3) Watering

Paphiopedilum like water basicaly Never dry up the potting materials. you have to find a fully worked-out your own watering considering the difference between nature and your greenhouse. In growing period : water enough In resting period : cutting down, keep high humidity

Sometimes, the biginners ask a veteran when and how much they water for Paphs and annoyed for the reply. Because we don't water in the same way for each veteran and you can not water according to the same way. Basicaly, never dry up the potting material. In growing period, from spring to summer, you water enough and in the resting period, you cut down, wet slightly in night but never dry up . So I have to go back the first problem, how offen we water. Now you understand ..., you water to keep the condition mentiuoned above. You have to change the frequency according to the size of pot, materials in potting, the size of materials, the place in your greenhouse ( sunlight ) and the condition of plant. The smaller of materials, the longer it takes to dry. Under strong sunlight and good ventilation, it will be easy to dry. When the plant is healthy and grwo vigorously, the materials will dry faster. This is the reasn why we can not water in the same way. Strictly speaking, the watering will vary according to the personality, the situation of greenhouse and the plants in the same greenhouse. It is the best way to water for each plant individualy. But in reality, it will be impossible. We will water in average in our greenhouse. I dare to speak that we will water every a fer days in summer and once a week in winter. So you try like this and modify according to your results. But be careful for the unhealthy plant rotted root. You have to cut down watering in order to encourage the root growing.

You may water from the top of plants. But the water stagnate into the leaves, the bud would be die and/or the leaves would be desease sometimes. It is true. But the reason of desease is not the water. I guess, the pest injure leaves and water bring infectius fungi and bacteria. When you prevent against infection and pest, it will be easy for watering. If you hate watering from the top of plants, you can water from the surface of potting materials for each pot. In other case, you put pots in a boｘmade by expanded polystyrene and water in the box enough. In this case, you haa better take off the water after the material's being wet enough. You don't keep water in the box. Especialy, for young seedlings and Brachypetalum , I recomend this type of watering.

I mentioned the drying is dependent on the materials in pot. Considering about that, I recomend you choose the appropriate materials for you especialy. If you like to water so offen, use materials that is easy to dry like Crypto-moss or use the bigger size of stones. On the other hand, If you were so busy and very difficult to water offen, you put wooden material to be larger part of the mixture or use the smaller size of mixture in order to keep water much longer. Basicaly you have to wait the materials in pot to dry but you had better consider the mixture for your own personality in watering.

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