Disease Spread (was changing potting medium)
 

"K Barrett" wrote in message
. ..
"Manelli Family" wrote in message
...
[snip]
To prevent contamination we would need to wear latex gloves and
sterilize them between plants.

You *don't*? I do. Or I wash and bleach my hands between plants, being
sure to get under the nails.

No I don't and I never did. You also have to sterilize the pan between each
plant. You must have a lot of free time. How many plants do you have?



[snip]
Cross contamination is very difficult to prevent.

Which doesn't mean you don't do your darndest try to prevent it.

This is true, but I don't have the time to sterilize the soaking pan and my
hands after each and every plant.


K Barrett

How often should I change potting medium?
 

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
. ..
I know that contamination is hard to prevent. That doesn't mean I won't try
my best to keep disease from spreading. I do, in fact, wear latex gloves
when potting, and I change them frequently.

I don't wear gloves but do wash my hands with an antibacterial soap between
plants when repotting. Old potting media is composted for the vegetable
garden.


If I don't change a pair I'll
wash my hands with the gloves on, in a bleach or TSP solution. They are
much less costly than losing a favorite plant or worse, several. We keep a
bunch of sets of cutting tools so each can sit and sterilize for a while
before being used again.

Excellent, but not everyone an afford a bunch of sets of cutting tools.

I've seen how fast disease can move through an orchid collection even when
precautions are taken. I'm not about to add to the danger. But, that's me.
To each his own.

You still have insects to contend with and in some rural places such as
where I live, frogs going through the plants.


Diana
"Manelli Family" wrote in message
...

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
. ..
The problem I have with the bucket method is that you can transfer
pathogens from one plant to the next. If at all possible, flush with a
hose, faucet or wand.

My thoughts are disease will travel in any case. On our hands, on our
clothes and shoes, insects can pass viral and bacterial disease from
plant to plant. We can move our plants around and unknowingly put a
clean pot where a diseased plant sat the day before. To prevent
contamination we would need to wear latex gloves and sterilize them
between plants. Each plant would have a spot and never be moved from it.
We would then still have bugs and insects to contend with. I've already
found frogs on my plants when spending the summer outdoors. Cross
contamination is very difficult to prevent.

I once worked in a hospital and known about contamination.

Disease Spread (was changing potting medium)
 

Manelli Family wrote:

"K Barrett" wrote in message
. ..
"Manelli Family" wrote in message
...
[snip]
To prevent contamination we would need to wear latex gloves and
sterilize them between plants.

You *don't*? I do. Or I wash and bleach my hands between plants,
being sure to get under the nails.

No I don't and I never did. You also have to sterilize the pan between
each plant. You must have a lot of free time. How many plants do you have?


I stopped counting at 700, so there are more than that in my collection.




[snip]
Cross contamination is very difficult to prevent.

Which doesn't mean you don't do your darndest try to prevent it.

This is true, but I don't have the time to sterilize the soaking pan and
my hands after each and every plant.


tsk

K Barrett

Disease Spread (was changing potting medium)
 

"K Barrett" wrote in message
...
Manelli Family wrote:

"K Barrett" wrote in message
. ..
"Manelli Family" wrote in message
...
[snip]
To prevent contamination we would need to wear latex gloves and
sterilize them between plants.

You *don't*? I do. Or I wash and bleach my hands between plants, being
sure to get under the nails.

No I don't and I never did. You also have to sterilize the pan between
each plant. You must have a lot of free time. How many plants do you
have?


I stopped counting at 700, so there are more than that in my collection.

And you soak them all one at a time, washing disinfecting your hands and the
soaking pan between each plant? I can only assume you have hired help.
;o)





[snip]
Cross contamination is very difficult to prevent.

Which doesn't mean you don't do your darndest try to prevent it.

This is true, but I don't have the time to sterilize the soaking pan and
my hands after each and every plant.


tsk

K Barrett

Disease Spread (was changing potting medium)
 

"Manelli Family" wrote in message
...

"K Barrett" wrote in message
...
Manelli Family wrote:

"K Barrett" wrote in message
. ..
"Manelli Family" wrote in message
...
[snip]
To prevent contamination we would need to wear latex gloves and
sterilize them between plants.

