2008 mailing list messages

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From: John W Stanley
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Strange tip???
Date: Sat, 15 Nov 2008

Forgive my jumping into your conversation with Mark but I can't help
thinking you're missing an important point;
many insects that infest plants don't simply confine themselves to leaves
(mealy bugs are a typical example) but get into the soil, compost pot,
canes, clips, or whatever covenient surface there is. This is especially
true of plants grown in medium with big chuunks of solids and big air
spaces. The fact is that the leaves (or flowers) are where we are likely to
see evidence of the problem. Just clearing an 'infection' or, better, an
infestation from the leaves may not solve the problem. Certainly scale can
attach to roots; especially the photosynthesising green bits. I have a
Euphorbia currently infested with scale that must have a taste for strong
sap! A few misguided ones have attached to the plastic pot Maybe someone'll
tell us what the developing scalettes feed on and whether or not they can
mature on a non sap-containing surface?

The other point is that you use a very emotive phrase, "tearing them out . .
". I don't think anyone would advise that! Perhaps carefully dislodging the
roots from the growing medium. This can often be achieved by immersing the
pot contents in a bucket of water whereupon the bark, fibre , charcoal, lava
or whatever will aften fall away. Unlike many other plants, epiphytic
orchids seem not to be as equipped with root hairs − especially near the
green root tips − and so are not likely to be as damaged. True there'll be
some damage, but then would you avaoid ever re-potting for that reason?

What about the common practise of dunking deflasked seedlings in a
fungicidal brew! I can never reconcile that with the need for a fungal
mycorhizal presence! Certainly must be traumatic to the essentially newborn
seedling!

From: gavin horne
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: unidentified potential problem?
Date: Sat, 15 Nov 2008

Hi all, im writing in the hope that someone can idenify a mysterious potential problem for me.Earlier this evening i noticed in a transparent pot, on the roots of one of my multifloral hybrid paphiopedilums, what looks like small loose clusters of miniscule white eggs about 0.25mm in diameter.There are several groups like this throughout the pot all on the roots.i only noticed them today so im not sure how long they have been there, but no longer than a few days im sure.
The plant in question is in a warm enviroment in a bark and perlite mix and therefore is a well drained mix,unfortunately i cannot get reasonable photo's of the problem to aid in its identification, i have already treated it with provado but obviously i dont know if this has been effective yet! I hope someone out there can give me a idea of what this is as i cannot find anything like it in the R.H.S pests and diseases book. If you need any more information please let me know!happy growing!
Gavin

From: John J. Rupp
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [?? Probable Spam] [OrchidTalk] unidentified potential problem?
Date: Sat, 15 Nov 2008

From: Tony Garthwaite
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] unidentified potential problem?
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2008

Suspect fungus!
I had the same on bark this year, but the fungicide seems to work.

From: geoff hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] unidentified potential problem?
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2008

Orchids don't lay eggs. Therefore , you don't need to know what these things
are. Just get rid of them. Wash them off . Physical removal of any pest
should be the first step − chemical treatment the last step . Often you
won't even need the last step − the first step will do the trick.

Just remember that any chemical which will poison a pest will poison you too
- if the dose is strong enough or repeated often enough. Personally I don't
want to make my greenhouse a place of poison ! And the poison which will
kill an animal will likely damage the plant too , if strong enough or
repeated often enough. Most pesticides are based on a delicate balance
between what is (just) strong enough to kill the intended pest and what
might cause notable harm elsewhere , one way or another.

And your plant is a paph. Paphs have the unique capability of being able
to produce new roots at any stage of growth − unlike say Cattleyas and so
many other orchids, which can only produce new roots when the growth is at a
certain stage. This means that if you do damage paph roots, new ones will
start growing fairly soon.

Wash the pests away ; wash all the compost off, use a hose and rose or
pressure jet − just aim downwards from the leaves along the roots − this
minimises damage.

Ps. Have a look in a few other pots too − maybe you can see the problem in
transparent pots, but the same problem occurs elsewhere but you can't see it
through ordinary opaque pots !

