2008 mailing list messages

2008 Archived Messages

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From: geoff hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] geoff hands 'maxi crop' − Calcium nitrate?
Date: Mon, 08 Sep 2008

There is a very well-known theory that orchids "don't like" urea − which is
the source of nitrogen in many agricultural and horticultural fertilizers. (
I have heard people expound experimental proof of this).

There is also the story that urea is broken down to release the nitrogen by
bacteria common in ordinary ground soil. May well be true − never seen any
proof.

It is also thought that those bacteria will be less common − if there at all
- in your typical orchid compost which contains no soil. Seems logical.

Ergo ( as my old friend Pythagoras used to say ) urea won't release its
nitrogen in orchid compost.

The other obvious source of nitrogen ( other than urea) is nitrates. Plants
also need a great deal of calcium ( cell walls etc ! ). Hence, Calcium
nitrate kills two birds with one stone.

Personally , I learnt all this stuff about the time that I − and many other
orchid growers in UK started to learn about water , and realize that not all
water is the same ; perhaps it was when portable pH and EC meters first
became relatively cheap and available − 30 (?) years ago. I remember that
the boss man at the Eric Young Foundation used to keep one in his pocket
side-by-side with his fountain pen − and demonstrate it to visitors, and
since they were then and perhaps still are, considered to be the best
growers of the best orchid collection anywhere in the world, of course I sat
up and took notice ; I have used CaNO3 ever since, whatever else I have
used.

The other actual fact I learnt when I was a consultant to an orchid
fertilizer company is that they − and as far as I know all other fertilizer
companies making products for home use make their formulations on the
assumption that the user will add their product to tap water − not rain
water- and usually assume that it will be watered on soil. Its what
horticulturists do. And tap water always, but always, is ground water,
i.e. rain which has run over the soil before collecting in reservoirs and
being biologically purified . But it still contains the minerals which it
picked up from the ground, and it always contains Calcium and Magnesium (
usually in the proportion 4:1) . That water perhaps has enough Ca and Mg in
it, so that the fertilizer does not need to add Ca, but also − probably -
uses ureic nitrogen.

But orchid growers − wise orchid growers − use rain water or RO water with
no calcium or magnesium, so they need to add it . And they also need to
boost the N . Which more or less squares the circle, because what easier way
of putting Calcium and Nitrogen into the water than Calcium nitrate.

I guess 99% (?) of the more scientific orchid growers in UK at least ,
including every professional I have ever talked to on the subject in any
country, believes and practices these things. There are of course a few
sceptics − usually people who will tell you that they don't believe in all
this scientific stuff, they just use their instincts, and "know " what is
right, and you know what I think of them !

Take my tip Jim − go and buy some, start using it. 88gm per litre makes a
saturated solution , then add to water to make up the EC level you need.
Always use it . Flowering, growth, whatever.

JIM MATEOSKY wrote Re: [OrchidTalk] geoff hands 'maxi crop' − Calcium nitrate?

> The locals here call it Cal. They put it on the coffee plants by the pound.
> I use it (it is readily available and cheap cheap) on my floors kill the
> moss and keep those dastardly slugs at bay.

> Why do you use it? just to boost the N ( in the N-P-K)? Do you use it when
> you are trying to induce flowering as well?

> How often do you use this "fertilizer" every time you water? A Taiwanese
> friend of mine here applies his home brew every 3 days! And his plants grow
> like bad weeds.

From: geoff hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] pics
Date: Mon, 08 Sep 2008

White grit − is just "horticultural grit 7-10mm" from my local garden
centre. I use this as topping on plants which are potted in straight coarse
perlite ( which I use a lot). Also, on plants in more conventional bark etc.
mixes, if the new growth is well above the compost, and the roots have not
entered the compost as it keeps them shielded from woodlice ( which nibble
root tips, sometimes ) rather than "resurfacing" the compost with fresh
compost.

Your Dendrobium is not in my master book "Dendrobium and its relatives" -
Lavarock,Wayne and Stocker − meaning that they did not recognise it as a
valid name or synonym , but of course it may be a new discovery since that
book, or may be just a misspelling/misunderstanding/invention....try google
?

> Geoff
> Thanks for your gorgeous pics of Cirrhopetallum vaginatum and Eria acerba,
> what is the whitish topping that you have on your compost, it looks really
> neat?
> I have had two lots of flowers on the Dendrobium dawn marie that you
> recommended.Can't send any pics yet,I got it from Wubben last year. Much to
> my surprise it's done all that with the roots completely rotten in the semi
> hydro so it's now in "spag and bag"
> I just purchased a Dendrobium xanthophlebium on E Bay any of you know
> anything about it (culture ect" as it is quite new to me? Thanks all of you
> for all that I have learned on this forum.
> Regards
> Cyrus

From: PG Hieke
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Cirr. vaginatum
Date: Mon, 08 Sep 2008

From: PG Hieke
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Vanda Somsri Blue Diamond
Date: Mon, 08 Sep 2008

That is quite correct, the pale colour is due to lack of sunshine,because we had and
are still having a very rainy
winter. It should be spring already, but it is still raining cats and dogs.

