May 2008 mailing list messages

May 2008 Archived Messages

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From: <Bhotplant@aol.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Parking at RHS Halls London
Date: Thu, 08 May 2008

why on earth dont they sell up and move out of london and make 99% people
happy including vendors,is it just prestige,the money the would make they
could build wherever they wanted including at wisley

From: Roger Grier <theorchid.man@virgin.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] list. Lycaste
Date: Thu, 08 May 2008

As to my promoting growing in stones Dennis, I am still not sure about what to use for my three Lycaste's. As I said, when I study the roots make up, only then will I decide.

From: Jean Lewis <jeanmarian.lewis@ntlworld.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Lycastes
Date: Thu, 08 May 2008

Thank you very much Roger and Dennis for your replies to my query about Lycastes. I have grown mine in moss and perlite Dennis and in desperation moved them out of it a couple of days ago. I was told years ago that because of the new fine roots it was essential to grow them that way. Unfortunately I am one of those people who just simply can't get the watering right with it. It is either wet and soggy or as dry as a bone. I just have to try something different or I shall lose them completely. While searching the Internet I found several photographs of them growing in pots in small bark pieces and they'd obviously been kept quite moist as moss was growing around part of the rim. I made up a mix of small bark, vermiculite and perlite and will see how they progress. If I lose them I do but I would have lost them anyway by leaving them in the moss and perlite.
Roger I await your mix with hope as my paphs seem to be loving your mix for that. So far all are thriving and new growths are growing well. − Jean

From: Jean Lewis <jeanmarian.lewis@ntlworld.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: coelogyne ochracea
Date: Thu, 08 May 2008

I'd welcome your views on trying to grow Coelogyne Ochracea using the semi hydroculture method. Has anyone ever tried this? My three are growing in bark at the moment but I read that they like to be evenly moist until there winter rest so I would have thought semi hydroculture with seramis in a sealed pot might suit them? Jean

From: Roger Grier <theorchid.man@virgin.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Parking at RHS Halls London
Date: Thu, 08 May 2008

I could not agree more with you. Trouble is that the 'Old School Tie' syndrome still exists, and until that is blown away then this country will always lag behind.

From: Geoffrey Hands <geoff.hands@talktalk.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Photos. advice for orchid photographers.
Date: Thu, 08 May 2008

I suggest that you may be making a mistake if you follow some of the suggestions which have been made for pictures to be sent to this group, unless you really and truly want to use them for e-mailing and nothing else ! Most people will want to keep pictures for the record, and maybe at some time in the future , if not now, make good prints , or use them for photo competitions or whatever.

So my suggestion # and what I personally do, is take the best quality photo I can , get it as good as I can manage, and save that in my archives. But I don#t send that picture to the group # it would take far too long to download. I make a copy, and reduce that copy to the final size I want to send. Nowadays I usually make them about 500 or 600px in the larger dimension.

As it happens I use professional image handling software ( because serious photography is another hobby of mine) but most image handling software has a command called #send as e-mail# or something similar. In my case ( Photoshop v10) it is #save for web or device# # what this does is convert the colour space to sRGB whatever the camera setting was, and use a degree of compression to make the file smaller. But make no mistake, compression means that part of the file is thrown away # and lost for ever. This is why I save a good copy before I make a duplicate and compress. If you do it the other way round # make the e-mail copy then also save it, you have a poorer version in your permanent archive.

Usually you get to choose the degree of compression # but what you want to end up with is a file no bigger than 100kb at the most. Download speed for those without broadband is a theoretical 56kb per second # but in practice that can drop to a small fraction of that figure. So if you disregard this, and insist on sending a 500kb file, those unfortunate members with no broadband will find that it takes for ever to download each picture.

I hope this makes sense. If anyone has any queries I will try to help #( I have authored a best seller book on digital photography ).

Ps #digital macro# means that the image will be enlarged without using any more pixels ( and the quality lowered in proportion) # use the plain macro setting for the best quality.

From: Dennis Read <judgedr@btinternet.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] list. Lycaste
Date: Thu, 08 May 2008

Roger, The groccles have arrived. I could not find a parking slot in Westward Ho yesterday. Still if it wasn't for the visitors many businesses would shut down and Devon wouyld not be so great. Regards from a sunless Devon

From: Dennis Read <judgedr@btinternet.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Parking at RHS Halls London
Date: Thu, 08 May 2008

As I said a few weeks ago when I went to the RHS Orchid Show _ now know why I live in Devon and I will not go to another RHS Orchid Show. Peterborough will suffice. Regards Dennis

From: Dennis Read <judgedr@btinternet.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Lycastes
Date: Thu, 08 May 2008

Jean, Lycaste are not easy in a general collection and you need to differentiate between decidous and non deciduous. Normally you do not water once the pseudo bulb is formed but just keep them from shrivelling. that means no feeding or heavy watering from November on. A good spray will get rid of wrinkles. ( wish it worked on me ). This should initiate a spike.
It could still happen now if no growth is seen. Regards Dennis

From: JIM MATEOSKY <jmateosky@yahoo.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Lycastes
Date: Thu, 08 May 2008

Lycastes huh? I attached photo there are lots of Prosthechea maadavavias, Dracula's, and a lycaste in there. it is grown on a moss covered tree. it is on the eastern (Atlantic) watershed of costa rica, so that mean lots and lots of rain year round, no dry period. moss means always moist.

