Orchid Talk 2006 mailing list messages

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From: jns tropic
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] wall paper
Date: Fri, 08 Dec 2006 01:45

This afternoon, after my Rotary meeting, a friend who
edits the district bulletin stopped by to see my
garden. I gave him a CD of some of my wall paper
pictures. To my surprise he made it into a program
and put it in the district bulletin. He said I could
share it with you.

When you are in the site go to the link near the
bottom of the page:
'Photos from the recent District Conference in Key
West
November 10 − 12, 2006'
Key West

This will get you to the page that you see in the
attachment. Hit the Sobralia and enjoy.

From: jns tropic
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Sobralias
Date: Fri, 08 Dec 2006 02:25

> Night temperatures in the 60's! Jordan, am I sorry
> for you!
> You seem to be very successful with sobralias. How
> do you grow them?
>
> Ron

Most of the Sobralias are in full sun. They get the
fertilizer that all of the orchids get. I think that
my S. decora is the best for my conditions. NZ moss
or open terrestial mix for the pot, nothing fancy. I
know some like it a little cooler,they will just die
off. Some one in the group ask me for some seed. It
didn't occure to me to do such thing. But so far I
think that I have seeds on decora, atropubescens and
sp2. I am growing some kikies for visitors that come
to the WOC and have big dark pockets. If you want to
take another look at my Sobralias go to: http://togofcoralgables.com/Sobralia.aspx

From: jean Lewis
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: calendar
Date: Fri, 08 Dec 2006 09:30

Thanks for your comment Ron. They are showing up for me and a couple of friends say that all the photos are showing up. When you get to each individual page it takes a few seconds for the picture to load but they are all there. If you have the new I.E.7 browser then I think you have to click the toolbar at the top to give it permission to open the file. Jean

From: Andy Mckeown
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Cycnodes
Date: Fri, 08 Dec 2006 14:45

Thanks all of you for your comments on this. I realise I was not very clear in my original posting and I was thinking of WHEN ot dry it out rather than IF I should. Last year I kept it completely dry from finishing flowering until the first showing of a shoot − several months as I recall.

I am interested that you give it so much light Geoff, mine gets plenty as it is with the cattleyas but that is rather more by accident than design. By the way the Cycnodes is because it is a cross between Cycnoches and Mormodes

From the postings it seems it is not critical when to dry it out − I just need to decide if I want my flowers on bare bulbs or with leaves.

From: Andy Mckeown
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Dendrobiums
Date: Fri, 08 Dec 2006 14:55

You can have a bit of D Spring Dream Kumiko if you want. A good doer for me and with a lovely perfume. pic attached

From: Sharon Williams
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Cycnodes
Date: Fri, 08 Dec 2006 19:00

HI Andy: I have a Cyc peruvianum that I have had for l year. I bought it bare root a year ago October and it had a bloom spike on it which subsequently blasted. I didn't stop watering it that year, because I wanted it to get established before giving it such an extreme treatment for fear that it just wouldn't come back. It got a new growth almost immediately and that growth bloomed in June with 1 female flower (good light and lots of water). I was waiting for the flower to die before stopping watering, but the flower lasted until August, at which time 2 new growths were developing. I decreased water to once every few days (it is in a small clay pot with moss and it dries out in one day in my conditions). The new growths started to look a bit off so I stepped up the water and now there are 2 more new growths coming from the parent bulb, which still has l leaf left. I was thinking that next year I would decrease water when it blooms rather than waiting, in hopes of giving it a rest, but doubt the flowers would last nearly as long or in as good a condition. If you stress the bulb to provide water to the blooms, would that not weaken the bulb for putting out new growths later??
I asked our local AOS judge about the issue, and he said he never rests his Cycnoches, he just keeps them going all year. In a way that makes sense to me as we grow in optimal conditions all year, so there is no need for it to go into dormancy that I can see. He has had his plants for many years, so this treatment doesn't seem to be shorting the life of the plant. It would be interesting to hear from others growing in indoor with lights/greenhouse conditions.
Cheers
Sharon

From: jns tropic
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Sobralias
Date: Sat, 09 Dec 2006 03:30

My Sobralia decora had 14 flowers and the yard was
bathed in the fragrance all day. It was a notable
day. Attached is my Sobralia bush and some bedding
orchids (Phaiocalanthe). For a larger picture go to: http://togofcoralgables.com/FlowersofDec06.aspx

From: GEORGE GARTHWAITE
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] wall paper
Date: Sat, 09 Dec 2006 09:40

Just a brief note to say "nice photos" and what is the name for number 14?? ..... Dend. pierdiatii(?), it looks darker than mine! (See attached file). Maybe it is the camera?

