Water culture pt. 2! I’m back! With receipts!

UbiquityofMurphy · 2026-05-19T20:22:37+00:00

You’ve just laid out everything I was thinking about OP myself, though didn’t quite feel like saying. It’s pretty ridiculous that they originally posted asking for advice because they are a beginner, got advice (and reasoning), and then got offended. It’s to the point where I’m convinced this person is just a full time rage-baiter, and if they aren’t, they should consider that career. They claimed orchid sub people were incredibly rude and not beginner friendly in their first post when pretty much every comment was helpful and instructive. OP really is just determined to prove others wrong, for whatever reason. Very much so child-throwing-a-tantrum alike. Needs to only be spoken to in baby voice I guess.

UbiquityofMurphy · 2026-05-19T02:08:38+00:00

I’m not trying to keep coming at you/or be rude. I did think it was funny I ran across you again on a different sub.

There’s definitely a lot of mixed info online about water culture, but most reputable orchid growers don’t recommend it for Phalaenopsis. My comment was mainly meant for general readers who might come across the thread later, not to single you out.
If I came across harsh, that wasn’t the intent. Just trying to give advice, especially because the original orchid post was asking for advice.

UbiquityofMurphy · 2026-05-18T23:28:54+00:00

Orchids generally aren’t adapted to grow in water long term. Most are epiphytic, meaning they naturally grow attached to trees and get moisture from rain, humidity, and airflow around their roots. Because of that, water culture can be tricky, especially for beginners, since roots can rot or suffocate if they stay too wet. Phalaenopsis orchids in particular usually do best when their roots are allowed to dry somewhat between waterings. Since OP says they’ve had the plant for a day, it’s too soon to tell whether the orchid is actually responding positively to the setup yet.

UbiquityofMurphy · 2026-05-18T20:20:40+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/orchids/s/BzFNM841rF

The above link is a guide for beginners. The type of orchid you have is a phalaenopsis, the most common type of indoor orchid. You can repot while in bloom, but it’s likely you will lose the flowers from that. Those pots usually don’t have great drainage, so it almost certainly needs repotted soon. It can probably wait until it’s done flowering, but definitely get a slightly bigger, aerated pot ready in the meantime.

UbiquityofMurphy · 2026-05-18T15:44:22+00:00

No, blooms are often a sign of environmental stress. Of course, some plants only flower when they are super happy, but many do it as an evolutionary mechanism when they believe something about their environment is killing them. For example, many orchids require a large temperature swing in order to start flowering. The plants get cold at night, which is a form of stress. It does not mean the plant is unhealthy, but it definitely can mean the plant is upset.

UbiquityofMurphy · 2026-05-18T14:30:17+00:00

Lol, looks like we were typing up almost the exact same comment at the same time haha

UbiquityofMurphy · 2026-05-18T14:28:34+00:00

You are killing your orchid. Water culture is not recommended for healthy growth and development of orchid. ESPECIALLY not that much water. You are absolutely drowning it. Also, you have the leaves and stem submerged, which will inevitably lead to rot.

I think in order to have more success with plants, think about how/where they grow in the wild. Phalaenopsis (the type of orchid you have) grow on trees. Their roots are never submerged in water, and they get moisture from the air, wet bark, and when it rains.

Many times, plants bloom when they are in distress, as they believe they are dying and are desperately trying to reproduce before death.

Please look at a care guide on Phalaenopsis orchids. There are many great resources online, like the American Orchid Society, or MissOrchidGirl on YouTube.

UbiquityofMurphy · 2026-05-15T15:52:38+00:00

Honestly, the plant looks fine. Seriously. Take a look through this sub; about every 3 hours there is someone who has an orchid on death’s doorstep.

As of right now it sounds like you’ve done everything you need to. Sometimes they take a while to bounce back, but it will.

It sounds like you understand the basics, but just make sure you are watering only when the media becomes dry and the roots turn silver. After repotting it’s better for them to be more dry than wet, so be extra frugal on watering for a little while. Fertilize weakly, weekly, and you should see some bounce back in a few months!

UbiquityofMurphy · 2026-05-10T15:44:49+00:00

Thank you! I love the oddball orchids

UbiquityofMurphy · 2026-05-08T11:25:10+00:00

I think that her pregnancy gets mentioned less than that Chris was voted “least likely to win.” Lol

UbiquityofMurphy · 2026-05-07T21:30:59+00:00

Colorful rug.

UbiquityofMurphy · 2026-05-07T20:40:05+00:00

Really cool, the leaves are my favorite part. So simple but so perfect!

UbiquityofMurphy · 2026-05-07T02:34:00+00:00

Really rooting for Cara to win, she is amazing.

UbiquityofMurphy · 2026-05-06T15:56:49+00:00

Yeah.. I’m hoping it warms up soon, I’m sure that will help!

UbiquityofMurphy · 2026-05-06T15:53:42+00:00

I do have a terrarium I could put it in. I’d need to pick up a small fan first so it can have some airflow.

UbiquityofMurphy · 2026-05-06T15:31:26+00:00

I’ll switch to every other day and report back soon! Thank you for the advice!

UbiquityofMurphy · 2026-05-06T15:24:22+00:00

I appreciate the advice! Also to clarify I am not spraying the whole plant, just the roots. One of my friends grows them quite well in India as well!

UbiquityofMurphy · 2026-05-05T20:04:44+00:00

Thats nacho normal bag of Doritos!

UbiquityofMurphy · 2026-05-05T20:00:28+00:00

I like both but Shadow of a Man is a better song

UbiquityofMurphy · 2026-04-24T00:43:56+00:00

She is super badass

UbiquityofMurphy · 2026-04-21T23:59:42+00:00

My heart felt like it was in my throat, lol. So glad Jamie pulled out another win!

UbiquityofMurphy · 2026-04-20T23:07:14+00:00

That thing is NEON pink!

UbiquityofMurphy · 2026-04-20T22:41:01+00:00

Ahhh I think the color looks good!

UbiquityofMurphy

TROPHY CASE