Phalaenopsis Experiment

[KrissieLynn]

Since this post has moved to the topic of sterilizing tools, does using rubbing alcohol followed by a little time in the flame of a bic lighter work? Or does it need to be something more??

[butterfly_muse]

Originally Posted by KrissieLynn

Since this post has moved to the topic of sterilizing tools, does using rubbing alcohol followed by a little time in the flame of a bic lighter work? Or does it need to be something more??

I will let someone else better qualified answer you for sure, I just rub mine down really REALLY well with alcohol and call it good.

[escualida]

I pass mine over the flame on my stove for about 10 seconds because I'm not sure how well alcohol works, maybe someone else has more info on it?

[Brooke]

Alcohol is not supposed to kill the virus but bleach will at a 10 to 1 ratio.

You need to flame the scissors until the blade is red. I buy cheapo dollar store scissors and they hold up for a long time flaming them and then sticking the scissors in water to cool.

Brooke

[Nanook 2010]

Originally Posted by silken

I think you are in the majority here regarding caring what happens to plants we spent good money on and have a deep interest in. I could buy 6 heavily discounted NOID Phals with minimal problems and sit back and not give a hoot what the end result is. But that's not what I want or what I consider my orchid hobby to be.
I started with NOID phals and still love them and have some. But that fed a much deeper interest in orchids in general and the challenge to grow them well and push the limits as to what I can grow. It's a learning experience to do the research and try different ways to keep them all happy. So when time and money is invested in these special plants, I want to do the best I can for them which involves a little effort, including care not to spread viruses or any other disease or pest. I don't begrudge the effort at all. That's part of the challenge and the learning experience which is a valuable part of this hobby for me. I always like to be learning something and achieving more.

But each to his own. However when I put my plants onto a display table, I just hope the person who's plants are next to mine took the same care and thoughtfulness that I did with mine since I don't want my plants coming home with anything extra (unless its a ribbon!).

Why would you assume I don't care what happens?

I have about 50 orchids and talk to my wife and see I don't obsess!

By all means, sterilize, wear gloves, clean out pots with bleach, send cuttings away for testing, apply cinnamon and what ever else you prefer. I've utilized some of these techniques and will again.

I was posting this in the BEGINNERS SECTION to show some BEGINNERS that sometimes growing orchids doesn't have to be that difficult

I must admit...some responses have taken a little of the fun out of the experiment.

[jeremyinsf]

Originally Posted by Nanook 2010

I must admit...some responses have taken a little of the fun out of the experiment.

I have to admit, as a relative newcomer to the board, seeing this tread develop has been really disappointing.

My experience so far has been a lot of help, some advice, some good ideas, and room for different ways of doing things. In this case though, it's as though people are taking this 'experiment' very personally and offensively.

As the owner of my own life, and my own orchids - I have the right to do whatever I want with them. Sometimes I might do something others consider 'wrong' just so I can learn from it. In fact, I destroyed a spike recently (on purpose) because I wanted to see what it would do to some existing stuff on a multi-floral Paph. Blasphemy to some? Perhaps. But it was mine to do what I wanted, and I liked what I learned from it and the sacrifice was mine to make.

I understand people take all this very, very seriously. And some people's income depends on it. And lots of other reasons for doing what they do. But the Internet is what it is today because it's an exchange of ideas and knowledge. Not a place for everyone to tell everyone else how things 'SHOULD' be.

I wish Nanook all the best in the experiment. And to everyone else - happy sterilizing!! I hope threads don't turn into flames like this one very often.

[butterfly_muse]

Originally Posted by jeremyinsf

I have to admit, as a relative newcomer to the board, seeing this tread develop has been really disappointing.

My experience so far has been a lot of help, some advice, some good ideas, and room for different ways of doing things. In this case though, it's as though people are taking this 'experiment' very personally and offensively.

As the owner of my own life, and my own orchids - I have the right to do whatever I want with them. Sometimes I might do something others consider 'wrong' just so I can learn from it. In fact, I destroyed a spike recently (on purpose) because I wanted to see what it would do to some existing stuff on a multi-floral Paph. Blasphemy to some? Perhaps. But it was mine to do what I wanted, and I liked what I learned from it and the sacrifice was mine to make.

I understand people take all this very, very seriously. And some people's income depends on it. And lots of other reasons for doing what they do. But the Internet is what it is today because it's an exchange of ideas and knowledge. Not a place for everyone to tell everyone else how things 'SHOULD' be.

I wish Nanook all the best in the experiment. And to everyone else - happy sterilizing!! I hope threads don't turn into flames like this one very often.

So you're that kid that always took apart the remote control to see how it worked. XDDDDDD (Just trying to crack a joke! )

[escualida]

Originally Posted by Nanook 2010

I was posting this in the BEGINNERS SECTION to show some BEGINNERS that sometimes growing orchids doesn't have to be that difficult

Exactly, you posted it in the beginners section, meaning that a lot of people that don't have a lot of experience will see it. All the more reason to be clear on how to properly care for orchids.

I honestly couldn't care less what you do with yours, by all means, they're your orchids. I didn't attack you or tell you how to do your "experiment".

But like I said before, this is a place to share ideas and best practices, and it is my right (and I think duty) to help others seeking advice on this board by informing them on what can happen when you don't sterilize cutting tools, and how to properly do so. The only reason I did so in this thread is because you explicitly stated in your original post that you did not sterilize your tools - I thought that someone with no knowledge could read that and think that sterilizing wasn't necessary - so I simply responded saying that it was. Nothing else.

If you want to take offense by something I said, go right ahead but you'd be reading way more into it than what was intended.

[AnonYMouse]

Originally Posted by jeremyinsf

I have to admit, as a relative newcomer to the board, seeing this tread develop has been really disappointing.

My experience so far has been a lot of help, some advice, some good ideas, and room for different ways of doing things. In this case though, it's as though people are taking this 'experiment' very personally and offensively.

As the owner of my own life, and my own orchids - I have the right to do whatever I want with them. Sometimes I might do something others consider 'wrong' just so I can learn from it. In fact, I destroyed a spike recently (on purpose) because I wanted to see what it would do to some existing stuff on a multi-floral Paph. Blasphemy to some? Perhaps. But it was mine to do what I wanted, and I liked what I learned from it and the sacrifice was mine to make.

I understand people take all this very, very seriously. And some people's income depends on it. And lots of other reasons for doing what they do. But the Internet is what it is today because it's an exchange of ideas and knowledge. Not a place for everyone to tell everyone else how things 'SHOULD' be.

I wish Nanook all the best in the experiment. And to everyone else - happy sterilizing!! I hope threads don't turn into flames like this one very often.

Stay away from discussions of viruses and big box noIDs, you should be mostly fine.

(I know, this started innocent enough)

[NYCorchidman]

Originally Posted by Nanook 2010

The roots weren't too bad..better on some, worse on others.

Here is the amount of dead roots I cut away

That is less than the amount that I had to trim off on one of my old phals.

They all look good (referring to the "after repot" photos)

All the best!