Yep, the MistKing. It doesn't replace 'watering' which, for me, involves soaking. But it does replace hand misting in between waterings and allows one to go on a vacation with little or no worries. I've got the pump and five nozzles and I use a 5-gallon bucket for the reservoir. You need to buy a Repeat Cycle Timer (typically) which are not cheap. The chapest ones are around $70. You *might* get away with using a digital timer. Anyway, there are various issues and variables. I quite like the MistKing and can recommend it with no reservations.
-MB

If you are leaving for a week or two, move the plants to a darker growing area away from lights and air sources. Water the plants prior to leaving and without proper light and air, the water evaporation rate is greatly reduced. A couple of weeks will not kill anything just put them in a mini stall.

Brooke

was was omitted from the post above, ya run the risk of virus and rot, leave 'em dry if you're gonna shut down for 7-14 days
Mike

I usually raise the thermoastat to 85 degrees when I'm gone, so no problems with the higher temps with no air movement? The cart has wheels so it should be easy to move it away from the windows, move to an interior hallway? or to a dark room? Thanks for the info. Tom

I don't think you will have a problem with fungus in the higher temp/lower light situation because after you water, they will stay dry on the foliage. Just moving them away from the light source, either windows or supplemental will be fine. It doesn't need to be dark or totally away from their normal area. If your plants aren't virused when you leave, they won't be virused when you get home.

I've left plants for two weeks in midsummer, temp set high, but out of big light and I have never found even a wilted plant.

Brooke

Thanks Brooke. Tom

Tom Timely post! I am up against the same thing traveling around the holidays without an orchid sitter. 85 is fairly high. Your likely to still run into a problem with fast drying at 85. What kind of light? Do you have outdoor options? Was just talking to a very experienced grower about this. A week, they can survive at low./mid 70's, 2 weeks you're taking a risk. You will have climate control? Damp plants in still darkness may invite rot and virus. I'd leave them a little air

Options

1)Best option- Get a 'chid-sitter. Train them. put coloured stickies or tags on the pot. Leave your set up as is. There are dog sitters, plant sitters. Inquire at your local G/H or take a peek on craig list. When I lived in another place, I found a 13 yr old girl who did a fantastic job. If you have a local OS, that may be another option

2a) Cut some of the light lower temps and air substantially. I have cfl's and tubes. If I will leave in a week or 2, I would leave the tubes on and the thermostat set to 72. leave the HVAC system fan on "run" partially close the vents. Call it good.

2b)Shorten the run time on the existing set up. My expert said cut it to 4 hours a day in my current situation, overhead fan on low. The middle shelves tend to heat up without air.

3)Cut all the light lower the temps to under 80. ~75 . If you have a east window that gets very early light or an obstructed bright window elsewhere, park them near the window.

4)Leave them out in a shady spot. If I had a summer dilemma, this is what I would choose. I had some non orchids and masde's in shade last summer. They took forever to dry out, even in the heat of the windy city. Mother nature may lend a hand with the watering

Clara

This last summer I had brought in some potted plants from the deck since we were in drought, and when I got back they were shriveled from the AC running. The orchids were fine, but I'll set up an outside watering system for the plants next summer. With temps running in the high 90s, I don't want to put the phals outside, but I will move the dends and oncids outside, after making a squirrel proof area first!!! Tom

i have a watering system for cuttings (non orchid) and another one for orchid seedlings directly from flask.

these are set up in a greenhouse but with a little care you can set up a branck that will be clean enough for in a house.

i recomend "Dripworks". i bought all my irrigation supplies from them. they are a supplier of all manner of systems and their help and support is great.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dripworks

Hi, Tom. I agree about not leaving phals outside unattended for several weeks in St Looey. Just one of those late afternoon storms can really hurt something with those big soft leaves and no pbs. Catts and oncids have the pbs to keep them safe.

I had a dirt devil (tiny whirlwind) on my deck one afternoon a few years ago while I was growing tropicals. Right out of the blue, not even a big storm. Must have been small because it only cut about a 2-ft wide swathe, but broke big clay pots and knocked 3-ft tropicals on their heads.

Here's a low-tech method that works for a couple of weeks to a month: use wicks. Make them out of cotton cloth or buy wicking at the Wick Store (wickstore.com). Have one end in a water reservoir (plastic tub or tray), the other run 'uphill' to drape over one root of each plant (any part of the wick below the level of the reservoir water will quickly drain the reservoir). For semi-terrestrial plants run the wick onto the medium and cover with a patch of cloth. My mixed collection of 57 plants did great during my vacations this winter and last.