What would I use the Physan for then? Just sterilizing garden tools, pots, etc.?? I have read a lot of people dunk their orchids' roots in Physan before repotting, but of course I don't want to hurt them.

Edit: SJF, I looked at them earlier today, I will probably send some samples there as soon as I can. Unfortunately being a student means I'm poor. Well that, and the fact that both fiance and I just had major maintenance done on both of our cars >.<; Lol.

I know the feeling. Kids and a house can cause those same issues. Just follow good cultural practices and enjoy the plants

Ahh, yes. I don't have children but we did make a trip to the vet on Friday as well. And we're moving! Geesh this has been an expensive month, lol...my 6 week leave of absence at work to participate in a mandatory field school for my degree doesn't help either. >.<

In the mean time, I will indeed enjoy my plants. I'm actually looking forward to getting into our new place and setting up grow lights for them. :) I am also hoping the addition of lights will allow me to start growing different types of orchids..you know, after I verify mine don't have cooties.

I had a kitty there too. Vet bills are expensive.

Hope they all all cooty free and just cuties

Me too!! :D Thank you for all of the help, btw! :)

you are welcome

Think laterally. :) Get a syringe (without a needle) and you can measure in quite small volume increments. I have a range of them, from things that let me measure down to about 0.01ml up to whopping great big ones that do 50ml.

I can't work in imperial measurements - I work in the much more numerically sensible metric ones, so I use ml and L for things. A US gallon is about 4.5l and tablespoon is 15ml.

That means each litre of water needs about 3.33ml of the Physan (at the dose you suggest is required- 1tbsp/gallon) (15/4.5). You can do these calculations with any volume measurements and doses. You can also work out how many ml you need for arbitrary volumes once you know how much 1l requires.

If you're not happy about measuring out really small volume increments, you can make an intermediate "stock" solution, by diluting the original chemical in a suitable volume of water (i.e. if you want to double the measurable volume, 50/50 with water, if you want to quadruple it, 25/75 and so on) and then measuring that out. Make sure you use good quality water in stock solutions; I'd err on the side of distilled or RO if you can get it.

If you're sneaky, you can adjust the stock solutions to fall on sensible quantities (i.e. whole rather than fractional numbers). I often have to do this for medicating rodents from medications meant for larger animals, which you either have to measure out tiny quantities of, or use a diluted stock solution. Same thing works for plants of course. :)



---------- Post added at 10:27 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:17 AM ----------

Labels :) You don't mail them a whole plant, you mail them a chunk of leaf, putting each in a heavy duty ziplock. With a paint marker or a good permanent "sharpie", you label the outside of the bag with a reference of your choosing. They will then report back per reference what they find.

Here are their instructions:
http://www.crittercreeklab.com/test_...Selection.html

p.s. if you want to get really paranoid, "absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". i.e. just because you've tested negative doesn't 100% guarantee that plant is definitely free of virus [there are lots of them and each test is specific, and they have detection thresholds too]. That said, the likelihood of a false negative for a specific virus test is very low. ;)

=) Thanks! I am planning on getting them tested in the near future so that I can know what I'm dealing with before I get any more plants.

I will get some Physan 20 ^_^