From: francis quesada pallares
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] unidentified potential problem?
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2008

It is a fungal growth.I have had them lots of times on my plants grown in bark. I don't think it is a major problem, but I woulg advise that a repotting is needed with a change of bark.

why use chemicals the answer is nematodes dunk or water them in
cost is about £9.00

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Gavin's plant problem.
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2008

1. Why the hell are you growing Paphs in a 'See through pot', as mostly Paphs are terrestrial, so their roots due not see daylight.
2. You know that I was once the World's worst Paph grower, or should I say Killer.
3. Now that I have twelve of them, all growing very well, why don't you just try one in my mix?????
4. I believe that Tricia has tried it and likes it.....is that correct Tricia.

Three components. A rough compost, [locally a bag of 'Roffeys] but any rough compost will do. Free draining and largish lumps. Vermiculite, and a coarse grit, size of a match head to three times that size.

Ratios go like this. Three parts Vermiculite. Two parts of a rough compost. Two parts grit.

So, go and buy yourself a nice new clay pot, then buy the 'ingredients', if not call round on your travels.

Next time you are passing Landford Garden Centre, have a look at the Cattleyas. My local branch has some very nice plants, and at a reasonable price.

From: Tony Watkinson
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] unidentified potential problem?
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2008

I love Geoff's answer to this!! Orchids don't lay eggs. Therefore, you don't need to know what these things are.

I am a great believer in dunking orchid pots to get rid of nasties. I fill a bucket with a mixture on water, (mostly) a few drops of your favourite dish washing liquid and a bit of oil. (Pest oil, Johnsons baby oil, olive oil...it doesn't seem to matter much as long as it is an oil that will saturate the nasties {not car oil})

They don't like it!! its all greasy and covers them so that they cannot walk about, hatch, feed or any of the other things that nasties like to do in orchid pots.

From: Alan Garner
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Magdalena x marguarite
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2008

This masdevallia was given to me , in bloom, about a year ago by a
friend who was reducing his commitment to orchids. It has been in
constant bloom since then with new flowers taking the place of
finished flowers in increasing profusion. It has no special treatment
and lives with all my other masdevallias. An oddity?-possibly.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: Magdalena x marguarite
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2008

I could always start with.....you sure know how to spoil peoples Sunday day
of rest, ha, ha.

I am sure that you very chuffed with that plant, and thanks for your
comments, as once again it tells all growers of this wonderful hobby of
ours, that some plants do so much better than others, so we should not look
on some of our failures as if it was down to the grower.

And your comment re: It has no special treatment...that sure is good
information to new growers.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Dunking orchids.
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2008

Are you all sitting comfortably [yes I am in one of my humorous moods] then I will begin.

When a plant is completely immersed in a liquid for maybe some minutes, I would expect that most of the crawling OXYGEN BREATHING critters would either die or speedily exit at the top of the pot. This in fact I have witnessed many times.

So, my way of thinking is twofold. The lack of oxygen may kill them, and the 'ingredient', and in my case a Systemic ingredient will also kill them.

Of course, my stone chippings medium that I use just gets the outer layer coated with the mixture, and any critters also. I do not get much trouble with critters hiding in the interior as there is nothing for them. Whereas a bark and other mixtures offers them so much more.

From: gavin horne
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: regarding potential problem
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2008

Thanks to all that responded in aid of my concerns.THe reason i wanted to know if anyone new what the problem was 1)out of pure interest and 2)if it is a cultural problem i can amend it possibly.
Thanks Rocky for the offer, but i have grown my paphs in clear pots and the same mix since the start and i get fantastic root growth which is my main initial concern for all my plants. Obviously i am always open to suggestions so please keep them coming
I think those of you that suggested it was a fungal problem are right as there seem to be furry edges on the offending groups, i shall repot shortly and get some photos hopefully so perhaps one of you can identify which fungus it is so i can amend the problem if possible.
happy growing
Gavin

From: geoff hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: Magdalena x marguarite
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2008

If you think its an oddity Alan , you should get rid of it − just throw it
this way......

From: geoff hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] regarding potential problem
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2008

The usual white fungus on bark is known as snow fungus , but your
description didn't sound like that.

