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From: geoff hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] more mix questions − miltonopsis use Paph mix?
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2008

They seem to be fairly short-lived orchids in my experience. I have grown
them − occasionally − up to a size where there are a dozen or more flowering
growths, and when divided , to get rid of old shrivelled leafless backbulbs
in the middle − apart from other reasons- the divided pieces never took off
and just faded away. They are also orchids which are quite quick from seed
to flower , and at one time in UK when new professional growers were
periodically entering the trade in UK with own bred plants, they often
seemed to start off with Milts' . But they have now rather disappeared from
the scene. It would be difficult I think to go to a major UK show and come
back with half a dozen different miltoniopsis. Perhaps the lack of any new
breeding material , meaning that there has been little new on the scene for
very many years is the reason. Perhaps.

As to culture, I have always assumed that the light grey leaves indicates a
xerophytic tendency a lot of light. It has been said that the Eric Young
Foundation ( perhaps the best and best grown collection of orchids in the
world according to some), grows them with phalaenopisis. This is usually
quoted when discussion about growing temperature is in question , and I do
wonder about the light needs. Personally I haven't been to visit the Eric
Young collection for many years since they rebuilt their greenhouses , but
even in the older ones, they had no permanent shade at all, but linen type
blinds which were moved out automatically by light sensors, and retracted
the same way , so that in a couple of hours in their greenhouses the blind
came out and went back several times. So it probably does amount to quite a
lot.

And as to composts, they have rather odd roots don't you think ? Thin and
wiry. I have seen them grown very well in rock-wool cubes . Pieces about
half inch in each direction. Can't say that any compost I have ever devised
has been terribly successful.

JIM MATEOSKY wrote re: [OrchidTalk] more mix questions − miltonopsis use Paph mix?

> One of my favorite orchids is miltonopsis, they grow great here but several
> (more than I want to admit to ) are really weak at the base, the roots are
> not so good.

> I am looking for advice on what mix to use and water and light suggestions.
> I have been using a finer catleya mix ( small charcoal, small pumus stone,
> small is .5 − .25 cm ) I think it needs to be finer. The roots seem to like
> coconut husks but I do not they tend to never dry out for me.
>
> Light floricultura said 2000-3000 lux I am not sure exactly what this is
> cattleya light or less? I have it in a slightly shadier spot than the cats,
> the leaves seam on the lighter shade of light green.

From: geoff hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Slug killer.
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2008

Dr.Phil Cribb, one time keeper of the herbarium at Royal Botanic Garden, Kew
? ( now retired, and I think his official status is something like visiting
professor − I forget the exact title ) Author of the standard works on
Paphiopedilum, Cymbidium, Pleione, etc, author of over 500 papers and books
and articles on orchids- which is more than any other botanists , ancient or
modern (!) on our subject , , member of the RHS Orchid Committee for many
years, Gold Medallist to celebrate the massive contribution he has made to
orchid knowledge from both British and US orchid bodies ( and probably a
dozen others too)...

Always approachable , a fascinating lecturer − you should hear his accounts
of journeys through S.W. China in search of orchids over the past 25 years -
his odd mentions of the things he has seen and the changes in the country
over that time , apart from his fantastic photography of the plants growing
in the wild make it worth a very long journey to hear, although in fact you
could have heard that particular talk in Bournemouth.

> Good point about the 'filler'. I may just try a small amount and see what
> happens.

> P.S. Just so as my memory has not forgotten everything, was it Phil Cribb
> that once worked at McBeans and had that Orchid Nursery south of Chichester,
> or was it another fellow that I get him mixed up with.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Bargain plant.
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2008

That's not really why I write to you, but the receipt tells me that what I thought was a Brassia is in fact [ bar code information from the label STUCK on the pot ] Miltassia 'Royal Robe'.

I shall just have to wait until it flowers to see if all is correct. And if so I look forward to a very nice perfume.

From: Dennis Read
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Slug killer.
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2008

Roger, I think the person you are talking about at Chichester was Ray Bilton who ran Orchid Answers.
Regards Dennis − There is an odd yellow ball in the sky. A UFO?

From: JIM MATEOSKY
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] more mix questions − miltonopsis use Paph mix?
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2008

Thanks for the info and the thoughts. Yeah light leaves is lots of light some times I am thinking one thing and something else comes out...

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Slug killer.
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2008

Incorrigible..........had to look that word up as I had never heard of it before. Something about not being able to be corrected.

It was you who said: And you wonder if he was the bloke who washed the pots at Mc Beans ? Not me. I meant the man who was in charge at McBeans, and who I feel sure owned the Orchid Nursery south of Chichester. That's the persons name that I am looking for. Damn me.....I have just remembered it.....Ray Bilton. Yes/No.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Miltoniopsis.
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2008

I would not be too fussy about the size of what ever it is that you choose to use as a medium. If the pieces of rock that I use are shall we say about half an in across, then the size of the gap for the roots to run through is just about correct.

And if you use rock or pumice, it never breaks down and the gaps let through plenty of air.

From: David Martin
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Slug killer.
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2008

Hello Rocky,
Phillip Cribb was the Deputy Curator of the Herbarium at Kew. He retired last year but still goes to work to write his books.
The fellow at McBeans was Ray Bilton who moved to Almodington, near Chichester, and opened an orchid nursery there. "Orchid Answers" That's now been sold and he has retired.
David

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Seasonal changes.
Date: Sat, 23 Aug 2008

'Seasonal changes'.....no, not Climate change, I wish to ask all of you if you have anything to say about the following:

When people who live way north of the equator buy plants direct from a country that is south of the equator, and of course that goes for people who live south of the equator who buy plants from a country that is north of the equator, do they see and note the difference in the growth pattern of those orchids compared with plants that they have had for many years?

And the second question is, if the newly imported plant starts to grow in our Autumn, how long in time does it take to 'right itself'.

I am sure that this subject could do with a much greater audience and that it would produce so much beneficial information.

From: geoff hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] more mix questions − miltonopsis use Paph mix?
Date: Sat, 23 Aug 2008

Miltonipopsis are said to be part of some complex intergenerics, but I have
heard it doubted − one breeder who did a lot of work in that group told me
that he had never seen a successful intergeneric cross with Miltniopsis.

JIM MATEOSKY wrote Re: [OrchidTalk] more mix questions − miltonopsis use Paph mix?

> Thanks for the info and the thoughts. Yeah light leaves is lots of light
> some times I am thinking one thing and something else comes out...

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: U.K. Wild Orchjids. The Autumn ladies Tresses.
Date: Sat, 23 Aug 2008

Late afternoon I nipped out to have a look at the 'Autumn ladies Tresses'. Thursday evening a friend of mine mentioned that the ones on his lawn were in flower, so that's why I had a look this afternoon..........not on his lawn, but in the New Forest.

