February 2007 mailing list messages

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From: Sylvain VAN DER WALDE
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Grange Orchid
Date: Thu, 15 Feb 2007 10:40

> I'm practicing replying − is this OK? It will probably reply to person and
> to list, but that is the best I can do.
> Tina

Hello Tina.
I hope that I can be of help, as I also use Outlook Express.
When replying to individuals, you should click on "Reply"; but when replying
to the list (or a news group), you should click on "Reply all".

Also, to collect addresses, do the following:
Using the dropdown menus:
Click on "Tools", then "Options", then "Send"; and tick the box
""Automatically put people I reply to in my Address Book".

From: Tina Stagg
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Grange Orchid
Date: Thu, 15 Feb 2007 10:55

Thank you for your help, and sorry to be pessimistic, but my 'test', which
apparently did not make any difference, was 'reply to all'. I already
collect addresses as you suggest. I think I should perhaps start a new
message each time and forget replying.

From: Tricia Garner
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Grange Orchid
Date: Thu, 15 Feb 2007 16:40

On 15 Feb, in article ,
Tina Stagg wrote:
> Thank you for your help, and sorry to be pessimistic, but my 'test',
> which apparently did not make any difference, was 'reply to all'. I
> already collect addresses as you suggest. I think I should perhaps start
> a new message each time and forget replying.

Thanks for continuing to test, Tina. What we need now is for someone to
reply to your message. The flag is set in all of your messages, whether
they are replies or starting a new topic, but I'm sure we can get to the
bottom of it with perseverance :-)

From: P G Hieke
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Paph mix.
Date: Thu, 15 Feb 2007 16:50

Hi Rocky,
The polystyrene beads are uneven in size and shape. I use the so
called 'rough' beads. The reason for this is that the nice round
even beads react like quicksand. They are moving around and it is
difficult to pot a plant. The uneven ones stick together and are
very easy to handle.
I do not break-up boxes to get the beads. I buy them that way.
For large plants I use the ' S ' shapes, that are used in packaging
certain goods, in the bottom of the pots to give better drainage.
I'm using polystyrene for about 20 years and never had a problem.
I have heard that one should not use dyed polystyrene as the dye
could be a problem.
I'm attaching 2 pictures, taken this morning, to show the plant
as it came out of the pot with the mixture and the gravel that is
on top to stop the mixture being washed out of the pot and to
prevent algae forming on the sphagnum moss, and to give the plant
more stability in the pot.
The 2nd picture shows the roots, cleaned of the mixture.
I hope this helps. Any more questions, just ask.
Kind regards
Peter from Bloubergstrand

> I am interested to learn more about the polystyrene beads. Please tell
> me more about them. Size structure etc....

From: P G Hieke
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Re: Paph mix.
Date: Thu, 15 Feb 2007 16:50

Hi Tricia,
Look at the picture, it shows that the roots are spreading in all directions.
Kind regards
Peter from Bloubergstrand

> I would be extremely interested in knowing how to get Paph roots to run
> about to all parts of the pot!
>

From: Tricia Garner
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Re: Paph mix.
Date: Thu, 15 Feb 2007 17:30

On 15 Feb, in article ,
P G Hieke wrote:
> Hi Tricia,
> Look at the picture, it shows that the roots are spreading in all
> directions.

My point was that I have difficulty persuading paphs to make much root at
all, let alone enough to 'run about to all parts of the pot' as Rocky put
it... I have tried all sorts of medium and pots.

From: Tina Stagg
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Polystyrene
Date: Thu, 15 Feb 2007 18:00

I heard many years ago that the problem with packaging poly, whatever the shape, is that some sorts have a chemical 'fireproofing' added, which is the sort to avoid. I contacted Staples a few years ago and they told me that the bags of S shapes they sell do not have this addition. I have found them safe to use as drainage at the bottom of the pot but have never tried mixing them with the compost.

