Orchid Hobby tips & ideas to save money

[Oscarman]

I am with you with this one. Been using these for a while - they work wonderfully, very durable and easily cleaned! You can cut/melt holes into them with little problem. A soldering gun works well for melting.

Originally Posted by L I Jane

How about using the little plastic boxes that salad (bigger boxes) & fruit come in to make little greenhouses for sdlngs or stressed plants that require more humidity than you can give them to recover or grow?Just make sure they have holes for breathing & that they are in a shaded area so you don't 'cook them'. Opening the lids periodically & let them breathe normally will cut down on excess moisture.

[bwester]

My entire greenhouse greenhouse was designed on a dime. So, if you need any ideas for cooling or anything else, pm me.

[Gideon]

Originally Posted by bwester

My entire greenhouse greenhouse was designed on a dime. So, if you need any ideas for cooling or anything else, pm me.

Not getting away with it that easily I am sure a lot of people are interested...and pics would be nice too.

I'll start off by asking...I want to know about cooling a greenhouse, it gets pretty hot in South Africa

[cb977]

Another money-saver...this idea comes from my friend Linda:
use old vinyl blind slats to make plant tags.
Cut them down to size easily, write the plant info and stick 'em in the pot. They're also very easy to punch a hole in for your hanging plants.
Ingenious!

[justatypn]

Paph, what a great idea with the pot and colander and my husband tells me that a pot and collander is used for boiling pasta and what not...wait till I tell him he's talking out his head...geez I'm glad he loves to cook..

Try removing the stain with a baking soda paste and rinse thoroughly.

Opps forgot to post the vertical blinds leftovers I use to make plant tags and shash kabob sticks are cut in half and placed in the medium to the bottom to help determine moisture and helps me with my watering control.

[Ely]

Oooo, I got me an idea! Let's make a coat out of a towel! Oh wait, that was the Jim Gaffigan kicking in... Any way, take a metal coat hanger and cut out the straight bottom part. Wrap it in florists tape and you have an instant spike support stick that is inexpensive, stylish, and bendable! but wait! Don't throw away that other piece of hanger! Get yer'self a pair of needle-nose pliers and curve the ends up toward the hanger hook. Take some epoxy and secure the twisted metal at the top of the hanger hook and wrap it in florist's tape. Ta-dah! An air basket for "mounted" orchids! A-thank-you!

[charmbutterfly]

Didn't see if anyone else said this already but i use a 99cent pack of bamboo skewers and i stick one in each of my orchid pots and i can just pull them out to check moisture levels!
If its cool to the touch and darker than the part that sticks out in the air, the medium still has moisture in it, if the medium is dry the skewer will be light in colour

[cb977]

Originally Posted by Ely

Oooo, I got me an idea! Let's make a coat out of a towel! Oh wait, that was the Jim Gaffigan kicking in... Any way, take a metal coat hanger and cut out the straight bottom part. Wrap it in florists tape and you have an instant spike support stick that is inexpensive, stylish, and bendable! but wait! Don't throw away that other piece of hanger! Get yer'self a pair of needle-nose pliers and curve the ends up toward the hanger hook. Take some epoxy and secure the twisted metal at the top of the hanger hook and wrap it in florist's tape. Ta-dah! An air basket for "mounted" orchids! A-thank-you!

Good one, Jordan

[Gin]

Panty hose instead of the fishing line to hold mounted plants to the mount . A Turkey Baster to water seedlings . Used spray bottles washed to use and toss . Rock salt around the foundation to keep slugs away .. gin

[Posey]

Put used clear deli containers, through the sani cycle in the dishwasher. Remove, drill a coule holes about an inch from the bottom and you have a s/h pot.