By late afternoon the wind had got up once again, but I did get some presentable shots.

This lovely tiny orchid has a stem about the thickness of a match stick, and is normally about three inches to six inches tall.

The individual flowers are not that much bigger than a match head. And of course they are all fashioned out of white sugar icing......................see what I mean.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: How I repot a Miltonia.
Date: Sat, 23 Aug 2008

I had this lovely Miltonia, a beautiful pink with a darker 'Butterfly' on the lip. The flowers began to fall off last night after about six weeks and that is not bad at all.

As the photos show, I first of all was presented with that horrible cubed 'Oasis' and the small plastic net pot full of moss and coco nut husk.

After sorting, washing and cleaning, using my three trusty tools.....small wire cutters, very fine tweezers and a metal rod, pointed at one end, bell end on the other, I then potted it using my conventional compost. Special note for Costa Rica Jim. Jim you can see the size of the pieces of rock that I use and the roots can crawl over the pieces and dive down through the gaps.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Cattleya re-potting.
Date: Sat, 23 Aug 2008

Still a busy day.....and before any of you spot my mistake, yeh, so it is Saturday the TWENTY THIRD, so what, ha, ha.

When you see the tiny plug of coco nut fibre in the centre of the pot/plant you will understand why I always say, make sure when you do have to re-pot an orchid that you find out what is inside the pot.

£17 down to a fiver, not bad eh! And it has two new leads, and there are also two eyes on older back bulbs that may just grow away.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Another Cattleya.
Date: Sat, 23 Aug 2008

This one had the wad of coco nut fibre in the centre which was quite solid, so I soaked it and then teased it away.

Two nice new leads on this plant, but they were a bit wayward and one back bulb was a bit floppy, hence the temporary scaffolding.

From: JIM MATEOSKY
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] more mix questions − miltonopsis use Paph mix?
Date: Sat, 23 Aug 2008

I have tried with 20+ times brassias with no success. I would like to learn more about miltonopsis. What to you think would happen with draculas? I just got a few amazing draculas vampires and the like and some beautiful Masdavalias, I'd like to cross them with something bigger and warmer and drier.... Do you have any thoughts crossing draculas with some other intergeneric or do you need to stick within the Pleurothallidalliance?

geoff hands wrote RE: [OrchidTalk] more mix questions − miltonopsis use Paph mix?

> Miltassias are usually made with Miltonia not Mitoniopsis.
>
> Miltonipopsis are said to be part of some complex intergenerics,
> but I have heard it doubted , one breeder who did a lot of work in
> that group told me that he had never seen a successful intergeneric
> cross with Miltniopsis.
> geoff

From: JIM MATEOSKY
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] How I repot a Miltonia.
Date: Sat, 23 Aug 2008

I understand the size thing, my miltonias do like the larger rocks, charcoal, my miltoniapsis do not, the have similar roots although the miltoniaopsis seem a bit more delicate. The milt-opsis like coconut alot, and alos a peat moss/perlite mix. It seems is is not the size it is the texture or PH or???? something else.

http://www.disas.com/deflasking.htm (remove the space ) check out these guys SAND mix I really like this mix any comments about this sand mix.

> Hi all,
>
> I have had a busy day.
>
> I had this lovely Miltonia, a beautiful pink with a darker
> 'Butterfly' on the lip. The flowers began to fall off last night
> after about six weeks and that is not bad at all.
>
> As the photos show, I first of all was presented with that horrible
> cubed 'Oasis' and the small plastic net pot full of moss and coco
> nut husk.
>
> After sorting, washing and cleaning, using my three trusty
> tools.....small wire cutters, very fine tweezers and a metal rod,
> pointed at one end, bell end on the other, I then potted it using my
> conventional compost. Special note for Costa Rica Jim. Jim you can
> see the size of the pieces of rock that I use and the roots can crawl
> over the pieces and dive down through the gaps.
>
> It has two nice new growths well away, so I now just sit back and
> wait.
>
> Cheers Rocky.

From: geoff hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] more mix questions − miltonopsis use Paph mix?
Date: Sun, 24 Aug 2008

I can only wish you all the very best Jim. My only efforts with
pleurothallids got nowhere at all − the pollinia etc are all far too small
for me . Even when I could find them, they are not easy to manipulate -
unless you happen to be an eye surgeon or something like that, in your spare
time ?

As to trying inter-tribal crosses − meaning crossing a pleurothallid with
say an oncidium , I have always thought it to be an absolute no-no − a waste
of time even trying . However there are pointers in the opposite direction
; I know that a UK nursery was offering two or three odontoglossum x
something from outside the oncidiniae ( cymbidium ? zygo? ) crosses in flask
, at the French WOC, and when I expressed scepticism I was given an
explanation which satisfied me at the time and in fact I went to the nursery
trying to buy some, but by that time they were sold out.

The other thing is I once bought that massive book ( Dressler/Arditti ? )
about the phylogenetics of the orchids , most of which was above my head
anyway , but I did get the general impression that the biochemistry is
generally the same, from one orchid to another, ( biochemistry being the
important thing since it is the protein of the pollen which has to react
with the protein (?) of the stigma to cause the pollen tube to grow and
enable the gamete to be delivered, etc. )and there is no obvious reason why
some inter-tribals should not work at least as far as embryo fertilisation.

I have certainly heard of all kinds of crosses − boasting hybridisers (!) -
but always it has been − "of course you will have top wait to see the
flowers" − and no more has been heard... This too even in many obviously
closely related crosses like paph x phrag , or pleione x coleogyne.

Now from the sublime to the gorblimey − I'm just off to visit one of the
major (?) UK orchid show − the British Orchid Growers Fayre − to see what I
can find , but more than half will have come from the big Dutch plant
factories a week ago , and be the same stuff on every stand , most of which
I have had in the past, and sometimes even have now, and since my tastes
have changed quite a lot as I age gracefully like a fine vintage port
(joke) I am not very interested in, anyway..

JIM MATEOSKY wrote Re: [OrchidTalk] more mix questions − miltonopsis use Paph mix?

> I have tried with 20+ times brassias with no success. I would like to learn
> more about miltonopsis. What to you think would happen with draculas? I
> just got a few amazing draculas vampires and the like and some beautiful
> Masdavalias, I'd like to cross them with something bigger and warmer and
> drier.... Do you have any thoughts crossing draculas with some other
> intergeneric or do you need to stick within the Pleurothallid alliance?

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Sand mix.
Date: Sun, 24 Aug 2008

I had a look at that website, and I must say that it sure tells and shows in detail what the guy is on about. First class.

I guess the sand, or grit as I would call it is in some ways exactly the same as my rock chippings. It will never rot or deteriorate and go mouldy. It will have many areas for the air and moisture to get through. And last but not least, it offers the orchid a very good foundation.