I do use Ray Creek's inert compost with the smooth little balls because my odonts grow well in it, although I agree that it is infuriating stuff to use. I have also used it for very young cattleyas, but these grow in anything as long as they are potted on frequently.

From: Sylvain VAN DER WALDE
To: Orchid Talk List, Tina Stagg
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Polystyrene
Date: Thu, 15 Feb 2007 19:40

> I heard many years ago that the problem with packaging poly, whatever the
> shape, is that some sorts have a chemical 'fireproofing' added, which is the
> sort to avoid. I contacted Staples a few years ago and they told me that the
> bags of S shapes they sell do not have this addition. I have found them safe
> to use as drainage at the bottom of the pot but have never tried mixing them
> with the compost.

I'm replying to make some comments, and also as Tricia wants someone to
reply to you.
Although my "S" shaped polystyrene pieces do not appear to affect my
orchids' roots (they're used for drainage only), I've decided to remove them
and replace them with some heat treated stones (Celeca?) which I bought some
time ago. I have only 6 plants at the moment, so it's no "big deal".

From: Geoffrey Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Re: Paph mix.
Date: Thu, 15 Feb 2007 19:40

I didn't receive a picture, but I'm sure you are right Peter.
I did not start to get success with Paphs until − not a coincidence − I
found when repotting , that I had a pot full of roots , sometimes to the
point wher I had to disentangle them before putting in a larger pot.
I have thought I might send a picture or two to show its possibl;e, but
having repotted most since Xmas, I was (and am) loth to disturb at present.
But I have a few such pictures in my system , and when I come across one,
I'll put it up.

Tricia − the secret − for paphs above all − is water. My success came when I
started to use Reverse Osmosis water instead of tap water. Rain water would
be as good. Initially I raised EC to 300 , although later when plants where
growing strongly I was able to raise this in stages to 600 and even higher −
corresponding to what they get in the wild. But 300 woul;d be a good point
to start from, and they will grow well with that level.

From: Tina Stagg
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: testing
Date: Thu, 15 Feb 2007 21:05

From: Tricia Garner
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: testing and replying
Date: Thu, 15 Feb 2007 22:25

On 15 Feb, in article ,
Tina Stagg wrote:
> OK Tricia − I have done that. has it worked?

To explain what we are talking about, I asked on another list (about
computing) what the settings should be to ensure Outlook Express doesn't
set a personal Reply-To: flag and this was the answer:

> In the window that pops up there should be 5 text input fields. The last
> two are e-mail address and reply address. Unless these two fields need to
> be different, the reply address can be safely removed and left blank.

so I sent a message to Tina asking her to try it. It works :-) So, Silvio,
could you check your settings, pretty please? I shall be monitoring
messages for a while so I'm sure I shall be asking more to do the same...

From: James H
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Polystyrene
Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2007 07:00

i have used the packaging penuts for alot of orchids and one day at my job
had to order a large quantity of penuts so i did a bit of research and asked
the supplier about them,
the north american standard for packing penuts is
green antistatic for electrical components
white standard untreated foam − only use white ones
blue anti fungal anti mildew
red/pink flameretardent
yellow biodegradable (turns to mush when wet)
and the figrue 8 shaped ones do not follow the standard colours.

From: Russ and Jenny
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: New grower − advice greatly apreciated
Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2007 19:50

Hi
I have loved orchids for a long time and for my birthday recently my huband bought me several! I have a couple of books on how to look after them, but some of it is confusing.
I have 3 phalaenopsis plants − all in flower, cashmore is one, the other do not show their hybrid or species names, one of them has dryish skinny roots with fleshy green ends, whilst the other has white roots which are reasonably rounded throughout; they seem healthy enough, still in flower after a month of my owning them, I water only when dry and light mist spray frequently. what else should I do to keep them happy?

