Orchid Plants in deco beads

[Rhonda]

Loving Accent Decor's T2 videos with Hitomi
In one episode she puts bare orchids (cleaned from their pots) into containers with deco beads. I've seen others done this way also (a website that Cathy CHR linked to). Any orchid afficionados here agree that it may be a way to showcase orchids? I have some that I've repotted and a few that need to be..... would try the deco beads and a cube for that "look" if it would keep the orchid alive. Second part of that would be clear beads as opposed to the dyed beads (that do bleed off their color)?

 

[Sarah Botchick]

I would check the bottle of the beads before you did it. I don't know if all brands say it, but the brand we carry, Crystal Accents, says right on the bottle "not recommended for fresh orchids" (and a couple other kinds of flowers.)

Now I know Accent Decor carries their own brand of the water holding gel beads, so maybe theirs are orchid safe... but from what I have heard, the chemicals used in these things about all the same regardless of whose name is on the bottle.

Would hate to kill some beautiful orchids.

 

[Rhonda]

Sara, I do know that from the years of "California Crystals" (god that really dates me), that the "crystals" dehydrate stems. I was hoping that with the new advances that the beads or crystals would retain their moisture and not take from stems placed in them. I still use them with caution due to the dehydration problem...

 

[BOSS]

Need to test but.... I think the beads would give off moisture rather than adsorb it from the plants. When we did the wedding show a few weeks ago, we had 2-3 gallons of beads afterwords. Some we let sit out on a table and overnight they evaporated to a small red dot on a piece of paper.

The ones in a bucket, without water were still good, although smaller 2 weeks later. Some testing would need to be done. But I would think they would work. Someplace I read about adding them to soil to maintain soil moisture levels.... have to dig around...

Heh... I still have a bottle of California Crystals too.... I think the bottle mentions adding to soil, will check when I get back to work tomorrow.

 

[RWK]

Ok......This is coming from my training in ornamental horticulture. The beads are a water ABSORBING polymer. They were originally designed as a soil additive to absorb excess water in clay soils and to strengthen the looseness of sandy soils.

You can use them with certain varieities of orchids. Some species of orchids DO NOT REQUIRE soil as a growing medium.......those can be used with the beads as the roots are used for support......not absorbing nutrients for the plant.

Some species of orchids DO require soil as a growing medium because they do absorb nutrients and moisture through the root structure, those should not be used with the beads.

 

[BOSS]

OK smarty pantZ....

Do you have a list of which are which?

 

[RWK]

I'll have to find it............but yes, I do ( did ).

of course, you have to realize that there are 22000 to 25000+ species of orchids.

 

[BOSS]

I'll have to find it............but yes, I do ( did ).

of course, you have to realize that there are 22000 to 25000+ species of orchids.

The top 10 in each category would be good

 

[Rhonda]

my dendrobs and oncidiums are all in bark and moss.... they're not in soil.....
I believe that the "lady slipper" type have some soil.
My phals are in moss......

 

[OB1]

I have had phaleonopsis orchids in deco beads in a 12" glass "rose bowl" for 5 months now...plant is healthy, although the bloom time has expired. We sell them like this in the shop as an alternative to fresh flower arrangements for those who think flowers die too quickly....the flowers on mine here at home lasted about 4 months.( I give it about 1/2 cup of water every 3 weeks)
So I guess the question is, how long do you want them to last. Azaleas here rarely last that legnth of time, and never that long in bloom. And if you can keep an areca palm alive here that long you are a majician.

There is a very popular radio personality in this are who does a horticulture based radio show once a week, and, to my delight, one day he announced to all of Ontario," well, what do you expect? If you can purchase a plant for 50.00 and have it live in your home for 3 months, that equals .07 cents a day for beautiful living decor. I think it is worth the price."
Best advertising anyone could wish for.

 

[Sprout]

FWIW, and this is not a scientific study, but I have a phal in deco beads for 2 months now - the blooms are going by and the leaves are drying out and it's dying.

 

[RWK]

okay - here's the results of some research done for you.

Approximately 70 percent of the 22 to 25 thousand orchid species are classified as epiphytic. The term refers to a particular characteristic of a plant in that it does not require soil to carry out photosynthesis, flower, produce seed or spores, or to draw nutrients from the ground.

Good examples of epiphytes are - Tillandisia (Spanish Moss), Cryptanthus (Earth stars), Platycerium (Staghorn fern) - yes, the gray stringy moss hanging from trees is actually a flowering plant. Attached is a picture of the flower of Spanish moss.

Most commercial orchids are epiphytic as well.

Phaleanopsis sp. , Catteleya sp., Bulbophyllum sp., Dendrobium sp., Cyprepedium sp., Biphrenaria sp., (Bifrenaria is a type of cymbidium - most of the cymbidium types are epiphytic.

Epiphytic root structures of these plants DO draw some moisture as do the leaves, stems, blooms, and store it in organs commonly known as psuedobulbs - these are bulbular shaped areas at the base of stems/leaves that function as water holding tanks for the plant.

The deco beads are a water/moisture absorbing material. In a glass vase for instance, eventually....there will be no more moisture for the gel to absorb.....also means no more moisture for the plant species.

If you display epiphytic plants in the medium.......be sure to have on hand a mister and spray it down with water several times a day ( remember, these are RAINFOREST plants ( they grown in areas of high rainfall, 90 to 95 percent and higher humidity ). For nutrient, most any reputable garden center should stock/carry a good foliar fertilizer......this is a fertilizer that is mixed with water and it is misted on the plant.