From: Sue Brinsko
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Another Cattleya.
Date: Sun, 24 Aug 2008

Rocky, I see you have found (or made) some nice clay pots with air holes in
as well. Sue b

> Hi all,
>
> I'm just about finished being busy.
>
> This is the second of the two Cattleyas that I purchased mid morning.
>
> This one had the wad of coco nut fibre in the centre which was quite solid,
> so I soaked it and then teased it away.
>
> Two nice new leads on this plant, but they were a bit wayward and one back
> bulb was a bit floppy, hence the temporary scaffolding.
>
> All in all, two very nice Cattleyas for ten pound, not bad for a days work.
>

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: lay pots with holes in them.
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008

Most of my clay pots were given to me by various friends. They either did not want them, or they went over to growing in plastic pots.

It is very nice to have friends come up to you now and then and tell you that they have a few pots that they want to get rid of.

And then there is a very good friend of mine who once had a thriving Fuchsia Nursery. He has given up the producing and selling of them, but still has the grounds and lives there..........he also has hundreds of clay flower pots.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Search for Cattleyas etc in Europe.
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008

I have often admired the website of 'Sunset Valley Orchids' in the U.S.A., and their list of Cattleyas and their many hybrids is fantastic.

I have made a list of four that I personally like very much and so I am asking if any of you may know where I can buy these plants from within the European Group of countries.

BLC Suncoast Sun Spots 'SVO'
C. Leopoldii variety coerulea
C. amethystoglossa variety 'Jerry'
LC. Tokyo Magic 'Hihimanu'

From: geoff hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: BOGA orchid fayre
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008

Well, I went on Sunday morning. It was very quiet , more trade stand staff
than customers . I feel sorry for those guys, even if it's their business ,
they still give up their week-end and more in preparation and travel and
later in unpacking all the unsold stuff and putting it back on the bench ,
and I should think that they took most of their plants home again, if the
rest of the time was like the hour I was there. Very disappointing for them,
to say the least. Maybe its the economic situation ?

I bought a dozen plants, mostly phals my wife admired, for a display in our
hall , all my current crop of flowers and spikes were ruined with the
slug/snail problem , which now seems to be under control, thank goodness,
but of course I shan't have much to show for some time in that section.
Chatting to one of the traders he told me he had seen a positive explosion
of slug and snail population about 6 weeks ago -; he said that he takes
routine protection every so many days in the areas around his greenhouses,
to kill them before they get in , and the number of corpses seem to rocket
recently. Interesting and in line with what happened to me.

And anyway , I did find some nice things not to be seen in your average
market stall, supermarket etc.

Ivens in particular had some lovely phals, unusual colours , with good
shapes, etc, and chatting to Alan Smith on the stand he told me they were
all from their own seedling programme. Full marks Ivens.

I also bought a couple of Peruvian species from Roy Barrow ( Ecuagenera
labels, so maybe they are Ecuadorean).One was a plant which I used to grow
as Oncidium macranthum , now in some genus I have never heard of, and the
specific name different too . I think I shall re-label it, and to hell with
Burgundy, as the Bard says. The other was a young plant of a Sievekingia
species. I saw one of those in flower in I think Costa Rica or it may have
been Venezuela, once. Pendant spike of flowers with extraordinary fringed,
divided, frilled and goodness only what lip, all daffodil yellow. I shall
look forward to it , my plant said to be NFS !

There was a German guy , not Roellke, who also had some interesting things
but rather fancy prices, and I bought a plant of a Beallara ( B. Eurostar ,
very colourful) from him, but when I got to the car spotted lots of crawly
things, only dot size on it; I took it back ; but he wasn't there, and
since I wanted the plant anyway I bought a spray bottle of some plant
clean-up insecticide etc, from David Stead, and gave it a good delousing in
the car park. The same guy had some interesting Acanacallis ( not sure if I
spelled that right) hybrids, in flower . A true violet blue colour, most
unusual. But he wanted £25 for them ( each) and they were all in sphagnum
moss, and looked as though they were wrapped in it, rather than growing in
it , so I decided not to risk it anyway, apart from thinking them a bit
overpriced.

The rest of my money will go to Nardello , their 'botanicals' include quite
a few really interesting orchids ( to me) and the price of 12.5 Euro for
flowering size plants is much more attractive, although to be complete I
have to mention that they add on 10% VAT plus carriage costs. Still, they
will cost rather less than £12.50 each by the time they are here I expect.

A happy Bank Holiday to you all , and take my tip, don't even think of going
to the beach at Bournemouth today , the queue on the Christchurch by-pass
stretches for ever...

From: David Martin
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Phal species
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2008

Hello All,
Here's my latest Phal species. All the leaves are new except the left
hand one. The oldest leaves that have now fallen off were dreadful, full
of scars and holes. Makes me wonder where it came from. Phillip didn't
seem to worry, said it was better off in my greenhouse.
David.

From: Sue Brinsko
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] lay pots with holes in them.
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2008

Lucky you, Rocky..with such friends. Our weather has been very dry this
year. We're going to have to pay a pretty penny for hay this fall! How about
you? Sue B

Good morning Sue,
>
> My clay pots with the holes in them. It goes like this.
>
> Most of my clay pots were given to me by various friends.
> To drill the holes I use some drills that are manufactured in Germany.
>
> How's your weather been this year???
>
> Best wishes, Rocky.

From: sheila bicknell
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: (Orchid Talk) Cymbidium Golden Elf
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2008

Hi All, I hope you will enjoy seeing this picture of my Cymbidium 'Golden
Elf' with 12 spikes in bloom today.

I have had the plant for 5 years, it has never managed more than 3 spikes at
a time before this, so I am well pleased (or as Rocky would say, chuffed)
It is growing in a Rockwool and Foam mix in a 10 inch pot.

From: JIM MATEOSKY
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [Orchid Talk] Cymbidium Golden Elf
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2008

Wow, nice you should be chuffed;-) Please tell was made the difference, what is you fertalizer routine, how much light?

From: Janet Fabricant
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [Orchid Talk] Cymbidium Golden Elf
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2008

Sheila,
Your Golden Elf is lovely. I'm sure Milton Carpenter would be very proud of
you.
Wirey hugs and love and xxx and licks from Janet, Bobby and Asta

From: Janet Fabricant
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [Orchid Talk] Cymbidium Golden Elf
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2008

Hi Sheila,
I forgot to ask you where you live.
Wirey hugs and love and xxx and licks from Janet, Bobby and Asta

From: Esther Koh
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Phal species
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008

It's gorgeous!! My P. hieroglyphica is beginning to bloom. I'll post a photo when the flower is fully open.

