2 Problems
 

I was wondering if any one has a good way of controling thrips and
fungas gnats in S/H, I have tryed neem, systems, BTH and soaking, I
still have the freeking critters (the gnats I can stand, but I HATE
thrips)

The other is how can you prevent damping off, every time I deflask
seedling they loose all their leaves. Now 2 months later the little
suckers that have survied so far are putting out more leaves, but I
lost about half the batch, I think that my culture is good, 70% humidy,
65-75 F, a week in a 1/2 gal bag gradually hardening them off before
putting them onto my grow rack. This is killing me.

BTW Ray, stanhopea seem to do well in hydocorals for deflasking.

Jack

2 Problems
 

"Jack" wrote in message
oups.com...
I was wondering if any one has a good way of controling thrips and
fungas gnats in S/H, I have tryed neem, systems, BTH and soaking, I
still have the freeking critters (the gnats I can stand, but I HATE
thrips)

I have no idea whether this method will have unintended consequences, but an
even layer of fine white sand about 1/4" thick will quickly smother your
annoying gnats.

2 Problems
 

On Mon, 7 Aug 2006 19:24:26 -0400, "TQ" ToweringQs AT adelphia.net
wrote:


"Jack" wrote in message
roups.com...
I was wondering if any one has a good way of controling thrips and
fungas gnats in S/H, I have tryed neem, systems, BTH and soaking, I
still have the freeking critters (the gnats I can stand, but I HATE
thrips)

I have no idea whether this method will have unintended consequences, but an
even layer of fine white sand about 1/4" thick will quickly smother your
annoying gnats.


How can you put sand on top of S/H? It will work down into the
PrimeAgra or expanded clay.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/orchids

2 Problems
 

1) Dealing with thrips on plants growing in semi-hydro culture is no
different that dealing with them on a plant grown any other way - a good
contact/systemic insecticide is needed. They live and reproduce strictly in
the vegetative tissue.

2) Fungus gnats indicate the presence of decomposing organic matter, which
suggests that you didn't remove the organic potting media components well
enough before moving the plant into S/H. A decent contact-killer
insecticidal drench should do it.
--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Artwork, Books and Lots of Free Info!


"Jack" wrote in message
oups.com...
I was wondering if any one has a good way of controling thrips and
fungas gnats in S/H, I have tryed neem, systems, BTH and soaking, I
still have the freeking critters (the gnats I can stand, but I HATE
thrips)

The other is how can you prevent damping off, every time I deflask
seedling they loose all their leaves. Now 2 months later the little
suckers that have survied so far are putting out more leaves, but I
lost about half the batch, I think that my culture is good, 70% humidy,
65-75 F, a week in a 1/2 gal bag gradually hardening them off before
putting them onto my grow rack. This is killing me.

BTW Ray, stanhopea seem to do well in hydocorals for deflasking.

Jack

2 Problems
 

Thanks, I have alot of algea growing in this pot, I removed all the old
moss before repotting, Guess that I'll have to get some phytosan and
drench it in malithion, actually all my orchids because where there is
one thrip in one plant you have thrips in all your plants. Wow I hate
those suckers.


Jack

BTW I have an Onc. Pacific Skys that is in spike, I guess that I am
used to phals and catts because I am getting impatient for it to bloom
and all it is doing is branching out the spike.

2 Problems
 

The life cycle of a thrip is fast; about 2 weeks, depending on species and
temperature. Generally speaking, the warmer it is, the faster the life
cycle. All but one stage has piercing/sucking mouthparts. They can esialy
get through screens and come inside a greenhouse or indoor growing area from
outside populations. In some species all stages have wings, from the newly
hatched instars to the adult, and in other species wings are missing during
some stages, leaving them a period of only a couple days where they must
crawl/walk to find food.

As you know they are tiny. Without a loop, it is not easy to tell a fungus
gnat from a thrip. The easy difference is in where they feed. Fungus gnats
larvae feed almost exclusively on decaying material near the upper surface
of soil/pots/potting media/scummy ponds/refrigerator drip pans, etc.....
Adults fungus gnats exist only to fly and mate and don't have mouth parts.
Few if any species of fungus gnats eat live plant roots, but there are
plenty of other 'decomposing' larvae that do and they all look like each
other to the giant human eye observing them.