Oh and by the way, your e-mail was dumped into my spam filter this time. Thought I would mention it after the recent blurb on Geoff's spam problems!!

jns tropic wrote:
This afternoon, after my Rotary meeting, a friend who
edits the district bulletin stopped by to see my
garden.

From: Geoffrey Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Cycnodes
Date: Sat, 09 Dec 2006 13:35

This is a very interesting thread , regarding culture for these plants, and
it will be interesting to hear further reports in due time. I shall keep my
plants quite dry until new growths are well advanced, then use hydroculture
( − to be precise − r my latest 'Mark7' version , using smart-valves ,
which is a hybrid between flood and drain and standing water/hydroculture)

From: jan
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] wall paper
Date: Sat, 09 Dec 2006 13:55

GEORGE GARTHWAITE wrote:
> Just a brief note to say "nice photos" and what is the name for number 14?? ..... Dend. pierdiatii(?), it looks darker than mine! (See attached file). Maybe it is the camera?
>
> Oh and by the way, your e-mail was dumped into my spam filter this time. Thought I would mention it after the recent blurb on Geoff's spam problems!!
>
And thunderbird thinks this is a scam − because the link is numbers
only, which apparently is typical of scam emails (the ones that claim to
be from your bank). That address is for a server called
tsbrk1-355.gate.net, by the way.

From: P G Hieke
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Peter's fertiliser
Date: Sat, 09 Dec 2006 15:10

yes that is all very well, but what nobody could explain, why of two
fertilisers which are both to be blossom boosters is the one on a ratio of
3-1-5 and the other is 1-5-1. Why is the one high in 'P' and the other high
in 'K'. Which one is supposed to grow the blooms big. As far as I know is
'P' for bigger blooms and 'K' for better roots.

Anyway, to be on the safe side I use 4 different fertilisers in varying
mixes, and also dependend of the season, resting or vigourously growing.
Also what Jan wrote 'How many nutrients are released from the compost you
use and which fungi grow in it' and in this context one has to understand
that we cannot feed the orchids.

We can only provide the ingredients and the plants decide what they want to
use from it, with other words, they cook their own meal. If the plant does
not want any phosphorous then it stays in the pot unused and over time
could harm the plant. So, it is always important to flush out with clean
water inbetween.

From: Geoffrey Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Peter's fertiliser
Date: Sat, 09 Dec 2006 20:10

It's an old confusion , that P Phosphate, and is "for better blooms" .
Actually KKainitePhosphate , which is supposed to be demanded by the ovary
, and hence by the blooms . PPhosphorus, which , in these overly simplistic terms is for roots .

I have searched ( in the past ) for any modern research which provides
direct evidence suggesting that boosting any of N,P_,K is advantageous, and
the nearest I could ever find is that (almost universally) there is just one
factor limiting growth rate . If you can find what it is, and put it right,
then you will get improved results , but then, another factor will be the
limit − and so on. Quite frequently the factor is the light level , or the
day temperature, or the day length , or something else. If it does happen to
be N or P or K, then of course a high something or other will do the trick ,
until you meet the next factor. But if shortage of N,P,or K is not the
;limiting factor, then boosting it may mean that the limiting factor is a
root environment which is too high in N,P,or K...

Best culture provides everything which the plants needs, but keeps all
aspects/factors/cal;l them what you will, in balance .

From: John Stanley
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Peter's fertiliser (and more misnomers)
Date: Sat, 09 Dec 2006 22:40

