What are salt build ups and why we need to flush orchid pots

Salt build ups can accumulate in the orchid pot and media, causing root burns and other inconveniences. they come mainly from fertilizer, but from the water source as well. For this reason it is recommended to flush orchid pots so that these salts dissolve and get washed away by clean water. So here is a discussion on the subject of flushing orchid pots and how we should do this.

[wadesorchids]

This is a very important topic for all of us and particularly if you are a home grower. Very informative and well done, Dani! I have come to the same conclusions that you have.

[madsue]

Love this video Dani! Very informative and well done! Thank you!

[sorangelbarrios]

The roots have salt I flush, but I still see it. Is there something that I can continue to do?

[Roarkethemerciless]

Salts can build up on the surface of the media, like a white powder or crust.

[donnaadams]

This is just what I needed! I couldn't understand why both my orchid plants started wilting at the same time! I'm sure I over-fertilized, and I never knew I was supposed to flush them monthly, or not use my hard tap water to water them! 😩 Hopefully I can still save them? One has 8 flowers just bloomed, but are wilting, and leaves drooping and leathery! 😱 The other is down to only 2 droopy leathery looking leaves left, and it tried to push out a flower stalk, but it's only 3 inches long and no flowers yet.

[DrinkingStar]

Hi Dani. The terms 'chemical', 'natural' and 'organic' are misunderstood by general public mainly due to advertisers selling product for some company. The general perception or 'natural and 'organic' is that such compounds are made by living organisms. It is also assumed they are they are different from 'chemicals'. All matter is made from chemicals. Chemicals are all made of elements regardless of who, what or how they are found or made. If different elements are bond together by chemical bonds they are called compounds. Water is a chemical. It is also a compound consisting of 1 hydrogen and 2 oxygen atoms(aka elements). Water can be 'natural' or 'unnatural'. All animals make water in their bodies by metabolic respiration.You can call it 'natural'. But distilled water is 'unnatural since it is not made within the body of a living organism. Water is, by definition, 'inorganic' since is does not have carbon and hydrogen atoms chemically bonded together( definition of organic). Organic does not mean 'made by a living organism'. We make water but is it inorganic by definition. Remember, these terms are misused to sell products. They try to sway the general public to believe to buy a product which will always be a chemical of some sort.

As for nitrates, they can be made from nitrogen in the atmosphere as a result lightening supplying the energy for the chemical reaction. These nitrates enter the soil with the rain. Nitrates made this way are 'unnatural'. Most nitrates are made in the soil due to the activity of bacteria. Also, nitrates are also inorganic regardless of the source since carbon and hydrogen atoms do not make them up.

As for salts, they are the resultant product of an acid and a base reacting. Salts can be organic or inorganic. They can be 'natural' or 'unnatural'.

Once you place and allow nitrates to dissolve in water you form a mixture.  When the water evaporates, the unused nitrates remain as a residue. In nature, rain causes this residue to leach downwardly in the soil and eventually out of the reach of the roots if not absorbed. When you soak the orchids, you are doing what Mother Nature would do to prevent a build up of mineral residue. Excess minerals can cause an osmotic imbalance between the soil and the roots resulting ultimately in death of the plant.

[orchidforever]

Hi Dani, i do have one question i want buy a masdevallia but i have afraid because the temperature, do you have a idea how can i make lower temperature in one small space for one masdevallia or i should not buy. ( my environment is identical to yours) thanks

[EllePlowPlow]

What's the name of that Orchid in the back left white pot?

[Rosemary]

Hi Dani, I was flushing my plants the other evening,  And when I put the last one in for its bath I fell asleep, It was in there for 9 hours, Do you think I killed it, I'm hoping it can't tell the time and thinks it was just having a normal soak, But I'm worried because it was the one that has re-budded and they are getting ready to open, I was thinking of repotting it just to give it dry bark but I don't know if that would work, Or should I just leave it ? and keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best, Any advice would be greatfully accepted, Rosemary

[GiovanniOrchidsKiller]

BEAUTIFUL explanation <3 <3 My university ecology teacher will be proud of ur nitrogen cycle logic :D :D AHHAHAHAHAH  :D :D :D GOOD WORK

[bulbophillumking]

Very interesting ^^, I've never thought about it ... I often put slightly "rotten" leaves (deciduous tree leaves) in my terrestrial / semi terrestrial orchid's pots (pleione, calanthe, Lycaste, anguloa ...).But I even like to put them in my stanhopea / gongora baskets, they love organics (at least thath's what I've noticed ^^).
Mind to give me an opinion ? I'm kinda lost now >.< ...