gareth t wrote:

i had my first blue cattleya to produce buds and i went down to the
orchid house house today, and.............. only half a bud
left........... on the floor.

anyone know a quick way to get rid of them?

Gareth




Since I'm building a new greenhouse I get plenty of advice (solicited
and unsolicited) lately. One that keeps coming up is to generously
sprinkle rock salt (I've been using water softener pellets, that doesn't
work as well) on the greenhouse floor. Evidently the USDA is
recommending it too. Of course you won't be able to grow much there
after you move the greenhouse, assuming you move the greenhouse...


Anyway, I've been given various rates, but it seems pretty consistent at
4-6 40# bags of salt for my 1500sq foot greenhouse. That will keep the
slugs away (dead!), and no doubt weeds and a whole lot else... Do not
put salt on the plants (duh!). Re-apply every few years (or every year,
that part of the advice is less consistent...).


You will probably still have to pick slugs off by hand for a few weeks,
go in later at night with a flashlight and squish them. You can knock
them into a jar of salt water if you are squeamish.

Rob

--
Rob's Rules: http://www.msu.edu/~halgren
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a. See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to purchase
more orchids, obtain more credit
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