Clear pots ; personally I don't think that the green bits of roots are
photosynthesising; All photosynthetic bits are green ( not actually true,
some are red ) but not all green things are photosynthetic. I could go a bit
further or even a lot further about why not ; but it doesn't matter.

Clearly most epiphytes are 'used to' having roots exposed to light .
Consequently there is likely to be no harm to the plant from growing in a
see-through pot, and likely to be a great deal of good since the grower can
see what is happening in the pot and take remedial action in good time.

Paphs are not all terrestrials. Some are epiphytic. I've see a great big
clump of P.villosum ssp villosum growing entirely epiphytically a good few
feet off the ground. I've also seen (probably) barbatum growing
lithophytically .

Cribb , who knows more about Paphs than most ( or even anyone ) says ' Five
species .. have been reported as growing epiphytically...parishii, lowii and
villosum are usually found growing on trees ....

But even plants which are not epiphytic sometimes don't actually mind having
roots exposed to light/. I have been growing some of my paphs this way for
many years , since transparent pots arrived , and have not been aware of any
harm , on the contrary , I now have much better paph roots than ever before.

In fact , I now buy some clear plastic pots every time I see them at Shows
and use them more and more for anything I grow.

From: geoff hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [?? Probable Spam] [OrchidTalk] unidentified potential problem?
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2008

John J. Rupp wrote Re: [?? Probable Spam] [OrchidTalk] unidentified potential problem?

From: geoff hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: The New Encyclopaedia of Orchids − by Isobyl La Croix
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2008

My copy came a few days ago , and I have had a chance to do a little
browsing, and some genuine using...

I've also been able to compare it with the Bechtel, Cribb and Launert "The
Manual of Cultivated Orchid Species" which is perhaps the most directly
comparable work in modern times.

( I used to have the Alex Hawkes Encyclopaedia too − but haven't used it for
years and now can't find it....but both of the more modern works − the
Bechtel et al and now the La Croix, are certainly miles better than Hawkes
and far more useful − Hawkes cultural advice I remember so well − it was
amazing that he found a thousand different ways of saying "use the smallest
pot possible"...." compost must be very free draining"... and ..." let the
plant dry out before you water again" − his near universal cultural advice
! Nothing wrong with it of course , but he never seemed to get any more
specific.)

The pictures in both of these works are excellent ; not a lot to choose
between them.

But otherwise, the new work seems to be more comprehensive than the Bechtel
; in some of the smaller genera, Bechtel will describe two species, and La
Croix describe three or four.

La Croix is also bang up to date with the new names and Bechtel is now
antediluvian here, but the one ( only) drawback I find is if I don't know
the new name. Thus Guarianthe aurantiaca is duly there under G , and the
entry mentions that it is a synonym of Cattleya aurantiaca . But for old
geezers like me who have grown Cattleya aurantiaca for half a century, and
want to see what La Croix says about it, there is no entry under the Cs -
and if I didn't happen to remember the Guarianthe bit I would not find it.
By the way , it occurs to me that this is the very good reason for using the
new names and climbing down off my high horse in this respect ! I hadn't
thought about that before.

Culture is of course the thing that few books can help with on any large
scale ; I have a theory ( for example) that some of the big Angraecums
perhaps come from fairly dark places − those dark blue/green leaves suggest
this with say A.sesquipedale ( or did mine come from a dark nursery ? ) .
In this case Bechtel is not very helpful saying "more or less shade
according to natural habitat − ( which is what I don't know ! ) and then "
the cooler growing ones require more shade" but since he never tells you
which species are cooler growing this is no help at all ; he does say which
country, but never altitude − and the difference between say the Kenyan
plains and the top of Kilimanjaro is several distinct cultural regimes
apart !

La Croix however is a lot more helpful here " Angraecums grow in shady
conditions" . I'll move mine tomorrow !

From: John W Stanley
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] slugs − plus nit picking and anti ant treatments
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2008

At the risk of being taken to task for being pedantic again (the last time was about a year ago), may I pont out that water is a "chemical" as, indeed (in the plural) so are slugs and nematodes and virtually anything of substance or 'stuff'.. There are so many words we all misuse or use in hasty error (including myself with some embarrassment), like "compost" and "medium" (not to mention "media" and "medium") "chemical" and "organic", etc which have been hijacked from their original use as to make them virtually useless. I suspect the word in this context should be "pesticide". However, I am sure we all know what is meant and that (I suppose) is what matters.

