orchid heretic?
 

Ok, so maybe by the time I am done with this email no one in this group will
take me seriously anymore, but here it goes:

I admit that after 3 years of growing orchids, I have today for the first
time repotted two of them myself. You see until today I would always go to a
local plant nursery, pay them $5-7 and that would include the new pot,
potting medium, and labor of repotting. I got to watch, discuss the health
of the roots with the staff person there, browse their orchid collection for
a possible additional orchid buy, and the entire experience was very
enjoyable.

Today, my bathroom is a mess. I am a mess. My back hurts. And I am
frustrated. But hey, those two orchids have been repotted. Yay. ;-(

I think I am going to go back to the nursery the next time one of my plants
needs repotting. Sure I saved $5-7 and I got to actually do it myself, but
for me this is just not worth it. Plus, I am not even sure that I did a good
job of the repotting: What if I left some roots that needed to be cut? What
if I disturbed some roots that were better left alone? At the local nursery
I trust the staff person to know what he or she is doing -- I know these
people well enough to know that they have more experience with orchids than
I do.

I understand that someone who owns a greenhouse with a huge number of
flowers and has lots of experience is better of doing this themselves, but I
am much better at coding Active Server Pages and writing stored procedures
than at repotting. Programming is my job, repotting is theirs.

I love the daily interaction with the orchids, watering them, looking for
signs of stress, or for new spikes or new leaves. But repotting is a pain in
the back for me.

Joanna

On Sun, 22 Aug 2004 21:11:33 GMT, "J Fortuna"
wrote:

But repotting is a pain in
the back for me.

Joanna


That much I will agree with. You have so few that you worry over
them like a mother hen. I learned to repot helping an older
society member. I got the back bulbs for all the Catts we
repotted. In that one weekend I went from 10 plants to 50.

To do that many plants you can not worry. You go in and pull out
the squishy roots. He did not believe in clippers when you could
snap off the dry dead leaves or spikes. You could pull off the
rotten roots and not have a pair of clippers or a knife or blade
to sterilize. Such a fuss. And that was in the days when we
kept the clippers in a supper saturated solution of TSP.

Now no matter how you keep them someone will tell you that way
will not kill virus. Remember you are providing artificial
habitat for this plant - it is used to roughing it. You will be
nicer to it than the wild would be. A bad root or good one in
the trash should not be enough to bother it.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

Joanna,

That is yet another reason to consider semi-hydroponics! Repotting is a
snap.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!
..
"J Fortuna" wrote in message
...
Ok, so maybe by the time I am done with this email no one in this group
will
take me seriously anymore, but here it goes:

I admit that after 3 years of growing orchids, I have today for the first
time repotted two of them myself. You see until today I would always go to
a
local plant nursery, pay them $5-7 and that would include the new pot,
potting medium, and labor of repotting. I got to watch, discuss the health
of the roots with the staff person there, browse their orchid collection
for
a possible additional orchid buy, and the entire experience was very
enjoyable.

Today, my bathroom is a mess. I am a mess. My back hurts. And I am
frustrated. But hey, those two orchids have been repotted. Yay. ;-(

I think I am going to go back to the nursery the next time one of my
plants
needs repotting. Sure I saved $5-7 and I got to actually do it myself, but
for me this is just not worth it. Plus, I am not even sure that I did a
good
job of the repotting: What if I left some roots that needed to be cut?
What
if I disturbed some roots that were better left alone? At the local
nursery
I trust the staff person to know what he or she is doing -- I know these
people well enough to know that they have more experience with orchids
than
I do.

I understand that someone who owns a greenhouse with a huge number of
flowers and has lots of experience is better of doing this themselves, but
I
am much better at coding Active Server Pages and writing stored procedures
than at repotting. Programming is my job, repotting is theirs.

I love the daily interaction with the orchids, watering them, looking for
signs of stress, or for new spikes or new leaves. But repotting is a pain
in
the back for me.

Joanna

Joanna,

Until you do the repotting with your own hands you will never conquer the
orchid demon.

Mick

Mick, Yes, but do I really want to conquer that demon? Up until now, me and
the demon have had this understanding: I let him be in charge, and in
exchange he provides me with a pleasant, enjoyable hobby.

Ray, I may well try semihydro, I have been thinking about it, but ... the
thing is that now I still have most of a bag of orchid potting mix left, and
wouldn't want it to go to waste. :-)

My husband asked what I would give him in exchange for him doing the
repotting the next time. Hmm, something else to think about.

