Is this a spike on this Phal?

[topiarybud]

Originally Posted by james mickelso

I'm not a PhD candidate nor do I have all the answers. And I learned long ago they don't either. I just flower orchids out of season regularly. I've found that often, real world experience trumps controlled experiments run by folks trying to present papers to further their funding. It's great that there are untold thousands of papers written on and about subjects to prove some point but then there are those of us who poke holes in that research all the time. What I see I say. I've read lots of papers and articles. Many more than you have. You probably grow beautiful orchids. Very healthy orchids. In a place that is very conducive to growing lush beautiful orchids. Now come on over here and do the same in a not so amenable environment. With orchids that have more diseases and viruses and bugs than you ever dreamed of. I'm sure you can find a paper or article that will show you how to grow wonderful orchids here. But until you do, listen and learn something. I'm not too interested in who wrote what. I just grow orchids. And pretty well too.

Really? If you ‘ve read lots of papers, please name one which support your assumption. Denying others doesn’t make your assumption right.

[campchi]

All PhD does is giving a persons credibilities in the specific field that they studied. In the case orchid, it only meant that the person has extensive knowledge on the plants genus identification and the condition on how to care for it in terms of standard science specification. That alone does not mean he/she will be able to master all different growing conditions. I do give credit to all PhDs personnel, but to say that one PhD is more knowledgeable than someone growing plants for numerous years. Sometimes experience defeat PhDs lol in my opinions. U can obtain PhD at age 28, does not means this person will have 30years of experience in term of what he/she studied. Hope you all got my points.

[orchidsarefun]

I think that results from greenhouse experiments cannot generally be extrapolated to windowsill/indoor culture as the point of a greenhouse is to maintain optimum conditions. After all - the objective is to turn around stock and make money. Studies are made expressly to meet that objective.
Every windowsill/indoors environment is unique and that environment changes constantly - as people walk by, as aircons flip on, as seasons change, watering, fertilising and mix compositions.....you get the idea.
Some phals for example bloom regularly in my cultural conditions. For those that don't, I am conducting my own experiment by placing them outdoors for Summer/Fall - with the hope that the change in average temperatures ( as recommended by the Phd types ) trigger spike development.

[topiarybud]

Originally Posted by campchi

All PhD does is giving a persons credibilities in the specific field that they studied. In the case orchid, it only meant that the person has extensive knowledge on the plants genus identification and the condition on how to care for it in terms of standard science specification. That alone does not mean he/she will be able to master all different growing conditions. I do give credit to all PhDs personnel, but to say that one PhD is more knowledgeable than someone growing plants for numerous years. Sometimes experience defeat PhDs lol in my opinions. U can obtain PhD at age 28, does not means this person will have 30years of experience in term of what he/she studied. Hope you all got my points.

No, totally can’t get your points. This research is not showing the authors can grow phals in different conditions. The experiment is to figure out how the temperature and light affect phals. If you don’t put the phals in chambers to make the temperature or the light to be the only variable parameter, how to confirm what affect the phals?

And for someone who always emphasizes that he has grown orchids for XX years, he may know how to grow them in his environment, but doesn’t mean that he understands how it worked.

Originally Posted by orchidsarefun

I think that results from greenhouse experiments cannot generally be extrapolated to windowsill/indoor culture as the point of a greenhouse is to maintain optimum conditions. After all - the objective is to turn around stock and make money. Studies are made expressly to meet that objective.
Every windowsill/indoors environment is unique and that environment changes constantly - as people walk by, as aircons flip on, as seasons change, watering, fertilising and mix compositions.....you get the idea.
Some phals for example bloom regularly in my cultural conditions. For those that don't, I am conducting my own experiment by placing them outdoors for Summer/Fall - with the hope that the change in average temperatures ( as recommended by the Phd types ) trigger spike development.

Yes, we’ve got a very different environment from greenhouse. But some results, like the influences of temperature to phals won’t change its roll in phals’ growing and flowering. That’s why you’d try your experiment, isn’t it?

