New orchids to your collections - procedure

[bil]

Originally Posted by Wrknnwf

This is such great information for a beginner. Thanks everyone for sharing!

I did get one orchid (mounted) that had a little beastie. I actually found him when I soaked the roots in a glass vase just after I got the orchid.

The little fellow managed to grab an air bubble as he went underwater and was carrying it around. I was examining the root system through the vase when I saw the bubble moving sideways, instead of floating to the top. Then I noticed the bug crawling on the bits of moss. It was actually pretty interesting!

I managed to get rid of him, after I was through being entertained, and put the orchid with the rest of them, but admit I was worried for a day or two. Several soaking later, I haven't seen any more of his relatives, but still crossing my fingers. Every time I soak, I inspect the roots for air bubbles moving horizontally. Am I paranoid? hahaha

Not every bug is a pest. Quite a lot are harmless.

[wintergirl]

The mounted ones I got were mostly roots with very little media. No place for critters to hide. I like to buy seedlings too

[Leafmite]

Andy's uses natural predators so if you get orchids from him, you might get some good bugs to help with the rest of your collection.

[Wrknnwf]

Not to worry...I rarely squash any bug. Just set them free if I find them inconvenient. Spiders get to live in the house if they like. My only requirement being that they don't hang from the ceiling at my eye level when I enter a room.

Had a funnel web (not the Australian kind) that set up housekeeping overnight on my desk full of scattered papers. Called her Harriet. She spun the most beautiful sheet of web, complete with the funnel and stayed for quite a long time. Eventually, I had to send her outside because I needed something in that stack of paper work. I had grown rather fond of her peeping out at me and actually missed her.

Now, I swear this part is true...two days later, there was a new funnel web in the same place complete with spidey. Was it Harriet? I like to think so. But she packed up one day and I haven't seen her since.

[estación seca]

Originally Posted by bil

The idea of meristem culture is that the cells at the active meristem are multiplying too fast for the virus to infect them.

That was the thinking. It doesn't work that way, at least not in orchids. Think about it - how are you going to get to the meristematic tissue without cutting through the virused tissue around it?

[bil]

Originally Posted by estación seca

That was the thinking. It doesn't work that way, at least not in orchids. Think about it - how are you going to get to the meristematic tissue without cutting through the virused tissue around it?

What you do is, you cut away ALL the surrounding surfaces one cut at a time, sterilising the blade after each cut.

I know it worked for the rhubarb. I think they also use heat/cold treatment and anti virals to reduce the risk of transmission of the virus to the apical meristem.

[estación seca]

Even if you used a fresh blade each cut, at some point you would have to cut through a virused cell to separate it from the uninfected meristem. Unless somebody can cut in between two cell walls.

Plus there are virus particles in some meristematic tissue.

It seems more likely they treated rhubarb meristems with something that killed the virus.

[theloyalplum]

I always quarantine my new plants to some extent. I also do a visual inspection for pests and an alcohol wipe down just in case. I also repot fairly soon to check root health and for pests especially slugs and snails. I also always transition the plants into a pot and media that fit my growing style, though I have skipped this and the repot occasionally if I knew the vendor and/or talked to the vendor about it beforehand. I work in a fairly dense space, so any pest or otherwise will travel quickly, so I do everything I can to prevent it! You can never be too careful!