Something's missing...oh yeah FLOWERS!

[Kuldking]

Originally Posted by Dorothy

Liisa - Don't mind me .. I'm just silly

Don't worry. I know you were just kidding. But it i always best to explain yourself from time to time

[kiki-do]

Aaron, speaking of beer (I think there was mention of beer) Sue has a beer formula that orchids and all flowering plants love. It's a quick and easy recipe and I'm sure if you PM her she will share it with you. It is used in addition to fertilizer, kind of a treat and I think that little boost may do something.
I've used it and I think it does help somewhat.
It may be the kicker you need....for the chids, that is.
When I repot, I always use real wine corks (used). I have many people saving them for me. I don't like the peanuts at all and use wine corks instead. For one thing, plants like that sweetness and they like the cork.
I was told, long ago, from a women with an incredible green thumb that if I have a sickly houseplant plant (which is not your case, I know) to add a tiny bit of sugar to some water when watering it. It has healing properties. So now I associate that sugar/sweetness with the wine corks. Plus a friend who owns an orchid greenhouse here in Maine has many of his vandas and other hanging orchids surrounded with only wine corks in the basket. That's where I originally got that idea!

[JennS]

I think most of those sound like they will do just fine outdoors. I have many of the same types and they all seem pretty happy. I would just watch the Catatsetum or whatever it is called. They like a drought period (I just found out how important this is so I want to share it with everyone as I think they have beautiful flowers!) so I would probably bring it in or make sure it will not get rained on during the drought time (I think about late Oct or early nov. to Feb 1 or so). I am not sure about a few that I have not tried outdoors, but here is my list and they all do great. I have Dendrobiums, Catts, Oncidiums, Vandas, 1 catasetum, Epidendrums, Asocenda, Brassia, Bulbophylum, and Colmanara (although this one has yet to flower, but was not in my care until a month and a half ago). I also have a couple Phals and Paph's, but I have been keeping them inside because they all were looking pretty pathetic outdoors. I think it was because we had such a dry spell for awhile and I was really busy with work and school and forgot to water for quite some time and the sprinklers dont' hit them very well and when they did it's at night!

[susiep]

Aaron, I love reading your posts! You always say the funniest things. I would like to offer my .

My collection is similar to yours in many ways. I live in Ft Lauderdale so I know about intense sun, torrential downpours, drought, and bugs. Plus I have aquired many orphan orchids over the years. Your orphans and plants that you are helping to get healthy are a large portion of your collection. Most of these plants will bloom in time so be patient with them. My suggestion is to build a separate (outside) place for them to grow and mature. Then just give them normal care and leave them alone. Plus, buy yourself a few big, healthy blooming size plants to enjoy now. I have about 85-90 plants now. Right now about 15 are in bloom or bud, 5 with bloom spikes, and about half of them have new growths forming. So I also have about 20-25 plants that aren't doing much right now. Still I have enough going on to keep me amused (actually more than I can handle sometimes). The good thing about where we live is if you have them in a shade house where they can get filtered light and rain, they can survive with very little attention. So that thing about thriving on neglect is true in a way. That is what it is like in nature for them and may be what they need to grow strong.

My very crowded shade house is where they live most of the time. I let the buds form in there and then just before they start opening I move them inside or to the front porch for everyone to enjoy. 10 blooming orchids can make quite a show! No one sees the 70-80 out back doing nothing (for now)!

My shade house is just a couple arbors covered with solar screen. Works great and doesn't take up too much room. Here are some

http://www.orchidboard.com/community...hp?photo=11056
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...hp?photo=11053
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...hp?photo=11054
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...91&ppuser=3846
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...hp?photo=14688

Don't forget my advice about picking up a couple of blooming plants! That will make everything much better!

[AaronM]

Thanks Susiep,
Two questions: First, is that 75% shade cloth like they sell at HD? Second, what on Earth do you do with all those orchids in the winter?
I know that my Vandas had a real struggle last winter and I lost one (it was my Brother-in-law's very most ultimate favorite and I'm still hoping to find a replacement before I have to break the news )
I was picturing something similar for myself with removable outer panels covered with 6mil plastic sheeting to convert it to a winter greenhouse.
I actually built a small pergola sans shade cloth (I used passion vine for extra shade instead) for my Onc. sphacelatum, but it's so huge that it takes up the entire 3'x4' space (holy cow , I just realized I have an orchid that is twelve square feet).
Now if I can just swing the expenditure with my new bride. Of course, it sure would be nice to be able to put my computer back on my desk and remove the intensive carearium.

Thanks everybody.

AaronM

[susiep]

Not shade cloth, solar screen. It is sold with the other rolls of screen. Thicker mesh, blocks more light but lets the rain and air through. Just my preference.

You get a little bit colder winter and more days of it than us. I just cover the shade house with blue tarps and bungie cords before sunset on the nights that are predicted to go below 50. It will hold the heat in overnight and keep off the wind chill. Then I remove the cover the next morning so the sun will heat it up again. It's a pain but usually I only have to do it 3 or 4 times per winter.

I don't keep anything too big in there. Big plants are on the back porch (staghorns, etc). A lot of my vandas are growing on wires now (no baskets) so they take up less room.

[AaronM]

Susiep,
I know the stuff your talking about. I'll look tomorrow at work and see how much it runs.

Thanks,

AaronM

[AaronM]

O.K. people. I moved all but two of my orchids out onto the back porch. Let's see how this goes. I worry a bit about bugs though. What is the strongest most toxic and thoroughly lethal insecticide available that's safe to use on orchids?

Thanks to everyone who participated in this thread.

AaronM

[susiep]

Aaron, you may not need pesticides. With all this rain, watch out for snails though. They can eat up a collection in one night. Sprinkle some Sluggo around for that. I have been just using alcohol on the scale and mealies as I find them lately and only using the Orthene spray when I see an infestation starting. Just make sure they aren't getting any direct sun. I just sunburned a plant this week. I'm so mad at myself about that.

[orchidexpress]

Aaron,

A natural pesticide is:

1 cup 409
1 cup rubbing alcohol
3 cups water

Mix it together and put in a spray bottle and spray both sides of all your leaves.

Regarding the bugs, preventive maintenance is always good. No need to wait till you have an outbreak.

Send us pictures!

Happy Growing!