Lycastes for me are hard, I have not seen many in the Forest either. The lycastes I grow to flow grow best for me on medium size pieces of wood. and I keep them on the dry side and the flower. But I still have many questions........

From: <Bhotplant@aol.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Parking at RHS Halls London
Date: Fri, 09 May 2008

the same show when we went to pick up the plants on sunday took 4hrs to get
from sussex ,owing to st patricks day parade with central blocked off ,never
again
tom

From: francis quesada pallares <licelia_2000@yahoo.es>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Lycastes
Date: Fri, 09 May 2008

I have had a primary hybrid for a number of years
(probably 3 or 4), and had never flowered (it was
bought already in flower). I have tried many different
types of composts and culture following the advice of
many, many books, but to no avail. Mine is a decidious
one, by the way, although Dr. Henry Oakley did say to
me that it shouldn't loose the leaves at all, because
of the parentage? Anyway, last year I decided that I
had had enough of it and it would follow the same
regime as all my other orchids, so it was potted on a
mixture of fine bark, plenty of perlite and some
sphagnum moss, and was kept constantly moist for the
whole year (even during the winter). As I have said in
the past, I keep most of my plants with at least 1 cm
of water in the saucer at all times. Low and behold,
the new growth appeared, and I thought, 'oh well,
another year without a flower'... But then, another
'growth' pushed its way up, and this one has turned
out to be a flower! It is not open yet, but I have
already noticed another 'growth' on the opposite side
of the newer growth, so I am hoping for a second
spike!

From: Jean Lewis <jeanmarian.lewis@ntlworld.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: lycaste
Date: Fri, 09 May 2008

Thank you Dennis. Both of mine are in that leafless state now and with shriveled pseudobulbs. There is a tiny new growth starting on one of them but no sign of anything on the other. I think I've been fighting a losing battle for years − but I fight on with a small flicker of hope! I'll start spraying I think and I gave a drop of water to the one with the little growth yesterday to kick it into growing faster − fingers crossed something will happen soon. − Jean

From: Roger Grier <theorchid.man@virgin.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] list. Lycaste
Date: Fri, 09 May 2008

You have made my day................I often wondered how the word 'Groccles' was spelt. I thought 'Grockles'. And have you any idea where it came from?????

We saw a couple of them sitting on the grass round the river at Beaulieu.................letting a horse stick its nose into their bag and eat some of their sandwiches £$£$£(*&)_(+(_+)(+)_*+)*UPO)(&(^%P(%$%()

From: Jean Lewis <jeanmarian.lewis@ntlworld.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Lycaste
Date: Fri, 09 May 2008

Jim and Francis thank you so much for your information on Lycaste. It does give me hope that I'm going to succeed with them at last. From the look of Jim's photograph I thought I'll mix some moss with small bark and perlite which should resemble that in the photo. Then I see that your mix Francis is the same. The mix I potted them in the other day is similar but I think I need to add some moss to it so I'll give that a try and keep them damper than I have done. I'll keep you posted. Many thanks − Jean

From: Bill Haldane <bill2.haldane@virgin.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Lycastes
Date: Fri, 09 May 2008

Dear All,
Please find attached photos I have just taken of the first flowering of my Ida Peruviana.
As with my other lycastes this plant is grown in the standard Henry Oakeley compost comprising 50:50 perlite and moss which I find performs well.
Regards Bill Haldane

From: Roger Grier <theorchid.man@virgin.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Parking at RHS Halls London
Date: Fri, 09 May 2008

I guess that the people who are at the top of the tree, who manage and control these shows will never see the light.

I can tell a couple of stories relating to such folk, who at the time appeared dead from the feet up, but I will not give any names, but just keep them in my memories.

> the same show when we went to pick up the plants on sunday took
> 4hrs to get from sussex ,owing to st patricks day parade with
> central blocked off ,never again
> tom

From: Roger Grier <theorchid.man@virgin.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Lycastes
Date: Fri, 09 May 2008

So nice to see orchids actually growing in situ. But of course being a most inquisitive chap I want to see the Lycaste roots actually holding on to the branch.

Any chance sometime?? Or maybe like me you are interested to see what the roots of a Lycaste look like under a microscope.

From: Gordon Walker <gordon.walker95@yahoo.co.uk>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Lycastes
Date: Fri, 09 May 2008

From: Jean Lewis <jeanmarian.lewis@ntlworld.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Lycaste
Date: Fri, 09 May 2008

Thank you for the photo Bill. It must be very satisfying to succeed in getting these beauties to flower. It's sad but I just can't get on with that particular mix. Maybe it's the conditions in my greenhouse which has to cater for various types. − Jean

From: Dennis Read <judgedr@btinternet.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] list. Lycaste
Date: Fri, 09 May 2008

Grockles are a Cornish term that I have adapted for Devon.
They can be recognidsed by the 'tut tut tutting that goes on in the supermarket queue when the girl on the till has a chat with her grangma about the twins. The grockles do not understand that down here time is immaterial and living is more important.
Regards Dennis

> You have made my day................I often wondered how the
> word 'Groccles' was spelt. I thought 'Grockles'. And have you any
> idea where it came from?????