Thrip Eggs are laid on plant tissue, usually leaf and more often flower
tissue and newly hatched larval instars will begin to feed on any part of
the plant which presents sap/fluids containing nutrition. Populations tend
to rapidly take on the coloration of whatever they are feeding on and this
leads to common names, like "Green" or "Yellow" Tobacco Thrip, or "Purple
Dendrobium Thrip," etc... when in reality they may not be plant specific
species; just rapidly adjusting generational camouflaging eveolved as a form
of protection.

Within about 72 hours the larva will molt through two stages all the while
eating whatever tissue they are living on.

Once the third stage instar begins they stop eating some may even develop
wings, fly off or simply
crawl down into moderately or well decayed potting media to pupate. Like
fungus gnats, this instar requires potting media that is very moist and on
the decomposed side in order to do well. Dry and/or new potting media will
make it hard for both fungus gnats and 3rd stage thrip larvae to survive in
it.

The hatching pupa are responsible for biting humans and causing skin
reactions: they literally will pierce and suck any tissue that is moist,
including skin.

The fourth stage pupa, is where they turn into fully mature adults ready to
mate and reproduce. Females
lay eggs which will hatch even if not fertilized. Eggs produced from
fertilized females will
yield offspring of either sex; those laid by unfertilized females will hatch
into only males.

I write all this because you must address a thrip problem on all parts of
the plant and environment where any moist living or decaying tissue, (plant
or animal) exists. :-)

"Jack" wrote in message
oups.com...
Thanks, I have alot of algea growing in this pot, I removed all the old
moss before repotting, Guess that I'll have to get some phytosan and
drench it in malithion, actually all my orchids because where there is
one thrip in one plant you have thrips in all your plants. Wow I hate
those suckers.


Jack

BTW I have an Onc. Pacific Skys that is in spike, I guess that I am
used to phals and catts because I am getting impatient for it to bloom
and all it is doing is branching out the spike.

2 Problems
 

So, wash out the grow racks, treat heavily with systemics, flush with
contact, what the hell some throw some neem and phytosan on just for
fun

AKA Nuke them all.

got it, no wonder they are such a freeking pain, in the past I could
manage to keep them from doing serius physical damage to my plants
(yeah yeah I know about virus and all that) but could not manage to
elimniate them.

I will have to make a dedicated effort

Thanks

Jack

2 Problems
 

"Thrips" is a plural noun, like "deer." One deer, many deer. One
thrips, many thrips.

J. Del Col

2 Problems
 

You've had lots of responses on the thrips. The only thing I would add is
that we generally find it necessary to spray more than once. My usual
protocol is 3x, about 7 days apart. If you find you have to do it again
after that, change chemicals.

OK - 2 things. Soap is a good additive to most sprays, but test for
compatibility first (mix up a couple ounces of whatever you plan to spray
the night before, add a couple drops of soap, shake well, and then the next
morning see if the solution is all still suspended or a bunch of gunk has
settled out). If it stays mixed, the soap will provide your contact kill
and also act as a sticker-spreader for the systemic. Works for potted
plants in a mix of mostly lava rock; your S/H method might make a
difference, so someone else who uses that and knows should pipe up here --
will the soap residue be harmful in that situation?

Fungus gnats are annoying, but I haven't been able to see that they do any
plant or flower damage, and here they usually die on their own (we've
occasionally imported some on purchases, never seen any develop onsite). So
I can't help on that.

On the damping off on plants coming out of flask -- how are you taking them
out? There have been a couple-three recent posts about different methods
....

