July 2007 mailing list messages

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From: Gordon Walker
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Den. moniliforme
Date: Sun, 15 Jul 2007

My plant instead of putting out flower spikes is producing keikis. What am I doing wrong?
Gordon.

From: Gordon Walker
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Enquiry
Date: Sun, 15 Jul 2007

Does anyone have any orchid seed or pods they can spare.
If so I will return plantlets to the donor when large enough to survive the "tender handling" of our mail service.
I can be contacted direct to save list clutter.
Gordon.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: NEVER SAY DIE !!!!!
Date: Sun, 15 Jul 2007

I must admit that being part Scottish I hate throwing anything away unless it is well and truly dead, so have a look at the four images.

The piece of Cattleya rhizome with three leafless bulbs looked destined for the rubbish bin, but then I gave it the very close 'once over' and decided not to don the 'Black Cap' and so give it a chance. It just sat in that plastic plant saucer for a couple of weeks or so with just a bead of water..........hey presto! I will keep you up to date with its progress.

The other 'Dried up specimen' did I must admit have a stunted bulb at the front end and although it looked a gonner I once again gave it a reprieve. I will keep you informed with this plants happy new outlook on life.

From: Sylvain VAN DER WALDE
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Den. moniliforme
Date: Sun, 15 Jul 2007

> My plant instead of putting out flower spikes is producing keikis. What am I
> doing wrong?

If your Den. needs a dry period to induce flowering (like the Nobile),
re-starting to water _too soon_ will produce keikis. I think that you need
to wait for the new shoots to be of a certain length. Possibly a couple of
centimetres.

From: Peter Fowler
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Mini-Phal.
Date: Sun, 15 Jul 2007

My wife bought this Mini-Phal. from our local Sainsburys store for £6.99.
It is growing in Sphagnum moss, but I will repot it in the Autumn.

From: Gordon Walker
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Den. moniliforme
Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2007

You could have put your finger on the possible cause as I have found it had
been on the rack of plants which I have watered throughout the winter,
Gordon.

> If your Den. needs a dry period to induce flowering (like the Nobile),
> re-starting to water _too soon_ will produce keikis. I think that you need
> to wait for the new shoots to be of a certain length. Possibly a couple of
> centimetres.

From: Tina Stagg
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] NEVER SAY DIE !!!!!
Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2007

I do admire your tenacity, Rocky, and enthusiasm for experimental growing, but cannot help feeling sorry for these poor cattleyas.

Why don't you call it a day now and buy some proper compost? You would, of course, have to buy new every two years and throw away the old compost, which your Scottish genes might not like. It does, however, make very good mulch for the garden.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Tenacity !!!
Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2007

Good job you are not stood beside me or I would box your ears, ha, ha. Tina, my 'experimental' growing in rock chippings/pieces has been ongoing for many, many years. Except for Paphiopedilums and Cymbidiums, all of my epiphytic orchids are grown in stone/rock pieces/chippings.

Perhaps the photo of the Cattleya with those dried up withered light brown bulbs needed some explanation.

It was a plant that I saved from the Gallows. I saw just the small runt of a terminated front bulb and so decided to give it a chance..........and today I even saw a new root emerging.

If you would like to cross my hand with £5 note, then I would send you a copy of my booklet that I had photocopied just last December. I was brow beat and battered in to submission by family and friends to do it.

So, don't feel sorry for those poor Cattleyas as the rest of them just love my way of growing especially when they thrust their roots into the space between the stones and run around all over the place, and even sometimes emerging through the holes and slots at the base of the pot. Never do I have to worry about ROT.

Enough for now. I know that you live up on the Island of Anglesey, but are you Welsh????? It's those Welsh buggers we have to blame for that terrible rose disease..........Di bach.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Gordon's Dendrobe.
Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2007

I have found an excellent web site of Mr.Nakayama's photos of all things in nature. His photos are more than excellent. Later today I may have a look at all of them.

Have a look at how your Dendrobe grows in the wild..........then try one of them in stone chippings.

From: Tina Stagg
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Tenacity !!!
Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2007

It wasn't the wrinkled brown cattleya I was talking about − it was all the
others round it. Ha, Ha.

