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How often should I change potting medium?
I have six healthy phals.
Is it a good idea to change the potting medium even if you're not changing the pot size? How often should the medium be changed? I don't want to do it more often than necessary. That stuff is pricey! I use a combination of moss and bark chips. thanks |
How often should I change potting medium?
The correct answer is "when it needs it", and yes, if the plant has not
increased significantly in size, going into the same size pot is fine. As to what defines "it needs it", the primary issue is the medium getting too compact, so it holds too much water and suffocates the roots. Another thing to consider is mineral buildup - if you haven't done a reasonable job flushing, the buildup will become too much to conveniently redissolve, so fresh medium will be in order. Or.....you can consider semi-hydroponics and never change the medium, just adding more as the plant gets bigger. -- Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com Plants, Supplies. Books, Artwork, and lots of Free Info! "Jane" wrote in message ... I have six healthy phals. Is it a good idea to change the potting medium even if you're not changing the pot size? How often should the medium be changed? I don't want to do it more often than necessary. That stuff is pricey! I use a combination of moss and bark chips. thanks |
How often should I change potting medium?
On Jan 10, 9:44 pm, "Ray B" wrote:
The correct answer is "when it needs it", and yes, if the plant has not increased significantly in size, going into the same size pot is fine. As to what defines "it needs it", the primary issue is the medium getting too compact, so it holds too much water and suffocates the roots. Another thing to consider is mineral buildup - if you haven't done a reasonable job flushing, the buildup will become too much to conveniently redissolve, so fresh medium will be in order. Or.....you can consider semi-hydroponics and never change the medium, just adding more as the plant gets bigger. -- Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids -www.firstrays.com Plants, Supplies. Books, Artwork, and lots of Free Info! "Jane" wrote in message ... I have six healthy phals. Is it a good idea to change the potting medium even if you're not changing the pot size? How often should the medium be changed? I don't want to do it more often than necessary. That stuff is pricey! I use a combination of moss and bark chips. thanks This is the first I've heard about flushing (I'm pretty new at this). What should I be doing? Right now I water only when the medium feels dry. I use orchid fertilizer with ever watering. |
How often should I change potting medium?
If you are watering/fertilizing weekly, then use clear water every 4th time,
and flush well. Easy! Diana "Jane" wrote in message ... On Jan 10, 9:44 pm, "Ray B" wrote: The correct answer is "when it needs it", and yes, if the plant has not increased significantly in size, going into the same size pot is fine. As to what defines "it needs it", the primary issue is the medium getting too compact, so it holds too much water and suffocates the roots. Another thing to consider is mineral buildup - if you haven't done a reasonable job flushing, the buildup will become too much to conveniently redissolve, so fresh medium will be in order. Or.....you can consider semi-hydroponics and never change the medium, just adding more as the plant gets bigger. -- Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids -www.firstrays.com Plants, Supplies. Books, Artwork, and lots of Free Info! "Jane" wrote in message ... I have six healthy phals. Is it a good idea to change the potting medium even if you're not changing the pot size? How often should the medium be changed? I don't want to do it more often than necessary. That stuff is pricey! I use a combination of moss and bark chips. thanks This is the first I've heard about flushing (I'm pretty new at this). What should I be doing? Right now I water only when the medium feels dry. I use orchid fertilizer with ever watering. |
How often should I change potting medium?
"Jane" wrote in message ... This is the first I've heard about flushing (I'm pretty new at this). What should I be doing? Right now I water only when the medium feels dry. I use orchid fertilizer with ever watering. To "flush" the soil I soak them in a shallow tub of clean lukewarm water. Collected rain water if I have it on hand, and I usually do. I pour it through the medium also. After every 5 plants or so, I use fresh water again. |
How often should I change potting medium?
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. Diana "Manelli Family" wrote in message ... "Jane" wrote in message ... This is the first I've heard about flushing (I'm pretty new at this). What should I be doing? Right now I water only when the medium feels dry. I use orchid fertilizer with ever watering. To "flush" the soil I soak them in a shallow tub of clean lukewarm water. Collected rain water if I have it on hand, and I usually do. I pour it through the medium also. After every 5 plants or so, I use fresh water again. |
How often should I change potting medium?
Jane,
Take a look at these articles: http://www.firstrays.com/flushing.htm http://www.firstrays.com/mineral_buildup.htm -- Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com Plants, Supplies. Books, Artwork, and lots of Free Info! |
[quote=Ray B;769943]Jane,
Take a look at these articles: http://www.firstrays.com/flushing.htm http://www.firstrays.com/mineral_buildup.htm QUOTE] I just want to add here that it is only necessary to repot your Phalaenopsis when the soil shows signs of deterioration. You may also find this article useful: http://www.landscape-and-garden.com/...is-orchid.aspx |
How often should I change potting medium?
"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)
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? 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)
"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. [snip] Cross contamination is very difficult to prevent. Which doesn't mean you don't do your darndest try to prevent it. K Barrett |
How often should I change potting medium?
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. 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. 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. 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. |
How often should I change potting medium?
"Diana Kulaga" Wrote: 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. 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. 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. Sounds like good advice from the voice of experiance. What about he use of Physan in the dunking bucket? Or would a monthly flushing be better? 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. |
How often should I change potting medium?
Mark,
IMO, the bucket method is not a good idea. There are exceptions - your Physan idea is one of them. If you are treating plants for something you have identified, then during a mass repot you can unpot, dunk, unpot another, dunk, etc. For routine flushing, just use water without fert. Just MNSHO. Diana "Mark_OK" wrote in message ... "Diana Kulaga" Wrote: 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. 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. 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. Sounds like good advice from the voice of experiance. What about he use of Physan in the dunking bucket? Or would a monthly flushing be better? 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)
"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)
"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)
"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. |
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