Joanna (who is in a much better mood by now after a very pleasant walk in
gorgeous weather in the DC area)

"Mick Fournier" wrote in message
...
Joanna,

Until you do the repotting with your own hands you will never conquer the
orchid demon.

Mick

Mick, Yes, but do I really want to conquer that demon? Up until now, me and
the demon have had this understanding: I let him be in charge, and in
exchange he provides me with a pleasant, enjoyable hobby.

Ray, I may well try semihydro, I have been thinking about it, but ... the
thing is that now I still have most of a bag of orchid potting mix left, and
wouldn't want it to go to waste. :-)

My husband asked what I would give him in exchange for him doing the
repotting the next time. Hmm, something else to think about.

Joanna (who is in a much better mood by now after a very pleasant walk in
gorgeous weather in the DC area)

"Mick Fournier" wrote in message
...
Joanna,

Until you do the repotting with your own hands you will never conquer the
orchid demon.

Mick

It would certainly be a trick to repot without hands. Gloves are even too
cumbersome for me. Best to repot when the plant is in need of repotting
rather than waiting. Pot larger if roots are in the out-growing mode; pot
smaller when roots are few and the plant is not doing well.

.. . . Pam
Everything Orchid Management System http://www.pe.net/~profpam/page3.html

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mick Fournier wrote:

Joanna,

Until you do the repotting with your own hands you will never conquer the
orchid demon.

Mick

Pam,

To repot with one's own hands. And to love the smell of the raw bark, the
fine bristling soft osmunda fiber teasing/tickling my long fingers, the
weight of the smooth round ballast stones rolling plimp-plomp in my large
hands, the siren song in my ears of the styrofoam peanuts as I gently
squeeze-pop them into thirds... Ah, but how could anyone forego such first
person earthly pleasures and call the result a true consummation of love in
the orchid bed. That is the essential crux beyond the perfect golden rule
pot size you so eloquently describe. Give me repotting... or give me death.
Or, give me one decent lotto and I will chuck the whole greenhouse... pots
and all.

Mick

================================

"profpam" wrote in message ...
It would certainly be a trick to repot without hands. Gloves are even too
cumbersome for me. Best to repot when the plant is in need of repotting
rather than waiting. Pot larger if roots are in the out-growing mode; pot
smaller when roots are few and the plant is not doing well.

. . . Pam
Everything Orchid Management System http://www.pe.net/~profpam/page3.html

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------

Mick Fournier wrote:

Joanna,

Until you do the repotting with your own hands you will never conquer
the
orchid demon.

Mick

That's for sure--it's a five-minute job and not messy at all. I have a
little repotting station set up downstairs by the laundry tub.

Here's what I do to repot:

First, I always have PrimeAgra soaking in a container--I use an empty
plastic kitty litter container. These containers are great--they come
with lids and handles and are great for storing dry S/H and chemicals
too.

To repot, I remove the orchid by up-ending the pot in Kitty's old
litter box (which catches stray pellets), but a dishpan would work as
well.

Then, I put the plant in a wire-mesh colander and rinse the algae off
the plant's roots. Then I trim off any bad roots, but most of the time,
there aren't any to speak of.

Then I put fresh media in the bottom of the new, larger pot, plunk in
the orchid and its roots, which are still clinging to a lot of the old
media, and fill the new pot with pellets that fell out of the old pot
plus new pellets to fill. That's it!



In article , Ray
wrote:

Joanna,

That is yet another reason to consider semi-hydroponics! Repotting is a
snap.

"J Fortuna" skrev i meddelandet
...
Ok, so maybe by the time I am done with this email no one in this group
will
take me seriously anymore, but here it goes:

I admit that after 3 years of growing orchids, I have today for the first
time repotted two of them myself. You see until today I would always go to
a
local plant nursery, pay them $5-7 and that would include the new pot,
potting medium, and labor of repotting. I got to watch, discuss the health
of the roots with the staff person there, browse their orchid collection
for
a possible additional orchid buy, and the entire experience was very
enjoyable.

Today, my bathroom is a mess. I am a mess. My back hurts. And I am
frustrated. But hey, those two orchids have been repotted. Yay. ;-(

I think I am going to go back to the nursery the next time one of my
plants
needs repotting. Sure I saved $5-7 and I got to actually do it myself, but
for me this is just not worth it. Plus, I am not even sure that I did a
good
job of the repotting: What if I left some roots that needed to be cut?
What
if I disturbed some roots that were better left alone? At the local
nursery
I trust the staff person to know what he or she is doing -- I know these
people well enough to know that they have more experience with orchids
than
I do.