You *don't*? I do. Or I wash and bleach my hands between plants, being
sure to get under the nails.

No I don't and I never did. You also have to sterilize the pan between
each plant. You must have a lot of free time. How many plants do you
have?


I stopped counting at 700, so there are more than that in my collection.

And you soak them all one at a time, washing disinfecting your hands and
the soaking pan between each plant? I can only assume you have hired
help. ;o)



No I don't 'soak' my plants at all... I water them. And as I water I go
over my plants, and if I find bugs I pick them off, treat with the
appropriate pesticide, and wash my hands before I go on to another plant so
I don't spread it to the next plant. When I repot I do as I said abvove,
newspapers, bleach etc. All by myself. Manelli, if you want to soak your
plants go ahead. But I reserve the right to say I told you so.

K Barrett.

How often should I change potting medium?
 

On the contrary, I think everyone *can* afford a few sets of cutting tools.
If you buy orchids (no matter where and for what price), you can buy an
extra clipper. You don't need to spend a fortune on tools. HD has adequate
clippers for around $5.00. The very best? No. Do they get the job done? Most
emphatically yes.

As far as insects and other beasts, we're in S. Florida and grow roughly 250
plants outside under screen year round. We are no strangers to bugs and
frogs. We also have little lizards all over the place. Most bugs are
harmless. The lizards and little froggies eat bugs. We all need to adapt to
our own environmental conditions.

Look, what we've been discussing here is pretty standard, basic orchid care.
Avoiding contamination is one of the first things growers talk about when
teaching newbies tricks of the trade. But nobody can force you not to dunk,
or reuse tools, etc. If you're determined to continue the bucket stuff,
then you will, and I hope all goes well.

Diana

"Manelli Family" wrote in message
...

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
. ..
I know that contamination is hard to prevent. That doesn't mean I won't
try my best to keep disease from spreading. I do, in fact, wear latex
gloves when potting, and I change them frequently.

I don't wear gloves but do wash my hands with an antibacterial soap
between plants when repotting. Old potting media is composted for the
vegetable garden.


If I don't change a pair I'll
wash my hands with the gloves on, in a bleach or TSP solution. They are
much less costly than losing a favorite plant or worse, several. We keep
a bunch of sets of cutting tools so each can sit and sterilize for a
while before being used again.

Excellent, but not everyone an afford a bunch of sets of cutting tools.

I've seen how fast disease can move through an orchid collection even
when precautions are taken. I'm not about to add to the danger. But,
that's me. To each his own.

You still have insects to contend with and in some rural places such as
where I live, frogs going through the plants.


Diana
"Manelli Family" wrote in message
...

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
. ..
The problem I have with the bucket method is that you can transfer
pathogens from one plant to the next. If at all possible, flush with a
hose, faucet or wand.

My thoughts are disease will travel in any case. On our hands, on our
clothes and shoes, insects can pass viral and bacterial disease from
plant to plant. We can move our plants around and unknowingly put a
clean pot where a diseased plant sat the day before. To prevent
contamination we would need to wear latex gloves and sterilize them
between plants. Each plant would have a spot and never be moved from it.
We would then still have bugs and insects to contend with. I've already
found frogs on my plants when spending the summer outdoors. Cross
contamination is very difficult to prevent.

I once worked in a hospital and known about contamination.

Disease Spread (was changing potting medium)
 

I suspect I have even less time than most....

In addition to running the orchid-related business, which takes up about
25-30 hours a week, I have a full-time job in the chemical industry, and my
office is 50 miles west of here, so I am typically gone 11 or 12 hours
daily, and that's when I'm not out-of-town.

My point was that it is not a good idea to dunk plants, not that the dunk
tank should be cleaned and refilled for each plant.

I believe in watering the top of the pot and letting it drain. Yes, water
splashing from one plant to the next can spread pathogens, but not as easily
as sharing the same bucket of water.

--

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


"Manelli Family" wrote in message
...

"Ray B" wrote in message
news:4Dmjj.11758$W73.2610@trnddc04...
Your thoughts are correct, but just as in a hospital, why would you do
something that you know is going to greatly increase the likelihood of
spreading it?

