Trisha ! 🤗💐 I really appreciate your feedback! Thank you very much 😊 the ‘clear’ word ... that’s a big relief, thank you!
@annebroder99024 жыл бұрын
I found out why some orchids looked starved, somedays the melted snow water was wayyy too acid! Great demontration again Nina!
@NinjaOrchids4 жыл бұрын
Anne! 🤗💐 really? Snow?? Acidic? Well well well, who would have thought! Thank you for that nugget! And thank you so much for watching 💐
@annebroder99024 жыл бұрын
@@NinjaOrchids There are still many coal burning power plants in the states and a few remaining out west. The sulfur components of the coal are released in the sky as sulfuric acid, thus, acid rain.
@prebenbusk39084 жыл бұрын
Good morning Nina! Great video! This video can help many orchid growers beginners! Understanding that water quality is so important! Just like you when I started with orchids! No one talked about how important water quality is! Today it is easier, now there are instruments PH-TDS there are not that expensive! To adjust PH Up - I use baking soda! Example Use very little ex.A knife tip, to 5lt.Water and meta, and continue until you have a correct PH value! To adjust PH down I use lemon acid! I use a 250 ml bottle, about 2cm lemon acid, on the bottom, fill the bottle with distilled water, shake it is ready to use. the same her not too much! Ex. Pipet 1 drop to 5 liters of water! And continue until you have the correct PH value! This is not my idea I have learned from other growers! I have used this for a long time! And again, don't take too much! Take some And some until you are satisfied! And this baking soda! Citric acid is like crystals, you can probably buy both products in your supermarket Very cheap and effective! It's been a long time since I bought these expensive PH up PH downs! Have a nice day ! Happy growing! Preben ....
@NinjaOrchids4 жыл бұрын
Preben!! I’m going to pin your comment because it’s very important for beginners to know the bicarbonate of soda as a pH up and citric acid, as pH down! 🤗💐 I wanted to keep it as simple as possible for beginners, for that reason I didn’t go into alternative details because... when I went to upload my clips I saw how long the video already was 😑 and I was focusing on the importance of knowing water quality and the up / down you mentioned could be a subject for a later date if I were to be asked. I can’t get citric acid in my supermarket 🤷♀️ I’ve looked everywhere! Right now I’m using lemon juice from the supermarket to get my pH to an acceptable level, but I didn’t want to bring that up either because of what too much potassium in water for orchids could mean for the balance of other nutrients! It’s a very complex subject, but I hope with this video & the links I left on the description, a beginner will at least understand why it’s important to know what comes out of the tap. I’m no scientist ... I need to keep things simple and I hope this is what I achieved with this video. Thank you so much for sitting through this 🤗 I really appreciate it!
@prebenbusk39084 жыл бұрын
@@NinjaOrchids Hi Nina I know that was a long explanation! I apologize I wrote this because! I feel sorry, many people do not know this! many buy expensive PH up PH down, they can save money, yes Nina lemon juice, works good ! I have set growers that squeeze a lemon in the water! Have a great afternoon! Stay safe!
@NinjaOrchids4 жыл бұрын
Preben Busk the time you took to make that comment is very much appreciated and I hope many people read it! Thank you so much for your input 👍🏼 enjoy your afternoon 😊
@NinjaOrchids4 жыл бұрын
Preben!! I am such an idiot!! I just ordered powdered citric acid from amazon 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️ I cannot believe how much of an old horse attitude I had regarding looking for it in the supermarket instead of going the amazon route! 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️😅😅😅 d’ohhhhh!! Thank you for the jolt ! Much needed!! 😑
@prebenbusk39084 жыл бұрын
Hi Nina! Thanks so much! You are welcome I understand you my friend! I was born in 1946 ...... Preben ....@@NinjaOrchids
@TheOrchidRoom4 жыл бұрын
I've just started watching and I'm horrified by your pH reading! 😱🤯 Great illustration for people of why it's important to check whatever water it is you are using, and how much this can vary between areas or regions!
@NinjaOrchids4 жыл бұрын
Ariel 🧜♀️🤩 I know right? So... my principle regarding, ‘but I’ve always done it this way’ is out the window, because I can get stuck in that thought process very easily! Thank you for taking the time to watch my video 🤗
@dannyc97844 жыл бұрын
Thanks a lot for this tutorial! Been trying to get my head around PPM & PH regarding the fertilizing of my orchids this helped me a lot.