Admit it, as far as these particular cattleyas are concerned, the experiment
has failed. I tried wacky cattleya growing myself forty years ago, with
rocks, hortag, polystyrene, etc, etc. I never manged to get enough nitrogen
into the plants for decent growth. I now use good quality bark, ditto NZ
moss
and nothing else, repotted every two years. I suppose it's more like
what nature intended − you don't find many rocks and puddles up trees.

I don't live on Ynys Mon (Anglesey) but in Deganwy, on the Conwy estuary.
I'm English but have lived in Wales all my adult life.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Composts, or mediums.
Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2007

The six images show what can happen if moisture is applied and then applied again without letting the medium dry out.

You will notice in images 4169 and 4170 that the plug of sphagnum moss which I guess was used from a very early stage is till there..........beware the growers that do not know about it.

The label confirmed that they came from Holland and the website was www.wooningorchids.com

All were cleaned of all medium, and those that were very wet were washed free of the muck.

The other four were potted in clear plastic pots, to enable the viewer to see the roots and growth in the future.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Growing in stone medium.
Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2007

Old age syndrome..........yes I remember now where you live, it's my friend who lives on the Isle.

You said:
> Admit it, as far as these particular Cattleyas are concerned, the
> experiment has failed. I tried wacky Cattleya growing myself forty
> years ago, with rocks, hortag, polystyrene, etc, etc. I never managed to
> get enough nitrogen into the plants for decent growth.

Who's 'experiment', mine are fine and have been for years. I do not understand when you say that you never managed to get enough nitrogen into the plants for decent growth.

Perhaps our friendly 'Member' Andy McKeown will tell you how we both get our Cattleyas to grow well, especially one that we both have that I nick-named 'Lipstick Lady'. It sure grows tall.

My method of watering/feeding in the growing season, like now, is to fill my pump-up sprayer with rain water and feed. The feed being either 'Tomorite' or 'Maxicrop Original' and then spraying the top of the medium/pot once per day, maybe twice if I feel they need it. Often spraying the whole plant. Vital point, it's the roots that I am giving the water/feed to absorb.....not the medium. That's why I always ENCOURAGE people to have a look at a root through the lens of a home microscope.

The feed is measured out as per the label..........none of this 'Orchids want half strength rubbish'.

Maybe I can persuade you to have another go with just one orchid in stone chippings.

From: Gordon Walker
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Gordon's Dendrobe.
Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2007

From: Geoff Wanks
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Problem Phalaenopsis.
Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2007

thank you ricky i am happy to meet you. yoiu are very
kind man. my phallanopsis in attached photo. hope you
can see and give me yours advise. how do you take good
orhcid photo?.? thanks

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Geoff's Phalaenopsis.
Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2007

Your Phalaenopsis looks very healthy. Nice dark green leaves that are standing up well, not floppy which is the sign that the plant is not happy.

Your photo is O.K. but just a very little bit out of focus, so I suggest you use a tripod or something else to keep the camera very still.

Can we please see some more photos of the complete plant. If the plant is in a transparent pot then can you take a photo of it.

From: Tina Stagg
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Growing in stone medium.
Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2007

It's bad enough having to be on hand to feed the family every day. Having to
prepare frequent tasty meals for the orchids as well would compromise my
sanity and, more importantly, mess up all my holiday arrangements.

> ...Maybe I can persuade you to have another go with just one orchid in stone
> chippings.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Diatomite and photos.
Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2007

Long time no hear from you, but then you are in the grips of muddle winter..........

Max, I have just had a very quick glimpse at a few web sites regarding Diatomite/Aussie Gold etc. and this is the way that I have been growing for years. I will have another look this evening.

The first three were de-potted and hung up so that I could take a photo showing what a complete load of crap they were potted in..........as you know, in this case I do not mince my words but speak straight from the shoulder so to speak. The 'medium' is a complete gunge which shows what happens when it starts to decay/rot/breakdown and holds far to much moisture.

The next three photos show the plants that were mainly potted in either bark, or coconut husk pieces or complete sphagnum moss. They were kept drier and so the roots were not damaged. However, note that they all had that wad/plug of sphagnum moss that was there no doubt from a very early time, and it will have been left in place at every potting on..........later on to rot and do masses of damage.

