out what is the best cleaning method to apply first? The problem is, as you are no doubt aware, the wrong product on any stain can be disastrous to your carpet, sometimes causing it to worsen or become permanently fixed. If you're not comfortable with trying to get the stain out yourself, there are a few options for professional carpet cleaning that you should be aware of.
Shampooing
Good old fashioned carpet cleaning services have been around for decades, and today they can use a chemical cleaning product to shampoo it for you. Then they go over the floor with a shampooing machine that draws the chemical solution out again, leaving the carpet almost dry. Occasionally, these chemical solutions are damaging to carpet, and commonly tough stains will appear to have dissolved only to show up again later on.
Dry Cleaning Your Carpet
Carpet cleaning services that offer dry cleaning are certainly becoming popular alternatives. The serviceman will spread a powdery substance over your floors then use his carpet cleaning machine to work it through and then suck it out, along with any dirt or stains. Foam is another form of almost dry carpet cleaning where the carpet is shampooed with foam only, then vacuumed on drying. It is a common school of thought that carpet cleaning services who use wet, shampooing techniques actually damage the carpet over time, encouraging rotting and decay of underlay and contributing to future mold growth.
The Bonnet Method For Carpet Cleaning
Most businesses and large industries choose a carpet cleaning service that offers the Bonnet method. The Bonnet method uses steam from highly heated water with specialized detergent to more thoroughly and deeply clean the carpet, followed by sucking up the moisture and product, as well as any dirt. The heat of the steam makes stains and grime dissolve more easily, and it also has a great sanitizing effect as well.
The intention when choosing a carpet cleaning service provider is to ensure the life of the carpet is prolonged as much as possible. Always ask what type of cleaning is being offered, and only go with a method that you have confidence in and trust for use on your carpet. The cheapest method is usually the nastiest, and even though the floors might look fantastic immediately afterwards, prolonged application of some products and machines that use water can cause real damage to the carpet you treasure in your home.
Visit us for more information on dry carpet cleaner machine, chemical carpet cleaning, portable carpet cleaners and what is the best way to clean carpet.
