Take a look at my cymbidiums

[bil]

Originally Posted by charitysmama

Thanks, Bil (is that short for Bill???, ), I will. How about a couple of more questions? I have an orchid that has a terminal spike, or at least it did until I cut it off yesterday. It has been doing great, and then started losing leaves. I dumped it out and there were some dead roots, but there are two new orchids growing out of the sides of the stock or stem. Should I try to separate all three, trying to give each some roots, or wait until the top is totally dead? At least, it looks like it is headed that way. Right now I have them in Ziploc vegetable bags (the ones with little slits in the bags) and am misting them each day.

Actually it is bil is short for Bill. (See Bill the Galactic Hero by Harry Harrison. 2 Ls, officers only.)

I haven't had a great deal of experience with Cymbs, so if anyone else can pitch in?

If I have a suffering remnant of an orchid, I don't personally like ziplocks. I plant them in the usual medium for that orchid and put a bit of sphagnum moss under it as a water reservoir, but not so much as to cause problems later on. When the roots start to grow, I pick out as much as I can. It works well on dens and catts, but I haven't tried it on Cymbs. However, I would try that if I had a bulb or two on their own. I mist them pretty often too.

My worry would be fungus, so I would hit it with an anti fungus spray. I like Mancozeb. It's a godsend.

[charitysmama]

Originally Posted by bil

Actually it is bil is short for Bill. (See Bill the Galactic Hero by Harry Harrison. 2 Ls, officers only.)

I haven't had a great deal of experience with Cymbs, so if anyone else can pitch in?

If I have a suffering remnant of an orchid, I don't personally like ziplocks. I plant them in the usual medium for that orchid and put a bit of sphagnum moss under it as a water reservoir, but not so much as to cause problems later on. When the roots start to grow, I pick out as much as I can. It works well on dens and catts, but I haven't tried it on Cymbs. However, I would try that if I had a bulb or two on their own. I mist them pretty often too.

My worry would be fungus, so I would hit it with an anti fungus spray. I like Mancozeb. It's a godsend.

Hi, Bil, Thanks for the info. I will look for Mancozeb on line. I know some people use H2O2. I was misleading, I was talking about phals, and the one with the terminal spike. I have them in Ziploc bags until I can get some potting mix. I have been able to find Black Gold Medium Orchid Bark, but that's all it has. I have doctored it with other stuff, but I live in an area that grows trees and beef, redneck cowboy country and they aren't in to raising orchids, so I was lucky to find the Black Gold. I don't know how good it is. I have to order online if I want anything unusual. Our local Wallyworld and another chain store named Fred Meyer's, a superstore, sell orchids and sometimes they have something unusual. Most of their orchids aren't meant to survive, just look pretty for a short while. They often come packed in cheap plastic pots packed with moss, so they end up drowning. I went to a local nursery, a very reputable one, and asked for sphagnum moss, and he laughed, and said "go out in the woods and get some, you are in the northwest, where they get the stuff". I did get a little, but put it in the oven on low for a couple of hours, and it doesn't look quite like what comes in orchids. I like to add a little to the bark along with perlite. Thanks for taking the time to respond. I learn a lot on this site. Linda

[bil]

Originally Posted by charitysmama

Hi, Bil, Thanks for the info. I will look for Mancozeb on line. I know some people use H2O2. I was misleading, I was talking about phals, and the one with the terminal spike. I have them in Ziploc bags until I can get some potting mix. I have been able to find Black Gold Medium Orchid Bark, but that's all it has. I have doctored it with other stuff, but I live in an area that grows trees and beef, redneck cowboy country and they aren't in to raising orchids, so I was lucky to find the Black Gold. I don't know how good it is. I have to order online if I want anything unusual. Our local Wallyworld and another chain store named Fred Meyer's, a superstore, sell orchids and sometimes they have something unusual. Most of their orchids aren't meant to survive, just look pretty for a short while. They often come packed in cheap plastic pots packed with moss, so they end up drowning. I went to a local nursery, a very reputable one, and asked for sphagnum moss, and he laughed, and said "go out in the woods and get some, you are in the northwest, where they get the stuff". I did get a little, but put it in the oven on low for a couple of hours, and it doesn't look quite like what comes in orchids. I like to add a little to the bark along with perlite. Thanks for taking the time to respond. I learn a lot on this site. Linda

Yeah, the 'buy to die ' market. I personally would have used the sphagnum live, assuming it's from a clean area.
We all trade knowhow and ideas, that's how it works.

Do you mean sphagnum or Spanish moss? Two very different things.

[charitysmama]

Originally Posted by bil

Yeah, the 'buy to die ' market. I personally would have used the sphagnum live, assuming it's from a clean area.
We all trade knowhow and ideas, that's how it works.

Do you mean sphagnum or Spanish moss? Two very different things.

sphagnum is what grows here in the Northwest, evidentally there is quite a business harvesting the stuff, who woodda thought

[bil]

Originally Posted by charitysmama

sphagnum is what grows here in the Northwest, evidentally there is quite a business harvesting the stuff, who woodda thought

Meh, a lot cheaper if you can harvest it yourself. Like I say, I'd use it live.

[charitysmama]

Thanks, I will look for some as soon as I get over this cold. I have 10 acres and lots of forest above me to look. Of course, I have to watch out for the bear that keeps stealing my apples.

[bil]

Originally Posted by charitysmama

Thanks, I will look for some as soon as I get over this cold. I have 10 acres and lots of forest above me to look. Of course, I have to watch out for the bear that keeps stealing my apples.

Oh bloody hell! Be careful!

[wintergirl]

I use live spagh moss for plants that need to stay moist such as a thin epidendrum, butterworts and sundews. Live spagh moss for mini phals might be ok but for large phals it will probably keep them too wet.

[bil]

Originally Posted by wintergirl

I use live spagh moss for plants that need to stay moist such as a thin epidendrum, butterworts and sundews. Live spagh moss for mini phals might be ok but for large phals it will probably keep them too wet.

Well, as I say, I just use bark for phals. Putting phals in moss alone is a recipe for disaster unless you are very, very careful

[theloyalplum]

Wow your blooming season is early! Mine won't start until full blown winter time! Heck, my Cymbs are still putting out new growths at the moment.