Ok, next 'problem'. I have a cattleya − again no other name. it's looking a bit forlorn, it has big old looking leaves which have some small black 'scorch' like marks on them...not found in my books, the flowers seem to be wilting even though I have cared for it as per instructions in my book. however, hopefully all is not lost as there is a lot of new growth (young leaves and new roots) which has started at the side of the main plant...is it a new plantlet? thing is I'm not sure what to do with it now. do I wait for the flowers to die and repot it putting the young plantlet in its own pot or just save the young one as the main plant has something wrong...i.e. is it a virus?

I'm very keen and willing to learn how to properly take care of these beautiful plants, so any advice apreciated with thanks.
regards, Jenny

From: Geoffrey Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] New grower − advice greatly apreciated
Date: Sat, 17 Feb 2007 09:10

1. Phalaenopsis. Some hybrids have roots which are circular in cross section, others have ones which are naturally tape-like. The flowers wll last for months on end. Just water the plant with tap water − no feed, say weekly.These plants are capable of being in flower continuously for months on end,you can easily have flowers for 6 or 8 months of the year from a single plant.

2. Cattleyas (flowers) last for weeks only − or with exceptional plants well grown and of particular kinds, a very small number of months, and won't flower again from the same growth. The new growth you see should NOT be taken off and grown separately. Phals and cattleyas are examples of two completely different growth patterns. Phals are MONOpodial , meaning a single growth which continually elongates ( grows taller) although the space between succesive growth phases − each new leaf − is is so small that it looks ( but isn't so) that the plant grows no taller. New flower spikes will emerge between the leaves, towards the base of the plant.
Cattleyas are SYMPODIAL − side-by-side -in growth pattern , referring to the successive seasons growth. Each growth makes a single bulb or cane or whatever, and in 99% of the kinds, the flowers will emerge from the very tip of the cane or bulb, in due season , IF the plant is big enough and happy enough. Otherwise, you get the spathe ( flattened sheath) at the tip of the cane, but no flowers emerge from it, Strong plants branch at the rhizome to produce extra new growths each of which can flower. WSith all orchids producing canes or bulbs, good culture will produce a cane or bulb bigger than the immediately preceding one − so you can see how you are doing !.
Water these plants heavily when you see new roots in profusion, but lightly at other times, especially after flowering ( which occurs at the end of the season of growth , or sometimes after a rest, before new growth starts . At times of rest , like after a growth is complete, but new one has not started, water very little. Some of these planst will flower twicea year ( produce a spring growth, and then an autumn gowth ), but most do so once only , and even then sometimes miss out. But they are the queeen of orchids and worth it.

From: Dennis Read
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] New grower − advice greatly apreciated
Date: Sat, 17 Feb 2007 11:40

The cattleya flowers will not last as long as the Phalaenopsis so it sounds as they are over. The black spots sound like water drop burns. The new growth will giv you a new flower next year. Advice over the net is difficult. The best advice is join a local orchid society. If you tell us your nearest town we will give you the details.
Regards from a sunny devon

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Jenny's new orchids.
Date: Sat, 17 Feb 2007 14:00

First your Phalaenopsis. Without going into mind boggling stuff that will no doubt confuse you as some of the information in the books has, just do not water your plants, or as I say, fill up the roots, until the moisture retaining medium become almost dry. If you look at the roots you will see that they are still fat and roundish and plump. ALL O.K. No problem. The outer skin of the root always turns greyish white when it dries out, BUT THE INNER PORTION IS STILL GREEN AND FULL OF GOODIES. If, after you give the roots more moisture then the skin will also turn green, until it dries out and turns the greyish white colour.

As to feeding, tap water has all three ingredients, Nitrogen, Phosphate and Potash, but you can use just any of the normal garden fertilisers.......no need to buy 'Orchid Fertiliser although they all have the same ingredients give or take whatever.

On to your Cattleya. Very nice orchids and one of my favourite kinds. Nice and tough and easy to get on with.