@NinjaOrchids4 жыл бұрын
Danny!! 🌸 I am soooo happy to hear that!! Job done! I can ‘go home now’! 😅 no, really!! Thank you for your feedback! I really appreciate it! 🤗💐
@SimplySueLee4 жыл бұрын
Yes these are a must! I am always using my TDS meter. So much so that my toddler wants to always play with it and dip it in water 😆 thanks for the great information
@NinjaOrchids4 жыл бұрын
SueLee, you are giving your toddler a head start 👍🏼👍🏼 thank you very much for watching!! 🤗💐
@Starseagull3 жыл бұрын
Well that does it, I have to buy a TDS meter now and actually investigate my water. I know the pH is at about 7.5 so with the ph lowering in organic media (which i use) then maybe the ph will be quite good in the pots! I gave up adjusting the pH because it was such a hassle at the time that it was killing the joy of growing. But now i’m more at ease with that :D thank you for this video, it was very informative and not at all T-e-D-iou-S 😂 And was that Baloo I heard in the background? 🦊 Grim (my pom) was very curious about it 😄
@NinjaOrchids3 жыл бұрын
Maria 🤩💐 I am so glad that this video was interesting and gave you the answers to make a calculated decision! I LOVE your play on words TeDiouS!! 👍🏼👍🏼 because, there is a lot of truth in that, until one day, you can gage your TDS based on what you do so often without having to measure at all. I use my TDS meter a lot, if we have not had a lot of rain, just to see if the water in the mains is still consistent and again, if we had a lot of rain. My RO system has to work hard to get the nasties out of what comes from the mains, so, there are fluctuations in my case. I get well water... other than that, after a month, or less, the TDS meter wasn't a daily requirement anymore. Thank you so much for taking the time to watch this video. Really appreciate your feedback 🤗🌸
@FernandaNascimentoOrchids4 жыл бұрын
Great, great vídeo and content Nina. I beleive all tap water has a high pH because alkaline water is essencial for us humans to be healthy. Most orchids need more acidity (except for some which are semi terrestrials and live in limestone áreas like Paphs) as you have mentioned, hence the importance of lowering pH. And fertilizers have an influencie on pH too, if you add calcium to your mixture, the levels will certainly change. From what I understand pH also changes with temperature, right? 🥴 Very clear explanation about the importance of both gadgets. Thanks for the shout out, truly 🤗❤️ appreciated
@NinjaOrchids4 жыл бұрын
Fernanda 🥰💐 thank you so much for for encouraging feedback! Keeping it simple was the biggest challenge regarding this video! It took me days to break it down before filming and talking about it. I was so glad to see the 3 requests... it motivated me to no end! So ... if I achieved that simplicity, diluted vanilla content, job done! ... Spanish water quality can be a hit / miss depending on where you live and it’s strongly advised to not drink the water coming out of the tap! I do anyway ... I’m from Kenya .. I’ve drank stuff that wasn’t even looking pretty when you opened the tap 😅 (maybe that’s what’s wrong with me!) 🤣 in my quaint early 70s community, we have well water and if it doesn’t rain a lot, that affect everything! One day of rain & things change again 🤷♀️ these two gadgets ... so important and I hope it helps someone 😊
@faribaj.4619 Жыл бұрын
Thank you so so much!🌸
@NinjaOrchids Жыл бұрын
Fariba, hi 😍💐 it is good to see you! I hope you are doing well 🫶🏼 thank YOU so much for watching and for your comment. I appreciate your time! Wishing you a wonderful rest of your day / evening 🥰🌸
@toddstropicals4 жыл бұрын
Yeah they're important for sure.
@NinjaOrchids4 жыл бұрын
Good morning, Todd! 🤗💐 thank you for taking the time to watch vanilla ... and not the orchid kind 😬👍🏼
@OrchieDee4 жыл бұрын
I’ve got almost the same video lined up waiting to be edited. But I was holding off because it’s a fairly bland topic. You’ve made it very interesting! Thanks Nina! Xx
@NinjaOrchids4 жыл бұрын
Dee!!! 🤗💐 can I link it in my description when you publish it? As a starter kit video, I only emphasized why these 2 gadgets are fundamental (IMO) but I’ve linked Fernanda’s & The Orchid Room’s next level videos in the description ... may I add your’s? 🙏🏼 this way, any beginner can find more sources quicker 😃
@OrchieDee4 жыл бұрын
Ninja_Orchids yes of course! If it ends up any good!! It goes in to calibration and cleaning my ph meter. I’ll likely link back to yours as it’s a wonderful example of how media plays a big role in considering what solution ph you should be targeting
@NinjaOrchids4 жыл бұрын
Oh that’s great!! I won’t get much reach with this video, but if it helps ONE person, then JOB DONE and the links are such a boost for anyone who wants to venture further! Thank you 🤗
@orchidsgardeninengland16824 жыл бұрын
Very informative video Nina. It took me a long time to understand PH, but I got there in the end. I always use my TDS and PH meters when making a new batch of fertiliser. Today it was the turn of my organic fertiliser in just rain water, the TDS was within accepted parameters, but my PH I couldn't reduce below 7, even with my PH down. I suppose I could have put a lot more PH down into the liquid, but then I worry that isn't good either. My organic fertiliser is just NPK and I thought here goes the phrags can have a drenching, followed by a flushing of just rain water p.s. I've just remembered, I didn't PH my rain water!