> Hello All,
> Here's my latest Phal species. All the leaves are new except the left
> hand one. The oldest leaves that have now fallen off were dreadful, full
> of scars and holes. Makes me wonder where it came from. Phillip didn't
> seem to worry, said it was better off in my greenhouse.

From: geoff hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [Orchid Talk] Cymbidium Golden Elf
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008

Great plant Sheila. I haven't seen this one for years, not since I used to
have an Alton greenhouse devoted solely to cymbids − which is perhaps 10 or
more years ago. As I remember it, mine had a varietal name, presumably a
meristem , something or other King, I think, and was said to be HCC/AOS .
But it looked exactly the same as yours.

> Hi All, I hope you will enjoy seeing this picture of my Cymbidium 'Golden
> Elf' with 12 spikes in bloom today.

> I have had the plant for 5 years, it has never managed more than 3 spikes at
> a time before this, so I am well pleased (or as Rocky would say, chuffed) It
> is growing in a Rockwool and Foam mix in a 10 inch pot.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Sheila's cymbidium.
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008

Tell me, as Cymbidium ensifolium is one of the parents, does it have small psuedobulbs or hardly any at all? And does it have a nice perfume?

What amazes me is that it is in flower at what seems like such a strange time of year.

But then, with all of the hybridisation with Cymbidiums, from opposite sides of the equator it does not amaze me that much.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: David's Phalaenopsis and close up photography.
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008

I have noticed that with some Phalaenopsis, especially those with the lips that have those tiny hairs and the markings on the sepals and petals and what I would term, sometimes 'fuzzy' colours, that I found it difficult to get sharp crisp details.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [Orchid Talk] Cymbidium Golden Elf
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008

I have just asked Sheila the same question as I felt sure that she was on
the 'Club's List', but she is not..........soon will be I hope.

I do know her, and she is a very nice lady. Now she will be asking me what
I want.

From: Dennis Read
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Cyrt/Oncid macranthum
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008

Geoff, It has been known as Cyrtochilum macranthum for about 20 years but to the point. Both Bill Haldane and I saw this in flower in Ecuador and decided to get one. We both have a plant but they are totally different. Bill's plant has a roundish large pseudo bulb whereas mine has a cigar shaped small bulb. Bothare supposed to be the small spike type plant as the one in Ecuador had a spike at least 4 metres long.According to Hawkes it can have either.
Can any more light be thrown on this anomaly.
Regards Dennis
PS Don't mention the weather

From: sheila bicknell
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Sheila's cymbidium.
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008

Hi Rocky, In answer to your queries/comments about Golden Elf − the
psuedobulbs are quite small, about the size of walnuts, and yes it has a
lovely lemon perfume.

When I originally bought the plant from Janet Plestead I recall her telling
me that it should bloom twice a year (in the summer and again in the
winter), this was because it had one parent from the southern hemisphere and
the other from the northern hemisphere. I thought it would be great to have
a plant that bloomed twice in a year, but what in fact happens usually is
that it blooms 'a bit' in the summer and again perhaps a bit more in the
winter, 3 − 4 spikes at a time at most, and the plant never looked as though
it was giving its full potential − it was always being told to do better !!
and I so nearly put it in a club auction because of this − however, I
didn't, and now it is showing its appreciation !! and I'm very glad its
still here !!
Regards, Sheila

From: sheila bicknell
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [Orchid Talk] Cymbidium Golden Elf
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008

Hi Janet − I'm in southern England, about half way between London and the
Coast, on the borders of Surrey and Hampshire.
At the risk of looking totally ignorant − who is Milton Carpenter ? maybe
the breeder of Golden Elf ?
Regards, Sheila

From: sheila bicknell
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [Orchid Talk] Cymbidium Golden Elf/for Jim
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008

Hi Jim − I just knew you would ask these questions !!
it is difficult to say what made the difference, and it is not easy to advise you on your culture − I grow all my Cymbidiums in a Rockwool and Foam mix, and I am not advocating that everyone else should do the same, I have spent 20 years trying to understand the complexities of light, temperatures and nutrition (and only very recently have I got around to worrying about the ph, and using a ph meter when I make up the fertilizer − too recently I feel for that to have made the difference in this instance)
Because I grow in this totally inert mix I feed perhaps more, and differently than is required in say a bark mix. Mostly I use a balanced 20-20-20 (containing little or no ureic nitrogen) in our spring and early summer when the plants are putting on a spurt of growth, and I switch to a high potash from mid summer. I was advised to switch when the new growths are about 3/4 grown and before they make the new psuedobulb.
I feed almost every time I water during the summer months − they get well washed thru with all the rain we have had.
The plants are outside, and I only give minimal shading on the hottest/brightest days − this year in southern England, perhaps 12 days max !! On dry days I spray twice a day with rainwater, particularly under the leaves, in an effort to keep red spider at bay, and about once a month with a pesticide.

I always remember Ray Bilton when he talked about growing Cymbidiums stressing − in the wild they have only two 'seasons' Warm and Wet − and Cool and Dry − they love to be wet in the growing season, as long as they are warm enough − but never have them wet and cold that's fatal. In bright warm conditions the plants can take more fertilizer, less when its cooler and/or dull.
Its usually in the cool and dry season that they flower, and another saying I have heard is that when they flower they are in fact dormant, and don't need watering. I still struggle with the urge to water more than they require during our winter months, when they are kept in the greenhouse with a minimum night temperature of 8C/10C, often endless grey days, and only getting a temperature lift on brighter sunny days.
Hope some of this helps, Regards, Sheila

> Wow, nice you should be chuffed;-) Please tell was made the
> difference, what is you fertalizer routine, how much light?

From: David Martin
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] David's Phalaenopsis and close up photography.
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008

Hello Rodge,
I know what you mean about the blurry close-ups. With the pictures of Phal
mariae it was difficult as the spikes hang down so I laid the plant on a
black sheet. The spikes were photographed from front to back, a distance of
about five or six inches. Inevitably parts were out of focus. I don't have
a programme like Geoff to pull all the picture in focus. With reference to
the mauve centres being blurry, well they are blurry on the plant. That's
the colour of the column and it spreads down onto the petals and sepals. The
reddish bars only become sharp edged half way down the sepals and petals.
Even so it does look more exaggerated than the plant itself. Maybe it's
something to do with the colour temperature or colour saturation. Anybody
got any ideas please?
David

"Roger Grier" wrote re [OrchidTalk] David's Phalaenopsis and close up photography.

> Mornin' David,
>
> And yet another very nice species Phalaenopsis.
>
> My question is about photography.
>
> I have noticed that with some Phalaenopsis, especially those with the
> lips that have those tiny hairs and the markings on the sepals and
> petals and what I would term, sometimes 'fuzzy' colours, that I found it
> difficult to get sharp crisp details.
>
> What say you my friend?
>
> Cheers, Rodge.