The pseudobulbs are often elongated and cane like. They grow from a rhizome, similar to an Iris in the garden. No doubt you can see this fact. Every year they will sprout new growths from the bottom of the last bulb. If there is room in the pot for a year or so of growths then leave it there. I would not let the medium get too wet as yet, but if and when the new growths have roots about an inch long, then you can up the watering and feed.

How about sending us all a photo of your Cattleya and photos of the Phallys if you have any questions.

From: P G Hieke
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Re: Paph mix.
Date: Sat, 17 Feb 2007 14:40

Have you tried sphagnum moss and polystyrene beads?
It is amazing what sphagnum moss can do to make orchids grow roots.
Kind regards
Peter from Bloubergstrand

> My point was that I have difficulty persuading paphs to make much root at
> all, let alone enough to 'run about to all parts of the pot' as Rocky put
> it... I have tried all sorts of medium and pots.

From:
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Cyc. Chlorochilon
Date: Sat, 17 Feb 2007 19:40

This is my first flowering of this plant which I hope you like. There are two flowers both the same measuring four inches wide by three and a half inches in height.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Autumn Ladies Tresses.
Date: Sat, 17 Feb 2007 20:10

I had a nice stroll around my native New Forest this afternoon, just four miles or so. Very wet everywhere, but I was so pleased to find the Autumn Ladies Tresses that I missed a few weeks ago. Mind you it was a huge open area and as the photo shows.........they aint that big. How many can you see?

I hope that our two New Members, Jenny and Russ will be pleased with the information that Geoff supplied. Well done Geoff, excellent wording matey and straight forward information. It sure is a pity that so many newcomers are baffled by b******t.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Peter's Paph mix.
Date: Sun, 18 Feb 2007 09:35

Before I re-pot my few Paphs this year I hope to 'collect' what members have said and then sort it over in my head and then do the re-potting.

The gravel that you use on top of the mix and the 's' shaped pieces of polystyrene will not break down nor will they rot. However, I am just wondering if a substitute for the bark could be found and used that also does not deteriorate or rot.

Do you think that the polystyrene adds just a little bit of warmth???? As when we touch it, it feels warm to the hand.....just a thought.

Hopefully we can all collate [big word for me] the information and grow our Paphs better in the future.

From a very dull day with no sunshine and no wind, and it is not that warm outside.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Sphagnum moss.
Date: Sun, 18 Feb 2007 09:45

I would like to hear from those of you that use Sphagnum moss, and those of you who do not use Sphagnum moss.

I for one would only use it in the top inch or so of the pot if it was necessary.

The ball/plug of it that remains from when an orchid is very small to when it is flowering size can do much damage.

From: Tricia Garner
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Re: Paph mix.
Date: Sun, 18 Feb 2007 17:25

Peter, I have tried pure sphagnum, which worked quite well for a while, but
not mixed with polystyrene beads − I must have a go.

I always water with rain water, as the tap water here is very, very hard.
We have a water meter so RO water is not an option :-)

From: Rudolf Günnel
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Paphiopedilums.
Date: Sun, 18 Feb 2007 18:05

As I told here several times I grow my Paphs in a complete inorganic
mixture of Seramis and cut pieces of rubber foam (size of a hazelnut). I
arrange a drainage layer of cut Styrofoam / Polystyrene at the bottom of
the pot.
So far this works well under my conditions.
My Paph niveum is flowering again at the moment so it's a good occasion
to attach a photo of it.
Two other orchids are flowering at this time Rossioglossum grande and
Chysis bractescenc.
Especially for you Rocky a photo of my Rossioglossum − I think you know
why! It's flowering with two spikes − one on each side of the last
year's bulb − and altogether 18 blooms.
I grow both (Rossioglossum and Chysis) in pure hydroculture.
I own this Chysis more that 20 years but I neglected it slightly too
much when we built our house. Since I grow it in hydroculture it is
recreating and now flowering again after about 10 years. I like this
flower very much.
@ Roy Lee

I use pure cut Styrofoam / Polystyrene as potting mix for hydroculture.
I wrote about this topic some weeks ago and had sent a photo to the
list. Styrofoam / Poystyrene (hope we are talking about the same stuff)
is not toxic to plants roots by itself. It can become toxic by some
additives for special uses.