From: Dennis Read <judgedr@btinternet.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] lycaste
Date: Fri, 09 May 2008

Now it has started give it a good watering but not on the growth.
Regards Dennis

> Thank you Dennis. Both of mine are in that leafless state now and
> with shriveled pseudobulbs. There is a tiny new growth starting on
> one of them but no sign of anything on the other. I think I've been
> fighting a losing battle for years − but I fight on with a small
> flicker of hope! I'll start spraying I think and I gave a drop of
> water to the one with the little growth yesterday to kick it into
> growing faster − fingers crossed something will happen soon. − Jean

From: Dennis Read <judgedr@btinternet.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Books
Date: Fri, 09 May 2008

At our (Devon OS ) show last week Bill and I were given 5 books for our library. The gentleman was quite elderly and wanted his books to be used. He only showed me his 1890 book but over the past days I have been looking at the books he did leave.
One is a Tine Life book of 1979 that I thought was a 'Coffee table Book'. It is about the best book I have seen for an explanation of orchid cultivation for a beginer. Its ISBN No. is7054 0569 0 . If tou are interested I hope you find it.
For those that missed the show you also missed the field of terrestrial orchids reported by Gavin.
Maybe next year you will be tempted.
Regards from Grockle Haven. Dennis

From: Geoffrey Hands <geoff.hands@talktalk.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] species in my paph/lighting queries
Date: Fri, 09 May 2008

I'm now back from Switzerland, and ploughing through e-mail and everything
else , found a little box from Amazon , my new Light Meter- a Tenmars TM-201
. Has three scales ( x1, x10 and x100) . Reads in fc or lux , can be
zero-calibrated. Looks good.

Amazingly cheap these modern instruments , made in you know where, no doubt
, can't find the bill now, but something like £50 , astonishing. I'll have a
go in the next few days , take some leaf readings , open sky readings etc,
and list them.

I see that I have some sort of mental block when doing conversions , and
easily get confused , I'll plead old age and stupidity , but copying from
the book which came with it, 1 fc 10.764 lux. 1 lux 0.09290 fc.

The lowest light reading I ever got in the jungle, where I found one of the
jewel orchids , and also calanthe triplicate, was about 38 lux 3 fc ! But
after that I put my jewel orchids under the bench instead of on the bench ,
and suddenly they started growing like chickweed in my lettuce patch !

From: Geoffrey Hands <geoff.hands@talktalk.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Re: Phallys − look away now if you don't like them − 15 different here − in flower in my greenhouse now.
Date: Sat, 10 May 2008

The answer to why you don't receive pictures has to be filters applied by
(a) your ISP or (b) your own PC/laptop/blackberry or whatever kind of
crystal set you use to receive messages.

How to stop it happening ? If its your machine then I can tell you ; if its
your ISP you had better ask them !.

The test is − when telling about your problem − name your ISp − i.e. BT ,
Tiscali , AOL etc − I think a pattern will emerge.

> I wonder why I get no pictures from Geoff. This is the second time that it
> has happened. There are no attachments at all!! Any clues?

From: Geoffrey Hands <geoff.hands@talktalk.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] plant well being
Date: Sat, 10 May 2008

Flowering can be produced by stress ; the plant is not a thinking, reasoning
creature ; it can't make a decision about the advisability of flowering and
weigh that against the possibility that it may die in the attempt.

Lots of people accept the flower spike − a trader always will, because
he/she knows that a plant in flower is easy to sell. But as for buying it -
that's another matter.

One trader- Brian Rittershausen,(Burnham Nurseries) advising about buying
plants , when he used to give talks to orchid societies many years ago used
to say " are you buying a flower, or a plant ?" Think about what you will
have next year !.

Personally I always take spikes off if they are premature, or the plant is
small and weak ; the result is that I (usually) get a much stronger plant
which will do so much better next year.

And as for taking flowers off early − the plant uses a lot of energy
maintaining the flower − the work is not all done, just because the flower
is open − see how the bulbs shrivel if you leave a spike on an odont too
long.

From: jan <j_andersen@btinternet.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Parking at RHS Halls London
Date: Sat, 10 May 2008

Roger Grier wrote:
> Quite true Tom, quite true.
>
> I guess that the people who are at the top of the tree, who manage and control these shows will never see the light.
>
Well, be fair, how could they when they have the light shining out of
their backsides?