[james mickelso]

Kinda my point. PhD says phal X blooms during a certain month and only when the temps fall to X*f for so many days. Well I read the paper, or usually in my case, the article, yet that same type phal bloomed for me without a significant temperature drop, bloomed three months before the PhD said is would, and then bloomed again sooner than the article said it should. The point is that just because the PhD or post doc came to some conclusion by experimenting in a controlled environment doesn't mean that is how something will respond all the time. If you want to debate something like this, find a PhD who cares. I don't. I just grow orchids. And I do it well with plants that lots of people, especially PhD's, would throw away after burning them. This bloomed 6 months earlier than it normally does. Just the plant. Nothing I did. And it has fungus galore. Large purple streaks and areas all obver the leaves. But the blooms are really pretty. I just grow orchids. I don't debate their merits nor place them in some narrow environmental box.

[topiarybud]

Originally Posted by james mickelso

Kinda my point. PhD says phal X blooms during a certain month and only when the temps fall to X*f for so many days. Well I read the paper, or usually in my case, the article, yet that same type phal bloomed for me without a significant temperature drop, bloomed three months before the PhD said is would, and then bloomed again sooner than the article said it should. The point is that just because the PhD or post doc came to some conclusion by experimenting in a controlled environment doesn't mean that is how something will respond all the time. If you want to debate something like this, find a PhD who cares. I don't. I just grow orchids. And I do it well with plants that lots of people, especially PhD's, would throw away after burning them. This bloomed 6 months earlier than it normally does. Just the plant. Nothing I did. And it has fungus galore. Large purple streaks and areas all obver the leaves. But the blooms are really pretty. I just grow orchids. I don't debate their merits nor place them in some narrow environmental box.

Here you come again. We are talking about Phalaenopsis, not Cattleya.
Please don’t dodge the question, show the paper & evidence supporting your assumption that the phal’s spike is not induced by temperature, but by some other reasons you mentioned.

[801229001]

I do not believe that in North America we have more pests and diseases than in Taiwan. In warm tropical areas bugs and other pests thrive and are abundant. But in North America most of the pests and diseases we get on our plants are the ones that originated in the tropics.

It is easier to grow and bloom most orchids in a tropical climate but there are no less pests and diseases in Taiwan/other tropical places than there are in North America.

[WhiteRabbit]

I think everyone has had their say regarding the temperature issue ...
There comes a time when we must walk away from arguments. State your reasoning, facts, and be done.
Thank you



Skycat - congrats on your spike!

[james mickelso]

I guess topiary doesn't quite get the point. I don't have to site anything. I just grow orchids, not write or site papers to satisfy my or anyone else's ego. I don't have to satisfy anything. Take it up with PhD's. I'm not interested in debating someone who hasn't proven anything by deed. I just grow, and flower, orchids. In season and out. And there are many diseases of orchids in Taiwan. Not the issue. But not in topiary's beloved PhD's GH setting. That's the point. Growing and flowering orchids full of disease successfully in a not so benign setting is not nearly a easy as growing and flowering orchids in a controlled environment. So now you can go and find someone else to have a play date with. I'm finished. Time for a beer.

[topiarybud]

Originally Posted by WhiteRabbit

I think everyone has had their say regarding the temperature issue ...
There comes a time when we must walk away from arguments. State your reasoning, facts, and be done.
Thank you
Skycat - congrats on your spike!

Hi Sonya, this is not discussing our general routine growing. James is denying a paper that came from a University and published on magazine. Till now, I did not say that James is wrong, but if you want to challenge a theory like that, there must be some official papers and evidences to support it, isn’t it?

Originally Posted by james mickelso

I guess topiary doesn't quite get the point. I don't have to site anything. I just grow orchids, not write or site papers to satisfy my or anyone else's ego. I don't have to satisfy anything. Take it up with PhD's. I'm not interested in debating someone who hasn't proven anything by deed. I just grow, and flower, orchids. In season and out. And there are many diseases of orchids in Taiwan. Not the issue. But not in topiary's beloved PhD's GH setting. That's the point. Growing and flowering orchids full of disease successfully in a not so benign setting is not nearly a easy as growing and flowering orchids in a controlled environment. So now you can go and find someone else to have a play date with. I'm finished. Time for a beer.

You are still dodging the question.