OrchidSafari ARCHIVES*

Jane - in Long Island NY
Ellen - in Long Island NY
Josh- in Iowa
Marilyn - in Ottowa
JohnY - in S Calif
Sparky - in S Fla.
Lois - in N Louisiana
KB Barrett - in N Calif
Bert- -in S Fla.
Gail - in S Fla.
Yoshiko - in Michigan
Janette H
John in Garland - in Texas
Paula - in S Fla.
Crispin7 Cindy in San Diego
Jason - in New York
Laura in New England
Peetelis
Lanceps - in S Calif
Melanie
Evlyn - in N Louisiana
Ed - in Texas

yoshiko2 (Ann Arbor, MI)
Hi Marg and Charlie, you don't know me, but thanks for signing my book anyhow. Really like it!

JCY8S (John in Arcadia, CA)
When the 3 parts of the Paph book are complete, will there be a special title page prepard (and maybe table of contents) so that we might have it bound all together? A complete index would also help.

Marg and Charlie Baker
JCY, Yes. the final volume will tie all the parts together including a full index.

BCPRESS (Bert in Miami)
Right now it's like having a Dictionary with all the words from A-K. I have the Baker Book with species beginning with letter 'P'. will next go up or down alphabet?

Marg and Charlie Baker
BC, we understand how you feel. The second volume is almost ready to go and we hope to get all parts out quickly.

yoshiko2 (Ann Arbor, MI)
Are going to include Cypripediums as well in one of the volumes?

JanetteH ((In the foothills of NC))
I haven't seen your book yet. Is it written in a similar style as your dendrobium book or is it different?
[Janette, The culture is similar to our other books, but the Paph book has Guido's taxonomy and spectacular, full page, color photographs. --mb]

Jane5536 (Huntington L.I. N.Y.)
Any chance of phrags being included in vol. 2 or 3?

Marg and Charlie Baker
Jane, phrags aren't part of this. These 3 volumes will cover just the paphs. We hope to do another volume, after paphs are done, [in which we hope to include the other Paph relatives. --mb]

Ellen,Smithtown,NewYork
Desperately need a book on Phrags.

Jane5536 (Huntington L.I. N.Y.)
PLEASE--think about doing a book on Phrags--we need more info :)

Scott Mcphee (Scott M (N. California))
Aren't Phrags already covered in one of the other books?

Ellen,Smithtown,NewYork
I also have their book including phrags but there is no information on the many hybrids. Their book on Phrags is fabulous and easy to follow the culture. My problem comes when the hybrid doesn't seem to thrive under the same culture.

Marg and Charlie Baker
Ellen, Well, if it's culture you need... [grin] see vol. 1.

JCY8S
Which book is that Marg?

Marg and Charlie Baker
JCY, It was the first book that Timber Press published. It came out about 1991 and covers the genera Pescatorea, Phaius, Phalaenopsis, Pholidota, Phrags, and Plieone. Don't ask why we started with those. It's too long a story for now. :)

Ellen,Smithtown,NewYork
Marge my questions deal with which parent a hybrid favors. For example, Dick Clemens, does it require the same culture as the besseae parent which is more shade less water.

Marg and Charlie Baker
Ellen, We can't do hybrids, the genetics aren't stable. A hybrid may inherit different genes and need different growing conditions. Just because a hybrid resembles a parent, it doesn't mean that it also inherited the genetics that make it a warm-grower or tolerant of cool temps. If you look at the habitats of the parent species and they both require a rest period, you can reasonably expect their offspring to need a rest. The same thing is true of seasonal temperatures. Ellen, the first place to get help is from the breeder, he/she is the one with the most experience with that cross. I'm sorry we can't help more.

JCY8S (John in Arcadia, CA)
I think that I have found that some hybrids take more after one parent and some after the other. Even hybrids that have only species as parents. The plants cane look different even if the flowers look almost the same.
[We don't disagree, JCY, but as true as that may be, we would be doing growers a disservice to put out a hybrid culture sheet and say that this is true for all of the hybrids from a particular cross. --mb]

johngingarland
Marg and Charlie - It looks like to me that Withner would describe you as a splitter.

Marg and Charlie Baker
First, last and always, we are not taxonomists. That is all Guido's fault. :)
[People often think that we must be formally trained in botany or taxonomy, but in reality, we are only interested amateurs. Taxonomy is a specialized branch of botany, and we would not pretend to be qualified to determine whether or not a plant is a species. -- mb]

JCY8S (John in Arcadia, CA)
Thank you for dedicating your work to Dr Fowlie. I knew him as he used to speak at our meeting of our society frequently and his talks were so humourous and informative. He helped me a lot.