Kenni

"Jack" wrote in message
oups.com...
I was wondering if any one has a good way of controling thrips and
fungas gnats in S/H, I have tryed neem, systems, BTH and soaking, I
still have the freeking critters (the gnats I can stand, but I HATE
thrips)

The other is how can you prevent damping off, every time I deflask
seedling they loose all their leaves. Now 2 months later the little
suckers that have survied so far are putting out more leaves, but I
lost about half the batch, I think that my culture is good, 70% humidy,
65-75 F, a week in a 1/2 gal bag gradually hardening them off before
putting them onto my grow rack. This is killing me.

BTW Ray, stanhopea seem to do well in hydocorals for deflasking.

Jack

2 Problems
 

Webster agrees. #@%#$&! dictionary.

wrote in message
oups.com...



"Thrips" is a plural noun, like "deer." One deer, many deer. One
thrips, many thrips.

J. Del Col

2 Problems
 

I will have to try adding soap.

The flasklings I take them out, they are shipped in twirl packs already
taken out of the flask, but are not washed, I seperate them and place
them in the compots that are already soaked with superthrive, 1/4
strength fert, and ironite transplant. I place them in 1/2 gal baggies
and spray them with neem oil. I open the baggies up more each day for a
week then put them in my grow rack on the next to top shelf with full
shading and a grow light, 2 40w flourencents. I water them when they
get dry and try to keep the medium universially moist, alittle dry
between each watering, about every 2 days. temp 75F, humidity 65% -
75% with a fan running on the shelf below them which keeps the air
moving. I don't think that I am over handling them. but some times I
think that I am letting them get too dry, but if I let them stay wet I
have problems with mold.


I Know that this a subject that has been covered before, but i think
that I am doing it right and still have greater than 50% fatality rate.

Jack

2 Problems
 

Jack,

Personally, I'd skip the neem oil, and take a bit longer to harden them off.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Artwork, Books and Lots of Free Info!


"Jack" wrote in message
oups.com...
I will have to try adding soap.

The flasklings I take them out, they are shipped in twirl packs already
taken out of the flask, but are not washed, I seperate them and place
them in the compots that are already soaked with superthrive, 1/4
strength fert, and ironite transplant. I place them in 1/2 gal baggies
and spray them with neem oil. I open the baggies up more each day for a
week then put them in my grow rack on the next to top shelf with full
shading and a grow light, 2 40w flourencents. I water them when they
get dry and try to keep the medium universially moist, alittle dry
between each watering, about every 2 days. temp 75F, humidity 65% -
75% with a fan running on the shelf below them which keeps the air
moving. I don't think that I am over handling them. but some times I
think that I am letting them get too dry, but if I let them stay wet I
have problems with mold.


I Know that this a subject that has been covered before, but i think
that I am doing it right and still have greater than 50% fatality rate.

Jack

2 Problems
 

I got an email from someone who reads this newsgroup who I know to be very
knowledgeable but who only lurks here. He suggested I consult my pest
management textbook on thrips with regard to their soil dwelling stage. The
text book points out that Thrips pupating in soil are very susceptible to
moisture and the associacated fungus problems. So in this respect, the
natural controls on them are just the opposite of fungus gnats. Damp
decomposing media posses a greater threat to their life-cycle than dry new
media. They can be easily drowned in just water and or fall prey to the
same decomposing fungal organisms that are breaking down the media. I
suspect thrips live cycle would be easily disrupted in the semi-hydro method
of potting orchids if they have no place else to pupate.

"Al" wrote in message
...
Once the third stage instar begins they stop eating some may even develop
wings, fly off or simply
crawl down into moderately or well decayed potting media to pupate. Like
fungus gnats, this instar requires potting media that is very moist and on
the decomposed side in order to do well. Dry and/or new potting media
will make it hard for both fungus gnats and 3rd stage thrip larvae to
survive in it.

2 Problems
 

Al wrote:


As you know they are tiny. Without a loop, ....

That should be a "loupe." 10X would be best.

Obligatory songs: "Here We go Loop-de-Loop." "Little Latin Lupe Lu."

J. Del Col

2 Problems
 

dam, your good. ;-) Ask me about my electric wench some time. You don't
get a.b.p.o do you?