It would take much much much longer to dump and sterilize and refill the
pan after each orchid. I have a decent size collection. You may have more
free time than I do. Sterilizing the soaking pan after each plant is only
practical if one has few plants or plenty of free time.

Orchid roots are the most direct path into- and out of the plant, far
more so that through the foliage we come in contact with (that's one
reason foliar feeding is not very effective in them), and liquids are one
of the best media for a pathogen transfer.

--

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


"Manelli Family" wrote in message
...

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
. ..
The problem I have with the bucket method is that you can transfer
pathogens from one plant to the next. If at all possible, flush with a
hose, faucet or wand.

My thoughts are disease will travel in any case. On our hands, on our
clothes and shoes, insects can pass viral and bacterial disease from
plant to plant. We can move our plants around and unknowingly put a
clean pot where a diseased plant sat the day before. To prevent
contamination we would need to wear latex gloves and sterilize them
between plants. Each plant would have a spot and never be moved from it.
We would then still have bugs and insects to contend with. I've already
found frogs on my plants when spending the summer outdoors. Cross
contamination is very difficult to prevent.

I once worked in a hospital and known about contamination.

How often should I change potting medium?
 

I agree, Diana.

Dollar store, kitchen shears.

--

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


"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
. ..
On the contrary, I think everyone *can* afford a few sets of cutting
tools. If you buy orchids (no matter where and for what price), you can
buy an extra clipper. You don't need to spend a fortune on tools. HD has
adequate clippers for around $5.00. The very best? No. Do they get the job
done? Most emphatically yes.

As far as insects and other beasts, we're in S. Florida and grow roughly
250 plants outside under screen year round. We are no strangers to bugs
and frogs. We also have little lizards all over the place. Most bugs are
harmless. The lizards and little froggies eat bugs. We all need to adapt
to our own environmental conditions.

Look, what we've been discussing here is pretty standard, basic orchid
care. Avoiding contamination is one of the first things growers talk about
when teaching newbies tricks of the trade. But nobody can force you not to
dunk, or reuse tools, etc. If you're determined to continue the bucket
stuff, then you will, and I hope all goes well.

Diana

"Manelli Family" wrote in message
...

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
. ..
I know that contamination is hard to prevent. That doesn't mean I won't
try my best to keep disease from spreading. I do, in fact, wear latex
gloves when potting, and I change them frequently.

I don't wear gloves but do wash my hands with an antibacterial soap
between plants when repotting. Old potting media is composted for the
vegetable garden.


If I don't change a pair I'll
wash my hands with the gloves on, in a bleach or TSP solution. They are
much less costly than losing a favorite plant or worse, several. We keep
a bunch of sets of cutting tools so each can sit and sterilize for a
while before being used again.

Excellent, but not everyone an afford a bunch of sets of cutting tools.

I've seen how fast disease can move through an orchid collection even
when precautions are taken. I'm not about to add to the danger. But,
that's me. To each his own.

You still have insects to contend with and in some rural places such as
where I live, frogs going through the plants.


Diana
"Manelli Family" wrote in message
...

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
. ..
The problem I have with the bucket method is that you can transfer
pathogens from one plant to the next. If at all possible, flush with a
hose, faucet or wand.

My thoughts are disease will travel in any case. On our hands, on our
clothes and shoes, insects can pass viral and bacterial disease from
plant to plant. We can move our plants around and unknowingly put a
clean pot where a diseased plant sat the day before. To prevent
contamination we would need to wear latex gloves and sterilize them
between plants. Each plant would have a spot and never be moved from
it. We would then still have bugs and insects to contend with. I've
already found frogs on my plants when spending the summer outdoors.
Cross contamination is very difficult to prevent.

I once worked in a hospital and known about contamination.

Disease Spread (was changing potting medium)
 

On 17 Jan 2008 19:12:43 GMT, wrote:


And that leads me to a marketing thought for those of you that sell humidity
trays with drains.
Bundle them with a bucket a "biohazard: plant pathogens" label and
a bottle of physan 20, and sell them as "phytosanitary aid kits"
at thrice the price :-).