I have been growing Orchids, mainly Phals, for some 9 years and almost from day 1. under lights. 3 x 600 watts and 1, 250 watts of Sons for 12 hours daily. However in view of Global Warming, Carbon Footprint and the steep rise in energy cost, mainly the latter, I am thinking of discontinuing such lighting. Of course I do realise that as well as light they give off heat so that at times nothing further is required from the Heaters when the lights are on. My supply is Economy 7 Tariff, which for the benefit of none UK members or any one who doesn't know, means that from 23.00 to 07.00 hours, current is, in round figures, approximately 1/5th of the normal cost.
Of course heat is needed out side of the cheap hours, but I do have Night Store heater units, and for those who may not be familiar with this it enables heat to be taken and stored in the cheap period and released during the expensive period.

My question is what difference will I see in the plant performance growing under only natural light? Less growth, less flowers or a different flowering period?With my present method my plants flower and grow all the year. A slight slowing in perhaps November/December and the most flower in the back end of January onwards. With out lights I suspect I will see little growth or flower in the winter months?
I would very much welcome any advice or comment.

From: JIM MATEOSKY
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [Orchid Talk] Cymbidium Golden Elf/for Jim
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008

Thanks for the nice answer, one dumb question when is there dry season? Is it thge initiation of flowering or _____?

From: geoff hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Lights
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008

These are very difficult questions . If I knew the natural light level (
without your supplementary lights) and the actual light levels with your
lights ; and if I l knew your shading system if any and what regime you use
; and if I knew how much shade is provided by the light fittings when there
is natural light and the lamps are off, and whether you intend to remove the
light fittings, and how much extra light the plants will then get ; and
maybe you don't bother to clean the glass since the light is inside the
glass, and do you intend to clean it now, and how much extra light will they
get ? And do you intend to change your fertiliser routine as well ? Also,
you mention the wattage, but as you know Ron, that is not the question; what
is the question ( two questions actually) is what is the light spectrum, and
what is the actual amount falling on the leaves − involving leaf/reflector
or lamp distance.
If I knew all those things then I might have a guess at an answer. But I
think you are just going to have to make it up as you go along.
But I'd certainly get my light meter out and find out what I am giving at
present, and then see what level I can get up to when the lamps are taken
away and the glass cleaned.
And don't forget the one factor you can't balance; when your lamps come on,
they will be up to full power/luminance within a few minutes ( oh, and by
the way , how often did you change bulbs I wonder − they are all said to
have only a limited life at full spectrum ? ) whereas natural light varies
in spectrum and luminance especially over the first hour or two and last
hour or two per day , quite apart from seasonal variations.

On further thought, I have on my desk three trays − In/Out/Too Difficult.
Guess where your question goes !

> I have been growing Orchids, mainly Phals, for some 9 years and almost
> from day 1. under lights. 3 x 600 watts and 1, 250 watts of Sons for
> 12 hours daily. However in view of Global Warming, Carbon Footprint and
> the steep rise in energy cost, mainly the latter, I am thinking of
> discontinuing such lighting. Of course I do realise that as well as
> light they give off heat so that at times nothing further is required
> from the Heaters when the lights are on. My supply is Economy 7 Tariff,
> which for the benefit of none UK members or any one who doesn't know,
> means that from 23.00 to 07.00 hours, current is, in round figures,
> approximately 1/5th of the normal cost.
> Of course heat is needed out side of the cheap hours, but I do have
> Night Store heater units, and for those who may not be familiar with
> this it enables heat to be taken and stored in the cheap period and
> released during the expensive period.

> My question is what difference will I see in the plant performance
> growing under only natural light? Less growth, less flowers or a
> different flowering period?With my present method my plants flower and
> grow all the year. A slight slowing in perhaps November/December and the
> most flower in the back end of January onwards. With out lights I
> suspect I will see little growth or flower in the winter months?
> I would very much welcome any advice or comment.

From: geoff hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Cyrt/Oncid macranthum
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008

It is interesting what you say about two types; I think this is quite a
common situation that one name is given to a lot of similar plants, at least
until someone studies the subject more closely and comes up with
distinguishing characteristics. Until then, buying is a lottery, unless the
plant is seen in flower.

I have just been re-reading Mark Chase ( Pictorial Encyclopaedia of
Oncidium) on this group, which at the time of publication was Cyrtochilum
Section of the Oncidium genus, and mention is made that although the
macranthum group is distinctive, the distinctions are no more or less
significant than those of other groups in the genus, and if the group is to
be given separate status as a genus in its own right, the only logical thing
to do is the same thing with all the others − resulting in about 50
different genera instead of the one they then had. Of course to some extent
this has happened. However the other Cyrtochilums I have known/seen in the
wild − which were Cyrtochilum when macranthum was an Oncidium , are rather
different vegetatively, more like Ansellia in having elongated cane like
pseudo-bulbs. By the way , Chase has about 50 species in the group , but his
artist illustrates about 46 different flowers, only half of which are
identified ! The actual plants are not shown with one exception, which
might be called the type specimen of the group , having a flower spike like
a maze.

I don't have to quarrel with taxonomists − there is not much use doing so.
They don't have to quarrel with me either , if I choose to call it Oncidium
macranthum.

The only purpose of a label and a name, is to identify the plant to the
owner , and perhaps secondarily to others. To me, seeing O.macranthum will
be more meaningful than seeing C.macranthum.

> Geoff, It has been known as Cyrtochilum macranthum for about 20 years but to
> the point. Both Bill Haldane and I saw this in flower in Ecuador and decided
> to get one. We both have a plant but they are totally different. Bill's
> plant has a roundish large pseudo bulb whereas mine has a cigar shaped small
> bulb. Bothare supposed to be the small spike type plant as the one in
> Ecuador had a spike at least 4 metres long.According to Hawkes it can have
> either.

From: sheila bicknell
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [Orchid Talk] Cymbidium Golden Elf/for Jim
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008

Hi again Jim, another brain teaser !! − their 'dry season' here is Autumn onwards, when the temperature starts to drop and the days are shorter. If they are going to bloom that season the baby spikes are usually visible by then. Here, now, we would still be considered to be in the ' warm and wet' but coming to the change over period in the next few weeks. I can already see spikes appearing on some of my plants, others I am watching and hoping !
Regards, Sheila.
PS one point I forgot in my previous note to you Warm / not hot − they don't like temperatures above 30C − they just stop growing. Optimum daytime growing temperature is probably about 25-27C.

> Thanks for the nice answer, one dumb question when is there dry
> season? Is it thge initiation of flowering or _____?

