My Project Plant and TCs Haul!

[Susie11]

Oh well that's ok then. I would imagine that he'll be happy to know that then.

[Wynn Dee13]

I use sphag for almost all my orchids but I almost always use clay pots with it. You mentioned the water sat on top for a long time when you watered. That is because the moss was very dry. When it is dry like that it takes a while to get the moss to soak up the water. It actually dries out fast when it is new. I prefer sphag over any other medium. I actually have a hard time keeping my orchids watered enough so I like the moss. When I water and the moss is dry like you mentioned I either water it and let it sit for a while then come back and water again or plug the bottom hole in the pot with my fingers and fill the pot up with water and let the moss soak it up. But use what works best for you. My paphs are not in all sphag though. I think I already told you what mine are planted in but they are in plastic air cone pots with a small bark mix with sphag mixed in.

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by Susie11

I really like Volker. I have always had great plants from him so I would never encourage you to say anything bad about his plants but obviously you know what you know.

Their plants are always very nice, I can't complain about that. But more often than not most of them need a repot. I don't see that as an issue though, as long as there's a nice healthy root system. They run such a huge operation that I guess repotting must be done only when really necessary.

Rowangreen, if your sphag is like mine, I wouldn't re use it. It's not old, but it's not fresh either, so you're better off potting in some fresh stuff so you don't find yourself having to repot in 6 months...

[Rowangreen]

I have some fresh sphag: I actually got a bag as part of my order as I reckoned it would come in handy and could travel with the orchids!

[camille1585]

I'm still waiting for my sphag... I ordered from a dutch grower at the same time and included sphag in the order, but since last saturday was a holiday my payment didn't go through until monday, and so the plants didn't get shipped. So I should get them on Tuesday or Wednesday! I was counting on having it before the Schwerter order arrived, but it didn't work out that way!

[Rowangreen]

Well, I've been re-potting, and a few surprises there! The two phals in sphag were maybe not as happy as they looked. Purple Martin is fine: all the root were round the outside, but they were all healthy and there's enough of them. The cornu-cervi though hasn't got a great lot of roots, and some of them were rotten or dodgy. It's got some new root growth though, so I think it will bounce back fine.

Meanwhile, well, lets just say I was a bit disapointed that I didn't get a bonus plant like so many people seem to (not that I think you can expect it... it wouldn't be a bonus if you did!). On the other hand, it was nice that the picta had a lot more bulbs than I really expect. Can you work out where I'm going with this?

I have been taking pictures of root systems etc, but I don't think I'll have time to post tonight...

[Susie11]

I've never got a free plant yet but then again my last order only came to 22.00 euros including shipping

[camille1585]

I've never gotten a bonus plant from Schwerter, I don't think they do that sort of thing. I usually spend 80-100€ each time. Orchideen Lucke gives freebies, and Claessen does it once in a while (or includes free fertilizer)

[The Mutant]

I've ordered from Schwerter twice now, one order over 100€ and no freebie, so I wouldn't expect one either. My last order for the year, which I placed yesterday, amounted to 222,40€ ( ), and I highly doubt there will be any bonus plant included. The closest thing I got to a bonus plant was my little Phal equestris var. coerulea which was noted as dead on the order information and for which I had gotten a refund, but it was still in the package, and it seems to be doing fine at the moment.

[camille1585]

You ordered more????! What'd ya get this time? I'm curious!!