Marg and Charlie Baker
I once asked Jack Fowlie why he split things into so many species, and he said because "Splitters always win in the end."

JCY8S (John in Arcadia, CA)
Fowlie was the splitter personified!! [Agreed!!! -- mb]

Crispin7
Hi Marg and Charles, Your cultural info is great! Can I jump in with a question? Just curious... How did you come to decide to do a three-part series instead of 1 volume?

Marg and Charlie Baker
Crispin. The price of a single book was just too high. It is easier for people to purchase smaller chunks.
[The cost is so high because of the exceptionally high paper quality which had to be used for all of the book because the photographs are placed with the related text instead of bunched together in the center or back of the book. The precise color reproductions are also expensive. --mb]

marylois (northwest Louisiana)
...and easier to convince non-orchid spouses you need the book! *G*

sparkysteve (TOPIC:Bakers and Dr.Braems new Paph Book)
hahah--- and you're keeping people on the edge of their chars waiting!

PaphioDePaphio
How much is the book? where can I order the book?

Marg and Charlie Baker
Paphio, It's available on our web site. AOS book dept and Botana books also carry it.
[I didn't mean to give a glib answer; I just didn't feel right using this group for a specific sales pitch. -- mb]

marylois (northwest Louisiana)
Bakers URL is: button http://www.orchidculture.com

BCPRESS (Bert in Miami)
I must complement the Bakers on their web available culture sheets. They seem to have selected just those species I find most interesting.

JCY8S (John in Arcadia, CA)
I must complement you on the photos in the book. It is so nice to be able to see a species in a photo that is not the size of a postage stamp. We really can use the photos to good advantage.

Marg and Charlie Baker
JCY, The [exquisite mb] photos are all from Guido.

yoshiko2 (Ann Arbor, MI)
I agree, the photographs are very nice. The cultural information has been very helpful to a beginner.

JCY8S (John in Arcadia, CA)
The cultural information is helpful to everyone even those who have grown the plants for years.

Marg and Charlie Baker
Yoshiko, We're glad you find the information helpful. Remember though, if your plant in healthy and blooming leave it alone. That's Bakers first law of orchid culture! :)

Crispin7
M+C: I have a 'gestalt' question. Have closely compared culture for micranthum + armeniacum in your book, and am getting good growth on both. Last yr all 6 micranthum buds blooms fine, but my 3 armeniacums blasted. They are growing side by side and both flourishing. Besides cooler Temps for armeniacum, and no water on crown in winter, do you have a feel for whats needed to keep the armeniacum buds from blasting this year? Thanks (Crispin7=Cindy Hill in San Diego)

Marg and Charlie Baker
Cindy, were the temps a little warm? We've found that high temps will cause bud blast for many of the truly cool-growing plants.
[We grow both plants in our greenhouse which is 55 to 60 on winter nights. We also water sparingly, but in winter, our atmospheric air is so saturated that we don't have much evaporation. Ours both bloom every year. --mb]

Crispin7 (Crispin 7/Cindy in San Diego)
Marg-temp outside Dec thru Mar gets to mid forties, up to 60s. Plants are protected from rain, with good air movement. The buds blasted while still down in the crown, not yet emerged. [might you have gotten moisture in the crown? --mb] The plants have lots of new growths, so I thnk they are happy. I read that where armeniacum grows, it receives no direct rain overhead, moisture at roots from trickling. This year I'll be careful to keep water out of crown. Just wondered about any other requirements. Thanks

sparkysteve (TOPIC:Bakers and Dr.Braems new Paph Book)
Cindy---was it a first bloom? maybe the plant wasn't ready to support the flowers.

marylois (northwest Louisiana)
Or did you change fertilizers??

JCY8S (John in Arcadia, CA)
Good idea, Lois. I blasted some buds because my fertilizer was too strong.

johngingarland
Sounds like to me that you let the plant dry out for too long....

marilyninOttawa
We have found that Cyp flowers blast or abort when water is lacking. This could be lack of rain at critical stages of flower bud development or lack of root capacity for adequate water uptake. Could this be what is happening with the Paphs?