I understand that someone who owns a greenhouse with a huge number of
flowers and has lots of experience is better of doing this themselves, but
I
am much better at coding Active Server Pages and writing stored procedures
than at repotting. Programming is my job, repotting is theirs.

I love the daily interaction with the orchids, watering them, looking for
signs of stress, or for new spikes or new leaves. But repotting is a pain
in
the back for me.

Joanna



....What Mick said =)

My repotting always seems to get done when I am stressed out, mostly before
exams (like today!). I love to take a break from papers and books and make a
mess of orchids, moss and bark in the kitchen.

It really calms me down. Others might get stressed by the mess though, I
guess =)

Here (Sweden) I have never seen the offer of repotting! How interesting. And
I have had a job selling pot plants.

Different ways for different places, I guess.

//H

Joanna: I seriously doubt that you hurt your plants, but it sounds like you
hurt yourself G. I think it's great that you finally worked up the nerve,
and now understand what's involved, but don't let other folks tell you that
you have to do them ALL yourself to be "taken seriously."

Nurseries offer this service because there is a demand for it [whether other
customers wish to be as honest as you and admit it, or not G]. And, at
least during the off-season, or if you sometimes buy a new plant while
you're there, your local nursery probably appreciates the income.
--
Kenni Judd
Juno Beach Orchids
http://www.jborchids.com

"J Fortuna" wrote in message
...
Ok, so maybe by the time I am done with this email no one in this group
will
take me seriously anymore, but here it goes:

I admit that after 3 years of growing orchids, I have today for the first
time repotted two of them myself. You see until today I would always go to
a
local plant nursery, pay them $5-7 and that would include the new pot,
potting medium, and labor of repotting. I got to watch, discuss the health
of the roots with the staff person there, browse their orchid collection
for
a possible additional orchid buy, and the entire experience was very
enjoyable.

Today, my bathroom is a mess. I am a mess. My back hurts. And I am
frustrated. But hey, those two orchids have been repotted. Yay. ;-(

I think I am going to go back to the nursery the next time one of my
plants
needs repotting. Sure I saved $5-7 and I got to actually do it myself, but
for me this is just not worth it. Plus, I am not even sure that I did a
good
job of the repotting: What if I left some roots that needed to be cut?
What
if I disturbed some roots that were better left alone? At the local
nursery
I trust the staff person to know what he or she is doing -- I know these
people well enough to know that they have more experience with orchids
than
I do.

I understand that someone who owns a greenhouse with a huge number of
flowers and has lots of experience is better of doing this themselves, but
I
am much better at coding Active Server Pages and writing stored procedures
than at repotting. Programming is my job, repotting is theirs.

I love the daily interaction with the orchids, watering them, looking for
signs of stress, or for new spikes or new leaves. But repotting is a pain
in
the back for me.

Joanna

Kenni Judd wrote:

Joanna: I seriously doubt that you hurt your plants, but it sounds like you
hurt yourself G. I think it's great that you finally worked up the nerve,
and now understand what's involved, but don't let other folks tell you that
you have to do them ALL yourself to be "taken seriously."


Does that mean the more plants you repot the seriouser (should be a
word) you get? I must be painfully dull. Anyway, I agree completely.
If you want to (and can afford to) have your plants repotted for you why
not? I wouldn't necessarily take the experience of two plants and
extrapolate it, as I suspect that you would get much better at it if you
practice a bit. In fact, I have a few thousand you could practice on
this week, for free... *grin*

I do find it interesting that someone can get 5-7 dollars per plant
to repot. Materials aren't that expensive, really. If I repot one per
minute (not unreasonable for me, if everything is near at hand), then
that is ... wow. Of course nobody is going to bring in 60 plants, and
chances are it would take more like 5 minutes with questions and
answers. That is still $60 per hour. Good work if you can get it.
Probably not an unreasonably high amount to charge for a couple of
plants, though, especially if you want to spend some of your time doing
something else.

Seems like this would be a valuable service to offer to your
customers, if you are a smallish plant seller. I doubt it would work
for the big vendors, although I do remember that Hausermanns would repot
plants for you. I can't recall what they charged. I took a cymbidium
in a 12"
pot in for them to do for me when I was first starting out. It was more
than I could handle. I think they used a hacksaw... More than I want to
handle now, frankly.

