Orchidaceae Newsletter August 2005

Volume 2 #8

Content

1. Our August Orchid Specials
2. Update On My Hydroponic Orchids
3. Tip of the Month - Orchid Care - The Flower

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

If this newsletter has been passed on to you from a friend, I hope that you enjoy it. If you do, I'd appreciate it if you would subscribe
I promise that your email address will only be used to send the newsletter to you. We do not sell or rent any addresses or information about you.

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

Our August Orchid Specials

On Sale for $45.95
Phal Pretty Pink
Remember Free 2 day FedEx

Every orchid we send comes with care instructions so even the orchid beginner can care for it like an orchid expert. 1888Orchids.com is proud to offer a large selection of phalaenopsis plants like this pink phalaenopsis orchid in a classic handle basket. Send it to yourself or someone very special. Stands about 24 inches tall.

On Sale for $55.95
Free 2 day FedEx

The orchid that smells like chocolate! Our delightfully fragrant Oncidium orchid may be one of the most popular orchids ever produced. Oncidium Sharry Baby "Sweet Fragrance" AM/AOS is the award winning orchid with the mint chocolate fragrance! Imagine the look on their face when they open our gift box and see this orchid which smells like chocolate! Send it as a gift to their office and they will not stop talking about it to their co-workers.

On Sale For $45.95
Remember 2 day FedEx

Our fragrant Mtdm. Pupukea "Sunset" is nestled in a our very own planter that reads, "Welcome to My Garden." They will delight in the beautiful fragrance this orchid produces that smells like wild sage and honey. Place it in a small room and the whole room with fill with its fragrance! Sent in bud and bloom. Stands approximately 14 inches tall.

Remember We Are Now On RSS

RSS can stand for Real Simple Syndication. It is becoming the "new way" of communication with people and customers. It is a revolutionary new tool that gives you the control.

It is a way for both individuals or businesses to let others know what is going on.

Our RSS is generally updated once a week and usually on Fridays. It is our way to keep you up to date.

All you need is a RSS Reader and one of the most popular is called FeedDemon . There are also others with a few less bells and whistles that are free.

Once you have the "reader" all you need to do is to put our RSS address into the reader under new subscription. Our address is; http://www.orchids-plus-more.com/support-files/orchids-rss.xml Just copy and paste this into the reader.

My Hydroponic Update

This month I wanted to give you an update on the 3 orchid plants that are growing hydroponically. Last April I started 2 cattleyas and in June I started a phal. Well I am happy to say that all 3 are doing well with new growth on all.

The 2 cattleyas were actually in pretty sad shape when I decided that hydroponics would either kill them or save them.

I followd the instructions from Creative Hydroponics and removed all the medium. I was not surprised when I found the the root system was diseased. I trimmed off all the dead roots and only had a few that were left. As per the instructions I used the rooting fertilizer solution about twice a week. Instead of using it for 1 month I used it for 2 months. I then switched to blooming fertilizer solution.

Over the past month I have noticed new roots and the beginnings of new spikes (about 3 inches).

The phal initially was rooted with the rooting fertilizer solution for 1 month then switched to blooming. For the first 4 - 5 weeks I used too much of the solutions and found that the leaves and the blooms were not doing well.

I cut back the amount of solution and am looking at healthy looms and now spikes.

I need to thank the folks at Creative Hydroponicsfor introducing me to this old but important technique. Try it. Use the Hydroponic Kit as pictured above.

Watering with the fertilizer solutions couldn't be easier. It doesn't take much. Once the red point falls below the watering line I use the solution and introduce it slowly, first gently wetting the roots on the suface and then adding more. I add until the red point is just about the lowest watering line. This is working so good now that my watering is down to Tuesdays and Saturdays. And there is no more guess work. Fantastic!

In Orchid Care The Flower
Will Tell You About
Some Diseases

Tale for orchid care the flower.

The orchid flower is usually a thing of beauty. When diseases strike it can be tell - tale. Like the leaves, the flower can tell you a great deal. Let's take a look at what we will learn

Spotting of Flowers

A sign of fungal infection or mold is pink or light brown spots on the flower. When you see either, orchid care will suggest to be careful with your other plants as the infection can spread to other plants.

Remove the orchid flowers that are affected. The remedy is to get more circulation.

Flowers With Punctures

Yes, those aphids can get at orchids, too. Also, some insects including Thrips.

Orchid care the flower suggests that the remedy is spray the orchid with malathion, but be careful and use a face mask.

Flowers With Mottled Colors

Here caring for orchids will strongly suggest a second opinion is necessary. The cause could be a color losing virus. Even if this is suspected then isolate the plant. If it is a virus then you need to destroy the plant.

Bruised Flowers

The causes of bruising are many. It could simply be from mechanical injury. If this is the case the area of damage will not increase or go on to other flowers.

But it could also be from slugs or even cockroaches. You may need to investigate and use some dust to bait them. If from cockroaches then diazinon or Sevin on the ground around the plant, on the plant and the pot as well.

Caring for orchids also shows that the bruising can be from red aphids. If so use the malathion treatment.

Rapid Wilting Of The Flower

If you see wilting of the flower, especially the dorsal or upper septal this can be caused by a sudden temperature change or pollination from an "unknown" pollinator. (I didn't think orchid flowers were that particular!!)

The remedies are those that make sense, moderate the temp changes and remove the affected flowers. Not sure what to do for the unknown attacker.

Deformed Flowers

Caring for orchids is not complete without the a word about deformed orchids. Common causes include;

low humidity or high temp when the buds were developing
mechanical or chemical injury during bud formation
the bud has acquired an unexplained deformity
the potential of a virus infection, (you see many of the flowers have the deformity). Need to isolate the plant.

Caring for orchids does involve looking at the "whole plant". In orchid care the flower is important.

Picture of the Month

This beauty is from Formosa and is a Paphilopedium Genus

Pleione

This newsletter and articles may be reproduced with our permission as long as the authorship - orchids-plus-more.com - is credited within the article. Copyright © 2005 Orchids Plus More.com and LEB Enterprise

SBI!

In Orchid Care The Flower Will Tell You About Some Diseases

Picture of the Month

In Orchid Care The Flower
Will Tell You About
Some Diseases