As I said, all five were given 'new homes' and they look good so far. When the new growths are fully mature I will post photos again, and when they bloom I will do the same.

Max, stir my old brain and tell me what part of Oz you live in please. Then log it.

From: JIM MATEOSKY
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: Slugs how to kill the little bastards!
Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2007

Slugs and more slugs, how to kill them and keep them away, they have eaten a few shoots this month and I am PO´d.

Some say beer, there is some insecticide in granular form but it says apply when it is dry and not moist....

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: What a hobby !!!
Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2007

I have always said that the older we get, the more information is stored in our heads. Therefore a person of eighty years of age will take a fair amount of time to remember some things.

A kid of twenty years of age can remember everything..........but then there head is only a QUARTER FULL.

From: Geoff Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Slugs how to kill the little bastards!
Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2007

Everybody ( garden centres, D-I-Y stores garden departments etc) sells slug
bait. Usually little blue pellets . You need a few − not a heaped
teaspoonful (!) scattered around a plant which is under attack. Keep them
off leaves, they contain a cyanide equivalent , although they decompose to
water and CO2 , but can poison plants ( cf Phil Cribbs comments in one of
his books )

OR , wait till dusk, then approach quietly , torch in one hand and slug
exterminator in the other , look carefully all round the plant , when you
see the beast , shout 'Geronimo' and dive in with scissors flashing. Behold
, two half slugs..no problem..

They do tend to hang around a plant they have found and like , so you may
find them in daylight. Lift the pot and look underneath ; inspect carefully
all around.

After ¾ century slug catching , yes I really did start when I was quite
small .I find them when I am doing routine things like watering or repotting
, and then its zoomph , another two half slugs.

Don't use salt on them , it's cruel , and the sodium is bad for your plants
too.

Beer ? yes it works. I once had a long thin garden , 100 yards long and only
10-15 wide , and slugs messed up a lot of the things I was growing , so I
used beer traps. I sank empty cream/yoghurt etc pots in the ground at
intervals of 10 or 20 feet and filled them with beer. It took quite a lot ;
I used to brew my own brown ale for them ( seriously ! ) and then after
dinner, when it started to get dark, especially on humid summer nights after
a shower , I'd go for a stroll up the garden with a torch and a long thin
cane. I found them surrou7nding each pot, eyeing the brew, and wondering
whether a swim was a good thing . I made their minds up for them, with the
cane. On a good night I'd push 2 or 3 hundred in. I also patrolled the lawn,
I'd find them in twos, doing things I won't discuss in case any children
read this . Then bang, wallop , four half slugs !

Never had much trouble in the greenhouse when I was doing all this , but
come to think of it I didn't get out much either..

From: Sylvain VAN DER WALDE
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Slugs how to kill the little bastards!
Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2007

Slugs are active at night. If you go out at night with a torch, you'll see
the slugs and be able to collect them in your container of choice and
dispose of them. The visible trails should show you where they come from.
Don't "poo-poo" that idea, as it can be very effective.

From:
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Slugs how to kill the little bastards!
Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2007

From: Ron Bower
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Slugs how to kill the little bastards!
Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2007

Hello,
Scatter slug pellets amongst your plants and water Slug Clear on the floor inside, and the ground outside of your greenhouse.
Ronbow.

From: Lynda Coles
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Slugs how to kill the little bastards!
Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2007

Nemaslug® contains naturally occurring nematodes for safe and effective slug control. Each pack of Nemaslug® has millions of microscopic nematodes that kill slugs both above & below ground.
Harmless to children pets and wildlife. Nemaslug® is so green that birds & hedgehogs can happily eat slugs after application.
Easy to use − simply mix the harmless powder with water.
Simply apply to soil using a watering can or with a hose-end feeder.
Added bonus! Customers report fewer snails.
Remains active for 6 weeks − even in prolonged wet weather − just when your plants need protection.