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

Personally, I feel quite virtuous after a good potting session, though they
don't occur as often as they should (mea culpa).

Joanna, I understand all about aching backs after a session, though. The
trick is to have a place that is the right height for you, and to have all
your "stuff" handy. Most of the problem comes with a lack of organization,
for which growers with few plants can definitely be forgiven. When I first
began growing, I didn't have a bench, or any other place that was dedicated
to potting. Materials were here, there, and everywhere. It's not like that
anymore, for me. And, as Ray describes, your choice of medium matters a lot.
I don't use bark mixes, and I find it much simpler to repot without that
stuff.

I find the interaction with the plants when I repot to be quite satisfying.
I like trimming them, and cleaning them, and also the occasional challenge
when one of them absolutely refuses to get into that pot. Oh, well, just
re-read Mick's sensuous post; that says it!

Having said all that, if you want to have someone else do it, who says you
are wrong? I love the six acres or so of floor tile in our house, but I
don't much enjoy cleaning it! Be happy.

Diana

In article ,
"Hillevi P" wrote:

...What Mick said =)

My repotting always seems to get done when I am stressed out, mostly before
exams (like today!). I love to take a break from papers and books and make a
mess of orchids, moss and bark in the kitchen.

It really calms me down. Others might get stressed by the mess though, I
guess =)

Here (Sweden) I have never seen the offer of repotting! How interesting. And
I have had a job selling pot plants.

Different ways for different places, I guess.

//H




i like to pot in dirt, and now i have a pickaxe, i even like digging
around in the dirt (which is actually clay here) but repotting orchids
is ... a strain. i repotted several in sphag all at once one day--the
kitchen looked like Swamp Thing had exploded all over it.

however, i *do* like the way the plants always promptly grow new bits
and pieces of themselves after repotting. :)


as for potting for bucks--some places do it to make money, other places
do it sort of for charity--one of the local orchid shows is held at one
of the local public gardens; the garden gets a cut of the sales and the
repottng fees.


hmm, you folks with orchid societies, what about having a repotting
night once a season? ask a minimal fee, which could go to the OS...?

-j_a-

LOL

"Mick Fournier" wrote in message
...
Pam,

To repot with one's own hands. And to love the smell of the raw bark, the
fine bristling soft osmunda fiber teasing/tickling my long fingers, the
weight of the smooth round ballast stones rolling plimp-plomp in my large
hands, the siren song in my ears of the styrofoam peanuts as I gently
squeeze-pop them into thirds... Ah, but how could anyone forego such first
person earthly pleasures and call the result a true consummation of love
in
the orchid bed. That is the essential crux beyond the perfect golden rule
pot size you so eloquently describe. Give me repotting... or give me
death.
Or, give me one decent lotto and I will chuck the whole greenhouse... pots
and all.

Mick

================================

"profpam" wrote in message
...
It would certainly be a trick to repot without hands. Gloves are even
too
cumbersome for me. Best to repot when the plant is in need of repotting
rather than waiting. Pot larger if roots are in the out-growing mode;
pot
smaller when roots are few and the plant is not doing well.

. . . Pam
Everything Orchid Management System
http://www.pe.net/~profpam/page3.html


--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------

Mick Fournier wrote:

Joanna,

Until you do the repotting with your own hands you will never conquer
the
orchid demon.

Mick

My golly, that's the truth. Of course, until the yearly repotting chore
takes a full month or more, you had better not be heard complaining about it
in my earshot. ;-D. I have been repotting Phals for a solid month and
still have a month more work. I have orchid bark splinters and I am sure I
am developing sporotricosis (?) from the moss. Each year I promise myself I
will start this project earlier so i am done by the end of august but each
year I always find myself working like a madman to get done before they
start spiking. The weather has been cool here for about three weeks and I
am seeing a lot of early spiking.

The orchid demon stands behind me with a whip and laughs as I trudge through
the repotting chores that I alone, in my orchid addiction, am responsible
for creating.

And at least twice a week I have people calling me up who are going on
vacation, (Vacation!) and want me to board their plants while they are away
and think I could also repot them while they are here. Like my greenhouse
is a spa for well-to-do plants or something. I think people like this
should not be allowed to own orchids. ;-) It makes the orchid demon plot
revenge. And, if I am going to take care of it, it should be mine. But
seriously, there are potential customers out there for this service for
vendors who think they can handle the pressure.

And if I paid somebody to repot, I would have to stand there and watch them
do it to make sure they did it right.