Please don't take offence but I have recently (a decade ago) retired from a world which no longer recognises a difference between "loose" and "lose", "principle" and "principal", "practice" and "practise", "terminal" and "termly", "spoonfuls" and "spoons full" and have to retain my grumpy old man status somehow!

Apart from all that junk, I wonder how big an orchid house must be before picking off offending slugs off hand is prohibitively time consuming? It also encouages one to inspect plants individually. That is no bad thing.

Here's another for the pot; how do I prevent ants from excavating a subterranean city beneath my greenhouse foundations. Pressurised dispensers of polyurethane foam applied through there back door seems a rather cruel solution but has anybody found better?

And then there's the "Greenhouse effect" ; the phenomenon by which greenhouses don't heat up! (Grrrrrrr!).

> why use chemicals the answer is nematodes dunk or water them in
> cost is about £9.00

From: John W Stanley
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] The New Encyclopaedia of Orchids − by Isobyl La Croix
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2008

Hi Geoff,
Glad that you approve of Isobyl la Croix's tome, it is always hazardous to recommend on first glance but this is a real winner!
I had similar first impressions and they haven't declined over the extra week we've had ours.
Although it would be unfair to both authors to compare the stature of la Croix's work with the on-line encyclopedia of Jay Pfahl (laCroix's is a very authoritative and scholarly approach), one advantage of Pfahl's virtual encyclopedia is that it can (theoretically) be updated and improved as the knowledge is acquired and it is palatable to all levels of orchid expertise.. Jay Pfahl now tries to include comprehensive synonymy so that (at least in theory) if you come across an unfamiliar name (new or redundant) you may find what it really is or was once known as. To do this with a hard-copy book would be a never ending task, would delay a publication indefinitely and would need a very thick tome.It is also the kind of information that the electronic medium is best at.

Both have a very useful place and hopping from one to t'other can provide the best of both worlds On the one hand, sheer numbers of species while on the other, authority, experience and rigour.

What a wonderful world to be in (in this respect); I was spent over 3 months slogging through Zoological Record to achieve what can now be done in a few days.
Sobering to think we've lived through e revotion more significant than the industrial one (I think).
John.

From: Tony Watkinson
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Dunking orchids.
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2008

I have tried stoned as a media but found that the orchids don't do well in them during the winter. "Don't do well" is an understatement too. Hardcane Dens turn up their toes quick smart.

It's the oil content that does the trick as it covers all the nasties. The dishwashing liquid helps to get the oil into things like mealybugs which have a water resistant coating.

From: John J. Rupp
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [!! SPAM] [OrchidTalk] Gavin's plant problem.
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2008

I'm trying to get a firm handle on your mix for Paphs.. Vermiculite and
coarse grit I can understand, bit what exactly is "rough compost"? In
the US, we can't get "a bag of 'Roffeys" to really find out. Is it
perhaps something like small pieces of bark, or what?

Roger Grier wrote:
> Hi there Gavin,
>
> Without seeing what you are on about, I will go along with what
> Francis said.
>
> And here are some of my moans for you to think about.
>
> 1. Why the hell are you growing Paphs in a 'See through pot', as
> mostly Paphs are terrestrial, so their roots due not see daylight.
> 2. You know that I was once the World's worst Paph grower, or should
> I say Killer.
> 3. Now that I have twelve of them, all growing very well, why don't
> you just try one in my mix?????
> 4. I believe that Tricia has tried it and likes it.....is that
> correct Tricia.
>
> If you can't remember my mix, yer tiz.
>
> Three components. A rough compost, [locally a bag of 'Roffeys] but
> any rough compost will do. Free draining and largish lumps.
> Vermiculite, and a coarse grit, size of a match head to three times
> that size.
>
> Ratios go like this. Three parts Vermiculite. Two parts of a rough
> compost. Two parts grit.