From: Jean Lewis <jeanmarian.lewis@ntlworld.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: book
Date: Sat, 10 May 2008

That sounds a really interesting book Dennis. I put in a search for it and it says the ISBN number is not valid. I've either copied it down wrongly or some figures are missing − could you send it round again please − thanks − Jean

From: Dennis Read <judgedr@btinternet.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] book
Date: Sat, 10 May 2008

Sorry Jean. A miss type. Number is 7054 0569 9.
It is part of the Time Life Encyclopedia of Gardening.
Regards Dennis

From: PG Hieke <pghieke@absamail.co.za>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] list. Lycaste
Date: Sat, 10 May 2008

Hi Rocky, Grockles is correct, according to the Readers Digest Dictionary.
Kind regars
Peter

From: JIM MATEOSKY <jmateosky@yahoo.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: what is this?
Date: Sat, 10 May 2008

From: JIM MATEOSKY <jmateosky@yahoo.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: on the soap box again − cat skinneri on a clay roof tile
Date: Sat, 10 May 2008

Here are a couple pictures of how the "old timers do it" in Costa Rica. Something I learned a long time ago, when the old timers are doing something and doing it well pay attention there are probally some good reasons.

This is a picture a Cat Skinneri that was kind of sad and this is what we do to it recuperate it.

From: JIM MATEOSKY <jmateosky@yahoo.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: oerstedella
Date: Sat, 10 May 2008

If you know how many of these are laying on the side of the road (after being chopped by machete), or just burned or..... it would make you crazy. The ticos call this a weed.

Anyone know ofhand which oerstedella this is? It is a hell of aplant flowers last a long time very hardy, nice scent. the only downside is it is "kind of legy"

From: David Martin <david10saxmartin@waitrose.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Phalaenopsis ( thought to be mariae alba)
Date: Sat, 10 May 2008

Gavin,
I have just seen Phillip Cribb and he was quite sure that your Phal is Phalaenopsis pallens. I asked about the red lip and he said that it's very variable in colour, quite often it's white, and the flower ranges from white to yellow. The basionym (first name given) for Phalaenopsis pallens f alba is Phalaenopsis mariae var alba, Philippine Journal of Science 56:461. 1935.
Yours is not the alba variety because of the red markings, but you can see where the confusion arises.
David

From: JIM MATEOSKY <jmateosky@yahoo.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Cat maxima − where is the pot?
Date: Sat, 10 May 2008

Have you all seen one of these? cattleya Maxima, it is no becoming one of my favorites.

The last photo of the alba maxima ( the white one) , a lot of bugs here and the got the best of this flower, I am kind of sad about this one.

The point I'd like to make to Ya'll is look at the 3rd foto, were is the pot? This is the way (Cats and many others) should be grown, it is how the grow in nature. They are much easier to grow this way. The pots retain all kinds of bad stuff. It is almost impossible to over water, IMHO the greatest cause of death of orchids, overwatering. Ok I'm done I'll get of my soap box now....

From: jns tropic <jnstropic@yahoo.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] what is this?
Date: Sat, 10 May 2008

It's Brassavola cucullata I had it growing on a mango tree. But fungus killed it a few years ago, and I haven't bothered to replace it. It's a great little plant.

From: rudolf günnel <rudolf.guennel@freenet.de>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: what is this?
Date: Sun, 11 May 2008

I think others will say the same as me, it's Brassavola cucullata.
Have a look at http://www.sborchid.com/plantdisplay.php?ocodeB00000030

From: francis quesada pallares <licelia_2000@yahoo.es>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] some piccys
Date: Sun, 11 May 2008

Your advice below was regarding Eulophia guineensis.
Mine, as I said before, keeps its leaves through the
winter, but they are all yellow now, and only two of
them remain on the plant, although one is completely
yellow and the other is greeny-yellow.

Would you advise that I keep it dry now until I see
some new growth breaking the compost surface?

> Hard dry rest. Hard really means hard ! Let the
> yellow leaves fall off in
> September/Oct/Nov and keep it really dry until you
> signs of green in April -
> then it rushes in to flower before the new
> growth.Start watering very
> carefully, then flood when the flowers go over...

From: Dennis Read <judgedr@btinternet.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] what is this?
Date: Sun, 11 May 2008

From: Jean Lewis <jeanmarian.lewis@ntlworld.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: url
Date: Sun, 11 May 2008

Thanks for the ISBN Dennis I'll give that one a try and see what comes up − Jean

From: gavin horne <gjhorne64@hotmail.co.uk>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Phalaenopsis ( thought to be mariae alba)
Date: Sun, 11 May 2008

David, many thanks for the identification of my phaleonopsis,its always good to be able to put a name to a plant for self and propogation purposes, once again thank you.happy growing
Gavin

From: Roger Grier <theorchid.man@virgin.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] list. Lycaste
Date: Sun, 11 May 2008

Thanks very much for sending me the information....................I rushed to one of my English word books and it does say that the word 'Grockles' originated in the West Country. We sure use it a lot ion my area.

From: Roger Grier <theorchid.man@virgin.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Old Timers in Costa Rica.
Date: Sun, 11 May 2008

I for one often hammer an Oncidium's rhizome on to a good big piece of Cork bark with fence staples. AND NO MOSS IS USED AT ALL.

From: Roger Grier <theorchid.man@virgin.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Jim's Brassavola.
Date: Sun, 11 May 2008

Thanks for the photos of your Brassavola cucullate, they sure do justice to that very nice flower.

