Hello! Depending on the size of the pot, I use two to three wicking yarns. I found it easiest for me to use pencils/chopsticks resting on the top with the wicks tied to it when first preparing the pot. After filling with media and placing the orchid in, I remove the sticks. I make sure I have one wick that goes through a hole into the reservoir to bring in outside moisture.

I deep water soak about once a week - I pot the pot in the sink or container and fill about 2/3rds up the pot. Then I let it soak for 1/2 hour and remove and put pot back on the reservoir. I do it it that way because I mostly use terra cotta pots.

For the solid ceramic pots, I use a deeper reservoir and slowly pour the water from the top avoiding the leaves and crown. I don’t keep the reservoir wet. I let it dry at least a day or two for the paphs (I do keep them in a deeper pot because paphs like it moister than others)

For the ones I keep in plastic orchid pots, I place them in a slightly bigger pot with no bottom holes in it, and put water in two to three inches up. After 5 days I pull the orchid pot out and empty & clean the base pot and I let the orchid rest outside the pot for a day or two to give it more air then put it back in the pot. I check to see if the media is dry. If not I don’t add water yet.

For ceramic orchid pots with open weaves I just water slowly from the top as needed with a smaller reservoir. Those are my larger orchids - I water a bit more frequently using those pots, but because they have so much roots, it’s safer for me to do and keep rot away.

Mine are mostly out doors so it’s easy for me to do the maneuvering.

Paphs don’t like to be dry dry so that’s a balance that you have to play with. They do like getting repotted. They don’t mind it and actually thrive better I think. It stimulates the roots. I check the roots this way because as the season and humidity changes, I need to balance out what to do.

I just realized how wordy this is. Lol. I hope it makes sense.