To make our English members envious we've got bright sunshine and mild
temperatures here in Germany since Saturday. In the morning there is
just little frost about -1 /-2°C and the sun is so strong that you need
sunglasses.
Best regards from Germany, Rudolf.

From: Rudolf Günnel
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Cyc. Chlorochilon
Date: Sun, 18 Feb 2007 18:15

Thank you for sharing your photo of Cycnoches chlorochilon − I like this
flower very much. It's got such a complicated shape − really amazing.
And I think it's scenting isn't it.

From: Roy Lee
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Roger, Re poly warmth
Date: Mon, 19 Feb 2007 12:45

Roger, polystyrene is not warm. When you hold it, the warmth you feel is your own hands warmth. The poly just reflects it back into your hand.
I would be interested to know what type of polystyrene Rudolf uses. It appears that it is not the standard packaging type as in fruit boxes, unless the product they are made from is different to everywhere else in the world.
Could you please expand on the poly quality Rudolf.

From: Russ and Jenny
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Jenny's new orchids.
Date: Mon, 19 Feb 2007 17:25

the info and advice from you all has been really helpful; I'm pleased to think that my orchids have not died and do not appear to be suffering! All hints are being printed and put in my new 'orchid' file!!! and I will continue to check for more useful tips etc from you.

I was lucky enough to go and spend the weekend with my mum and went to 'Orchid Paradise' Burnham Nurseries in Newton Abbot. WOW!! I did not want to leave! unfortunately my credit card did! So I am now armed with several clear pots (ready for new plantlets and repotting) some quality bark − as used for RHS displays?? and a few more orchids!! I also received 'hands on' advice there too and am going to their 'repotting for beginners' course and phalaenopsis one as well at easter.

From: Russ and Jenny
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Jenny's new orchids.
Date: Mon, 19 Feb 2007 18:50

pics below of my new orchids. I'm still a bit concerned about the black 'stuff' in the Cattleya, have tried zooming in to show you. In the centre they suggested to paint on a mix of water and methelated spirits...this sounds a bit harsh.

From: James H
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Sphagnum moss.
Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2007 00:50

i use sphagnum on some of my orchids, i mix some into my bark for phaphs and
i plant miltnopsis and zygopetalium, i have had a couple phals in
sphagnumand they did good but never as good as they could in bark or innert
medium that im switching to now.
i find inert the best for most but some the ones listed do better in
spagnum,
just like my catts do best in coarse bark every different plant can do
better in a different medium.

From: Dennis Read
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Jenny's new orchids.
Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2007 08:45

Why not join the Devon Orchid Society. We meet at Burnham Orchids on the third Sunday of each month at 1.30pm. We have quite a few members from Cornwall or you could join the West Cornwall Orchid Society who meet at the Cambourne Community Centre on the second Sunday of each month at 2.00pm.. Both are very friendly groups. I belong to the Devon O S but visit Cornwall OS.
Regards from a mild Devon

> the info and advice from you all has been really helpful; I'm pleased to
> think that my orchids have not died and do not appear to be suffering!
> All hints are being printed and put in my new 'orchid' file!!! and I will
> continue to check for more useful tips etc from you.

From: Silvio a Beccara
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: RHS show
Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2007 14:25

has anybody pre-ordered from Joseph Wu Orchids, Taiwan? I am trying to obtain
a quotation for a few of his plants for delivery at the RHS show this March,
but I am obtaining no reply...

I am a novice compared to many of you I can see. I have about 15 orchids in
my house mainly at an east window with a few in north facing kitchen window.
I am quite obsessed with them already after 2 years and have many questions
that the books dont answer.