(Next time you come by Joanna, you will have to talk to me about .asp for my
website. I have a mysql database and php something but I can't figure out
how to connect the website/pages to it or use it in any real way. I am
working to complete a miva merchant changeover and redesigning the ancient
site but html without any bells and whistles is about all my brain can
comprehend long enough to make a website do anything. And then there is
this never ending repotting chore to deal with and splinters in my typing
fingers.)

"Mick Fournier" wrote in message
...
Joanna,

Until you do the repotting with your own hands you will never conquer the
orchid demon.

Mick

My golly, that's the truth. Of course, until the yearly repotting chore
takes a full month or more, you had better not be heard complaining about it
in my earshot. ;-D. I have been repotting Phals for a solid month and
still have a month more work. I have orchid bark splinters and I am sure I
am developing sporotricosis (?) from the moss. Each year I promise myself I
will start this project earlier so i am done by the end of august but each
year I always find myself working like a madman to get done before they
start spiking. The weather has been cool here for about three weeks and I
am seeing a lot of early spiking.

The orchid demon stands behind me with a whip and laughs as I trudge through
the repotting chores that I alone, in my orchid addiction, am responsible
for creating.

And at least twice a week I have people calling me up who are going on
vacation, (Vacation!) and want me to board their plants while they are away
and think I could also repot them while they are here. Like my greenhouse
is a spa for well-to-do plants or something. I think people like this
should not be allowed to own orchids. ;-) It makes the orchid demon plot
revenge. And, if I am going to take care of it, it should be mine. But
seriously, there are potential customers out there for this service for
vendors who think they can handle the pressure.

And if I paid somebody to repot, I would have to stand there and watch them
do it to make sure they did it right.

(Next time you come by Joanna, you will have to talk to me about .asp for my
website. I have a mysql database and php something but I can't figure out
how to connect the website/pages to it or use it in any real way. I am
working to complete a miva merchant changeover and redesigning the ancient
site but html without any bells and whistles is about all my brain can
comprehend long enough to make a website do anything. And then there is
this never ending repotting chore to deal with and splinters in my typing
fingers.)

"Mick Fournier" wrote in message
...
Joanna,

Until you do the repotting with your own hands you will never conquer the
orchid demon.

Mick

On Sun, 22 Aug 2004 17:06:26 -0700, profpam
wrote:

It would certainly be a trick to repot without hands. Gloves are even too
cumbersome for me. Best to repot when the plant is in need of repotting
rather than waiting. Pot larger if roots are in the out-growing mode; pot
smaller when roots are few and the plant is not doing well.

. . . Pam
Everything Orchid Management System http://www.pe.net/~profpam/page3.html

I find that I get slivers from the potting mix and small cuts if
I don't wear gloves. Either kitchen rubber gloves or the craft
gloves work well. I can not use gardening gloves.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

On Sun, 22 Aug 2004 17:06:26 -0700, profpam
wrote:

It would certainly be a trick to repot without hands. Gloves are even too
cumbersome for me. Best to repot when the plant is in need of repotting
rather than waiting. Pot larger if roots are in the out-growing mode; pot
smaller when roots are few and the plant is not doing well.

. . . Pam
Everything Orchid Management System http://www.pe.net/~profpam/page3.html

I find that I get slivers from the potting mix and small cuts if
I don't wear gloves. Either kitchen rubber gloves or the craft
gloves work well. I can not use gardening gloves.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

On Sun, 22 Aug 2004 17:06:26 -0700, profpam
wrote:

It would certainly be a trick to repot without hands. Gloves are even too
cumbersome for me. Best to repot when the plant is in need of repotting
rather than waiting. Pot larger if roots are in the out-growing mode; pot
smaller when roots are few and the plant is not doing well.

. . . Pam
Everything Orchid Management System http://www.pe.net/~profpam/page3.html

I find that I get slivers from the potting mix and small cuts if
I don't wear gloves. Either kitchen rubber gloves or the craft
gloves work well. I can not use gardening gloves.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

Al wrote:-
"The orchid demon stands behind me with a whip and laughs as I trudge
through the repotting chores that I alone, in my orchid addiction, am
responsible for creating".

Too true indeed Al, but seems like we are all in the same
boat but on different levels, as far as the number of plants?
I am so far behind with my repotting it's getting out of hand &
would be broke if I had to get help!
But all in all, this doesn't seem to be a bother when we
go shopping! *g*

--
Cheers Wendy
Ps....Take care of those hands, they are the only pair you have!