However, it's definitely a loop I was speaking of. I made it myself with
some clear cellophane stretched over one end of an old bubble blowing wand
left over from one of my recent childhoods. I couldn't find the loupe that
I was required to buy for my pest management class so I had to improvise.

This reminds me of my favorite exchange from one of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe
novels. In it Wolfe had maneuvered one of his suspects into the red chair
and was making him nuts with his erudite pedantic style of interrogatory
interlocution until the man simply could not take it any more. He said, "I
came here to find out what you've done with my wife, not to have my grammar
corrected!" To which Wolfe dryly replied, "I'm not correcting your grammar.
I'm correcting your diction."

.....I guess you had to be there.

Anyway, you may correct either of mine any time you like and I'll try to be
more careful. It's just reassuring to know somebody actually reads this
cwap 'o mine that closely, sense most of it is so obliviously devoid of
common cents.

Al
Most probably lost in one of his many childhoods ...or is he trying to avoid
a mountain of repotting chores?


wrote in message
oups.com...

Al wrote:


As you know they are tiny. Without a loop, ....

That should be a "loupe." 10X would be best.

Obligatory songs: "Here We go Loop-de-Loop." "Little Latin Lupe Lu."

J. Del Col

2 Problems
 

for the bugs only
I grow in coconut chunks and this worked very well for me

http://www.ortho.com/index.cfm/event...umentId/72c90b
b34e83ab40af12b25b1d77e798

2 Problems
 

Oh, we remember your electric wench, Al! G

Diana

"Al" wrote in message
...
dam, your good. ;-) Ask me about my electric wench some time. You
don't get a.b.p.o do you?

However, it's definitely a loop I was speaking of. I made it myself with
some clear cellophane stretched over one end of an old bubble blowing wand
left over from one of my recent childhoods. I couldn't find the loupe
that I was required to buy for my pest management class so I had to
improvise.

This reminds me of my favorite exchange from one of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe
novels. In it Wolfe had maneuvered one of his suspects into the red chair
and was making him nuts with his erudite pedantic style of interrogatory
interlocution until the man simply could not take it any more. He said,
"I came here to find out what you've done with my wife, not to have my
grammar corrected!" To which Wolfe dryly replied, "I'm not correcting
your grammar. I'm correcting your diction."

....I guess you had to be there.

Anyway, you may correct either of mine any time you like and I'll try to
be more careful. It's just reassuring to know somebody actually reads
this cwap 'o mine that closely, sense most of it is so obliviously devoid
of common cents.

Al
Most probably lost in one of his many childhoods ...or is he trying to
avoid a mountain of repotting chores?


wrote in message
oups.com...

Al wrote:


As you know they are tiny. Without a loop, ....

That should be a "loupe." 10X would be best.

Obligatory songs: "Here We go Loop-de-Loop." "Little Latin Lupe Lu."

J. Del Col

2 Problems
 

Al wrote:

This reminds me of my favorite exchange from one of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe
novels. In it Wolfe had maneuvered one of his suspects into the red chair
and was making him nuts with his erudite pedantic style of interrogatory
interlocution until the man simply could not take it any more. He said, "I
came here to find out what you've done with my wife, not to have my grammar
corrected!" To which Wolfe dryly replied, "I'm not correcting your grammar.
I'm correcting your diction."

Good old Nero, a model of correctness.

J. Del Col

2 Problems
 

Ok, So can you correct my culture so half my flaskling stop dying, or
are you suggesting that I take up reading Nero Wolfe (a very good
author) to ease my anxiety
over their death, other than that correct my diction all you want, as I
find debate about the realities of a living language an interesting
debate, even though I personally despise the whole english language

Jack

wrote:
Al wrote:

This reminds me of my favorite exchange from one of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe
novels. In it Wolfe had maneuvered one of his suspects into the red chair
and was making him nuts with his erudite pedantic style of interrogatory
interlocution until the man simply could not take it any more. He said, "I
came here to find out what you've done with my wife, not to have my grammar
corrected!" To which Wolfe dryly replied, "I'm not correcting your grammar.
I'm correcting your diction."