From a very wet and windy Crewe,
Well said Peter,
It is unfortunate that we use the verb to 'feed' for the application
substances that are not 'food'. A fundamental difference between plants and
animals is that, whereas animals require foods, ultimately derived from
plants (even carnivores depend ultimately on herbivores), plants actually
synthesise their own food (sugars etc) using the Sun's energy, CO2 and
water, as everyone knows
As Peter implies, what we provide the plant with are the nutrients (or
better, elements) from which the plants select what they need so that their
physiology functions properly and foods can be made.
There are other common misnomers that have become embedded in the
language we all use; there is an important difference between 'organic' in
the sense of carbon compounds beloved by chemists and 'organic' in the sense
of supposedly naturally produced foods. These are often claimed to be free
from 'chemicals' yet they, as we and everything else are made from nothing
but 'chemicals' it is difficult to imagine how that use in that context
ever came about.!!!
Organic compounds aren't necessarily produced by organisms either,
although many are (in which case they are bio-genic).
And just in case you now wish to escape the confusion of the computer
screen by rushing into your greenhouse, do remember that greenhouses, unlike
our atmosphere, don't get warmed much by the 'greenhouse effect'. If you
were to glaze one with rock salt (NaCl), which is transparent to infra-red
light, it would still heat up by virtue of the prevention of large scale
convection (although the glazing wouldn't last in this week's rain!)
I hope it isn't politically incorrect nowadays to wish everyone a Happy
Christmas. It's probably OK because it's a pound to a penny that with all
the calendar changes through the ages Christ was born on a different date.
No; I haven't been at the whisky! It's just that I get angry when people
need a word for a new idea and simply use a convenient-sounding one and
then change its meaning. Arghhh. Surely (surely?) that's wrong.
Cheers
John

From: jns tropic
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] wall paper
Date: Sun, 10 Dec 2006 03:50

The picture was Den. Adastra (apaphyllum xananosmum
as pierardii x susuperbum and is named Den. Astrata).
No matter what the taxonomist call it, here in Florida
we call it Den. Adrasta and the parents are (pierardii
x superbum). I first had Adrastra in 1949, in a flask
from Roy Fields and still grow plants from that group.
They are the normal ones. But 30 years ago I was
given five clones made from superior parents. My
improved Adrasta are much larger and better formed.
The grower lost all of his in a hurricane 12 years
ago. I now trade them and two private growers in
England should have some of them. You can tell my
plants because they bloom 3 weeks after the regular
ones. I still have a large group of both strains. So
when you visit me during the WOC in Miami you might be
able to get a plant. To see more pictures of my
Adrasta, go to: http://togofcoralgables.com/Dendrobiums.aspx

From: Geoffrey Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] some different misnomers − well , I hope not... A Merry Christmas...
Date: Sun, 10 Dec 2006 10:30

I don't think it is necessary to be a Christian , in order to give the
greeting "a Happy Christmas to you" ? If this is agreed − that I am merely
expressing the wish that you will be happy over a specific season of the
year ( I will wish that it extends past December 26th − too ! ) , then this
is the burden of this message.

( The rather silly thing about all this PC nonsense − for example some idiot
telling me my own produced and self-printed Xmas cards are "non-Christian"
because they say "Seasons Greetings" − which they do , not out of any desire
to flaunt my anti-religionist views − or indeed without thinking very deeply
about it − but because they seem more universal , without devoting the
whole of the front page into an essay...instead of showing off my
photography − end of labrynthine sub-clause digression − as I was saying ,
the silly thing about avoiding the words Merry Xmas, so as to avoid
upsetting people of other religions, is that it is unneccessary so to do.

I don't know about anti-western Islam folk in UK, but I do know that in
primarily Islamic/Buddhist/Hindu/Jain/Sikh etc countries or areas , that I
have been in at this time of the year − and I am usually "gone foreign" at
Xmas , the message "Merry Christmas" is blazed everywhere. If it don't
offend Muslims in an Arab country, why can't we use it in England ( why
can't we use it in England even if it did ? but that's another matter too !
)

For example, I have seen an enormous display , including a Xmas tree,
animated figures appearing to be monkeys dressed in Father Xmas outfits
playing violins to accompany non-stop carols, and large banners slung across
the walk-ways, at the airport in Bahrein at a time when that airport was
full of men all in white, and when I asked what it was all about , was told
that they were pilgrims on Haj − journey to Mecca...

But , returning to my theme , perhaps the extra greeting/wish that I send
you all is entirely uncontroversial ( how dull, to be uncontroversial ) -
" I wish you all success with your orchids " in the coming year.

Ps I have, in the course of composing this message, discovered that Mr
Microsoft's spell-check is PC too ! Try spelling Muslim etc with a lower
case letter and you'll see what I mean.