From: Tricia Garner
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Rocky's paph mix
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008

Just to confirm − Rocky is correct, I am growing my four Paphs in his
recipe and they are doing very well. Until I tried the mix I had
managed to kill every Paph I bought! I also put a couple of Phrags in
it and they seem to like it too.

From: geoff hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] slugs − plus nit picking and anti ant treatments
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008

Ants ; I recommend Myrmecophaga tridactylata , commonly known as the Giant
anteater. Can grow to six feet or so , so may not fit in your greenhouse
easily . And I doubt if you would get CITES clearance.

I had thought that some native bird species eat ants but the RSPB doesn't
seem to know anything about this, ( even if they did, I'm not clear how you
would entice woodpeckers into your greenhouse ) and they talk in terms of
using chemicals, 'if you must'.

I shall not be drawn into a lovely time-consuming and friendly argument
about the meaning of words or even about the modern generation ;' I don't
know what the world is coming to' etc ; the mantra of old geezers down the
centuries....

( Did I ever tell you the tale of when the UK High Court, Court of Appeal
and then House of Lords, spent a total of over 8 days of court time
listening to learned Counsel , one briefed by me − arguing about the meaning
of the word 'hub' ? It did however settle which Company was to be
dominant in one particular trade, having a turnover which translated into
21st Century money would be say £1billion p.a. , for the next couple of
decades.....)

But I must say that IMHO it's not being pernickety to call water a chemical,
it's being sheer b****y unreasonable , by stretching the word beyond its
ordinary significance as understood by 7 billion people in the world ( it
should be understood that when I counted this morning the world population
was 7 billion and 1 ) you are leaving it meaningless for its normal purposes
!

To be more practical then , and avoid using chemicals in everyone else's
definition, the simple solution of a kettle of water ( boiling) seems to
work quite well.

BTW , if you must pick off slugs by hand, do wear rubber gloves even if you
do remember to wash your hands every time you leave the greenhouse ( I wear
them all the time in the greenhouse) ; I can't even remember how to spell
some of the nasty diseases, infections etc., you can pick up from a slug .
Personally I keep a pair of tweezers in my tool jar by the greenhouse door,
for such eventualities .

John W Stanley wrote Re: [OrchidTalk] slugs − plus nit picking and anti ant treatments

> At the risk of being taken to task for being pedantic again (the
> last time was about a year ago), may I pont out that water is a
> "chemical" as, indeed (in the plural) so are slugs and nematodes
> and virtually anything of substance or 'stuff'.. There are so many
> words we all misuse or use in hasty error (including myself with
> some embarrassment), like "compost" and "medium" (not to mention
> "media" and "medium") "chemical" and "organic", etc which have been
> hijacked from their original use as to make them virtually useless.
> I suspect the word in this context should be "pesticide". However,
> I am sure we all know what is meant and that (I suppose) is what
> matters.

> Please don't take offence but I have recently (a decade ago)
> retired from a world which no longer recognises a difference
> between "loose" and "lose", "principle" and "principal", "practice"
> and "practise", "terminal" and "termly", "spoonfuls" and "spoons
> full" and have to retain my grumpy old man status somehow!

> Apart from all that junk, I wonder how big an orchid house must be
> before picking off offending slugs off hand is prohibitively time
> consuming? It also encouages one to inspect plants individually.
> That is no bad thing.

> Here's another for the pot; how do I prevent ants from excavating a
> subterranean city beneath my greenhouse foundations. Pressurised
> dispensers of polyurethane foam applied through there back door
> seems a rather cruel solution but has anybody found better?

> And then there's the "Greenhouse effect" ; the phenomenon by which
> greenhouses don't heat up! (Grrrrrrr!).

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [!! SPAM] [OrchidTalk] Gavin's plant problem.
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008

Yes I think that there are some smallish pieces of bark in it. I say 'think' as of course they are mixed in with the other components and take on that dark peat colour. Also there appears to be some peat and shall I say the other 'normal' ingredients of potting composts. I think you had the correct idea when you asked about small pieces of bark.