Remove PETERPAN for email reply

Al wrote:
My golly, that's the truth. Of course, until the yearly repotting
chore takes a full month or more, you had better not be heard
complaining about it in my earshot. ;-D. I have been repotting
Phals for a solid month and still have a month more work. I have
orchid bark splinters and I am sure I am developing sporotricosis (?)
from the moss. Each year I promise myself I will start this project
earlier so i am done by the end of august but each year I always find
myself working like a madman to get done before they start spiking.
The weather has been cool here for about three weeks and I am seeing
a lot of early spiking.

The orchid demon stands behind me with a whip and laughs as I trudge
through the repotting chores that I alone, in my orchid addiction, am
responsible for creating.

And at least twice a week I have people calling me up who are going on
vacation, (Vacation!) and want me to board their plants while they
are away and think I could also repot them while they are here. Like
my greenhouse is a spa for well-to-do plants or something. I think
people like this should not be allowed to own orchids. ;-) It
makes the orchid demon plot revenge. And, if I am going to take care
of it, it should be mine. But seriously, there are potential
customers out there for this service for vendors who think they can
handle the pressure.

And if I paid somebody to repot, I would have to stand there and
watch them do it to make sure they did it right.

(Next time you come by Joanna, you will have to talk to me about .asp
for my website. I have a mysql database and php something but I
can't figure out how to connect the website/pages to it or use it in
any real way. I am working to complete a miva merchant changeover
and redesigning the ancient site but html without any bells and
whistles is about all my brain can comprehend long enough to make a
website do anything. And then there is this never ending repotting
chore to deal with and splinters in my typing fingers.)

"Mick Fournier" wrote in message
...
Joanna,

Until you do the repotting with your own hands you will never
conquer the orchid demon.

Mick

Al wrote:-
"The orchid demon stands behind me with a whip and laughs as I trudge
through the repotting chores that I alone, in my orchid addiction, am
responsible for creating".

Too true indeed Al, but seems like we are all in the same
boat but on different levels, as far as the number of plants?
I am so far behind with my repotting it's getting out of hand &
would be broke if I had to get help!
But all in all, this doesn't seem to be a bother when we
go shopping! *g*

--
Cheers Wendy
Ps....Take care of those hands, they are the only pair you have!

Remove PETERPAN for email reply

Al wrote:
My golly, that's the truth. Of course, until the yearly repotting
chore takes a full month or more, you had better not be heard
complaining about it in my earshot. ;-D. I have been repotting
Phals for a solid month and still have a month more work. I have
orchid bark splinters and I am sure I am developing sporotricosis (?)
from the moss. Each year I promise myself I will start this project
earlier so i am done by the end of august but each year I always find
myself working like a madman to get done before they start spiking.
The weather has been cool here for about three weeks and I am seeing
a lot of early spiking.

The orchid demon stands behind me with a whip and laughs as I trudge
through the repotting chores that I alone, in my orchid addiction, am
responsible for creating.

And at least twice a week I have people calling me up who are going on
vacation, (Vacation!) and want me to board their plants while they
are away and think I could also repot them while they are here. Like
my greenhouse is a spa for well-to-do plants or something. I think
people like this should not be allowed to own orchids. ;-) It
makes the orchid demon plot revenge. And, if I am going to take care
of it, it should be mine. But seriously, there are potential
customers out there for this service for vendors who think they can
handle the pressure.

And if I paid somebody to repot, I would have to stand there and
watch them do it to make sure they did it right.

(Next time you come by Joanna, you will have to talk to me about .asp
for my website. I have a mysql database and php something but I
can't figure out how to connect the website/pages to it or use it in
any real way. I am working to complete a miva merchant changeover
and redesigning the ancient site but html without any bells and
whistles is about all my brain can comprehend long enough to make a
website do anything. And then there is this never ending repotting
chore to deal with and splinters in my typing fingers.)

"Mick Fournier" wrote in message
...
Joanna,

Until you do the repotting with your own hands you will never
conquer the orchid demon.

Mick

On Mon, 23 Aug 2004 14:56:19 -0400, Rob Halgren
wrote:

. I took a cymbidium in a 12"
pot in for them to do for me when I was first starting out. It was more
than I could handle. I think they used a hacksaw... More than I want to
handle now, frankly.

You need a jungle Machete for that. That and a good strong
wrist.. W H A C K. Best way to split an over grown cym. Let
the back bulbs fall where they may.

SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

On Mon, 23 Aug 2004 14:56:19 -0400, Rob Halgren
wrote:

. I took a cymbidium in a 12"
pot in for them to do for me when I was first starting out. It was more
than I could handle. I think they used a hacksaw... More than I want to
handle now, frankly.

You need a jungle Machete for that. That and a good strong
wrist.. W H A C K. Best way to split an over grown cym. Let
the back bulbs fall where they may.

SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

All,

See... the Orchid Demon does really exist. And in another two or three
years Al will have conquered him (or her)... and then he can take his
vacation.

Mick

Clearly you guys gotta get better at killing your plants. I've found it
a great alternative to repotting. I can give lessons if anyone's
interested. Let's see, Overwatering 101, ...

wendy7 wrote:
Al wrote:-
"The orchid demon stands behind me with a whip and laughs as I trudge
through the repotting chores that I alone, in my orchid addiction, am
responsible for creating".

Too true indeed Al, but seems like we are all in the same
boat but on different levels, as far as the number of plants?
I am so far behind with my repotting it's getting out of hand &
would be broke if I had to get help!
But all in all, this doesn't seem to be a bother when we
go shopping! *g*

"mg" wrote in message ...
Clearly you guys gotta get better at killing your plants. I've found it
a great alternative to repotting. I can give lessons if anyone's
interested. Let's see, Overwatering 101, ...

Not in my thread you won't! I would even be willing to repot more orchids
myself if the only alternative was killing a single one. Sue said in her
response to me that "You have so few that you worry over them like a mother
hen." Well, that may well be true, I do worry at any sign of anything being
wrong with my orchids and try to counter-act it as best as I can, but as a
result it's been 3 years or even almost 3.5 years that I have been into
orchids, and I have not killed a single one yet. And one of those two that I
was repotting, it was because it's not doing so well, loosing leaves more
rapidly than gaining them, but it's got healthy roots, and now it's in a
bark mix instead of in moss and it's standing by a different window, and I
will be watching it to make sure it gets better because I can't break the 0
orchids killed rule. Just can't. Won't happen.

Joanna

"mg" wrote in message ...
Clearly you guys gotta get better at killing your plants. I've found it
a great alternative to repotting. I can give lessons if anyone's
interested. Let's see, Overwatering 101, ...

Not in my thread you won't! I would even be willing to repot more orchids
myself if the only alternative was killing a single one. Sue said in her
response to me that "You have so few that you worry over them like a mother
hen." Well, that may well be true, I do worry at any sign of anything being
wrong with my orchids and try to counter-act it as best as I can, but as a
result it's been 3 years or even almost 3.5 years that I have been into
orchids, and I have not killed a single one yet. And one of those two that I
was repotting, it was because it's not doing so well, loosing leaves more
rapidly than gaining them, but it's got healthy roots, and now it's in a
bark mix instead of in moss and it's standing by a different window, and I
will be watching it to make sure it gets better because I can't break the 0
orchids killed rule. Just can't. Won't happen.

Joanna

"J Fortuna" wrote in message
news:OVRWc.1374$OP2.793@trnddc01...

[snip], and I
will be watching it to make sure it gets better because I can't break the
0
orchids killed rule. Just can't. Won't happen.

Joanna



There she goes! She's done it now!! If the orchid demons won't get her the
orchid gods sure will. Oh tempter of fate!

K Barrett

"J Fortuna" wrote in message
news:OVRWc.1374$OP2.793@trnddc01...

[snip], and I
will be watching it to make sure it gets better because I can't break the
0
orchids killed rule. Just can't. Won't happen.

Joanna



There she goes! She's done it now!! If the orchid demons won't get her the
orchid gods sure will. Oh tempter of fate!

K Barrett

Kathy,

I always enjoy a little bit of good tempting.

Mick

There she goes! She's done it now!! If the orchid demons won't get her
the
orchid gods sure will. Oh tempter of fate!

K Barrett

You've got that right, Kath! I'll bet Joanna doesn't know about the 100
certified kills that are required, either! LOL

Diana

There she goes! She's done it now!! If the orchid demons won't get her
the
orchid gods sure will. Oh tempter of fate!

K Barrett

You've got that right, Kath! I'll bet Joanna doesn't know about the 100
certified kills that are required, either! LOL

Diana

Diana Kulaga wrote:

There she goes! She's done it now!! If the orchid demons won't get her


the


orchid gods sure will. Oh tempter of fate!