Crispin7 (Crispin 7/Cindy in San Diego)
Steve - first bloom for this stolon, with two 1yr old growths alongside. I have had the plant 4 years, so this was its first try with me as a new division. That may have been the problem. Thanks

Crispin7 (Crispin 7/Cindy in San Diego)
Marilyn - good suggestion -- I have been giving my malipoense armen. and micranthum lots of water (every other day) til T drops to 60, then twice to once a week. I had been told to let them dry out completely in winter, but in my experience, they do not like their roots to be dry, just do not leave water on leaves when cold.

yoshiko2 (Ann Arbor, MI)
My Paph malipoense is pushing up a bud. Is this normal for this time of year? I read in the book that the blooming season was in Spring. Or is that just in their natural habitat and could be anytime elsewhere?

JCY8S (John in Arcadia, CA)
Yoshiko - maybe because of the funny weather we are all having - particularly here in So Cal.

Marg and Charlie Baker
Yoshiko, The plants don't know what season it is. All they care about are the conditions you give it. If you let the plant get too dry this summer, it probably thinks this is spring. Was the growth fully mature?

yoshiko2 (Ann Arbor, MI)
Oh, I see. I had the plant outside and it was raining heavily off and on in late August and September. I have it inside now. Do you think I should water more often? I couldn't leave it outside, it's getting quite cold at night.
[This is the best way for indoor growers to give their orchids a rest. Don't worry about what month it is, just provide those conditions when you can. Once it has had those conditions, treat it like it is that point on the calendar. So, if the habitat has a rest period in Jan and Feb, but you can only give it those conditions in late August, then adjust your other growing conditions to match that point in the season. Does that make sense? If not, email me at cmbaker@orchidculture.com -- mb]

JCY8S (John in Arcadia, CA)
Yosiko - what is quite cold in your area for now?

yoshiko2 (Ann Arbor, MI)
John, must be getting down to the 50's or 40's some evenings here. The growth looks pretty mature to me. The plant is very large and healthy. It had one big bloom on the central plant last spring. The bud is coming up on one of the large side shoots. I've also been using Wundergrow and Wunderbloom since the beginning of summer. Do you think that promoted the bud?

Marg and Charlie Baker
Yoshiko, Drop us an email. cmbaker@orchidculture.com

marylois (northwest Louisiana)
That could be Yoshiko - I think we can start a new great fertilizer at the 'wrong' time and kinda mess up the internal clock - BUT, all should be well next season. I too use both - and I've had a few early blooming (growth not mature) cattleyas.

KB Barrett (Kathy in N Calif)
Was it difficult to 'sell' the idea of another orchid book to Timber Press? (I assume they still are your publishers.)

Marg and Charlie Baker
Kathy, Timber press was reluctant to do Dendrobium just because of it's size. After that came out [they said that even though our books sold steadily, they didn't make enough on them, so they backed out. They asked us to do a book with just the popularly grown species, but that bothered us. There is usually lots of information about them. We got started because we happened to have several uncommon species, and there was no information anywhere. That's why when we do a genus, we do every species. Not as profitable maybe, but certainly more useful. :) --mb]

BCPRESS (Bert in Miami
Len Sandow easier to work with as book printer, no?
[Len Sandow is a treasure. We ended up with the exact book we had all hoped it would be. This is uncommon in book publishing. -- mb]

Ellen,Smithtown,NewYork
Marge, why are the Chinese paphs so difficult to bloom?

marylois (northwest Louisiana)
Yes, C&M - what would you say is the MAJOR cause of non-blooming parvisepalums?

Marg and Charlie Baker
Ellen, they aren't difficult if you give them what they want. Also, don't forget that some growths may need 2 or 3 yrs to be fully mature, and they won't bloom until they are. Marylois, parvisepalums need a cool, [slightly --mb] drier rest in the winter time. They are some of the few plants that like to stay fairly moist even when temperatures are cool.

marilyninOttawa
I was wondering what your comments might be re: coconut granules (bast) medium for Paphs. I tried it with parvis and they responded positively and immediately with new roots. Then, I tried Paph. Transvaal and it has literally doubled in size! Considering that the medium is quite dense, what do you suggest is promoting root growth?

johngingarland
Where might one purchase these coconut chunks? If these bricks are that good, sign me up, girl!

marilyninOttawa
John, we purchase the coconut granules compressed into bricks. One brick makes a full bucket of granules! But I wanted to know Marg and Charlie's comments. Maybe the material is not generally recommended??