Did I hear somewhen that it is also called 'Lady of the Night'............or is that name for a Cacti/succulent???

From: David Martin <david10saxmartin@waitrose.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Parking at RHS Halls
Date: Sun, 11 May 2008

I have been contacted by Henry Oakeley about the parking in London. He has been in touch with Westminster Council to clarify the situation. Apparently it is OK to park on single yellow lines and on all the meters for free.around Vincent Square.That makes it a bit easier to park, although a lot of the Square is exclusively for residents. I just don't fancy arriving up there and finding the last parking place taken.

From: JIM MATEOSKY <jmateosky@yahoo.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Jim's Brassavola.
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008

Lady of the night is Bras Nodosa because the scent only comes out at night. This one does not appear to have any scent (yet).

> Hi there Jim,
>
> Thanks for the photos of your Brassavola cucullate, they sure do
> justice to that very nice flower.
>
> Did I hear somewhen that it is also called 'Lady of the
> Night'............or is that name for a Cacti/succulent???
>
> Cheers Rocky.
>
> P.S. Does it have a perfume?

From: geoff hands <geoff.hands@talktalk.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] some piccys
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008

Sorry for delay − I have been having problems (my IT pro kid says I have
more trouble than anyone he's ever met − which maybe comes from always
wanting the latest update etc/system, whatever − if I had stayed with DOS
instead of this newfangled Windows stuff I would have avoided all thisa
hassle ( joke)...
However, I'm now up and shambling, even if not running...

Yes − I would think your conditions growing on window sills in an ( I'll
bet) heated house are so far removed from the wild that I should forget
seasons. Just dry it off, keep it like that, until you see a new growth.
Worth trying anyway − its what I would do.

( I have another similar habit but quite different genus − a dendrobe −
which is watered for about 3 months of the year only when the new growth is
developing. It has sulked for a year now − and only had accidental spraying
; sudddenly it has two great fat flower buds...

> Ok Geoff,
>
> Your advice below was regarding Eulophia guineensis.
> Mine, as I said before, keeps its leaves through the
> winter, but they are all yellow now, and only two of
> them remain on the plant, although one is completely
> yellow and the other is greeny-yellow.
>
> Would you advise that I keep it dry now until I see
> some new growth breaking the compost surface?

From: geoff hands <geoff.hands@talktalk.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Parking at RHS Halls
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008

I know that I among those who are − from time-to-time critical of the RHS ( can't think why ! ) but I have been silent on this question of parking around the RHS Halls taking the view that if Ken Livingstone or Boris Johnsons men make rules, there is little we or they (RHS) can do about it − but in that it seems that I have been mistaken.

I hope anyone who has been critical on this basis will have the grace to admit that they were wrong.

Of course it would be lovely for me , and others in the Portsmouth-Bournemouth area to have the Shows held at Wisley − but we happen to live in the right direction − a run up the A3 and we are there. But for many people it would be the kiss of death ; imagine travelling by train to a London terminus − and then how could you possibly get to Wisley ? Central London is horrid, overcrowded and expensive, but lets face it , it's the easiest place for everyone to get to.

From: David Martin <david10saxmartin@waitrose.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Old Timers in Costa Rica.
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008

Hello Rocky
I GIVE UP!!!!! I have teased out the moss from a few of my mounted Phal's. I have left the ones in flower that Cribby likes or he will be upset if something happens to them. I have got some that have been bare rooted all the time and I must admit that they grow OK.
David

From: <Bhotplant@aol.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Parking at RHS Halls
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008

did you see how spaced out the stands where this year less and less venders
,i know of one for certain from germany who didnt come and not any more owing
to the parking,,it doesnt have to be wisley they would have the money to go
anywhere NEC? it must be easier to get from the channel to wisley than crawl
through london ,M2,M25,there already ,i would have thought it easier to get to
NEC for you newbury-oxford??

From: Roger Grier <theorchid.man@virgin.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Old Timers in Costa Rica.
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008

Evenin' David, after another very warm day, trudging around the New Forest with a Wildlife Photographer. Don't time fly !!!!!

My best example of an orchid that was NAILED/STAPLED to a large piece of Cork bark was an Oncidium flexuosum which grew on the piece of bark for some years, until it outgrew the top of the bark. Then I just tore it off and started again. I have five or six orchids on bark at this moment and all but one of them are newly fixed. The little Oncidium I will photograph tomorrow if I remember. To put more weight to my 'No moss'.....in most warm summers I would move my two Vanda's outside in the garden, stood next to a brick wall. At the end of the summer I would go to put them back into the greenhouse........"Why will this plant not move?" Because the roots had run up the wall.