Good old Nero, a model of correctness.

J. Del Col

2 Problems
 

Jack wrote:
Ok, So can you correct my culture so half my flaskling stop dying, or
are you suggesting that I take up reading Nero Wolfe (a very good
author) to ease my anxiety
over their death, other than that correct my diction all you want, as I
find debate about the realities of a living language an interesting
debate, even though I personally despise the whole english language


The Nero Wolfe stories are some of my favorite mysteries, one of the
reasons I fell into orchid addiction, as a matter of fact.

J. Del Col

2 Problems
 

Jack: Other than seconding the notion of skipping the Neem Oil, I don't
think I can help you on the flasklings unless you find a good source for
actual flasks. I suspect that a lot of the damage is being done before you
get the little monsters (notwithstanding the best of care, packing and
intentions on the part of the grower shipping them to you).

So, you like Nero Wolfe G? Kenni

"Jack" wrote in message
oups.com...
Ok, So can you correct my culture so half my flaskling stop dying, or
are you suggesting that I take up reading Nero Wolfe (a very good
author) to ease my anxiety
over their death, other than that correct my diction all you want, as I
find debate about the realities of a living language an interesting
debate, even though I personally despise the whole english language

Jack

wrote:
Al wrote:

This reminds me of my favorite exchange from one of Rex Stout's Nero
Wolfe
novels. In it Wolfe had maneuvered one of his suspects into the red
chair
and was making him nuts with his erudite pedantic style of
interrogatory
interlocution until the man simply could not take it any more. He
said, "I
came here to find out what you've done with my wife, not to have my
grammar
corrected!" To which Wolfe dryly replied, "I'm not correcting your
grammar.
I'm correcting your diction."

Good old Nero, a model of correctness.

J. Del Col

2 Problems
 

Doesn't everyone love Nero Wolfe? Quel characteur!

Diana

"Kenni Judd" wrote in message
...
Jack: Other than seconding the notion of skipping the Neem Oil, I don't
think I can help you on the flasklings unless you find a good source for
actual flasks. I suspect that a lot of the damage is being done before
you get the little monsters (notwithstanding the best of care, packing and
intentions on the part of the grower shipping them to you).

So, you like Nero Wolfe G? Kenni

"Jack" wrote in message
oups.com...
Ok, So can you correct my culture so half my flaskling stop dying, or
are you suggesting that I take up reading Nero Wolfe (a very good
author) to ease my anxiety
over their death, other than that correct my diction all you want, as I
find debate about the realities of a living language an interesting
debate, even though I personally despise the whole english language

Jack

wrote:
Al wrote:

This reminds me of my favorite exchange from one of Rex Stout's Nero
Wolfe
novels. In it Wolfe had maneuvered one of his suspects into the red
chair
and was making him nuts with his erudite pedantic style of
interrogatory
interlocution until the man simply could not take it any more. He
said, "I
came here to find out what you've done with my wife, not to have my
grammar
corrected!" To which Wolfe dryly replied, "I'm not correcting your
grammar.
I'm correcting your diction."

Good old Nero, a model of correctness.

J. Del Col

2 Problems
 

yep right up th the part where I have to walk over to where I threw the
book because I was ****ed that he spent 2 pages being so obtuse, some
time I like getting to the point, other time I enjoy seeing how it is
avoided. Well off to douse the babies.

BTW I remember someone saying awhile ago that the trick to being an
expert orchid grower was killing off the ones you can't grow fast so
you throw them away, and hiding the hanger-oners in the back where no
one will notice.

Jack

2 Problems
 

Considerable truth to that G. Next step is remembering (and exercising
the self-restraint) to quit buying the ones you find out you can't grow
VBG Kenni

"Jack" wrote in message
oups.com...
SNIP
BTW I remember someone saying awhile ago that the trick to being an
expert orchid grower was killing off the ones you can't grow fast so
you throw them away, and hiding the hanger-oners in the back where no
one will notice.