From: sheila bicknell
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [Orchid Talk] Cymbidium Golden Elf/for Jim/3
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008

Jim − one other important factor for flower spike initiation is a night-time temperature drop of at least 7C or 8C , pref 10C, consistently for a period of up to a month − say day temps of 22C/24C and night temps of say 12C or below, we had quite a few cool nights in July, and I think this is why I am seeing some early spikes now. Sheila

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Cymbidium mix.
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008

I could agree more with what you said about your mix for Cymbidiums. It is inert and will never rot or decay. It is easier to keep moist than a lot of other mediums, and the fertiliser is entrapped, if that's the correct word in that type of medium very easily and is not washed away too quickly.

And of course, most important..........if and when re-potting is to be done, then that type of mix makes it so much easier to part/chop/divide the plant.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] David's Phalaenopsis and close up photography.
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008

I could not agree with you more when you talk of temperature colour and
saturation, as I have always thought that there must be some fine items that
maybe you and I do not know much about.

I will continue to try a few shots of similar type plants and see what the
end result it.

"David Martin" wrote Re: [OrchidTalk] David's Phalaenopsis and close up photography.

> Hello Rodge,
> I know what you mean about the blurry close-ups. With the pictures of Phal
> mariae it was difficult as the spikes hang down so I laid the plant on a
> black sheet. The spikes were photographed from front to back, a distance
> of about five or six inches. Inevitably parts were out of focus. I don't
> have a programme like Geoff to pull all the picture in focus. With
> reference to the mauve centres being blurry, well they are blurry on the
> plant. That's the colour of the column and it spreads down onto the petals
> and sepals. The reddish bars only become sharp edged half way down the
> sepals and petals. Even so it does look more exaggerated than the plant
> itself. Maybe it's something to do with the colour temperature or colour
> saturation. Anybody got any ideas please?

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Oncidium macranthum.
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008

The way that you describe the bulbs on your plant sounds very interesting. I have always seen this plant with the 'normal' shaped bulbs.

From: geoff hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] David's Phalaenopsis and close up photography.
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008

This colour thing is quite difficult ;no film ever manufactured , or digital
sensor ever made, will "see" the way a human eye does, its all a matter of
approximations. And when things are set up so as to be pretty good in one
respect ( e.g. one particular "colour" ) they will not be right elsewhere.
In my experience of playing around with colour on the screen and printed on
the paper, the best results seem to be to make adjustments until it looks
right to me, and not any more scientific than that. And as I have noted from
time to time, some colours cannot be reproduced on the screen or by a
printer , they are out of gamut. Naturally you do best working with a wide
gamut , and sRGB is not the best − but it is the one needed for jpg e-mail
transmission, so here, you just can't win, although using Adobe Photoshops
"convert to profile" ( not "assign profile", please note, which often
produces awful results )instead of just leaving things to chance certainly
increases the chances.

> Hello Rodge,
>
> Maybe it's something to do with the colour temperature or colour
> saturation. Anybody got any ideas please? David

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Shiela's Cymbidium culture.
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008

I read what you said with great interest......................PS one point I forgot in my previous note to you Warm / not hot − they
don't like temperatures above 30C .

I just fell out of my chair laughing. Thirty degrees Centigrade, bloody hell......if only, ha, ha.

From: sheila bicknell
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Shiela's Cymbidium culture.
Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008

Roger & Jim- I've just checked the weather/temperatures in Jim's part of the
world via BBC weather − 28/29C each day for the next five days- some
sunshine and heavy showers each day, with temp drops to 18C at night -
sounds like its perfect growing weather for Cymbidiums !!
Regards, Sheila

From: sheila bicknell
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: (orchid Talk) Milton Carpenter/for Janet
Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2008

Hi Janet − I now understand your comment 'Milton Carpenter would be proud of
you' (high praise indeed) my apologies for not knowing he is a past
President of the AOS and a legend in Cymbidium breeding and culture in USA.
I have just spent the past hour reading about him and his achievements, via
Google.
Regards, Sheila

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: For 'Our Leader'.
Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2008

I have noticed that some of the most recent E-mails are coming through with this statement at the top:

------=_NextPart_000_002F_01C90947.43D377B0
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

In case it is down to just my computer, I have recently purchased another fifteen months on my Virus Checker. I use F-Secure. When doing so I upgraded it to cover just about everything.

Humorous note:
I was sat at the computer early evening and it told me that it would not allow me to acces the Internet as it was being blocked as I was a minor !!!!! *&*&(^£^&)()()*($£$%^%*&^&^

From: Tricia Garner
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: For 'Our Leader'.
Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2008

> I have noticed that some of the most recent E-mails are coming
> through with this statement at the top:

------=_NextPart_000_002F_01C90947.43D377B0
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

It seems that some people's email programs quote that bit of the
header as part of the body − it's usually not seen unless you
deliberately view the headers (in fact, it appears in the header of
your message). I don't think it's anything to worry about, just down
to configuration.

> In case it is down to just my computer, I have recently purchased
> another fifteen months on my Virus Checker. I use F-Secure. When
> doing so I upgraded it to cover just about everything.

> Humorous note: I was sat at the computer early evening and it told
> me that it would not allow me to acces the Internet as it was being
> blocked as I was a minor !!!!! *&*&(^UKP^&)()()*($UKP$%^%*&^&^

Glad to see you are keeping your security up-to-date. Even if it
thinks you are a youngster!

From: Gordon Walker
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Advice please
Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2008

Can anyone give me the method and mix for applying epsom salts to orchids please?
Gordon.

From: geoff hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] For 'Our Leader'.
Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2008

It is Tricia − down to your pc − at least I never saw it until very
recently, and I have gone at least a month ( joke − it's actually nearer 3 I
should think) without having to reinstall Vista, so nothing changed here.

Of course that is a daft statement by me , saying that nothing's changed
here. I have my machine set to download some Windows updates automatically,
and the only time I know is when they throw spanners in the works. My
e-mailer − part of Office 2007 , may well have been updated a dozen times in
the last month or so, so that could be the explanation. But nothing changed
here knowingly and deliberately.

From: JIM MATEOSKY
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Shiela's Cymbidium culture.
Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2008

We have temperature drop here especially where my greenhouse is at 5000 ft on a mountaintop that stops the east west cloud movements at least once a day. My challenge here is light I have a lot of days we do not see the sun ( kid of like UK?). My temps at might range 15-19C (in the winter months we get a few nights a little cooler) to day temps 22-30.

My 2nd challenge here is getting the plants to dry, from may 15 to nov 15 it is the rainy season and boy it rains. I used to put all my cymbidiums out in the rain the small ones really like it but the large ones the cymbs with "back bulbs" do not like being

soaked, so I bring them inside I just built a plastic roofed green house, but I am out of room already!