K Barrett



You've got that right, Kath! I'll bet Joanna doesn't know about the 100
certified kills that are required, either! LOL


Is it only a 100? I should be the Red Baron by now, considering all the
kills I've racked up.

Rob

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

Diana Kulaga wrote:

There she goes! She's done it now!! If the orchid demons won't get her


the


orchid gods sure will. Oh tempter of fate!

K Barrett



You've got that right, Kath! I'll bet Joanna doesn't know about the 100
certified kills that are required, either! LOL


Is it only a 100? I should be the Red Baron by now, considering all the
kills I've racked up.

Rob

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

Diana,

I've heard about the 100 certified kills. I have also heard that anyone who
claims that they have not killed a single orchid must be lying. Since I know
for a fact that the second statement is not true, I am questioning the
validity of the first one. Sorry. Plus do I really want to be certified? I
bet if I were certified, I would be required to repot all my orchids myself,
too, right? So I am not so sure it's worth it.

Yes, I know I am tempting fate, but hey, what would life be without some
risk and daring and tempting. I know that even if I were to kill an orchid
after all (which hopefully won't happen), it wouldn't kill me, which is the
most important. And then there is the fact that while I really enjoy
watching an orchid that was not doing too well get better, my favorite
plants are generally the ones that are doing best, and just continue to
flourish, and I have more of those than of the ailing ones, so life is good.

Joanna

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
nk.net...
There she goes! She's done it now!! If the orchid demons won't get her
the
orchid gods sure will. Oh tempter of fate!

K Barrett

You've got that right, Kath! I'll bet Joanna doesn't know about the 100
certified kills that are required, either! LOL

Diana

I don't know about the "certified" business, but it is a well-established
fact that you cannot be known as an expert until you've killed your weight
in orchids.

I think that's why many folks put on weight as they age...

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!
..
"J Fortuna" wrote in message
news:K39Xc.2699$2B4.1154@trnddc06...
Diana,

I've heard about the 100 certified kills. I have also heard that anyone
who
claims that they have not killed a single orchid must be lying. Since I
know
for a fact that the second statement is not true, I am questioning the
validity of the first one. Sorry. Plus do I really want to be certified? I
bet if I were certified, I would be required to repot all my orchids
myself,
too, right? So I am not so sure it's worth it.

Yes, I know I am tempting fate, but hey, what would life be without some
risk and daring and tempting. I know that even if I were to kill an orchid
after all (which hopefully won't happen), it wouldn't kill me, which is
the
most important. And then there is the fact that while I really enjoy
watching an orchid that was not doing too well get better, my favorite
plants are generally the ones that are doing best, and just continue to
flourish, and I have more of those than of the ailing ones, so life is
good.

Joanna

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
nk.net...
There she goes! She's done it now!! If the orchid demons won't get
her
the
orchid gods sure will. Oh tempter of fate!

K Barrett

You've got that right, Kath! I'll bet Joanna doesn't know about the 100
certified kills that are required, either! LOL

Diana

I don't know about the "certified" business, but it is a well-established
fact that you cannot be known as an expert until you've killed your weight
in orchids.

I think that's why many folks put on weight as they age...

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!
..
"J Fortuna" wrote in message
news:K39Xc.2699$2B4.1154@trnddc06...
Diana,

I've heard about the 100 certified kills. I have also heard that anyone
who
claims that they have not killed a single orchid must be lying. Since I
know
for a fact that the second statement is not true, I am questioning the
validity of the first one. Sorry. Plus do I really want to be certified? I
bet if I were certified, I would be required to repot all my orchids
myself,
too, right? So I am not so sure it's worth it.

Yes, I know I am tempting fate, but hey, what would life be without some
risk and daring and tempting. I know that even if I were to kill an orchid
after all (which hopefully won't happen), it wouldn't kill me, which is
the
most important. And then there is the fact that while I really enjoy
watching an orchid that was not doing too well get better, my favorite
plants are generally the ones that are doing best, and just continue to
flourish, and I have more of those than of the ailing ones, so life is
good.

Joanna

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
nk.net...
There she goes! She's done it now!! If the orchid demons won't get
her
the
orchid gods sure will. Oh tempter of fate!

K Barrett

You've got that right, Kath! I'll bet Joanna doesn't know about the 100
certified kills that are required, either! LOL

Diana

I think that's why many folks put on weight as they age...

So that's the problem! Whew!

Diana

I think that's why many folks put on weight as they age...

So that's the problem! Whew!

Diana