KB Barrett (Kathy in N Calif)
Yes Marilyn, what kind of chunks are they? I have seen actual chunks, which folks say should be leached for salts, some sort of threads of coconut, and some sort of coconut powder...

marilyninOttawa
I do not know if these coconut granule bricks (Grobrix) are available in the US but I expect that they are. I was cautious about salts but there does not appear to be injurious levels in this batch at least.

sparkysteve (TOPIC:Bakers and Dr.Braems new Paph Book)
I tried to mount plants on coconuts and the fiber goes after 3 years or even 2 but maybe in a drier GH it would do better

marylois (northwest Louisiana)
...but sparky, aren't you repotting paphs every year? *G*

Jane5536 (Huntington L.I. N.Y.)
Sparky--what are the granules?

sparkysteve (TOPIC:Bakers and Dr.Braems new Paph Book)
Just compressed square blocks of fiber.

marilyninOttawa
What are your comments re coconut granules (bast granules) as paph growing media? I have found to my surprise that parvis thrive in it and quickly too. Other paphs like Transvaal grow like crazy! Why? The medium is quite dense yet roots literally spurt out of the plants. Comments?

Marg and Charlie Baker
Try the coconut with caution. We haven't tried the bricks, but we did try the shredded coconut as the sole potting medium. It was generally a problem. It holds immense amouts of water. For some reason it works well in the tropics but not as well in [temperate zones. --mb]

marilyninOttawa
This is not coconut husk! It is the particles found between the husk fiber. It forms a granular, spongy substance which can absorb a lot of water when wetted. I would be cautious about using it in all climates. Test first on a few plants.

Marg and Charlie Baker
Marilyn, got your message..finally. The coconut holds a mind boggling amount of water and the fiber is loaded with sugar.

KB Barrett (Kathy in N Calif)
M+C, Think the sugar would promote mealy bug infestations?

marilyninOttawa
The sugar could promote mycorrhizal growth and that could relate to better water and nutrient uptake by the fungi and hence the roots. If sugar is present and then for how long? Interesting experiment to conduct!

Evlyn
You are talking about the brick that is soaked in water and is tiny fibers? I tried that a few years ago and it just ran out the bottom of the pot.

Marg and Charlie Baker
Marilyn, Charlie just reminded me that it was Lance Birk that concurred with our experience. It holds too much water if temps are a little cool.

Marg and Charlie Baker
Kathy, We haven't seen any problem with bugs in coconut. We now use [the fiber -- mb] to line baskets.

BCPRESS (Bert in Miami)
I've had enough trouble learning to pot with Aliflor = sphagnum. Dangerous to switch to each new fad and learn all over again. My experience: no magic media, no magic fertilizers and no free lunch.
[How right you are! However, it doesn't hurt to match the medium with your watering practices and what the plants need. We all make choices when we repot. It may not be scientific but we have a good idea of what type of medium works best for us. --mb]

gaillevy ( Boca Raton, Fl)
I have been using the Coconut husk chips and like them. I have the gro-blocks too. Actually they are used with something like aliflor just to keep more moisture. OFE carries both of these. The chips are nice and don't break down. I've been using them for a couple of months. My catasetums and Phrags seem to like them, as well as the Cats I've repotted. You have to realize that repotting is not one of my favorite sports. This stuff is clean and looks good.

gaillevy ( Boca Raton, Fl)
I went thru the lava rock stage a couple of years ago and find that most of the plants that I put in that seem to be starving. They get dehydrated and look pretty pityful. Don't like that stuff anymore, aliflor seems alot better. They recommend that with the coco-peat just to add some more moisture.

marilyninOttawa
Just a caution. There are two kinds of brick on the market. One is made up of peat (stated in small print on label), the other is made of coconut (not stated on label). The labels look very much alike. Check. It could make a big difference!

Marg and Charlie Baker
Marilyn, I don't know how long the sugar is present. It might be a little like sphagnum, in that it has wonderful properties immediately after repotting, but those advantages may not hold true for the long run.

Marg and Charlie Baker
Marilyn, it would be fun to experiment. I assume the peat is coconut peat?

marilyninOttawa
The peat is sphagnum peat

Ellen,Smithtown,NewYork
Marilyn, is that the chunk peat?

marylois (northwest Louisiana)
I agree, Bert - doesn't hurt to try something new on two or three plants though.

Marg and Charlie Baker
Bert, we agree. Once you find a medium that matches your watering practices, stick with it. We tried the soil-less mix in the basement where we handwatered every plant, and it was great. We took those plants outside in the spring where they were subject to mist cooling and overhead watering. The soiless mix was a disaster under those conditions. Your choice of medium needs to match where you grow.

Ellen,Smithtown,NewYork
M&C do you add calcium to your mixes?

Marg and Charlie Baker
Ellen, our water has 0 calcium in it, we occasionally add some crushed oyster shell and our plants would probably be happier if we included it more often.