That is what empty cat litter buckets are for.

You have a ready supply and need to find a recycle use:
1. mix storage (each type in its own bucket and one of each
combination you regularly use and pieces of bark or mounts.

2. over flow catch basin for humidity tray drainage,

3. haul for the clean up - weed ferns, and leaves found on the
bench.
4. Chemicals you want double packaged or the bottle contained.

I think that covers 2 months of buckets grin Maybe it took us
longer to work up the supply. Oh yes. One with a small garden tray
is the table next to the light stand so the sprayer is always handy
and at the right height so I don't have to hold the tank up to spray.

Once in a while we use an inverted one as a stool.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/main.php

Disease Spread (was changing potting medium)
 

"Ray B" wrote in message
news:O0Qjj.8782$ib7.7216@trndny04...
I suspect I have even less time than most....

In addition to running the orchid-related business, which takes up about
25-30 hours a week, I have a full-time job in the chemical industry, and
my office is 50 miles west of here, so I am typically gone 11 or 12 hours
daily, and that's when I'm not out-of-town.

My point was that it is not a good idea to dunk plants, not that the dunk
tank should be cleaned and refilled for each plant.

I believe in watering the top of the pot and letting it drain. Yes, water
splashing from one plant to the next can spread pathogens, but not as
easily as sharing the same bucket of water.

Here I agree but watering mine instead of soaking doesn't work. The water
runs right through the chunks of medium and the phals start to shrivel.


--

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


"Manelli Family" wrote in message
...

"Ray B" wrote in message
news:4Dmjj.11758$W73.2610@trnddc04...
Your thoughts are correct, but just as in a hospital, why would you do
something that you know is going to greatly increase the likelihood of
spreading it?

It would take much much much longer to dump and sterilize and refill the
pan after each orchid. I have a decent size collection. You may have more
free time than I do. Sterilizing the soaking pan after each plant is
only practical if one has few plants or plenty of free time.

Orchid roots are the most direct path into- and out of the plant, far
more so that through the foliage we come in contact with (that's one
reason foliar feeding is not very effective in them), and liquids are
one of the best media for a pathogen transfer.

--

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


"Manelli Family" wrote in message
...

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
. ..
The problem I have with the bucket method is that you can transfer
pathogens from one plant to the next. If at all possible, flush with a
hose, faucet or wand.

My thoughts are disease will travel in any case. On our hands, on our
clothes and shoes, insects can pass viral and bacterial disease from
plant to plant. We can move our plants around and unknowingly put a
clean pot where a diseased plant sat the day before. To prevent
contamination we would need to wear latex gloves and sterilize them
between plants. Each plant would have a spot and never be moved from
it. We would then still have bugs and insects to contend with. I've
already found frogs on my plants when spending the summer outdoors.
Cross contamination is very difficult to prevent.

I once worked in a hospital and known about contamination.

How often should I change potting medium?
 

"Ray B" wrote in message
news:JjQjj.8784$ib7.3109@trndny04...
I agree, Diana.

Dollar store, kitchen shears.

I just picked up a few pair................. :-)


--

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


"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
. ..
On the contrary, I think everyone *can* afford a few sets of cutting
tools. If you buy orchids (no matter where and for what price), you can
buy an extra clipper. You don't need to spend a fortune on tools. HD has
adequate clippers for around $5.00. The very best? No. Do they get the
job done? Most emphatically yes.

As far as insects and other beasts, we're in S. Florida and grow roughly
250 plants outside under screen year round. We are no strangers to bugs
and frogs. We also have little lizards all over the place. Most bugs are
harmless. The lizards and little froggies eat bugs. We all need to adapt
to our own environmental conditions.

Look, what we've been discussing here is pretty standard, basic orchid
care. Avoiding contamination is one of the first things growers talk
about when teaching newbies tricks of the trade. But nobody can force you
not to dunk, or reuse tools, etc. If you're determined to continue the
bucket stuff, then you will, and I hope all goes well.

Diana

"Manelli Family" wrote in message
...

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
. ..
I know that contamination is hard to prevent. That doesn't mean I won't
try my best to keep disease from spreading. I do, in fact, wear latex
gloves when potting, and I change them frequently.