From: Dennis Read
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Growth
Date: Sun, 10 Dec 2006 11:25

Just to throw in a bit of confusion in the feeding pot. Here are two pictures of Cyrtochillum macranthum. The one prefixed 215 was growing at about 9000 ft in Ecuador. It's spike was about4 mtrs long and had innumerable blooms growing over bushes. The other is growing in my green house with just rain water and only has a mtr spike. The only difference in growing conditions that I can think of are 10 hrs sun a day and9000ft in Ecuador. Min. temp in each case is about 12C.
Next year I shall use fertiliser (feed) and see what happens.
Regards from a dry and cold (8C) Devon.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Fertiliser.
Date: Sun, 10 Dec 2006 13:10

I have just been looking at a web site, after I punched in the words, 'Tomorite fertiliser', and I was very pleased with what I read..........exactly the same as I have said for many years. A long lost brother!!!!!

Have a look at: www.dooyoo.co.uk/garden-chemicals/levington-tomorite and when you have it, scroll down to read the complete review.

From: Barbara Larimer
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Peter's fertiliser (and more misnomers)
Date: Sun, 10 Dec 2006 14:55

John, I for one never feel it is a bad thing to wish others joy and
happiness, whatever the reason or season. I heartily accept your
salutations and offer mine in return. I appreciate that people devote their
time and energy to this list. I learn so much here. I extend my wishes
for a joyous and healthy Hannukah, Christmas and the New Year to all.

Barbara
From an uncharacteristically almost balmy 50F in Pittsburgh... We may have
to dream of a white Christmas this year!

> I hope it isn't politically incorrect nowadays to wish everyone a
> Happy Christmas.

From: Ron Newstead
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [SPAM]Re: [OrchidTalk] wall paper
Date: Sun, 10 Dec 2006 22:00

> Just a brief note to say "nice photos" and what is the name for number
>14?? ..... Dend. pierdiatii(?), it looks darker than mine! (See attached
>file). Maybe it is the camera?
>
> Oh and by the way, your e-mail was dumped into my spam filter this
>time. Thought I would mention it after the recent blurb on Geoff's spam
>problems!!
>
And thunderbird thinks this is a scam − because the link is numbers only,
which apparently is typical of scam emails (the ones that claim to be from
your bank). That address is for a server called tsbrk1-355.gate.net, by the
way.

From: Ron Newstead
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [SPAM]Re: [OrchidTalk] Peter's fertiliser (and more misnomers)
Date: Sun, 10 Dec 2006 22:40

From: jan
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] some different misnomers − well , I hope not... A Merry Christmas...
Date: Mon, 11 Dec 2006 05:50

I, as a non-Christian (you could almost say anti-Christian) still say
Christmas, because that is what it is traditionally called at the moment.
What I hate about Christmas isn't the fact that the church has pirated the
traditional, heathen yule (good old Danish word), but the shameless
commercialisation that tries to forcefeed us all with rubbish that we don't
need.

As for religious festivals in general, I for one wouldn't mind seeing more
of them, especiall from other religions, in our public life. A party is
always nice, and something unknown is a lot more interesting. On top of
that it would help make to us all see that muslims, hindus and whatever are
just as human as the christians and those who don't really care.

As for Political Correctness − I've always maintained that it's what is in
your heart that matters. And there is a crowd out there that derive a
certain joy from bullying others with their 'correctness'.

Geoffrey Hands wrote:
> I don't think it is necessary to be a Christian , in order to give the
> greeting "a Happy Christmas to you" ? If this is agreed − that I am
> merely expressing the wish that you will be happy over a specific season
> of the year ( I will wish that it extends past December 26th − too ! ) ,
> then this is the burden of this message.

From: jan
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [SPAM]Re: [OrchidTalk] wall paper
Date: Mon, 11 Dec 2006 06:10

Sorry, was this a reply to me? In that case, my name is not a short form of
'Jordan' or 'Janet' or whatever, but 'Johannes' (although people in UK
would probably spell this 'Yohannes' or 'ohannes'); the English version of
my name would 'John' or 'Ian' − in fact, I've been told that in Scotland I
ought to call myself 'Iain McAndrew'.

I hope I didn't sound like I was accusing anybody of sending out
scam-emails; at the time I thought of it as an amusing aside, really. My
email program, Thunderbird (it really deserves the capital 'T', in my
opinion), has a builtin filter that tries to warn me about fraudulent
emails as well as junk mail and other things; but of course it doesn't
things right all the time. It just seemed vaguely funny at the time that an
innocent email about orchids got labeled 'SCAM' in big letters.

From: francis quesada pallares
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Bringing orchid's flasks from Thailand.
Date: Mon, 11 Dec 2006 08:15

They are called Kasorn orchids, and if you punch that on google, it will
take your there with no problems.