> I'm trying to get a firm handle on your mix for Paphs..
> Vermiculite and coarse grit I can understand, bit what exactly is
> "rough compost"? In the US, we can't get "a bag of 'Roffeys" to
> really find out. Is it perhaps something like small pieces of
> bark, or what?

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Tony's Hard caned dendrobes.
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008

Your statement:
I have tried stones as a media but found that the orchids don't do well in them during the winter. "Don't do well" is an understatement too. Hardcane Dens turn up their toes quick smart.

My Dendrobium speciosum, and the several pots of D. delicatum just love it. Lots of flower spikes just showing.

From: geoff hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [!! SPAM] [OrchidTalk] Gavin's plant problem.
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008

For the record, and without wishing to do a Stanley about this , I have not
the faintest idea of what is meant by a bag of rough compost ; and if
"Roffeys" is "local" it must be extremely local, since my local Garden
Centre ( Stewarts − which claims to have the best choice in the South of
England − quite a large organisation − a family business now in its 7th
generation − no fly-by-night boys these) − 17 miles from Roger's village -
said they didn't know what I meant by either word − they had Arthur
Bowers, John Innes, Westland etc... and they had peat based, coco based, etc
etc but never heard of Roffeys or Rough compost.

From: MARK GRIFFITHS
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] slugs − plus nit picking and anti ant treatments
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008

Toads are also excellent at eating ants, usually the larger males and queens. But then you have to find a toad, and there really aren't so many about, haven't seen one for years. There are a number of ant eating specialist lizards, thorny devils and so on, but they would prefer a drier climate.

You could always leave down old sheets of the Daily Mail and hope that the ants will lose the will to live after a reading diet of such pessimistic fare.

From: David Martin
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [SPAM] Re: [OrchidTalk] slugs − plus nit picking and anti ant treatments
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008

Hello grumpy old John,
I agree with you about the appalling English, that's why you should have put foam through their back door, not there back door. Joke, no offence meant.
David

From: John W Stanley
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] slugs − plus nit picking and anti ant treatments
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008

OK Geoff,
I take the point over water as a chemical compound in popular parlance but I have grandsons and daughters learning GCSE (or whatever the current acronym is) and they are learning from books which (by my standards) have re-defined the world about us! If water isn't chemical then what is it? And if acceleration can't be a measure of change in relative velocity or direction then what is it? No wonder that undergrads believe lead falls faster than aluminum.. What a wonderful world it would be if there was a consistency of meanings.

I'd love to borrow your anteater so long as it's house trained and won't dig even bigger 'oles in its searches!

I won't get into legal language except to say that I have a friend, so disgusted with the appalling English of a solicitor that he decided to go it alone. I can remember times when we were literally (yes! Literally) rolling on the floor laughing at the linguistic and spelling errors! He eventually won a case in the High Court presided over by Justice rose Heilbron. His solicitor had told him that he didn't have a 'cat in Hell's chance!. Language is of a little importance and chemical free water won't quench any thirsts.
Cheers
John

From: Tony Watkinson
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Tony's Hard caned dendrobes.
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008

From: JIM MATEOSKY
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: Magdalena x marguarite
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008

Can you tell us how you are treating it? Fertilizer, temperature, ventalation, humidiity?

> This masdevallia was given to me , in bloom, about a year ago by a
> friend who was reducing his commitment to orchids. It has been in
> constant bloom since then with new flowers taking the place of
> finished flowers in increasing profusion. It has no special treatment
> and lives with all my other masdevallias. An oddity?-possibly.

From: John W Stanley
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [SPAM] Re: [OrchidTalk] slugs − plus nit picking and anti ant treatments
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008

Hi David,
Thanks!
The moral is; always include a humbling let-out when grousing about such matters. You may have noticed (I quote my earlier email); "There are so many words we all misuse or use in hasty error (including myself with some embarrassment)". Y'see, I'm as prophetic as I am linguistically perfect if vulnerable!
Trouble is, my fingers are too smart by half and ignore my brain's instructions! Also, I was preoccupied thinking about whether or not polyurethane foam, in a pressurised applicator, is really in an "aerosol" can as stated by the manufacturer! One point to you though! Have a medal for services rendered to English!
(Of course, the famous Mr Mainwaring would have responded; "I wondered if anyone would notice that", but I don't think it'd wash, would it? (But only you did notice)!.
No offence taken at all!
Cheers
Jeriatric John . . . . OK; Geriatric Gohn