I don't wear gloves but do wash my hands with an antibacterial soap
between plants when repotting. Old potting media is composted for the
vegetable garden.


If I don't change a pair I'll
wash my hands with the gloves on, in a bleach or TSP solution. They are
much less costly than losing a favorite plant or worse, several. We
keep a bunch of sets of cutting tools so each can sit and sterilize for
a while before being used again.

Excellent, but not everyone an afford a bunch of sets of cutting tools.

I've seen how fast disease can move through an orchid collection even
when precautions are taken. I'm not about to add to the danger. But,
that's me. To each his own.

You still have insects to contend with and in some rural places such as
where I live, frogs going through the plants.


Diana
"Manelli Family" wrote in message
...

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
. ..
The problem I have with the bucket method is that you can transfer
pathogens from one plant to the next. If at all possible, flush with
a hose, faucet or wand.

My thoughts are disease will travel in any case. On our hands, on our
clothes and shoes, insects can pass viral and bacterial disease from
plant to plant. We can move our plants around and unknowingly put a
clean pot where a diseased plant sat the day before. To prevent
contamination we would need to wear latex gloves and sterilize them
between plants. Each plant would have a spot and never be moved from
it. We would then still have bugs and insects to contend with. I've
already found frogs on my plants when spending the summer outdoors.
Cross contamination is very difficult to prevent.

I once worked in a hospital and known about contamination.

Disease Spread (was changing potting medium)
 

The water runs through the medium in *all* of our orchid pots. The point is
to water heavily, when you water. Then the Phals won't shrivel.

Diana

"Manelli Family" wrote in message
...

"Ray B" wrote in message
news:O0Qjj.8782$ib7.7216@trndny04...
I suspect I have even less time than most....

In addition to running the orchid-related business, which takes up about
25-30 hours a week, I have a full-time job in the chemical industry, and
my office is 50 miles west of here, so I am typically gone 11 or 12 hours
daily, and that's when I'm not out-of-town.

My point was that it is not a good idea to dunk plants, not that the dunk
tank should be cleaned and refilled for each plant.

I believe in watering the top of the pot and letting it drain. Yes,
water splashing from one plant to the next can spread pathogens, but not
as easily as sharing the same bucket of water.

Here I agree but watering mine instead of soaking doesn't work. The water
runs right through the chunks of medium and the phals start to shrivel.


--

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


"Manelli Family" wrote in message
...

"Ray B" wrote in message
news:4Dmjj.11758$W73.2610@trnddc04...
Your thoughts are correct, but just as in a hospital, why would you do
something that you know is going to greatly increase the likelihood of
spreading it?

It would take much much much longer to dump and sterilize and refill the
pan after each orchid. I have a decent size collection. You may have
more free time than I do. Sterilizing the soaking pan after each plant
is only practical if one has few plants or plenty of free time.

Orchid roots are the most direct path into- and out of the plant, far
more so that through the foliage we come in contact with (that's one
reason foliar feeding is not very effective in them), and liquids are
one of the best media for a pathogen transfer.

--

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


"Manelli Family" wrote in message
...

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
. ..
The problem I have with the bucket method is that you can transfer
pathogens from one plant to the next. If at all possible, flush with
a hose, faucet or wand.

My thoughts are disease will travel in any case. On our hands, on our
clothes and shoes, insects can pass viral and bacterial disease from
plant to plant. We can move our plants around and unknowingly put a
clean pot where a diseased plant sat the day before. To prevent
contamination we would need to wear latex gloves and sterilize them
between plants. Each plant would have a spot and never be moved from
it. We would then still have bugs and insects to contend with. I've
already found frogs on my plants when spending the summer outdoors.
Cross contamination is very difficult to prevent.

I once worked in a hospital and known about contamination.

Disease Spread (was changing potting medium)
 

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
...
The water runs through the medium in *all* of our orchid pots. The point
is to water heavily, when you water. Then the Phals won't shrivel.

I do water heavily when I water. And the water runs right through the medium
and the plants shrivel. The water ends up in the saucers or running all over
the tables and floor. Not all my orchids are out in the greenhouses.