I have a vuylstekeara cambria 'plush' It was bought in flower 14 feb 2005
(it was bought for me as a valantine present) and it has not produced a
flower stalk since. As you can see it has 2 new shoot coming from the side of
psuedobulbs that havnt flowered either. It looks very green and lush and not in
the least unhappy I can see these shoots as some how 'alternative' to
flowering stalks which wont appear because the environment isn't right. I now know
it needs to be quite cold at night and its sitting in my utility room beside
a door with clear glass. It gets plenty of light but no sun at all. The temp
is min 12 C and max 21 C. I water it with room temp rainwater every 10
days or so at the moment. Its in very course bark with some sphagnum moss
mainly at the top. I switched to this cooler environment (it was pretty much at 20
C the whole time before) 2 weeks ago. Should this be enough or is there
more I can do

From: nancy
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Jenny's new orchids.
Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2007 17:10

Hi Jenny -
Welcome to this list − I'm sure you'll enjoy it and
learn a lot about this obsession.
Your Cattleya damage − to me, it looks like some kind
of mechanical damage, not a disease; it also looks
pretty well healed. There may be some signs of scale
insects, though it's hard to be sure.
You should probably keep that area clean and dry,
perhaps dust it with a little sulphur or cinnamon
(fungicides). Other than that, it looks like a healthy
plant. What is its name? Injuries like this are there
for the life of the leaf, but it really doesn't look
too bad.
Regards − Nancy (south Louisiana, USA)

~~~~~~~~~~~
"Love is an irresistible desire
to be irresistibly desired."
---Robert Frost

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Sally's orchid.
Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2007 18:00

Your Vulstekeara Cambria 'Plush'. From what I can see in the photo it looks very well and happy.

The medium/compost looks as if it will stay good for a couple of years or so. As long as there is room enough for the new growths to get as big, or if not bigger that the previous years, then all is O.K.

Night temperature should be around the fifty Fahrenheit mark, give or take a few degrees. Not too warm in the summer months. If you could keep it around a high of eighty then that will do.....not too high though as they do come from cooler areas.

If the plant grows well, the pot will be full of very tiny thin roots, less than the thickness of a pencil lead or there abouts, so, you can appreciate how easy it is to fill the roots with moisture and/or food. I say this because far too many people do not wait for the compost to give up the moisture that it holds before watering again. So, don't water until the compost is almost dry.

And what about feed? Tap water has all the ingredients that a bottle of fertiliser has, although maybe less in certain ratios, but if you want to buy a fertiliser I suggest a liquid one as it mixes easier. Tomorite, Maxicrop, whatever takes your fancy.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Jenny's Cattleya.
Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2007 18:05

First of all..........I am interested in the container that is shown in the photo. Is there the 'normal' pot inside of the lattice white container?

From: Sharon Williams
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Sphagnum moss.
Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2007 21:35

Hi Rocky: I use Sphag moss whenever I have a plant in stress. I leave it in the moss until it gets healthy again, or longer if it seems to like it there. I don't think one should leave an orchid in any organic medium from very small to flowering size anyway without repotting, so one can make their determination of whether they should change medium or not at repotting time, assuming all else is looking good.
About your paph question, I am currently using Gemma Watering stones (large irregular organic pumice stones)and semi-hydro for most of my paphs, but do have a few in bark, mostly because that is how they were purchased, or as an experiment if I have duplicates to see which grows better. I have done this experiment with 3 Spicerianum plants, each with at least 3 plants per pot. The plants in the gemma are sending spikes as we speak, the one in bark shows no such spikes. Conclusions? We'll see. I did have a Collossum that took a while to adapt to the gemma, but after a couple of years I had blooming spikes from each of the two growths (the first one didn't bloom but did send up a new growth, then they both bloomed together) each with 2 flowers that stayed open for months. So I would say it works for me. Now I am in a fairly dry place here, so take that into account.
Cheers
Sharon in Calgary (currently 2C and sunny)

From: Sharon Williams