From: geoff hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Tony's Hard caned dendrobes.
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008

In the early days of rockwool − when that was the latest wonder compost we
all had to try, I remember comparing notes with George Black (one time
member of the RHS Orchid Committee, famous orchid breeder − made several
thousand hybrids − created many entirely new inter-generic combinations
including Hamwellsara the worlds first genus based on six separate genera -
any orchid with the words "Ash Trees" as its cv name is one of his ) and we
agreed that in the growing season last before our discussion we had grown
the best plants ever , and after the winter, had plants with the worst roots
ever.... and we had both given up using rockwool for that reason.

Why bad during the winter ? Because that's when plants don't dry out enough
due to lower temperatures and slower growth rates. Bark ( for example) is a
naturally "warm" substance, and if you don't keep on pouring water on it ,
will dry out. Rock − call it shingle, pebbles, or whatever − and rock wool
too − it's made from decomposed rock after all − is a naturally cold
substance ; if you stop pouring water ion it , it tends to stay wet for a
long time − too long for healthy roots.

From: John J. Rupp
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Paph culture
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008

My Paphs have not been having superlative growth or bloomed while in my
custody, which is why I have been interested in giving Roger's mix a
try. My question is how do you treat them to get them to bloom? I have
heard that some people in the area put their Paphs in an unheated room,
but probably not below 50 F, with no watering until the inflorescence is
visible. Is this cooling and drying period necessary for blooms? Most
things I read say to keep them moist at all times.

On the other hand my Phragmipedium Living Fire (Besseae x Sorcerer's
Apprentice 4N) just opened its first flower. I will try to send a pic
of this soon.

p.s. I must weigh in on the FACT that water is a chemical! As well as
everything else in the world, including the world, itself. If you were
"chemical free," you would be in a vacuum. 'Nuf said.

--
Dr. John J. Rupp
Emeritus Professor of Chemistry
St. Lawrence University
Canton, NY 13617

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Roffeys 'rough' compost.
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008

For the record, A bag of fine compost is much 'finer' than a bag of 'rough' compost. And don't try kidding us that you did not know that.

As to 'Stewarts Garden lands', they are the same as many of the same outlets.....they only stock what they can make a good profit from, and what the mostly 'blind' public know about.

Roffey's of Throop, Bournemouth, supply our local Allotment Association with their product called.....'Roffey's Professional'. And of course we all get it at a very good price.....far cheaper than at Garden Centres.

At the moment a few pages are not available, but at least it will stop you in your tracks.

From: Alan Garner
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Magdalena x marguarite
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008

Jim,
Temperature broadly at 10C to 15C; plenty of air movement; humidity
round about 60 per cent; fertilizer only epsom salts about every
other watering. O.K?

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Paph culture
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008

Temperature wise, the 50F that you state is about the lowest that I let my
Paphs get to in Winter. And then in my mix, I always try, in Winter that
is, to keep the medium moist. I do not like to let it dry out. And that's
about it, easy and simple.

From: JIM MATEOSKY
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Paph culture
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008

light. and or divide them.
I use a course Sand and charcoal very fine mix as well as 10% decomposing leaves from the Forrest floor, the under belly part of the leaves good and slimey.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: New arrival.
Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2008

It was very well packed. It was 'growing' in a black plastic, three inch pot, and the only 'medium' was tight sphagnum moss.

Today I set about removing it from the pot, taking off all of the moss, washing and cleaning it and removing all dead material. I also removed the brownish/black sheaths that surrounded the new growth. I do not normally do this, but the Eriopsis sheaths tend to go very hard, and I think that this may hinder the new growths.

As you can see from the images, about half of the root system was useless. I hate to think what would have happened if I had left the plant like it was and packed in moss.

