Tools of the trade.

[ChasWG]

What orchid gardening tools do you keep in your stable to tend to your plants? I would include this to be tables, cutters, scissors, meters, lights, whatever...

I just want to see what else I need to get.

Thanks!

[Amanda L]

This is going to be a fun thread! Let me see I use:

2 small tables (about to be 3)
2 desk lamps (about to be 3) I use "Daylight" CFL bulbs
Scissors
Rubbing alcohol
Hydrogen Peroxide
Cinnamon
Listerine (the brown stuff, not minty)
Clear plastic pots of varying sizes
SuperThrive
Fertilizer (need a more balanced one, any suggestions anyone?)
Brita water pitcher, I will not use regular tap without filtering it first
Flower stem clips
Bamboo sticks
Fir bark (lots of it)
Charcoal (lots of it)
Temp and Humidity meter
Large smooth stones and tall containers (for the sickies)
Lots of spray bottles


Funny how this list has grown in such a short time. I'm always stealing something from the kitchen.
I still need...
Light meter
small clear pots (2 inch)
more bamboo sticks
more clips
a more balanced fertilizer (20-20-20 maybe)
More orchids!

[peeweelovesbooks]

This is a fun thread!

Ok. Let's see:

Large items:

-1 very long plastic foldable picnic table
-1 shelf

for potting:

-Ceramic pots, 6 inch and 3 inch (i'm currently switching from plastic to ceramic)
-bamboo sticks of different sizes
-stake clips of different sizes
-rhizome clips for ceramic pots in different sizes
-potting medium from repot me
-black lava rock (I use black not red--purty!)
-labels--both black and yellow
-sharpie markers for labeling (although I'm switching to labels made with label maker)
-twist ties to attach labels to pots
-wire hangers
-wire hooks
-hydroton pellets
-coconut husk chips and fibers for phals
-plastic trays for miniature orchids
-green plant ties
-rope
-gloves


cutting tools:
-scissors of various sizes
-tweezers to clean miniature orchids
-miniature scissors for miniature orchids
-heavy duty wire scissors/tweezers for bending/cutting wire

fertilizing/chemicals, etc.
-kln
-20-20-20
-msu
-physan (I clean everything after I'm done using it)
-listerine
-various spray bottles
-measuring devices(dropper, bottle, spoons)

miscellaneous items:
-tackle box to place small items
-large plastic tubs to hold larger items
-various plastic containers to clean/repot/carry stuff around

[bellini girl]

Much of the aforementioned
PLUS
Magnifying glass,
soft toothbrush (removes scale really well)
bamboo skewers

[Pilot]

I have the Holy Bible in one hand and holy water in the other. Those two things are really the only things I think will be worth the while. LOL

[ChasWG]

This is an eye opening thread. I have to step it up some. I have but one spray bottle to share duties. And I have to steal away my wifes's good scissors when she isn't watching. And of course I need more cleaning supplies as well as a cleaner place to do work on the plants. I'm thinking a stainless steal countertop.

Hmmm... more work to do...

[snow]

i use a turkey baster for watering. keeps it out of the leaves

[phearamedusa]

I was using a 400 digital ballast, with a sunmaster neutral delux bulb, or a 400 hps bulb.
I moved most of my chids to my store as display plants. What I have now is under a small cfl, but that's changing this weekend to a 150 hps all in one system...(it's very pretty, so I can hang it in the living room)suspension cables so I can moved the lights up/down as needed (supposed to be really easy to do, I'll let you know in the future)
various fertilizers
coco chunks
sphragum moss
bark
various clay, plastic pots
bio green clean, to clean surfaces
vircon, its a sanitizer used by hospitals/vets etc to kill just about anything infectious
various scissors
safe spray (for bugs)
and some of the products listed above by others as well.
Never really thought about what I use/have before tonight so I'll probably think of something else later as will the others most likely.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

1. good scissors of varying sizes
2. usable scissors in not so good shape to make any incisions or cuts, as well as brand bruised problem areas on the plant
3. stove or lighter to heat any cutting tools
4. pins and needles for pollination of small flowers
5. toothpicks for pollination of larger flowers and propping up small kheikis
6. bamboo sticks and thin metal rods
7. plastic pots of varying sizes
8. clay pots of varying sizes
9. net pots of varying sizes
10. tree fern poles and plaques of varying sizes
11. cork bark plaques
12. fir bark
13. potting soil
14. sphagnum moss
15. cactus mix
16. diatomite
17. rocks
18. plant tags
19. 10x and 30x jeweler's loupes
20. magnifying glass
21. spool of fishing line
22. twisty wire
23. wood slat baskets
24. picture frame hangers
25. hammer
26. 2 gallon spray canister
27. wire hangers
28. RO/DI water filter
29. fertilizer
30. spray bottle
31. cotton swab
32. hydrogen peroxide
33. rubbing alcohol
34. insecticidal spray
35. leaf shine spray
36. plastic trays
37. clay trays
38. tweezers
39. 12 gauge, 14, gauge, and 16 gauge metal wires
40. books for research
41. internet for research
42. glass bottles

I work where I can work, there's no designated area.

I plan to get more stuff so I can grow orchids from seed.

[camille1585]

There was a thread on the exact same topic a few months back. Orchid Paraphenalial.
I learned a lot of interesting things in that one!