From: Dennis Read <judgedr@btinternet.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: RHS
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008

In the past I have been known to give the RHS a bit of a grilling but I did not realise their problem. Although the Orchid Committee is a world wde authority and controller of Orchid names, orchids are a very minor part of the interests of the RHS.
I consider thereare about 20,000 people in the UK that belong to an orchid society but maybe half belong to the RHS and therefore in the wide scheme of RHS orchid interests we are a very minor part.
The RHS have about 20 shows per year for all interests of horticulture − Rhododendrums, Dahlias, Roses, Spring, Summer Autumn and Winter to name a few.
The best Orchid Show was Newbury and that has now been taken on by Peterborough. The RHS Orchid Show is run by the RHS Show Committee not the Orchid Committee. There were moves for the RHS to take over Newbury but that was rejected by Don Smallman and I hope that Dick et al will rebuff any advances.
The RHS give a wonderful service to its members on horticultural advic and historical information but they are not an Orchid Society. Orchids are a small part of their interest.
Regards from a sweltering Devon. Dennis

From: JIM MATEOSKY <jmateosky@yahoo.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: oerstedella
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008

If you know how many of these are laying on the side of the road (after being chopped by machete), or just burned or..... it would make you crazy. The ticos call this a weed.

Anyone know ofhand which oerstedella this is? It is a hell of aplant flowers last a long time very hardy, nice scent. the only downside is it is "kind of legy"

From: jan <j_andersen@btinternet.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Parking at RHS Halls
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008

Swindon would be very easy to go to as well, and not nearly as crowded.
It nothing to do with where I live, honestly ;-)

From: Roger Grier <theorchid.man@virgin.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Orchids and Orchid Shows.
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008

I could not agree more what you said about the RHS [aka Retired Horticultural Sloth's] and Orchid Shows etc.

Newbury was excellent, and I have not yet been to Peterborough but I hear great comments about it.

Keep the RHS out of it, keep it in ordinary peoples hands and let's enjoy it for years to come.

Very warm here as well..........off out at 08:30 going to look at some orchids..........must be mad, but then that's what it's all about.

From: geoff hands <geoff.hands@talktalk.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Orchids and Orchid Shows.
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008

Peterborough is sufficiently far away for me, so that I could not think of
driving there and back in a single day , I am an old codger and get tired-
and accidents happen when that occurs....

But I am always prepared to go to a new place , if there is some attraction
- and stay overnight or even for a few nights and ; do some sight-seeing in
the area- accompanied by Mrs geoff , but we both took something of an
dislike to Peterborough , don't get too upset if you happen to live there
and love it , each to its own.

Maybe something to do with the hotel we stayed in ( the nearest one to the
show that I could find , but it turned out to be cheap and nasty I don't
know what kind of customers they were aiming for not ( as Mrs T used to say)
'people like us'- maybe something to do with the restaurant we went to in
the evening , famous ( well, I had heard of it, and they boast about it )
grossly expensive, and very poor value for money. Yes, I know famous
restaurants are grossly expensive , tell me about it, I had to pay the bill
at La Manoir ( Quatre Saisons , Raymond Blanc's place recently) − £500 for
6 people, and we only had glasses of the house wine to drink , but even at
that, I wouldn't say grossly expensive when absolutely everything was
perfect , which I couldn't say about anything at the Peterborough place .

Whatever it was about Peterborough, I went round the show, and we then
packed our bags, cancelled the second night's accommodation and fled back to
more congenial places. Whilst I should like to go to the show for buying
opportunities , and one of my favourite South American nurseries will be
there next month with plants on their list that I want , I am not going. My
wife wanted to do something else on that date , and for this venue I
decided that I preferred to fall in with her wishes.

From: geoff hands <geoff.hands@talktalk.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] oerstedella
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008

The only one we see here in UK is the pink one- name eludes me, but I'll
remember it in a few days. It grows into a rather scrambly mass, keikis on
keikis, with short aerial roots quite thick and stubby for such a small
plant. We find it difficult to manage, but occasionally someone turns up at
a show with a mass the size of a couple of footballs and hundreds of
flowers.

I remember finding one growing on the fence posts at a tourist lodge
overlooking the live volcano you have ( is it Arenal ?) − that had white
flowers, on single growths only a few inches high ; I forget that name too ,
but I did manage to get it from a Botanic nursery ( same name) in Holland,
and tried hybridising with the pink one, but never got a good seed pod − but
then I rarely do wit the crosses I try. I suspect that calling them both
oerstedellas is because no-one has ever done a DNA test on them.

> If you know how many of these are laying on the side of the road (after
> being chopped by machete), or just burned or..... it would make you crazy.
> The ticos call this a weed.

From: Andy <mckeown.andy@virgin.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: a couple of pics
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008

the Pleurothallus tubatus is still going strong months after it started
coming out. I am going to remove the flowers today and thought a record
first would be a good idea

Dendrobium devonianum. This is a first flowering − I got it mail order by
mistake − I had ordered Cymbidium devonianum. A fortunate error I think,
flowers have a lovely spicey fragrance.

I am also test driving this camera which has an anti-shake mechanism. The
Den is hanging up and I did not switch off the fans the Pleuro I am holding
the pot in one hand and the camera in the other. I think the antishake has
passed the test!

From: Andy <mckeown.andy@virgin.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: wartsy epidendrum
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008

Has anyone any ideas about this? All the buds on this Epidendrum have
developed these warty growths. What's te cause and the treatment?