Their flask list is very extensive, although not all of them are available
at the moment. For the ones that are available, you have to look at their
current flask list, which, unfortunately, is not as nice as the other list
(the not-available one!).

Anyway, I'm gonna contact them and see what they can have ready for
January, just in case I do put an order through!

BTW, sorry it has taken me this long to reply, but my internet connection
at home is playing up, so I can only post emails when I'm at work.

From: John Stanley
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] some different misnomers − well , I hope not... A Merry Christmas...
Date: Mon, 11 Dec 2006 09:55

Sorry folks!
I didn't mean to hi-jack the forum with my reference to political
correctness but having encountered its exremes during the womens' lib period
(I once got my face slapped for holding a door open − something I'd do for
anyone following me ) that I err on the cautious side. Remember, we livein
a world where some local authorities are cutting back on Christmas
decoration so as to avoid offence to non-Christians. My daughter is in Hong
Kong; there they seem to celebrate anything and everything at the drop of a
hat! Just take care that you don't fall down an open person-hole on your
way to the party and say thank you to your postal operative. (I once saw an
job advert in the old Safeways; "Jobs vacant − Ambient Replenishment
Operatives". Work that one out while you water your plants. It says it all I
think.).
Best wishes
John

From: Paul Johnson
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] some different misnomers − well , I hope not... A Merry Christmas...
Date: Mon, 11 Dec 2006 16:50

From: Andy Mckeown
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: orchids
Date: Mon, 11 Dec 2006 17:00

I think too much airspace is being devoted to people indulging their personal hobby horses (ie prejudices). The rest of us end up either being silent − and therefore seeming to agree with what are often objectionable notions − or joining in.

From: jns tropic
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: How I will greet you.
Date: Tue, 12 Dec 2006 01:00

When I greet someone during the holidays, I greet them
according to my background. I do not try to figure
out the other persons background. If they are
offended.so be it. I would hope that the person
greeting me would do so according to their own
beliefs. If I offend someone with my greeting, please
don't tell me I am wrong and they have the correct
answers. So I now wish you all a Merry Christmas and
a healthy New Year. May everyone have orchids grow
and be fruitful, well maybe just flower.

From: jan
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] orchids
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2006 06:50

Andy Mckeown wrote:
> I think too much airspace is being devoted to people indulging their personal hobby horses (ie prejudices). The rest of us end up either being silent − and therefore seeming to agree with what are often objectionable notions − or joining in.
>
> Can we have some postings about orchids for a change?
>
> Andy
>
Orchids? What a brilliant idea − I wonder how you came up with it!

I'm feeling genuinely puzzled by mine at the moment. They have, more or
less all of them, started a new growing season and seem to be doing
well. But that doesn't seem to make sense at all, since they are not
outdoors, not even in a greenhouse. Any idea what is going on?

I could have understood it if they were outside − after all, my
roses are beginning to flower, probably the climate change (oops,
another hot topic, and one that seems likely to get even hotter in the
coming years)

From: Geoffrey Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] orchids
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2006 11:55

It seems difficult to understand , but I do think that growing a tropical
plant in a greenhouse is very artificial ( can't think of a better word) and
maybe its amazing when they DO behave in the same way as in the wild !

It used to be said − way back − that winter growths ( I think it was said in
relation to cattleyas) should be treated by watering only very sparingly .
But back in those days we only had primitive controls over the greenhouse,
and used "composts" which are very odd by today's standards ( osmunda fibre
for example ) . Nowadays many growers get two growths a year, and flower
both , with some − not all − cattleyas.
So maybe the answer is "don't look a gift horse in the mouth"...

From: P G Hieke
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] orchids
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2006 16:55

I agree, here is a picture of the first time flowering of
Vanda lilacina (Syn: V. laotica). It is one of the intermediate
growing Vandas. It comes from Burma, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and
China (Yunnan)I have it for about 2 years and it is still in bloom.
Enjoy it.
Kind regards
Peter from Bloubergstrand

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: What just is going on !!!
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2006 19:00

As you said, just what is going on. I noticed some many weeks ago that some of my orchids that should be going to sleep were in fact thinking that it was the Spring season.

I have seen growths on some of my Dendrobium delicatum that are now six inches in length. And other orchids are also showing new growth.

Can we blame them??? I think not as they must be as confused as we are with this abnormal spell of warm weather.