>I guess the (pale) colour is due to the poor summer − nice, but even nicer
> next year, when we get our next proper summer (perhaps).
>
> Geoff

From: Nathaniel Green
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] pics
Date: Mon, 08 Sep 2008

From: Janet Fabricant
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] pics
Date: Mon, 08 Sep 2008

RE: [OrchidTalk] picsDendrobium Dawn Maree (Dendrobium formosum x Dendrobium cruentum) according to OrchidWiz.
Janet in Florida

From: rudolf günnel
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] pics
Date: Mon, 08 Sep 2008

You couldn't find Dendrobium Dawn Marie in your 'master book' because it's a
hybrid.
Here are two links for further information and some pictures:
http://inet.uni2.dk/home/carphunters/Orchids/Arter/Dendrobium-Dawn-Marie.htm

> ...
> Your Dendrobium is not in my master book "Dendrobium and its relatives" -
> Lavarock,Wayne and Stocker − meaning that they did not recognise it as a
> valid name or synonym , but of course it may be a new discovery since that
> book, or may be just a misspelling/misunderstanding/invention....try google
> ?
> Geoff

From: David Martin
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Phal species
Date: Mon, 08 Sep 2008

Hello All,
Here's a photo of my latest Phal species to flower; exhibiting the
characteristic erect inflorescence. It's label calls it Doritis minor
but it is a very variable species and this one is just a small variety.
According to Christenson Doritis is part of the Phalaenopsis genus not a
separate one.
David

From: Alex Scott
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: geoff hands 'maxi crop' − Calcium nitrate?
Date: Mon, 08 Sep 2008

Where can one get calcium nitrate Geoff? I dont recollect seeing it in
garden centres or is there a trade name for it?
Regards, Alex

From: geoff hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] geoff hands 'maxi crop' − Calcium nitrate?
Date: Mon, 08 Sep 2008

All the orchid sundries people sell it − Ratcliffes, Plants Plus etc. In
the past I have also bought it from general garden supplies people.

From: JIM MATEOSKY
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] geoff hands 'maxi crop' − Calcium nitrate?
Date: Mon, 08 Sep 2008

OK Sold! I give it a shot. I went out to my local ag store to get some calcium nitrate. I bought some, it is I look at the ingredients. 15% Nitrogen, 26% calcium, 58% inert "stuff" what does you label say? No I need to get a EC meter, that might not be so easy here.

From: David Martin
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] geoff hands 'maxi crop' − Calcium nitrate?
Date: Tue, 09 Sep 2008

Hello Alex,
I buy my calcium nitrate from a garden centre, but you can buy it from
Chempak on line.
David

From: Alex Scott
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: geoff hands 'maxi crop' − Calcium nitrate?
Date: Tue, 09 Sep 2008

Thanks Geoff & David − I will see Plants Plus at our show in October and get
some.
Regards, Alex

From: JIM MATEOSKY
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] geoff hands 'maxi crop' − Calcium nitrate?
Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2008

As I am sitting finishing my scotch, I come to realize: The more you know the more you do not know. Questions questions... How often do you apply your "brew ;-) "? We ( me and my gardener, or better read my gardener) apply our weak (1 cc/ltr) Peters mix every few 3-4 days (when there is lots of light, cloudy days less frequently).

From: David Martin
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Phal species
Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2008

Hello all,
If anyone else grows the more easily obtainable Phal species, are you finding the Spring flowering plants spiking already?
My Phal schilleriana has two spikes about 2ft /60cm tall, Phal aphrodite has two spike about 3inches/7cm tall
and Phal phillipinensis has a spike 8 inches/20cm tall.

They normally start to spike much later than this, around early November. I assume it's because the weather has been quite dark and overcast this year.

From: JIM MATEOSKY
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: test − are we still alive?
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2008

From: Ron Bower
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] test − are we still alive?
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2008

From: David Martin
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] test − are we still alive?
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2008

Hello Jim,
My wife is not so sure about me being alive, maybe we are now in a parallel universe after the big bang at Cern. I reckon Rocky has been terminated or gagged, or maybe just on holiday.
David

From: Tricia Garner
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Wessex Orchid Show − info for Nat
Date: Sat, 13 Sep 2008

You wanted to know which traders are attending the Wessex Orchid
Show. I obtained the information at today's meeting:

Displays by Bournemouth and Thames Valley Societies, also a display
of Neofinetia by a Wessex OS member whose name I didn't note down.

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

8—14 September