Jack

2 Problems
 

Kenni Judd wrote:

Considerable truth to that G. Next step is remembering (and exercising
the self-restraint) to quit buying the ones you find out you can't grow
VBG Kenni
................
............


Few of us ever reach that level. ;-)

2 Problems
 

Yeah but so cute and / or pretty, this time it will be different, I
promise G

Kenni Judd wrote:
and exercising
the self-restraint to quit buying the ones you find out you can't grow

2 Problems
 

OK When it comes to deflasking everyones a bit different. I prefer to
use an inverted plastic pot with a sheet of plastic over the holes so
I can adjust the air inside in very small increments, seems to work
faster for me in my setup.
I have used the baggie method as well with very good results.
Some plants need to stay in the baggies for more than a month, some
only need three or four days. Don't just open the bagg more and more
evey day. You have to watch closely and adjust the opening on an as
needed basis for each compot,(sometimes within a 12 hour span) you
want the inside of your baggie to come close to 100% in the begginning
without making moisture on the bag walls, if it does, wipe off
imediantly and open the top just a touch more. The broader and larger
the leaf the less time it takes to become hardy in the new enviroment.
First off I would raise my humidity outside the baggie. At least a
constant 75+% It shouldn't drop below about 70% That way as you open
the baggie more and more it doesn't drop the humidity to low and cause
the leaf drop off. I would cut the neem oil spraying when they are
that young, or make it very very week solution. Same goes for the
supertrive and ironite, if you use it at all make it very very week. I
have deflasked many many seedlings and not put a bit of fert in the
moss for several weeks while they get used to the new home.I soak my
moss in a week solution of physon then rinse well before using. Witch
brings us to a question, What are you compoting in? I have found that
a very tall yet small pot with moss packed loosly and stopping about
1/2 inch from the top of the pot gives the plant a bit more moisture
because the lip of the pot is higher than the plant. If the pot is
deep then the roots can find there prefered spot, higher or lower in
the moisture.
The biggest thing is ROOTS If your getting plants allready deflasked
they may not have the roots needed to sustain after deflasking. I
order from all over the world and have found that alot of the time
plants are sent to early. I have a flask of Dens from Ausralia that I
ordered two years ago, they made up my order of a lot of flasks
(mostly Stanhopeas) in 6 months and sent them to me, then over the
next 12 months I deflasked them as the roots were strong enough to
suport the plants. This last one has been sitting on the shelf for 18
months now and is just about ready to come out.
As for your lighting, what are you deflasking? I am allmost
exclusively Stans so my compots are in the shade with just dappled
light coming thru leaves of mature plants. My Dens and Onc and Bulbos
get bright light (about three or four feet under a 400 watt MH that is
tilted slightly away from the shelf). Also I never let my seedling
moss get dry. I mist the moss every morning trying not to wet the
leaves but allways keeping the moss moist. If useing the baggie method
then you don't have to mist the moss every day cause it will stay very
moist in the bag for several days.
If you have problems with molding then I would try more air flow, but
while they are young its got to be moist air flow. I run a negitive
pressure room. The air is sucked out of the room allways(the air is
completly replaced every 10 mins. (yeh it uses more RO water in the
atomizers but it does wonders for keeping bugs and mold down) and the
incoming air is filled with moisture by atomizers at the entry points.
In a 10' x 15' room I have 4 ocilating fans running all at different
heights and in different areas and still there are rather large
microclimates in the space. The newest compots go in the moister
areas.

WOW, I just read my post. What a wind bag!
Sorry for the grammer and spelling but it's late and I aint correctin
it now. NOOK


On 8 Aug 2006 17:59:30 -0700, "Jack" wrote:

I will have to try adding soap.

The flasklings I take them out, they are shipped in twirl packs already
taken out of the flask, but are not washed, I seperate them and place
them in the compots that are already soaked with superthrive, 1/4
strength fert, and ironite transplant. I place them in 1/2 gal baggies
and spray them with neem oil. I open the baggies up more each day for a
week then put them in my grow rack on the next to top shelf with full
shading and a grow light, 2 40w flourencents. I water them when they
get dry and try to keep the medium universially moist, alittle dry
between each watering, about every 2 days. temp 75F, humidity 65% -
75% with a fan running on the shelf below them which keeps the air
moving. I don't think that I am over handling them. but some times I
think that I am letting them get too dry, but if I let them stay wet I
have problems with mold.