As far as Cymbs in heat, I would disagree with your statement about 30+C temps I have a friend that Grows Phals like weeds down by lemon on the atlantic coast wher it is hot muggy and hot did I say HOT. his cymbidiums grow outside but do not flower there, he takes them up in to the mountains in August to get them to flower. Interesting note I can not grow phals here to save my life.

From: Tricia Garner
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] For 'Our Leader'.
Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2008

> It is Tricia − down to your pc − at least I never saw it until very
> recently, and I have gone at least a month ( joke − it's actually
> nearer 3 I should think) without having to reinstall Vista, so
> nothing changed here.

It's possible, Geoff. I'm in the habit of checking the mail in the
outgoing queue and the text editor I use has a facility to decode
, which is the thing responsible for all the equal
20s etc. Maybe when I invoke that it does something to the separator
which should keep the Mime stuff in the header. That said, your
message didn't seem to have any kind of separator so I didn't decode
it. I'd be grateful if you would let me know what it looks like when
you get it back. If the Mime stuff is visible it isn't me :-)

> Of course that is a daft statement by me " saying that nothing's
> changed here. I have my machine set to download some Windows
> updates automatically, and the only time I know is when they throw
> spanners in the works. My e-mailer − part of Office 2007 , may well
> have been updated a dozen times in the last month or so, so that
> could be the explanation. But nothing changed here knowingly and
> deliberately.

Again, it could be something to do with the latest incarnation of
your program. If it's me then it seems we have the choice of losing
that bit at the top of the messages and seeing a lot of extra
characters or put up with the Mime stuff for the sake of the rest of
the message being legible. I know what my choice is!

The things that come to those who wait are usually the things left by those who got there first.

I have not as yet purchased anything from E-bay, but I have in the past few days been looking at the orchids that are posted there.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Epsom Salts
Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2008

Great minds think alike they say. Only yesterday I went to look for my Epsom Salts in my workshop.....all gone, so I will have to get some tomorrow.

In did have a look at the Internet only a couple of days ago at the various sites talking about Epsom Salts.

From: JIM MATEOSKY
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: young cymbidiums − 1st flower shoot when?
Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2008

I have some young cymbidiums Hybrids.
CINDERELLA HAZUKIHANI from: http://www.matsuinursery.net/cymbidium.html

From: geoff hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Advice please
Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2008

Use as foliar feed − especially in the new growth season ( a bit late,
Gordon ? )- the point is that the magnesium ( Epsom salts MgSO4) is the
starting point to build new chlorophyll molecules, and the Sulphur is needed
in them too. Can't draw you a diagram in Office I'm afraid, and maybe I
will have forgotten the details if you put me in front of a
whiteboard/blackboard , but that's the general idea. Don't forget that Iron
is the precursor ( is that the right word ? ) for mass production of the
enzyme needed to make chlorophyll, so pH of the compost must be below say
6.0 for it to be useful.
So , water a few plants with pure water ; collect drippings, measure pH. If
necessary, flush, with pH adjusted water. Then I mix the MgSO4 with water
and a drop of surface tension thingy ( Fairy liquid to you) to about 1
Siemen ( 1000 uS) and spray , monthly − alternately with Calcium Nitrate -
although the latter is always used in my standard feed cocktail.
I only wish that I always remembered to follow my own advice....

> Can anyone give me the method and mix for applying epsom salts to
> orch ids please?
> Gordon.

From: geoff hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] For 'Our Leader'.
Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2008

Ain't it fun ? Well − they say it stops the progress of Alzheimers
like thingys....
( I did think of pretending that I didn't remember the "A" word ,
but there are so many [words] that I don't remember that it seemed a
bit OTT.)
However, your message received loud and clear, with not a bit of MIME
in sight.
So whatever it was − you've sussed it.

> It's possible, Geoff. I'm in the habit of checking the mail in the
> outgoing queue and the text editor I use has a facility to decode
> , which is the thing responsible for all the equal
> 20s etc. Maybe when I invoke that it does something to the separator
> which should keep the Mime stuff in the header. That said, your
> message didn't seem to have any kind of separator so I didn't decode
> it. I'd be grateful if you would let me know what it looks like when
> you get it back. If the Mime stuff is visible it isn't me :-)

From: Tricia Garner
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: Epsom Salts
Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2008

> Great minds think alike they say. Only yesterday I went to look
> for my Epsom Salts in my workshop.....all gone, so I will have to
> get some tomorrow.

> In did have a look at the Internet only a couple of days ago at the
> various sites talking about Epsom Salts.

> As you can see from the date on the letter, that's some twenty
> eight years ago.

Then again, instead of sending those ruddy great files *** WHICH ARE
LARGER THAN MY 24-INCH SCREEN *** you could have directed Gordon to
the Orchid-Talk website where the letter has been ever since you
submitted it for inclusion. Mind you, it was a long time ago.

From: Esther Koh
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: P. hieroglyphica
Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2008

Here's my P. hieroglyphica. The flower started opening 4 days ago, but is still not fully open:
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f359/rockhop/IMG_6837b.jpg

From: Gordon Walker
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: advice please
Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2008

Thanks to Roger and Geoff for input. Can either of you or anyone else advise the measure of epsom salts to water as against sprinkling on top of medium?
Gordon.

From: geoff hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] advice please
Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2008

I have to do some work on my greenhouse water tanks tomorrow # as I discovered only a couple of hours ago, that the EC of my water store is strangely high ( 360 EC ! ) − some contamination got in there somewhere ( dead gremlins in the gutters ? ) ; so I intend to pump them out, ( several large water tanks, maybe 120 gallon each )and then refill as far as possible from the water tubs distributed around my house catching roof rain water. When I have some reasonably clean rain water to go on, I#ll dissolve a fixed amount and let you know what I suggest.

The way this summer is going , it won#t be long before the rain tubs # holding 400gallon between them, are all full again !

From: Gordon Walker
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] advice please
Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2008

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] advice please
Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2008

Like the letter states, and also the measures that I have used, go like this...........fill a bucket with water and throw in some Epsom Salts. Whether it is one teaspoonful, or a handful it just does not seem to matter.

You know that I do not use any scientific measurements at all and cannot just be bothered with them. I do not laugh at those that do, and neither do I scorn them, but my plants still grow just as well.

And now as it is almost midnight, and I have just had a damned good evening listening to Traditional Jazz.....I'm off to bed.

From: geoff hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] advice please
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2008

Gordon asked about sprinkling Epsom salts on the compost. A new idea to me, sounds a bit drastic ?

I have always, only, ever, used Epsom salts as a foliar feed # has been recommended for roses, for example, since Adam the Gardener got his diploma in that well known RHS Garden called Eden # no connection with Cornwall !

However, as to strength in terms of teaspoons per bucketful # I#ll try it out later today and let you know Gordon.

My message sent yesterday on the subject seemed to have got washed away # must have been the rain in the night !

