2007 mailing list messages

2007 Archived Messages

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From: Wendyd
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Agro-foam-Growth Technology.
Date: Sat, 08 Sep 2007

Thanks to everyone who responded to my query. I find that compost is really
a matter of 'horses for courses' and the reason I like a compost that does
retain some moisture is that I am out of the country for ten or fourteen days
every six weeks or so. I have very good neighbours that will water fuchsias
and pelegoniums etc., but are frightened to death of the orchids (I dont know
why as I think they are easier than the others), so I like to give them a
soak before leaving and let them quietly dry out while I am away and this has
so far worked very well. I also just do not really have the time to mix
recipes when I need to repot and I found that the Growth Technology compost was
there and ready to go in its sack.

However, we have at least managed to get a bulk delivery from Growth
Technology, albeit without agro-foam, so as I had a box a Growfoam. which I bought
from Ray Creek several years ago, sitting in the potting shed I mixed a
handful of this in with a large jug (I think approx 3 litres) of the bark/coco mix.
I hope that this mixture will work the same as the previous.

From: Geoff Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] A snaps...
Date: Sat, 08 Sep 2007

The one I was talking about is vandaceous − a Neofinetia hybrid .A horse of a different colour, indeed

From: Geoff Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Memory loss
Date: Sat, 08 Sep 2007

No orchids so far . But we are going to Gulan presently, which is orchidland, although, since this is cultural and sightseeing tour, I am not sure whether there will be any chance.

From: Alex Scott
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: A snaps...
Date: Sat, 08 Sep 2007

Yes I see now there are as I went along to the NEOS monthly judging today
and there was an Ascofinetia 'Twinkle' sitting there. A medium size plant
in a moss basket with yellow flowers. Seemed to have roots :-) I had
thought the oncidium crosses were the only twinkles.
Regards, Alex

> There are several Twinkles, Alex − I have seen yellow, pink and red, some
> big, some small and a large clump I have, which flowers OK but never has
> any roots at all. Before the root fanatics say anything − I also have a
> different one with good roots! I presume It's just a primary hybrid so
> each seedling will be an individual little Twinkle, trying to shine in
> its own little sky.

From: Ron Newstead
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Reindeer Moss
Date: Sat, 08 Sep 2007

From: John J. Rupp
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Digest 2007
Date: Sat, 08 Sep 2007

Yes, there are several color varieties of Oncidium Twinkle
(ornithorhyncum x cheirophorum). I have three, white, yellow, and red.
The red one is a deep red color and is named Oncidium Twinkle 'Red Fantasy'.

From: Peter Fowler
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Five "The Orchadian" for sale
Date: Sun, 09 Sep 2007

Dear All I have 5 odd The Orchadians for sale:-
June 2004, Vol.14, No.8
Sept 2004 , Vl.14, No.9
December 2004, Vol.14, no.10
March 2005, Vol.14, no.11
September 2005, Vol.15, No.1

From: Tina Stagg
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Reindeer Moss
Date: Sun, 09 Sep 2007

Isn't this a lichen? As such probably a protected species. I have only seen it growing in sufficient quantities to be useful in very fragile eco-systems.

Tina − just back from Greenland and it doesn't get much more fragile than that.

From: Ed Deckert
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Reindeer Moss
Date: Sun, 09 Sep 2007

Reindeer moss is a lichen that grows abundantly in the extreme northern portion of our planet. Food for reindeer and caribou. It is available commercially as a dried and dyed floral arrangement enhancer. Since it grows in such great abundance and is sold dried, I doubt owning it will get you in any sort of trouble.

From: Ed Deckert
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Fw: [OrchidTalk] Reindeer Moss
Date: Sun, 09 Sep 2007

So after sending, I decided to do some research. There are several species of the Cladonia genus . Apparently in England, reindeer moss [Cladonia mediterranea] is considered as "Critically Endangered" and protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981. This is not the Reindeer Moss that grows abundantly at the top of the world [Cladonia rangiferina], but rather a species that grows in warmer climates − as the name suggests.

So I suppose owning the abundant variety would not get you in trouble, but the other one would. But then, it may be worth a call or letter to the proper authorities to verify this.

From: Lynda Coles
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Reindeer Moss
Date: Sun, 09 Sep 2007

A product called 'Reindeer moss' is frequently used with airplants, model making (it makes good trees) and with flower arranging. It can often be bought in garden centres that also sell small airplants and bonsais goods.
It is presented in a dried and preserved form., although it is not dry dry, it is rather soft and rubbery and superficially resembles a natural sponge.

From: Alex
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Digest 2007
Date: Sun, 09 Sep 2007

Mine is pale yellow, nicely scented though, I might look out for 'Red
fantasy'. I didnt realise the name was popular in other genus crosses
though.
Regards
Alex Scott

> Yes, there are several color varieties of Oncidium Twinkle
> (ornithorhyncum x cheirophorum). I have three, white, yellow, and red.
> The red one is a deep red color and is named Oncidium Twinkle 'Red
> Fantasy'.