@NinjaOrchids4 жыл бұрын
Hello Margaret 🤗💐 and it took me a long time to figure out that it was my water that changed when I first moved house after starting to grow orchids in a pot! It was so very frustrating! I was spoiled from slapping the orchids into trees and leaving them be! I guess I got lucky with the water source of my first property but then.... a frustrating learning curve to say the least! Thank you so much for watching and yes, check your rain water... I’m sure it’s fine! But... if the water but is emptying and then new rain collects in it, that new rain could bring the first dust and debris along with it and it may raise the TDS ... not by a detrimental amount, but it sure is interesting to know 😊
@dannisorchidjourney4 жыл бұрын
😍 great video 😍 make it vanilla!! Lol.
@NinjaOrchids4 жыл бұрын
Danni... gimme vanilla or I loose interest! It’s good in coffee as well 🤗💐 thank you for taking the time to watch 😊
@dannisorchidjourney4 жыл бұрын
Ninja_Orchids yes it does go well with coffee. The flavor I use is Oreo! It is the best
@heyitsarash11 ай бұрын
Amazing presentation👏so much info How often do u fertilize your orchids/plants
@NinjaOrchids11 ай бұрын
HI Arash 😍💐 welcome! I have not seen you here before, so first of all, allow me to extend a warm warm welcome and a massive thank you for being here, for watching and commenting! I appreciate it very much 🫶🏼 being that my set up is leca and self watering or other combinations of inorganic media in semi hydroponic set up variations, I fertilize when the reservoirs are absorbed and only depending on what the orchid is doing. i.e. in active growth or resting (that is when I only provide clean water) this season (2023) I uploaded this video kzfaq.info/get/bejne/hcx9p7ScztW5pX0.html in which I explained what I was planning for my fertilizing regime based on size of orchids and what I was hoping to achieve by increasing my nutrients concentration. Maybe you would like to have a look at the video? Here is the link kzfaq.info/get/bejne/hcx9p7ScztW5pX0.html I don't want to bombard you, but this video link kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ib5dgrd9mcuUcnk.html will take you to the most recent update of how things are going / growing, with a little focus on the flushing in between. I hope my reply wasn't too lengthy. I tend to feel the need to elaborate when it comes to some questions 😬 really appreciate you watching, I hope your Sunday is already off to a great start and once again, welcome 🫶🏼❤️🌸
@heyitsarash11 ай бұрын
Thank you so much . Yes new persian subscriber here. So happy i came across your channel there's so much to learn from you. Greetings all the way from Iran🌱🪴
@NinjaOrchids11 ай бұрын
Woohoo!!! Amazing that you found my channel! I have been watching the history of Persia videos recently. All I can think of is the wonderful food you have in your country 😋 the dishes and ingredients look amazing. I had a few dishes when I was in Dubai, but I do not remember all the names unless I see a menu! Just delicious 🫠
@tinajordan65916 ай бұрын
How often do you calibrate your ph meter? . I gave up with mine. It was too expensive buying all the solutions 😢.