From: Dennis Read <judgedr@btinternet.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Orchids and Orchid Shows.
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008

Geoff, I am lucky as when I go to Peterborough I can stay with my son in nearby Newark. There are some good hotels within 30 milesof the showground but I hope it stays in the hands of the existing orchid growers.
With regard to the RHS they have a pair of good show buildings at Malvern. Why not combine the Orchid Show with the Malvern Spring Show. It is a 3 hour drive for me but is more central for yhe rest of GB. The parking is easy and local hotels are OK.. Unfortunately Londoners would loose out but what is the attendance at the RHS Orchid Show
Regards from a scortchig devon.Dennis
PS I was late inwhitening my glass and have burnt two Coelogyne

From: PG Hieke <pghieke@absamail.co.za>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Bulbophyllum medusae
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008

Hi All,
It just opened fully this morning with 10 flowers. My wife calls it the 'mop'.
Regards
Peter from Bloubergstrand

From: Jean Lewis <jeanmarian.lewis@ntlworld.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: photos
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008

Good photographs Andy and wonderful orchids. I wish my Dends looked like that. Maybe I should hang them up − regards Jean

From: geoff hands <geoff.hands@talktalk.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] wartsy epidendrum
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008

Maybe its supposed to be like this ? Does it have another name apart from
warty ?
I can't remember ever seeing anything like it ; I suspect a nasty !
Geoff

From: Roger Grier <theorchid.man@virgin.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Warts.
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008

Nice to hear from you. The new greenhouse looks good from what I can see, so how is it for you ???

As to the warts.....can I see on the bottom two complete buds a tiny hole where an insect may have got in ?????

If it's not that then I suspect something new like 'Somerset Bud Syndrome. You could even have it named after you !!!!!

From: Roger Grier <theorchid.man@virgin.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Jim's orchid.
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008

Is that you in the second photo ????? And that sure is one hell of a plant......if only.....................

From: geoff hands <geoff.hands@talktalk.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: rip-off Britain
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008

I thought you might be interested in this snap ; its taken in a small town
in Switzerland (Chur) in a department store, and is a tiny fraction of a
rack, three shelves high , maybe 50 feet long , packed with good quality
phals , all clean, perfect, beautifully packed , in ceramic ornamental ( but
plain white) pots , each holding the usual plant pot inside , and the price
, 15 Swiss Francs each. The conversion rate is 2 : 1 . In other words £7.50
pence each.

The Swiss of course, like most continentals especially in places where the
garden disappears under snow for half the year , love their pot plants.

My local Waitrose has nice Phals at anything from £13 to £25 depending on
number of spikes. My local Garden Centre, which proudly claims to have the
best selection of plants in the South of England − could be true , too (
Stewarts) charges £15 for normal sized flowered phals , 1 spike, £20 , 2
spike and £30 , 3 spike. Only the 'miniatures' with a few flowers on , creep
in below those figures.

From: JIM MATEOSKY <jmateosky@yahoo.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Jim's orchid.
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008

From: Esther Koh <esther_koh@hotmail.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Bulbophyllum medusae
Date: Wed, 14 May 2008

From: <jazzbo20@bellsouth.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Bulbophyllum medusae
Date: Wed, 14 May 2008

Hi Peter,
Your Medusa looks beautiful. Regards to your wife who calls it a mop.
Wirey hugs and love and xxx and licks from Janet, Bobby and Asta

From: Roger Grier <theorchid.man@virgin.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Rip Off.
Date: Wed, 14 May 2008

An outlet type store here in the U.K. named, 'The Range' sells excellent Phalaenopsis for £4.99.

When Garden Centres like the one you describe do not readily sell their orchids and the flowers drop off, they then place them in an area adjacent to the others and sell them at £5. Question is, at this price are they still making a very slight profit?????

From: Roger Grier <theorchid.man@virgin.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: The Mop.
Date: Wed, 14 May 2008

From: Andy <mckeown.andy@virgin.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] wartsy epidendrum
Date: Wed, 14 May 2008

> Maybe its supposed to be like this ? Does it have another name apart from
> warty ?
> I can't remember ever seeing anything like it ; I suspect a nasty !
> Geoff

No It is not supposed to be like this. It is E Cashen's Chocolate Rose and
here is a pic from a previous year. I suspect either some sort of sucking
insect or perhaps a fungal problem but I have not seen anything like it
before.

All's well with me Rocky − been rather busy of late. In the greenhouse I
have been mounting lots of my plants and enjoying that even when they are
not flowering you can watch the root progress along the mount, double the
value.

From: Jean Lewis <jeanmarian.lewis@ntlworld.com>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Bulbophyllum
Date: Wed, 14 May 2008

Peter what a wonderful Bulbophyllum. Mop is a good word for it! I wish my two Bulbophyllums would flower more often. I have a B.Lobii and one that that is now unnamed as I lost the name tag − if it ever flowers again I'll send around a photograph and maybe someone will know it − Jean

From: geoff hands <geoff.hands@talktalk.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Orchids and Orchid Shows.
Date: Wed, 14 May 2008

I have given a lot of thought to the London Show in the last few days, and
come to the conclusion that some of us are in danger of throwing the baby
away with the bath ,water.

