Cleaning orchid leaves

[cb977]

All the things I listed seem to work...they've been in use for years by members of our club.

Terri, I have no idea how they would be able to tell the difference but since I know Leaf-Shine is frowned upon, I don't take the chance. The mayo does a wonderful job.

I was privy to the conversation between judges recently, trying to decide between one of my plants and another of the same type...both were beautiful but the fact that the leaves on mine looked so nice sealed the deal.

[Phalguy]

Originally Posted by Dorothy

Wow that re-defines 'pass the mayo' ..
I tried fresh squeezed lemon juice but I diluted it in water ..
It had gotten some spots off but not all of them ..
Can I go full concentration without leaf damage?

Hello!

I have used pure lemon juice, directly from the fruit with great results!

Phalguy

[Dorothy]

Phalguy - Thank you

[cb977]

Originally Posted by RPfeiffer

Ray from Welcome to First Rays Orchids carries a product called Rise & Shine that I really like! You should look into it as he mentions others have seen other benefits from it as well when using it!

As I always listen to what our friend Ray has to say, I went to his site and found this:

LEAF SHINE:

If you live in an area where the water has a fair amount of dissolved minerals, or if you mist with a fertilizer solution, the leaves of your plants can become dull in appearance. Folks may warn you that these treatments can clog the pores (stomata) on the leaves, but I've never seen a problem.

Pineapple juice, or any citrus juice (lemon, lime, orange), when rubbed onto the leaves with a soft cloth or paper towel will also remove such deposits so your leaves will be nice and shiny. I suppose the acidity reacts with the mostly alkaline deposits. (Thanks to CJ Maciejeski)

Reka reports that stale beer may also be used for shining up leaves, although we're both at a loss for how to get stale beer, as it never gets that way around our houses!

Mix about a 50% dispersion of whole milk in a quart of water. Using a soft cloth or paper towel, wipe the leaf surfaces with the dispersion.

Similar to the milk above, dilute mayonnaise with water to form a thin paste. Again, apply using a soft cloth or paper towel, being sure that you wipe off as much of the paste as you can.

If you like "going natural," but don't want to bother making up your own stuff, I have formulated a great spray - Rise & Shine™ - that is a great leaf cleaner and shine. Go to "The Store" to see more.

Ray has lots of information at Welcome to First Rays Orchids

[Marco]

i use water

[Ross]

I leave mine alone and try not to get them "dirty" in the first place.

[IdahoOrchid]

Does the mayo actually dissolve the spots or just mask them?

[Phantasm]

Usually the foliage isn't even noticed unless it is diseased or has salt or pesticide spotting. Most plants get plenty of water which washes away any problems. If they are growing well and get sprayed with good quality water, they will stay clean.
The judges are primarily looking at the flowers, with the exception of cultural awards. It is more important that old leaves and flower stems are groomed than how much mayo is used to shine them up!

[cb977]

Steven, the mayo removes the spots.

As stated above, judges aren't really looking at the leaves...I just think the plants look nicer. It's all a matter of personal choice

[Oscarman]

I have heard of the mayo trick before and used it on my Blt. Wholewheat 'Togo' and it was really good!

OK, serious Sue........are you talking about regular real mayonnise, not miracle whip. What brand do you use?