Tomorrow I intend to go through one side of my greenhouse checking each plant, and I know for a fact that there is one plant of a Cattleya hybrid that has a nice new growth about one inch tall and it is almost at the edge of the pot. I will repot it tomorrow so that it will have the best possible chance.

From: Gordon Walker
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] orchids
Date: Thu, 14 Dec 2006 07:25

here is a picture of the first time flowering of
Vanda lilacina (Syn: V. laotica). It is one of the intermediate
growing Vandas. It comes from Burma, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and
China (Yunnan)I have it for about 2 years and it is still in bloom.

From: P G Hieke
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Cycnodes/Cycnoches/Mormodes/Catasetum
Date: Thu, 14 Dec 2006 14:35

Irrespective of what the AOS judge says or does. I keep my C/C/M/C plants
dry until the new growth and new roots appear. Then I put them in new
mixture and start watering until the leaves start wilting and then I keep
them dry again. I found this cycle works best -- for me -- .
Kind regards
Peter from Bloubergstrand

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: April the first???
Date: Thu, 14 Dec 2006 14:55

It's not April the first, but I might just ask if you have been at the festive wine already !!!!!

I looked at your photo of what you say is Vanda lilacina and I thought to myself..........what is Peter up to?

Of course I may be wrong and the plant may have been renamed by the 'boffins', but I did think that Vanda lilacina had an upright spike.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Emailing: Bowl full of Westland Orchid compost, Westland Orchid compost
Date: Thu, 14 Dec 2006 18:00

About a year or so ago I noticed that yet another company who supplied various items to Garden Centres had produced an 'Orchid Compost'.

Two days ago I decided it was time to have a look..........and so I purchased a bag of it.

When I lifted it from the display area I thought for a moment that I had broken my wrist and also obtained a double hernia. Talk about heavy!!!!!

Yesterday, when I eventually got round to opening it and having a look, I was disgusted with what I saw. No different, maybe possibly worse than the other two or three similar products that are on sale in the Garden Centres.

I am pleased to say that when I do give a talk to people about orchid culture that I completely condemn such rubbish.

Question is, have any other members had a look at this so called 'Orchid Compost.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Plant wanted.
Date: Thu, 14 Dec 2006 18:05

Peter has got me to definitely go for another Rhynchostylis retusa, or one of the Genus, so where can I buy one?

From: John Stanley
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Plant wanted.
Date: Thu, 14 Dec 2006 23:45

You could do worse than email Peter Williams of Mae Tang Orchids (he has an orchid business based in Thailand where is at present. I don't recall if it is a genus he deals with and, in any case he won't be back in the UK for a time (back about April 2007 I think). He may be able to advise,help or even supply. All his plants are 'good'!!! Feel free to say that John Stanley of CANWOS suggested that you try him. His sites are:
http://www.theorchidman.com/
http://www.theorchidman.com/contact_us.htm

Can't vouch for eBay ad I found below but it could be worth a try for a fiver!
eBay.co.uk − Orchids, Plants Seeds Bulbs, Garden Plants, Home Garden items at low prices
Buy Orchids, Plants Seeds Bulbs, Garden Plants, Home Garden, orchid, Plants, ... 01-Dec 21:04. Rhynchostylis retusa orchid plant. £4.99. £2.50. 01-Dec 20:45 ...
home-garden.listings.ebay.co.uk/Plants-Seeds-Bulbs_Orchids_W0QQfclZ... − 117k − Cached −

From: P G Hieke
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] April the first???
Date: Thu, 14 Dec 2006 18:15

Hi New Forest Detective,
This is the way it goes. The label on the plant says V. lilacina and
I did not think that it could be anything else, but this is not the
first time that this happened. It happens all the time somewhere.

Y E S , you are right it is Rhyncostylis retusa. Amazingly it is growing
under the wrong conditions, according to the book, it should be growing
much warmer, but I'm not going to change it's position.

It's not April the first, but I might just ask if you have been at the festive wine already !!!!!

I looked at your photo of what you say is Vanda lilacina and I thought to myself..........what is Peter up to?

MONTH	DATE	DATE	DATE	DATE	MONTH	DATE	DATE	DATE	DATE
January	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-31	February	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-29
March	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-31	April	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-30
May	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-31	June	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-30
July	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-31	August	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-31
September	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-30	October	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-31
November	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-30	December	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-31

2006 Archived Messages

December 8—14

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