ORCHID PARAPHENALIA

[WhiteRabbit]

*bamboo skewers!
*lots of spray bottles
*cinnamon
*styro packing pnuts
*my old betta tank (now a chid hospital)
*old fishbowl (has sphag moss growing in it now)
*dishpans and plastic food storage containers used for soaking plants

*the california sun
*the california coastal climate

*** All the great people on OrchidBoard! ***

[lostonthebeach]

"If i was SMART... a STRAW would be on my list so I didnt get a face full when i tried to blow water out of my phals crown." QUOTE]


I second the idea of straws. Not only do they get water out of Phal crowns but off of new tender growth on all orchids, especially seedlings. And using straws forces one to get down and up close with one's plants.
A good way to keep on top of their condition.

Also a roll of stripped #12 copper wire and a good pair of pliers. Always ready to made plant clips or hangers.

[CoolPhrog]

Originally Posted by let_it_grow

the store that i go to for my stuff CLEARLY sells to primarily potheads (not that theres anything wrong with that ). I walk in that place and they assume I'm growing weed

Laugh if you'd like but my hubby and I went to a store like that here locally...walked in empty handed and walked OUT empty handed and about 3 weeks later 5 cops (1 in uniform and 4 in plain clothes) and wanted to search the house because they had a report we were "propagating" weed....we were an unfortunate part of statewide sting over the summer.... Though clearly they could see that the only we were growing was ORCHIDS!!!!

[cb977]

Originally Posted by CoolPhrog

Laugh if you'd like but my hubby and I went to a store like that here locally...walked in empty handed and walked OUT empty handed and about 3 weeks later 5 cops (1 in uniform and 4 in plain clothes) and wanted to search the house because they had a report we were "propagating" weed....we were an unfortunate part of statewide sting over the summer.... Though clearly they could see that the only we were growing was ORCHIDS!!!!

Dana, I thought of you guys as soon as I read that earlier...but figured I'd let you tell the story

Maam...step away from the Cattleya!

[let_it_grow]

Originally Posted by CoolPhrog

Laugh if you'd like but my hubby and I went to a store like that here locally...walked in empty handed and walked OUT empty handed and about 3 weeks later 5 cops (1 in uniform and 4 in plain clothes) and wanted to search the house because they had a report we were "propagating" weed....we were an unfortunate part of statewide sting over the summer.... Though clearly they could see that the only we were growing was ORCHIDS!!!!

OMG really... well I'm sure they would be disappointed if they came to my place. Crack is a bigger problem in my area EEEEWWWWWWEEEEYYY Plus i live in Canada so weed is not as big of a deal. But that should be illegal. They have no reason to think you grow weed other than the fact that you went to a hydroponics store. Buying hydroponics is not illegal, nor does it mean you are doing something illegal with it.

[CoolPhrog]

Originally Posted by let_it_grow

nor does it mean you are doing something illegal with it.

Prechin' to the chior!

[Ross]

OK, here are my secrets:

Calibrated light meter
Calibrated TDS meter
Calibrated pH Meter
spray bottles (lots of those)
Home Depot 5-gallon buckets
2 RO units
Nikon D200 camera with lots (more than 15) lenses
Photo studio
A whole library of orchid books (some pretty expensive and pretty specialized - like a whole volume on Angraecoides)
Orchidwiz software
a Turkey Baster (I'll let you figure out what that's for )
A calendar (for keeping track of the water/fertilizer regimen)
Fans - lots of them - for circulating air
Drip trays
Small clippers to clip off stuff
Wire stakes to stake up stuff
Sponges to mop up stuff
and even a "Sham-Wow" for soaking up drippage and moisture in the fans of Phals and Paphs.

[let_it_grow]

Originally Posted by Ross

"Sham-Wow" for soaking up drippage and moisture in the fans of Phals and Paphs.

Heck yeah!!!!!

[camille1585]

This this a fun thread! It's interesting to see what people use for their orchids.

Ross, I'll ask the question anyways: what the heck is the turkey baster for??

I have:
*toothpicks for picking out mealies from leaf crotches (the fat one usually explode leaving guts all over the toothpick )
*stakes
*clips
*spray bottles
*hygrometer
*thermometer
*syringe for measuring liquid ferts
*fertilizer
*HB-101
*old wire fridge shelves to put over my humidity trays, the plants sit on those.
*rubbing alocohol and q-tips
*'savon noir' as insecticidal soap
*cinnamon
*a big bucket for soaking orchids
*2 liter soda bottles for watering
* big wet towels to drape over the radiators to raise humidity levels
*paper towels to get water out of crowns
* a squeegee to clean the mess when I water.

I think that's it. There might be other things I'm forgetting, in which case I'll add them on later!

[Ross]

Originally Posted by camille1585

Ross, I'll ask the question anyways: what the heck is the turkey baster for??

Why heck, it should be obvious To suck up all the crud in the bottom of the tank or below the orchids upstairs in the grow area. Somebody needs to do the clean up And then I also use it to water a few sphagnum-based orchids that need a dousing now and then. It really works wonders in certain conditions.