Nemaslug® is a naturally occurring parasitic nematode of slugs − Phasmarhabditis Hermaphrodita. The nematode enters the slug through the slug mantle − the saddle like structure on its back. Once inside, the nematode releases a bacterium which multiply and this is what the nematode feeds on. The nematodes multiply and within 3-5 days the slug stops feeding and will burrow underground to die.

From: jan
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Slugs how to kill the little bastards!
Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2007

Insecticide doesn't work on slugs and snails, and beer just makes them
burp and behave badly − you need to use metaldehyde. It comes both as a
liquid and and 'slug pellets'. The pellets can be sprinkled on top of
the compost or mixed into the compost when planting; in my experience
they work very well for a couple of months at least.

From: Geoff Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Slugs how to kill the little bastards!
Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2007

Coffee is a myth ; the idea came from some work done in Hawaii, as a
by-product of research attempting to control the frog population, and it was
reported that the caffeine interfered with the nervous system of tghese
creatures ( slugs and snails are sensitive nervous creatures − just try
talking strongly to them . huh ? ) . It was also reported that the ordinary
sort of strength of coffee − as we drink it, was fine.

For a long time I religiously emptied the coffee jug − we drink it three
times a day − into a container , and watered it around my greenhouse.

Only last week finding a collection of snails in some pots awaiting
cleaning, I thought to kill them by watering them with coffee. Some were in
a gravel tray- and when it was half full of coffee making a nice little
swimming bath for them, I observed them climbing out at the end of their
little swim , and making for the greenhouse door .

From: Geoff Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: nematodes and slugs
Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2007

I am not replying by the usual method since when I clicked on the one from
Lynda Coles I got a message about danger − and validating my e-mail address
to the spam merchants .???

However, nematodes do work − the problem is the cost . Just not on, unless
you live on a desert island of not very many square meters in extent. See
the experiments which the RHS did some years ago , which show that an area
can be totally cleared of slugs and snails, and within a very short time
more have moved in from the surrounding area to replace them. The nematodes
are quite effective immediately, but do not have a long term effect, and you
will be back to square one within months if not weeks.

From: John Stanley
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Slugs how to kill the little bastards!
Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2007

From the resulting correspondence and personal experience it seems clear that there is no really satisfactory way of eliminating slugs and we have to live with 'em. Diplomacy-versus-warfare?

Before orchidmania we used to go out at night and manually collect bucketfuls of them and then let them go on the local railway embankment. British Rail, in their day, could have blamed all sorts of delays on the "slugs on the line" but I don't think they ever did.

As for pellets; they work but seem to merely vacate living accommodation for the next generation. As for scissors; how do you clean 'em?

In the end, we have come to sharpen our vision and inspect and hand-pick them off the plants when found.

Some months ago, a friend in our orchid soc discovered a slug suspended from his greenhouse roof by a mucus thread, almost confirming my long held belief that they flew in through open vents at night! Apparently abseiling sligs are quite common in the UK although few have seen them.

Nobody has mentioned molluscan dislike of copper, probably with a volt or two in it (I jest!). Although copper isn't cheap, a band of fine copper wire around a pot may discourage them but copper wire from scrap electrical devices (transformers, armatures etc) usually has an insulating varnish on it that needs scraping off. Also, copper isn't the best friend of most plants so it would be an external pot band and not a stem ring.

Lastly, I wonder if Geoff's former passion for hydroponics was associated in a decline of terrestrial molluscs in his greenhouse? On a potentially positive side, there must be a use for slug mucus − lubricant? Adhesive? Where's our polymer chemist? Geoff?
John

From: P G Hieke
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Slugs how to kill the little bastards!
Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2007

Mesurol, in pellets or liquid form takes care of them.
Regards
Peter from Bloubergstrand

Just catching up on my mail and I see the problem of slugs has arisen. Here is my penny worth. I use rain water and years ago I discovered that slugs and / or snails were living at the high water mark in for them perfect conditions and laying eggs that I then watered on my plants. That is why I dose the tank every other month with Physan or Pot. permanganate. This does not stop all slugs and snails but it gets rid of many. I find the ones that do most damage are the 1/2 inch(1.25cm) and they do not eat the pellets. I use liquid slug guard and spray my plants, pots, benching and floor after letting it all dry out for a day. Caution − keep agitating the liquid as it settles, clean thoroughly after. Do not keep the made up liquid as after a while it has a most vile smell. Regards
PS Geoff Your contributions have started being classed as spam/junk as mine were to you a while ago. To overcme it you are now on my favoured list!

