Obssesive care vs. Negligance - Page 3 - Orchid Board

Bob2741 · #21 01-17-2009, 10:23 PM

I'm a 2 I get up at 3:30 in the morning walk into work at 4:30 and get home 1:00 PM I walk in the greenhouse check my plants, Check the irrrigation system,Check the fertilizer injector and the heat or cool sit down in my canvas lounge chair and take a long nap.

Jerry Delaney · #22 01-18-2009, 03:33 AM

I guess I would have to classify myself as a #2.9 1/2. I once had a long time grower tell me that "orchids are plants and they do everything that all other plants do, they just do it a lot slower, and that includes dying"! Most orchids are forgiving enough that they will most likely tell us if things aren't right and hang around long enough for most of us to try and remedy the problem.
OOPS! My Oncidium henekenii must have committed suicide last night. Looked good yesterday and now there is this small pile of green leaves on the floor. Oh well!!!!

Ray · #23 01-18-2009, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronaldhanko

The cure for being obsessive about your orchids is to get so many that you don't have the time to be obsessive about them

That's pretty much where I am, but I guess I could also say that I have become a 1 on the conditions - RO, dosing pump, separated-combustion heater, air circulators, fogger, etc. - so that I can get away with being more of a 2 on the personal attention.

Sandy4453 · #24 01-18-2009, 10:16 AM

Since I've (sadly) had to eliminate the ones that don't work in my conditions, I've become less obsessive. Winter also provides for less attention. In the warmer weather, I'm definitely more diligent and definitely more obsessive about their care and I find this to be very therapeutic. Also, warmer weather brings on a potential host of problems which brings on obsession, big time, ie., fungicides, pesticides, etc. I pour all my free time into this hobby and actually wish I had more time be more obsessive about their care.

lobsterman · #25 01-18-2009, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray

That's pretty much where I am, but I guess I could also say that I have become a 1 on the conditions - RO, dosing pump, separated-combustion heater, air circulators, fogger, etc. - so that I can get away with being more of a 2 on the personal attention.

Ray,

Are you growing orchids or running a crack lab?!!(lol)

lobsterman · #26 01-18-2009, 10:53 AM

I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S INPUT!

I hope I didn't affend you Ray, I was just kidding.
I guess I'm lucky enough to live in South Florida where I don't need all the "bells and whistles" per say. But if I did live in those requirements, I'm sure I'd see you at the "bell and whistle" store.

Also, I probably should have prefaced my origial post by stating that I do in fact live in South Florida (Ft. Laud), and the people I speak to are primarlily growing here as well.
That being said, again I don't know all of the specific names of my orchids other than the basics (den, paph, phal, catt. etc..) but here is my basic "middle-of-the-road" regimine:
WINTER: "weakly-weekly" with lake water and a basic mix. ALL ORCHIDS.
SUMMER: try and get them all out in the rain as often as possible.

I went from a shady yard to the desert after Wilma, so I'm jam packed stacked 3-5 high on my South-facing front porch.(hang-a-pot.com)Catts and Cymbiums up high for most light, dens in the middle (or wherever) and phals and paphs down low (most shade).

How am I doing????

cb977 · #27 01-18-2009, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lobsterman

Ray,

Are you growing orchids or running a crack lab?!!(lol)

Funny stuff! Don't worry, knowing that Ray has a sense of humor makes me think he'll find it funny too

cb977 · #28 01-18-2009, 10:59 AM

Sounds like you have them positioned right...the question is:

do they grow and bloom for you?

If so, then you're doing it right

If not, maybe we can help you with some adjustments.

Remember, the key is to do what works for you in your environment. I also think it's very important to take a close look at the chids while you're watering them. If you catch signs of pests or problems early, it's much easier to fix what's wrong rather than waiting for a big problem and trying to fix that...not a lot of fun

lobsterman · #29 01-18-2009, 11:01 AM

My last bit of

and please forgive if this is common knowledge:
A generouse woman showed me this trick for vandas.....
Put a golf ball sized amount of Dynamite granule fertilizer (the red one, I think 9-9-9 or 10-10-10 Home Depot) in a lady's stocking. Tie it at the base of the plant and top of the roots=====Fed at each rain. No brainer.
A 4 pack of cheap stockings is .99 cents at WalMart and 1 stocking will do several plants.

(They've got great deals on make-up too!!!

cb977 · #30 01-18-2009, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lobsterman

My last bit of

and please forgive if this is common knowledge:
A generouse woman showed me this trick for vandas.....
Put a golf ball sized amount of Dynamite granule fertilizer (the red one, I think 9-9-9 or 10-10-10 Home Depot) in a lady's stocking. Tie it at the base of the plant and top of the roots=====Fed at each rain. No brainer.
A 4 pack of cheap stockings is .99 cents at WalMart and 1 stocking will do several plants.

(They've got great deals on make-up too!!!

LOL...when I inherited a number of plants from a friend, all the vandas had the little fertilizer bags hanging from them. He used to make them from little cloth bags and for a while, I put them together using cheesecloth. Than I got too lazy to keep up with it and haven't replaced any of them

By the way...got a very funny visual of Lobsterman buying makeup and stockings at Walmart!