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] new to this
Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2007 21:45

Hi Sally: To begin with, we need to know where you live! I grow my Vuly. in an intermediate environment under HPS lights plus a south facing window in the winter, a greenhouse in the summer. I think 12C might be too cool for this one -mine has a min night temp around 14-15C, daytime highs around 24C. Make sure the daytime highs are not too cool, probably more important than the min night temp as long as it is above 12C. I would think the light is not sufficient, unless you live near the equator! That is why I was wondering where you live. If you live anywhere around the 49th parallel, where I live, then the sun is at such a low angle and weak this time of year, you could stand some direct sun.
cheers
Sharon

From: Sylvain VAN DER WALDE
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] new to this
Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2007 22:20

Hello Sally.
As you're using rainwater, and not tap water; your plant is not being fed. I
suggest that you use some orchid fertilizer.
Also, my Cambrias (which I no longer have, but which flowered freely) were a
darker green in colour. Which leads me to believe that yours should be
getting more light.

From: Russ and Jenny
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Jenny's Cattleya.
Date: Wed, 21 Feb 2007 07:25

It intrigues me too,especially as I cant find it in any of my new books, sadly I also cant read German/Dutch?? as I have found the website address of the company it originated from on the label. its www.eijgenraamorchideeen.nl and the pics in there look nice!!

As for the pot, well it's kind of a family heirloom and has been to 16 different countries! (my family are all in the Forces)
The pot the Catt originally came in had a big split all down one side and this pot was the closest thing i had in size to 'drop' the plant carefully into, so no there isn't another pot inside. Apparently, these are the type of pots (or similar) that were first used to grow orchids (so a book tells me).

From: Geoffrey Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Jenny's Cattleya.
Date: Wed, 21 Feb 2007 10:45

Eijgenraam is one of the Dutch "orchid factories" , near Delft.
Some members of this group used to turn their noses up at those places − hence the term "orchid factories" − which has a somewhat derogatory air . They do go in for mass production − but that's the way we get plants at these ridiculous prices !
Forgive an old man meandering on − and most members have heard these stories before − but Jenny is new − so :-
In post-war (post Hitler's war) days, orchids were grown professionally , often in 600 sq.ft glass houses − 60ft long, 10ft wide. This required one man and a boy for each greenhouse of this size, to look after the plants.
In one of the "factories" I visited 3 years ago, they had 14 acres of glasshouse − approximately 600,000 sq ft , and a staff of 17 . You will see that if they staffed on the 1960 basis they would need 17000 employees − and orchids would cost maybe 1000 times what they actually do. This explains why one small orchid, flowering for the first time , and nothing very special , actually cost me almost £16 when I bought it as my very first flowering plant some 45 years ago...that was a very large sum of money in those days. The same plant would cost £12 today ?
However, to get the sales volume they need from mass production, the factories aim for the European market consisting very largely of hausfrau living in apartments − who want flowers which will last a few weeks − ( five or six times as long as a bunch of cut flowers, at only twice the price of the bunch of flowers. When flowering is over, the plant will be thrown away . The hausfrau has no greenhouse, and is not interested in a non-flowering orchid as a house plant . For a house plant she wants a kangaroo ivy, a tradecantia or something with lots of lovely foliage. And even if I do say it , cattleyas out of flower are not exactly ornamental, are they ? So the factories are not growing for the hobbyist orchid grower − a different market.
And the hausfrau is not in the slightest bit interested to know that the plant she has is LC Ackers Spotlight, variety Fancy Pink HCC/AOS or whatever . That kind of information is for geeks ( didn't you know that orchid nuts could be geeks ? well why not...). So they don't need a name. And the other reason for only labelling as "orchid" − or even worse "Cambria Orchid" ( when they are not V.Cambria at all, and probably not even in the same branch of the family ), is that some varieties grow so much faster than others ; information as to which grow fast, is commercially valuable. Why tell your competitors which are the best varieties to grow ?

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