From: Lynda Coles
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] nematodes and slugs
Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2007

just to let you know that I am a bit mystified about the message that was given when an attempt was made to reply to my previous email.....................I am not dangerous!!!!!! nor do I sell or eat spam!!!!!

> I am not replying by the usual method since when I clicked on the one
> from Lynda Coles I got a message about danger , and validating my e-mail
> address to the spam merchants .???

From: MARK GRIFFITHS
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Slugs how to kill the little bastards!
Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2007

In the alpine garden society there was a series of mini articles about creating small electric fences, this went on for a while but eventually stopped when someone pointed out there was a safety implication!

This year I planted marigolds, one night I went out and took 70 off the dozen or so plants. 30 mins later I took another 50. The tesco delivery guy sugested egg shells. We tried that. Didn't work. He came back a week later and said sadly it hadn't worked for him either.

A few weeks back I had the joy of scraping the slugs off the cats (usually one a day), also out of my hair and my newly washed sweatshirt after venturing out in the garden in the evening. They are not absailing, they are flinging themselves from bushes like slimy ninjas.

> ...Some months ago, a friend in our orchid soc discovered a slug
> suspended from his greenhouse roof by a mucus thread, almost confirming
> my long held belief that they flew in through open vents at night!
> Apparently abseiling sligs are quite common in the UK although few have
> seen them.

From: Theta
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Slugs how to kill the little bastards!
Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2007

I used to have both slugs and snails in great abundance in my garden.
After I purchased decollata snails (/Rumina decollata)/ the slugs and
snails and resultant plant damage all disappeared about 6 years ago and
have not been seen since. Note they prefer snails, et al, but will eat
seedlings and flowers when preferred foods are not available (I have not
noted any problems with them eating any of my plants or orchids though
so I must have plenty of organic matter available elsewhere in the garden).

Here is a link which, in addition to the decollata, also makes reference
to nematodes (Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita) for the problem (bottom of
page).

From: Sharon Williams
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Slugs
Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2007

I have found that spaying the slugs with a 10 part water to l part plain cheap ammonia is wonderful! See them shrivel before your eyes, and you don't have to touch them -yick! As you only spray the slug and not the surrounding soil, no problem with changing the soils alkalinity.
Sharon in Calgary

From: Geoff Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Slugs how to kill the little bastards!
Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2007

You are quite right about copper ; and it only needs to be a few atoms (or
mols) thick to be effective. Hence, Copper sulphate sprayed on to a surface
and allowed to dry/crystallise is completely effective. Of course it does
not work quite like that because of surface tension, electrochemical effects
etc , in that I don't think you could get a wet film to dry out on a plastic
pot or glass surface , it would run off or coalesce into droplets with big
gaps between , before it had a chance. On wood , yes OK. On bricks or
concrete even better, but always effective only for weeks . Maybe it 'wears
off' or more probably a layer of dirt obscures it. There is a copper tape I
have seen sold for the purpose.

'A few volts' ? You do not actually need to connect to a battery , the
combination of slug and copper creates the same effect, my ancient brain
won't cough up the reason this morning , but young John Stanley will be able
to remind me, I expect.

By the way this also works for woodlice , which can be a pest especially if
you are trying to grow odonts , they love to nibble the root tips in
particular , and also the newly emerging tender young leaves of
phalaenopsis.

In the 80's when I lived at Stratfor on Avon I had a greenhouse with a back
wall, some 7 feet high made of breeze blocks, and the woodlice loved it .
They used to sunbathe there before their evening meal on my plants. I
completely cured that problem by spraying the bricks with Murphys Copper
fungicide every month .

The wise old experts at the RHS , by the way, said that woodlice are never a
pest in horticulture and there is no point trying to control them, they are
so widespread , shows what they know.