I Know that this a subject that has been covered before, but i think
that I am doing it right and still have greater than 50% fatality rate.

Jack

2 Problems
 

With respect to fungus gnats- I bought three sundews- Drosera
adelae, to be precise- from California Carnivores. They grow well
side-by-side in some orchidaria that I use for a select number of plants.
Moreover- they control the fungus gnats very effectively indeed.

The address in this header is bogus. Send no email there.

Cheers,

-AJHicks
Chandler, AZ

2 Problems
 

On 16 Aug 2006 22:33:47 GMT, Aaron Hicks wrote:

With respect to fungus gnats- I bought three sundews- Drosera
adelae, to be precise- from California Carnivores. They grow well
side-by-side in some orchidaria that I use for a select number of plants.
Moreover- they control the fungus gnats very effectively indeed.

We bought a venus flytrap from them and sundews popped up as a bonus.


Bob

2 Problems
 

AJH -

I've always held your opinions in high regard, but isn't that treating the
symptoms and not the cause?

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Artwork, Books and Lots of Free Info!


"Aaron Hicks" wrote in message
...

With respect to fungus gnats- I bought three sundews- Drosera
adelae, to be precise- from California Carnivores. They grow well
side-by-side in some orchidaria that I use for a select number of plants.
Moreover- they control the fungus gnats very effectively indeed.

The address in this header is bogus. Send no email there.

Cheers,

-AJHicks
Chandler, AZ

2 Problems
 

That's a good point, Al. It is a band-aid for most purposes.

Part of it is that there are folks that consider fungus gnats and
their larvae to be harmless, and others that think the larvae will eat
roots. I dunno which camp is correct. The reason I've been keeping
droseras as of late (aside from how easy they are to grow) is that they
have done well at controlling a modest problem I have with some paphs I'm
keeping in sphag just right now because they really need some help. I
can't let them dry out, but I don't keep them sopping wet.

How do people keep paphs in sphagnum without this problem?

The address in the header isn't valid. Send no email there.

-AJHicks
Chandler, AZ

2 Problems
 

Aaron Hicks wrote:
With respect to fungus gnats- I bought three sundews- Drosera
adelae, to be precise- from California Carnivores. They grow well
side-by-side in some orchidaria that I use for a select number of plants.
Moreover- they control the fungus gnats very effectively indeed.


I used to grow droseras. IIRC, they attract insects to an area. My
favorite was D. peltata.

I have a nepenthes in with my orchids now.

J. Del Col

2 Problems
 

You probably mean, "Good Point, Ray." Believe me, Al hasn't made a good
point in weeks.

"Aaron Hicks" wrote in message
...
That's a good point, Al. It is a band-aid for most purposes.

Part of it is that there are folks that consider fungus gnats and
their larvae to be harmless, and others that think the larvae will eat
roots. I dunno which camp is correct. The reason I've been keeping
droseras as of late (aside from how easy they are to grow) is that they
have done well at controlling a modest problem I have with some paphs I'm
keeping in sphag just right now because they really need some help. I
can't let them dry out, but I don't keep them sopping wet.

How do people keep paphs in sphagnum without this problem?

The address in the header isn't valid. Send no email there.

-AJHicks
Chandler, AZ

2 Problems
 

OK, I suspect that you are right about the neem, in my latest pots, I
noticed burn right after I sprayed them down, but I have probems with
mould, so I guess that I'll have to switch to pytosan. I grow in the
baggie system, which makes the airflow a probem, I think that I am
going to switch over to trays, a little easier to get a good airflow
into. Thanks


Light is bright shade, humidity it about 65-70% temp is about 70F
Jack

2 Problems
 

Mea culpa. Ray it is.

-AJHicks
Chandler, AZ