One other extremely important item for me to have a look at was the make-up of the root. This I did with my home microscope. I am very pleased to tell you that it is for sure an epiphyte. I have heard of, and read many articles about how Eriopsis grows. There are other orchids that fall into this category. Some say that they are epiphytes.....partly epiphytes.....terrestrial.....grow on hillsides, and it goes on and on. But I for one know that THIS plant is a true epiphyte.

I will now go and find a suitable clay pot with holes in it and pot up this plant. Photo to follow.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Eriopsis biloba. Newly re-potted.
Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2008

From: John J. Rupp
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: Phrag. Living Fire
Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2008

I am sending two pics of my Phragmipedium Living Fire that just opened
its first flower. At least three more buds are coming. I have also
included a picture of the back side of the flower as it is intense or
more so than the front. The flower is about 4.5 inches (11 cm) wide.

From: geoff hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] New arrival.
Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2008

I have not got it yet − but I am expecting/hoping to have a plant delivered
to me at the next London Show. Thanks for drawing my attention to it Roger -
it was not on my radar before.

However earlier this week I took delivery of a plant of the very closely
related Eriopsis sceptrum . Similar to yours as a plant, as well as flowers
etc − but only two bulbs − one with leaves , and a new growth a few inches
high. I too have shucked away the moss and gunge.

Here a couple of links you may find interesting about these species ( and
looking up my own messages in our site archive will save me a search if I
need the same info again next Spring) ;

http://www.huh.harvard.edu/research/staff/romero/Arizona_Orchidist_November_
2005.pdf

This first one relates to E.sceptrum, − said to be terrestrial in the white
sand savannah.

This second one tells an interesting tale about a journey across the Gran
Sabana , and relates to E biloba − the reference is just below the sketch of
Catasetum longifolium.

I have had the pleasure of doing that trip from Los Llanos − the great
plains − up and across the Gran Sabana ( Venezuelan for savannah perhaps)
to Saint Elena − although only with a tourist guide in a jeep ( hair raising
- for example the guide driving the jeep across a "bridge" of two parallel
logs spanning a deep river contaminated with arsenic from the gold mines
nearby − whilst I followed crawling on hands and knees ; and the jeep
breaking down near the "Lost World" when we were "only" 40 miles from the
nearest road and habitation.... ! ). I missed many − but not all − of the
orchid goodies I might have seen for lack of expert guiding, but neverthless
have, happy memories of a great adventure..

− and I do know what white sand savannah means, so I'm growing my Eriopsis
in straight, well-washed Perlite which is the nearest I can get , I think ,
and is a "compost" I use a lot, with success..

> Yesterday, late afternoon, I recieved via the Post, a plant of Eriopsis
> biloba.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Photos for the Clubs Website.
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2008

I must admit that I have rarely had a good look at the Club's Website that Tricia so expertly puts together and keeps updated. I especially had a good look at the photographs/images.

Recently I have been putting the name of the orchid actually in the image, as does friend Rudolph Gunnel, AND, John Rupp. In fact it was John's image today of his fine Phrag that spurred me to write this E-mail.

So, Tricia, it would appear to me that this naming of the orchid, or whatever, actually in the image would make your life much easier and have the name staring at the observer without having to search around.

From: Tricia Garner
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: Photos for the Clubs Website.
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2008

Yes indeed, Rocky. It's particularly useful in the case of long names
where the file name may be truncated to fit the page.

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: John's Phrag.
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2008

That sure is a nice Phrag. Having got to growing my Paphs so much better, that is without sending them to the Slaughter House so often, I am thinking of having a go at Phrags. I would of course use my Paph mix for them, but please tell me, what do your Phrags grow in?

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: The Genus Eriopsis.
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2008

We must keep the Club informed of how our respective Eriopsis are doing, as I am shore that any information on this seemingly seldom grown orchid will benefit others.

I have tried a couple of them over many years and they all eventually went to the Slaughter House.

The main thing that I could say about them is this.....then damned things just did not appear to want to move, grow, or do just about anything. Why I do not know.

They seem to fall into the category of just a few select other types that do so annoy us when we try our best.

There must be others out there that have tried this plant, and maybe have had no luck at all with other types.

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
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November	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-30	December	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-31

2008 Archived Messages

15—21 November