Supposing we persuaded the RHS to move the RHS (London) Orchid Show to
Malvern , or Newbury or Peterborough or Cardiff or wherever....

There are so many orchid growers around London ( go to one of the Saturday
meetings of OSGB at Victoria − worth doing anyway , really good meetings,
super programme, great plant table , I just wish that it was not , with
Saturday traffic going past Harrods − a 3 hour unpleasant experience for me
, then I'd be a regular attender ) . Also Thames Valley , not very far away
, and I know there are other Societies all round London , and hence other
orchid growers too.

What would happen would be that there would be a great clamour for London to
have its own show , and we should have come full circle.

But other good shows ( orchid shows,) elsewhere around the country ? Yes of
course. Apart from anything else , I am sure that there must be room for 4
major shows a year, spaced out. Like London March, Peterborough June, Boga
August , and ??? Autumn ?

Why BOC of course should fill the gap. The problem has been that one or two
pretty awful BOC shows from one or other aspect gave them a bad name, and I
for one refused to go especially when it was held at a time when not a lot
was expected to be in flower so that Society displays would be boring.

Things I remember about BOC shows ,(Congresses) − the number of BOC shows
with no apparent plant crèche ( or when a complaint was made, the answer was
that one was there, it was just not mentioned in the Registrants info).. And
the one where we were told that we could park in a certain place, and all
got Parking Fine notices.. The one where every lecture seemed to be in a
different place to the one before, and nowhere near the show. Not to mention
the one held in a certain ageing sea-side resort where the hotels were like
something out of Dickens , at least the one from the list provided which I
stayed in was, and then the one where I was told that I had not registered
and could not enter , even when I provided my photocopy of my registration
form and cheque , and so on......

But a good one with pretty well everything right might wipe out some bad
memories...

From: Gordon Walker <gordon.walker95@yahoo.co.uk>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Bulbo
Date: Wed, 14 May 2008

Peter I would rank it with the best flowering plants I have seen on the list. Definitely in the running for best on the list.
Gordon.

From: geoff hands <geoff.hands@talktalk.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Bulbophyllum medusae
Date: Wed, 14 May 2008

I'm a bulbo fan, as you probably know. But I don't have this one in my
collection. Amazing flower! But is this the one which smells like rotten
meat ?

From: Mr G.Horne <gavinhorne@mypostoffice.co.uk>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: paph lawrencianum
Date: Wed, 14 May 2008

Dear All, I have a paph lawrencianum that is just finishing flowering,
after which i shall repot. The problem is, it is a two growth plant at the
minute; the new lead and flowered growth have extended about two inches
higher than the original growth, and are forming new roots so if i repot
to the normal level on the new growth it will bury the original growth. Is
This a climing speceis? if not should i not worry about the old growth and
repot as normal? i eagerly await your advise!happy growing!
Gavin

From: geoff hands <geoff.hands@talktalk.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] paph lawrencianum
Date: Wed, 14 May 2008

They do this I am afraid. No real answer, except use a very open compost in
the hope that you can keep the newer and the older growths happy.

I once suggested growing on a mount ( at a British Paph Soc. "brainstorming"
forum), but was howled down and hardly dared to try it − but it must be
right if you are good with mounted plants. Maybe the reason I didn't try is
that I ain't good with mounted plants 'cos I am away so much.
Geoff

From: geoff hands <geoff.hands@talktalk.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] wartsy epidendrum
Date: Wed, 14 May 2008

Ah − you wanted a name ? Encyclia cordigera rosea, I think.
I rather think that if it were my plant I'd be starting a bonfire, right
now.
geoff

From: geoff hands <geoff.hands@talktalk.net>
To: list@orchid-talk.co.uk
Subject: a few pics to brighten your day − six here and five to follow in another e-mail
Date: Wed, 14 May 2008

1 Ascda Yeo Bee Beck − I have the feeling that I showed this a month or two
ago − can't check as I have just done a reinstall of Vista and lost my old
e-mail files in the process. But even if I did − this shows the longevity.
Colour not true − its darker, duskier, more sold colour to my eye, than it
is to the electronic imp sitting inside my camera ( which will make sense if
like me you are a Terry Pratchett fan, perhaps − if not, just read "joke").

2. Asco christiansen. Quite different in habit as you can see. Lovely little
pink flowers, nice scent too − quite free − two spikes ( again) − not at its
best yet.

4. Vanda lamellata − not the most exciting of Vandas , but we don't want
everything to be big and brash do we ? The sub-species of this which I have
( forget the moniker) is prettier, though.

5. Vanda Lumpini Red − one of my biggies. 14cm dia flowers -prretty
consistent too- I'm not measuring the biggest, they are all more or less the
same anyway. Colour defeats my camera . As the experts say , its out of
gamut ( can't be reproduced by any known system) . It is darker, browner,
duskier richer − I run out of words. Nice shape too.

6. The Vascostylis is Vasco Baby Blue x Rhyncostlis coelestis . I'm
impressed by the flower count and quality − flowers 2cm across- with this
many., it has the wow factor.

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

May 2008 Archived Messages

8—14 May

Archive Index