@NinjaOrchids6 ай бұрын
HI Tina 😍💐 I very very rarely calibrate my pH meter! I know, right? I do not follow the regular calibration recommendation anymore, because the meters usually start to report errors, seeing as these pH meters are not the high tech ones. The more I fiddled with the calibration, the worse the readings got. So, the pH meter I am using now has not been calibrated in over a year. If you know your fertilizer's behavior, based on how much you put into the water on a regular basis, and know your readings based on these repeated concentrations, you will not need to calibrate these cheaper meters that often. I hear you, ... buying all the expensive solutions are a pain and in my opinion, totally unnecessary for the cheap meters we use for our hobby. I hope this puts your mind at rest that your pH meter will not fail you just because you don't calibrate it often 🫶🏼 thank you so much for watching this video, Tina ❤️🌸
@CheeryOrchids4 жыл бұрын
Thank you so much Nina for the very informative video.😀 I would like to ask questions to be sure if I am doing it correctly with my water. I agree that it is very important to check tds and ph. Our tap water tds is between 180-190, is it alright that I use it in my regular watering? When I fertilize now, I am using purified water and with fertilizers combined the tds is up to 400-450, is it still safe for my orchids or do I need to dilute the fertilizer mixture? What will be the safest maximum tds for orchids? I know you have already posted the ratings of level of tds but I hope you can answer my questions.🙂❤️
@NinjaOrchids4 жыл бұрын
Cheery 🤗💐 I’m going to answer question by question and will edit as I go, so that I can see the full comment. You are mainly growing in organic media, check your tap water pH for regular watering and if it’s any higher than 6.8 I would suggest bringing it down to 6.5 for regular watering. Tap water can have chlorine and other chemicals in it (depending on regions) so, I would suggest to fill watering cans or buckets with tap water and leave for several hours before using, this way things can ‘leave’ the water before using, especially chlorine. Your TDS when fertilizing is a personal preference. Vandas can take it, smaller orchids can’t (seedlings etc) and it depends if the orchid is growing something or blooming.. if there is nothing going on with dendrobiums etc, then the TDS is too high and should be diluted. If you don’t fertilize at every watering, then your TDS levels are fine, seeing as your orchids also get rained on? In the growing phase of my orchids, I do not go above 350, my vandas being the exception, they get 400 everyday except in winter when I drop it to 200. For flushing etc, your tap water TDS is fine. I’m jealous 😅 I don’t want to ‘preach to the choir’, so please do not think I’m trying to be patronizing, but I wanted to answer some variables in your questions as well. Let me know if this helps 🤗💐
@CheeryOrchids4 жыл бұрын
Ninja_Orchids thank you so much Nina!😀❤️ I will check our ph. Some of my orchids get rained, others don’t. When leaving tap water for few hours to get rid of chemicals, do I have to leave it open or is it ok to close the container?🙂
@NinjaOrchids4 жыл бұрын
Leave the container open... chlorine, for one needs to ‘evaporate’ 😊 💐
@CheeryOrchids4 жыл бұрын
Ninja_Orchids thank you Nina!😀❤️ you’ve really helped me a lot!❤️
@NinjaOrchids4 жыл бұрын
Cheery Colors 🤸♀️🤸♀️🤸♀️🤗🙌🏼💐
@megank98654 жыл бұрын
Wow, your tap water is truly horrific 😟 Thank you for this video, I will stop being lazy about my water quality immediately. My poor orchids...😥
@NinjaOrchids4 жыл бұрын
Megan! 🤗💐 you are very welcome!! However... maybe your tap water isn’t as bad and all is trickety boo 😃 it’s good to know though 😊 I hope this wasn’t an all over the place video ... and thank you again for your request and for watching! 🤗💐
@megank98654 жыл бұрын
@@NinjaOrchids I did look up the water quality of the tap water in my council area and I know the TDS is in an acceptable range without fertiliser, and the pH is around 7. So, theoretically in my organic bark and spagnum set up I would be kinda ok if I never used fertiliser. But I do use fertiliser, and I have had problems in the past with root burn from salt accumulation. So I'm better off checking to be safe, and keep my orchid babies happy. Thank you for the great video content 💖
@rafaeldopapacapim92634 жыл бұрын
Like 👍👍👍👍
@NinjaOrchids4 жыл бұрын
Obrigado 😊
@CarmensOrchids Жыл бұрын
wow 500ppm orchids be like “im gonna die”
@NinjaOrchids Жыл бұрын
Carmen, hi 😍💐 at one point, 500ppm will be necessary when the orchid has grown to size. This year, is the first year that I am fertilizing my large complex hybrid phals, my large angraecoids, and large cattleyas etc, with 500ppm. These are orchids that I got in 2018 and up until this year I was fertilizing a maximum of 300ppm, sometimes repeat applications / day, or every day for the vandaceous orchids. So, now that some orchids have grown to size, they do require higher quantities of nutrients to accomodate their development. BUT, if I ever see salt build up on the surface, then I will drop the amount to 400 and stay conservative. Seedlings and high fertilizer... and yes... 'I'm gonna die'! 👍🏼👍🏼 thank you so much for watching, lovely lady! I hope that Rome is drier than Spain today... it has rained non stop since we stopped the live stream yesterday and the forecast is the same for another couple of days 🙄❤️🌸
@CarmensOrchids Жыл бұрын
@@NinjaOrchids hi again nina and yes it still raining here, and btw do you flush right away after you fertilize/supplementing?
@NinjaOrchids Жыл бұрын
I was looking for this comment, but only found it again just now 😬 sorry! Flushing should happen after the reservoir has been absorbed, is empty, BEFORE the next nutrient solution goes in. So, what I do is, every time a reservoir is empty, I flush the pot through 2x with the outer pot a clean water, so depending on the size of the pot, I use that amount of water 2x before filling the reservoir with nutrient or supplement solution. Then wait for the reservoir to empty again, and flush before filling it again 😃