Loot from the Latest Show

[Plodde]

I find rubbing alcohol on a cotton pad the best way to clean salt build up and hard water stains off leaves.

[BigGreenLeaf]

Thanks Plodde, that seems to be doing the trick!

Does anyone have any advice for my other questions? I'm worried i'm killing these plants (mostly the darwin orchid and the little onc.)

[BigGreenLeaf]

Just wanted to update that the onc. is doing pretty good so far but I did find out what was wrong with the Darwin Orchid.

After it lost a leaf (it went yellow) I thought maybe it wasn't getting enough moisture, so I lifted it out of it's pot with the intention of adding in some more spagnum moss to help up the humidity and what did I find?

Centipede and snail infested soil.

After shaking off the soil from the roots and smashing everything that moves with a small pebble till it moved no more I used water and vinegar to clean the pot and gave the plant a bath in some dawn soap heavily diluted with lots of water. I then replanted it in some clean orchid mix and I just watered it today. Hopefully this little guy perks up now.

[Arielinwonderland]

Originally Posted by BigGreenLeaf

Regarding the Angcm. sesquipedale
I know it needs moderate/high light. My main question about this plant is how much water does it like? Does it like to dry out in-between watering or does it want to be moist all the time? Wet?

Also does this plant develop thick roots? I am trying to figure out what grain of substrate will be best.

Hello, BGL! I'm new here, but haven't yet been lead astray by my books

Angraecum:
they favor higher temperatures and humid air in spring&summer and like drier conditions during their winter period
apparently 70% to 90% humidity is their comfort zone, and its good to grow them in a terrarium/light box
they should be watered or misted almost daily
the book suggests their roots tend to "run free" on a mount or through a basket, and warns that they are especially slow to heal after any sort of trauma

They like coarse and loose mix (coarse bark or bark and charcoal) but miniatures like to be mounted


I don't have anything to offer about your Howeara, I'm sorry!

[mimigirl]

I bought a neo at our show this weekend! What do i look for when i google a pot for sale? What is it called?

[BigGreenLeaf]

Originally Posted by mimigirl

I bought a neo at our show this weekend! What do i look for when i google a pot for sale? What is it called?

Hey! MattWoelfsen gave a great link on the first page of this thread. You can also just look up Neofinetia pots on like ebay or google, especially if you live in the USA.

Originally Posted by Arielinwonderland

Hello, BGL! I'm new here, but haven't yet been lead astray by my books

Angraecum:
they favor higher temperatures and humid air in spring&summer and like drier conditions during their winter period
apparently 70% to 90% humidity is their comfort zone, and its good to grow them in a terrarium/light box
they should be watered or misted almost daily
the book suggests their roots tend to "run free" on a mount or through a basket, and warns that they are especially slow to heal after any sort of trauma

They like coarse and loose mix (coarse bark or bark and charcoal) but miniatures like to be mounted


I don't have anything to offer about your Howeara, I'm sorry!

Also thank you! That is helpful. I think the centipides and snails had a lot to do with it's declining health but This is good to know that it needs such high humidity. I will be putting it on a water tray then. It currently is on quarantine (incase anything crawls out of the pot...) but soon it will be going back under a strong artificial light I have to meet it's light needs. Thanks for the help!

The Howeara is actually doing pretty good (knock on wood) with how i've been treating it so far, so we will see if that continues.

[mimigirl]

Too easy. I would never have thought thats what to look for! Ebay is my first go-to! Thank you!

[Arielinwonderland]

Originally Posted by BigGreenLeaf

Also thank you! That is helpful. I think the centipides and snails had a lot to do with it's declining health but This is good to know that it needs such high humidity. I will be putting it on a water tray then. It currently is on quarantine (incase anything crawls out of the pot...) but soon it will be going back under a strong artificial light I have to meet it's light needs. Thanks for the help!

The Howeara is actually doing pretty good (knock on wood) with how i've been treating it so far, so we will see if that continues.

No problem! and I hope they both pull through macro/micro
-bug free!!!

[801229001]

centipedes dont harm the plant but snails do...

it is true that angraecums HATE having their roots messed with. im pretty sure you wont be seeing anymore of those bugs since it sounds like you did quite a bit of cleaning. good luck!

[BigGreenLeaf]

Thanks guys! Good to know the centipedes weren't harming it because there were a LOT of them. There were only a few snails, but I had actually previously removed a bunch of that plant's original substrate and replaced it. I shudder to think how many centipedes and snails I actually handled without knowing it... Plus this little plant doesn't seem to have as many roots as it really should... In any case I was mildly aware that the angcm. were fussy about not being disturbed so I did not insist on taking away this bit of bark it had decided to clutch in it's roots with a death grip haha. So into the dishsoap water it all went.
I did notice some new root growth on it when I was deep cleaning, so I am optimistic it will recover. It already looks happier haha if that is even possible!