From: Alex
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Re: [OrchidTalk] A snaps...
Date: Sun, 09 Sep 2007

Yes geoff, mine is an oncidium but by chance I saw a vandaceous one this weekend. Twinkle is a popular name!
Regards
Alex Scott

> The one I was talking about is vandaceous − a Neofinetia hybrid. A horse
> of a different colour, indeed

From: Ron Newstead
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Reindeer Moss
Date: Sun, 09 Sep 2007

> Reindeer moss is a lichen that grows abundantly in the extreme northern
> portion of our planet. Food for reindeer and caribou. It is available
> commercially as a dried and dyed floral arrangement enhancer. Since it
> grows in such great abundance and is sold dried, I doubt owning it will get
> you in any sort of trouble.

From: Geoff Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Reindeer Moss
Date: Mon, 10 Sep 2007

I seem to remember using it as the simulation of trees , for a model railway layout − many years ago . From what I remember I would not want to use it as a compost.

However there is no doubt that orchid roots will accommodate themselves to grow in an amazing range of sybstances. When I started out it was osmunda and moss ; osmunda was the dead root masses of the Osmunda regalis plant ( the Royal fern) − and the moss was a particular species of sphagnum. Then the world ran out of osmunda, and we all switched to peat , which meant a particularly hard lumpy peat − we even used to sieve it and throw the fine stuff away − the lumps were the size of brazil nuts ,and this was mixed with Perlite and usually charcoal chips.

Peat ran out, or at least the hard lumpy stuff did, and we switched to bark, which is a much more "renewable" source, since the foresters strip it off logs when they fell the trees for timber, and coniferous bark − fast growing trees used for soft wood supplies − is good.

But along the way I've seen cork (cork-oak bark) old wine corks, glass-marbles, bracken roots, chopped freshly fallen oak-leaves, chopped up door-mats (seriously ! ) coco-nut shells , coco-nuts − the young green ones are used for mass production of dendrobiums for flower sales, in Thailand, today, Any advance on this list ?

I haven't even started on the possibilities for various forms of hydroponics, from gravel, shingle, etc through manufactured forms like 'Leca.

But do remember if trying anything different from what is actually in the pot at the moment − the orchid has to grow new roots − the old ones don't adapt, they may carry on work for a while, but it needs new ones for a different compost.

> A product called 'Reindeer moss' is frequently used with airplants, model
> making (it makes good trees) and with flower arranging. It can often be
> bought in garden centres that also sell small airplants and bonsais
> goods. It is presented in a dried and preserved form., although it is not
> dry dry, it is rather soft and rubbery and superficially resembles a
> natural sponge.

From: jan
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Reindeer Moss
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2007

Is this really used for orchids? I'm a bit surprised, really − lichens
are often quite 'strange', chemically, and not necessarily beneficial;
though of course this kind is eaten by reindeer. Just wondering.

Lichens are very interesting − not plants at all; or not very much. They
are symbionts between fungi (which are neither plants nor animals,
having their own 'kingdom', but closer to animals than plants,
surprisingly) and aither 'algae' (which covers creatures from no less
than three kingdoms: plantae, protista and chromalveolata) or
cyanobacteria (yet another kingdom, bacteria).

Fungi are still some of the least understood lifeforms on this planet,
due to their living almost entirely out of sight; and very weird in my
opinion. Their cells often have multiple nuclei, where animals and
plants have one per cell, and their cell-walls consist of chitin
(otherwise known from insects) rather than cellulose, as in plants.

> I seem to remember using it as the simulation of trees , for a model
> railway layout − many years ago . From what I remember I would not want
> to use it as a compost.

From: epric@tiscali.nl
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: cd roms orchids
Date: Thu, 13 Sep 2007

hello all,
We have added to our website (webshop) the following orchid cd roms:
cattleya, 2x phalaenopsis cd rom, cd rom about cattleya hybrids.
feel free to visit: http://www.epric.org

And what a superb day it is here in southern England.....yet again. Are we going to have an 'Indian Summer' ???

If the CITES people thought that the war was over between them and me, they were sure mistaken.

Have a look at my 'attachment'. The label came from a cardboard box, similar to the type of box that I would expect orchids to be shipped in.

I have always been of the opinion that the shipper/orchid nursery should be responsible for saying if the orchids that were being shipped were, or were not, in any way, ENDANGERED SPECIES.

And then, stating on a clear label on the front of the box, the contents therein. And do note the signature on the label. Of course CITES would expect to see the suppliers address clearly shown, and any other details that they would like shown, on the label of declaration.

This would mean that the onus would be on the supplier, and he or she would be held liable, not the buyer.

This would mean that if the label stated that the contents were not ENDANGERED SPECIES, then no monies would be payable to the CITES coffers under false pretenses.

All of us orchid buffs know about seed sowing and cloning, and we all know that one seed pod from a so called endangered species, if given to the correct nursery, would produce thousands of plants in a few years.

From: John Stanley
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [A5 advert inclusion in CANWOS Newsletter
Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2007

Hi Peter,
received you sample handout this morning. Since it is exactly A5 in size it would present no problem being included with the Newsletter. Neither would there be any increase in postal charge for those who don't attend.
In September I shall print off about 85 copies so that should be about the number of you leaflets I'd need. OK?
John

> Our renovated web site is now up and running. www.theorchidman.com For
> the Paph lovers amongst you if you go to the second page of the photo
> gallery you can see P. concolor and P. sukhakulii in their natural
> habitat!

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

2007 Archived Messages

8—14 September