From: Dennis Read
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] advice please
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2008

geoff hands wrote:
I have to do some work on my greenhouse water tanks tomorrow â€' as I discovered only a couple of hours ago, that the EC of my water store is strangely high ( 360 EC ! ) − some contamination got in there somewhere ( dead gremlins in the gutters ? ) ; so I intend to pump them out, ( several large water tanks, maybe 120 gallon each )and then refill as far as possible from the water tubs distributed around my house catching roof rain water. When I have some reasonably clean rain water to go on, Iâ€−ll dissolve a fixed amount and let you know what I suggest.
The way this summer is going , it wonâ€−t be long before the rain tubs â€' holding 400gallon between them, are all full again !

From: Tricia Garner
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] advice please
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2008

On 31 Aug, in article ,
Dennis Read wrote:
> Is it my computer or do others receive Geoff's hieroglyphics.
> Dennis

No, it isn't you, Dennis. I thought I had discovered an easy way to
get rid of all the equal 20s and A 0s etc. but unfortunately the
routine translates apostrophes wrongly. I shall contact the authors
to see if they can suggest a way round it.

Meanwhile it would not be necessary if everyone would use (like
you) or Content-Transfer-Encoding instead of Quoted-printable
but I suspect that is unlikely.

From: Dennis Read
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Cyrto. macranthum
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2008

Here is a photo of mine. Perhapr Bill or Geoff will show you theirs.
The pseudobulbs are hidden in this one under the new leaves but it is the size of my little finger.
Yesterday we had 6 hours of sunshine but are now expecting a weeks rain. Dennis

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Epsom Salts.
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2008

Well now.....I never did know that 'Epsom Salts' were named from Epsom in England. We live and learn. And knowledge is so wonderful.

If you are interested to learn much about Epsom Salts, then key in these words to get you on to some very interesting sites on the Internet.

From: geoff hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] advice please
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2008

You often show us plants you have rescued from the rubbish heap, and tell us at great length what you have done. BUT . Do they ever stay rescued ? Do they ever flower again ? Do they ever grow into plants we should be proud to put on the show bench ?

(And by the way, I do enjoy our verbal sparring this way # I hope you do too ?...please comment )

If I have you wrong, and you are a nervous shivering psychotic who needs a few hourly sessions on the couch with your friendly neighbourhood shrink ( that#ll be #150, that#ll do nicely # make an appointment for your next visit before you leave # aside # I need the money # goodbye sir ) after my remarks, perhaps you#ll say , and I will try to restrain myself.

Together perhaps we are chalk and cheese # for the benefit of members of this group who didn#t know , I started this group , and Roger was member number !.

> Like the letter states, and also the measures that I have used, go
> like this...........fill a bucket with water and throw in some
> Epsom Salts. Whether it is one teaspoonful, or a handful it just
> does not seem to matter.

> You know that I do not use any scientific measurements at all and
> cannot just be bothered with them. I do not laugh at those that
> do, and neither do I scorn them, but my plants still grow just as
> well.

From: geoff hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] advice please
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2008

It#s your computer Dennis. My computer has no A#s with grave#s (?) , no Euro signs − pounds only for me please − and certainly no Registered Trade Marks.

From: geoff hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] advice please
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2008

On 31 Aug, in article ,
Dennis Read wrote:
> > Is it my computer or do others receive Geoff's hieroglyphics.
> > Dennis

> No, it isn't you, Dennis. I thought I had discovered an easy way to
> get rid of all the equal 20s and equal 0As etc. but unfortunately the
> routine translates apostrophes wrongly. I shall contact the authors
> to see if they can suggest a way round it.

> Meanwhile it would not be necessary if everyone would use (like
> you) or Content-Transfer-Encoding instead of Quoted-printable
> but I suspect that is unlikely.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Dennis's orchid.
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2008

My first reaction after looking at the photo of your plant is, and I may be wrong, but all of the leaves do point up to the sky when should I be seeing a more shall we say spreading type of leaf pattern as in other Oncidiums/Odontoglossums ?

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Friendly sparring and sharing of information.
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2008

Hell man, if we did not enjoy the 'Friendly sparring' the world would be a much duller place.

As to my rescued/cheapie orchids that I get now and again, the answer is that apart from the odd one or two that always bite the dust, I have had some of my plants for so many years that they are part of the family..........you know, orchids, wife, kids in that order.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Back to normal !!!
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2008

I have just realised..........the E-mails are back to normal.....said in a whisper !

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: The Show Bench.
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2008

The Show Bench you ask, well matey, that's one side of this captivating hobby that I hardly ever contribute to.

I do sometimes take orchids along to the Wessex Orchid Society but I just put them on 'The Interest Table'.

Never was one for titivating and fussing about with the plants, just like to see them as they deem to grow.

From: geoff hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Cyrto. macranthum
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2008

I sounds like precocious 7 year olds − "you show me yours and I'll show you
mine..."

Also attached is a snap of an Eria ? I think I have shown it before. It was
a jungle import a couple of years ago, but this is the first really good
flowering. I know you will need good eyes to see the flowers − it only in a
3 inch pot, but today, big is vulgar. ( Different tomorrow if my first
cattleya since I killed a few thousand slugs and snails, fulfills its
promise, but that's tomorrow.)

From: geoff hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: BOC Congress at Dawlish Warren, now getting quite near -
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2008

BOC at Langstone Cliff Hotel, Dawlish Warren ; open to Registrants only on
Friday 24th October ; and to the general public 25th and 26th October.

Follows is a quote from an e-mail to me from the Devon Chairwoman (?) Sue
Lane...

> The list of traders should be on the BOC website but it appears to be
> running a little behind!

> Traders are: Akerne, Just in Glass, Burnham, Equitorial, Ratcliffe,
> Laurence Hobbs, Stock Orchids, Wubben, Rollke, Asendorfer, Ryanne Orchidee,
> Plested, Ray Creek, MAM and Writhlington School.

Can't find Asendorfer or Ryanne on the 'web − draw your own conclusions, I
have.

. I know all the others, and doubt if they will have much to interest me,
but have decided to go anyway, for a couple of hours on Saturday morning and
maybe even on Friday night since I have registered. Maybe if I go on Friday
I shan't bother to go on Saturday, but I may be surprised . I live in
hopes.

From: David Martin
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] P. hieroglyphica
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2008

Hello Esther,
Lovely photo, interesting shape also. I have a heiroglyphica as well but is a bit behind your one. I only bought it about a year ago so am not sure what the flowers are like. It started spiking at the end of the summer last year but then the spikes stopped growing in the winter. They have been growing again for a few weeks so hope to see something soon. I bought it from Oak Hill Gardens Dundee, IL. let's hope it's as nice as yours.
David

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

2008 Archived Messages

22—31 August