One very good phal nursery ( one man business at Porlock) had a lot of
trouble with woodlice , not slugs − Peter Tremayne (?) and he told me on
more than one occasion that he was thinking of giving up for that reason.
He did give up , for whatever reason...

From: Geoff Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Slugs how to kill the little bastards!
Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2007

I don't think the UK Min of Agriculture − whatever it is called after the
latest round of Ministry re-naming , will be very keen on anyone importing a
new species of slug into UK , but thanks for the suggestion.
We do of course have our carnivorous slugs − two species of them − they are
quite big fellers, striped brown in one case, and it is hard to prevent
oneself doing my Rambo act on sight.
But Dennis is quite right, it's the little chaps − keel slugs (?)which do
all the damage in greenhouses, potato fields, strawberry fields etc.
( I did once study the beats − "know thine enemy"...

> ...After I purchased decollata snails (/Rumina decollata)/ the slugs and
> snails and resultant plant damage all disappeared about 6 years ago and
> have not been seen since.

From: Geoff Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] nematodes and slugs
Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2007

I think that lists like ours attract spam-mongers and Spy Doctor and
similar programmes, not to mention Tricia, do tremendous work keeping us
largely free.

From: Beccy Holmes
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Slugs
Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2007

>I have found that spaying the slugs with a 10 part water to l part plain
>cheap ammonia is wonderful! See them shrivel before your eyes, and you
>don't have to touch them -yick! As you only spray the slug and not the
>surrounding soil, no problem with changing the soils alkalinity.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: To brighten a rainy day.
Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2007

This plant was passed on to me last year and was in a little bit of a need of some 'TLC' aka 'Tender Loving Care'.

It sure does throw up some very long flower spikes, and the bonus for me is the number of perfectly formed flowers, with I might add have almost symmetrical markings which are often what the hybridists would like but is not often achieved.

One of my Cattleya's has just opened three flowers and I will send photos in a few days when it has fully developed. It is one that I bought from the 'Italian Nursery'..........you can't go wrong buying from them.

I bought some plants recently from an English 'supplier' and most of the roots were dead!!!!!

From: JIM MATEOSKY
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: Identify these anybody??
Date: Sat, 21 Jul 2007

The red one that looks like a bulbophlym was found in the woods in Costa Rican cloud forrest.

From: Sharon Williams
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Slugs
Date: Sat, 21 Jul 2007

Why would you want to be humane to these slimy buggers who eat your hard
earned efforts and fornicate in the open!!!

From: Geoff Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Slugs
Date: Sat, 21 Jul 2007

From: francis quesada pallares
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Identify these anybody??
Date: Sat, 21 Jul 2007

The one with many flowers, reminds me of some sort of
pleurothallis... The other one also reminds me of
something I've seen before, but not sure of what.

From: Brenda Beale BB
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Identification
Date: Sat, 21 Jul 2007

The first is Cattleya araguaiensis not often seen but a pretty little Cattleya, mine expired a few years ago and I never managed to replace it, though I did make a cross with it and C.harrisoniae which I called C.Fairy as it is a dainty mainly deep pink bloom. I do not know what your second one is.
Regards Brenda

From: John Stanley
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Slugs
Date: Sat, 21 Jul 2007

Hi Sharon,
Are you referring to those wonderfully diverse and adaptive molluscs or
certain members of humanity there? Maybe I've led a sheltered life but
copulating while suspended by a mucus thread is no mean achievement! Anyway,
where do you suggest they should fornicate?
You have to admit that whether or not they conform to our human etiquette,
they don't blow each other up, shoot each other up or commit genocide. They
are beautifully adapted to so many environments from marine, freshwater,
terrestrial, subterranean although, unless I'm right about flying forms(!)
they haven't managed aerial environments. They aren't cruel. All they do is
eat plants . . like we do!
And they haven't caused anything like the ecological mayhem, even to
orchids, that we have.
Hug a slug I say! (but preferably not near my orchids)
Cheers ("Slimey buggers" eh? Good job we can't understand Slugese! I'm sure
they'd have an equally fitting description of us)
John

>Why would you want to be humane to these slimy buggers who eat your hard
>earned efforts and fornicate in the open!!!

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	22-28
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

2007 Archived Messages

15—21 July