KB Barrett (Kathy in N Calif)
What about acidifying the water or other conditioning?

Marg and Charlie Baker
We don't do much of anything special and sometimes our plants look like it too. Our philosophy is that if it won't grow with our conditions, we should give it to some who can give it what it wants.

sparkysteve (TOPIC:Bakers and Dr.Braems new Paph Book)
Aha! My kind of grower!!!!

Marg and Charlie Baker
Steve, Charlie has been know to threaten plants that were being difficult. It's a good technique, so far I think he has a 100% success rate. :)

KB Barrett (Kathy in N Calif)
M+C, a lot of people in my club have trouble getting parvis to bloom, even mature plants and seasoned growers. I tell them to top dress with calcium, and watch their water pH. Something I learned from Ellen on this group, and seems to work for us here. Any other advice?

marylois (northwest Louisiana)
Kathy - what do you mean 'watch your pH' - what pH are you recommending?

Marg and Charlie Baker
Kathy, what works well for you may not work for me. We may have very different water supplies. We don't use calcium and our water pH is 6.8 and ours paphs bloom every year. I think the cool and dry would make them bloom regardless of the other conditions. There is no optimum pH, just as there isn't an ideal rest or ideal growing temps. Orchids tend to prefer a slightly acid medium, but we just add more sphagnum, or maybe, if the plant is from the black-water district in Venezuela we'll add redwood to the medium to lower the acidity.

KB Barrett (Kathy in N Calif)
Lois, something a little less acidic, they grow on limestone cliffsides if I recall rightly. The oyster shell would buffer an acidic water anyway, but it wouldn't hurt to be aware of what you're putting on a plant that's being hesitant to blomm for you any way.

Marg and Charlie Baker
We were talking to Jack Fowlie one time and asked him about calcium. He said that even though the paphs grow on limestone, it dissolves faster when watered with our cool water than it does in the warmer water in their habitat. It is very easy to have a toxic level of Calcium in the medium, if you add calcium to the medium and also have very hard water. You can find out what minerals are in your local water supply by calling the water district. They take regular samples and analyze them.

onelaelia (Caracas)
Dear Bakers, you left me in suspense after the black water...

Marg and Charlie Baker
Just sent my message when I wasn't ready. Adding redwood fiber (pet bedding from a feed and seed store, sphagnum, etc.) We pick and choose our medium so that the plant has about what it wants and we have plants that adapt to our watering practices. Caracas, the black water region has a pH down around 3. It is unbelievably acid. We try to take that into consideration when we select a medium.

onelaelia (Caracas)
Thank you Bakers. It is difficult to modify water for just one or two plants. I am afraid my one phrag will have to survive if it can.
[It is easy to adjust your medium so that your plant gets what it needs. Also, Our growing area has a cooler spot and part of a bench that we do not water all winter. Find your own microclimates within your growing area. --mb]

Ellen,Smithtown,NewYork
M&C can we digress back to phrags which I find easier to grow.

sparkysteve (TOPIC:Bakers and Dr.Braems new Paph Book)
Thats funny Ellen--I have a few Paphs and I CAN'T grow Phrags!

Marg and Charlie Baker
Ellen, sure, we're game. Steve, we have a couple of phrags and bloom them but with our cool dry conditions in winter, [a new growth --mb] can take several years to mature.

Ellen,Smithtown,NewYork
I have besseae flavum and seem to have difficulty with it. is its culture the same as the other besseae. I really do well with phrags but this one seems to need special care.

sparkysteve (TOPIC:Bakers and Dr.Braems new Paph Book)
May be just a bad clone Ellen

Marg and Charlie Baker
Ellen, Do you happen to know where it was collected?

Ellen,Smithtown,NewYork
No, not really.

Ellen,Smithtown,NewYork
I keep all but my besseaes in saucers of water and they thrive. I also find the 4N and the cochine treated plants don't seem as vigorous as the others.

Ellen,Smithtown,NewYork
Marylois, I have 12 phrags in bloom and 6 more in spike and that lousy flavum sits and does nothing.
[Ellen-- I added all of following information about P. besseae, both are articles that were published after we did the Phrag culture sheets. Perhaps there is some additional info.
[From the AOS Bulletin Dec. 1992 p 1226-1227 -- Judy White
One very successful grower (Ware in the Seattle area) reports that his plants grow in relatively low light, with temps between 58 for a winter low and 80 for a summer high. He uses Dyna-Gro 7-9-5 fertilizer, which he mixes at 1/10th normal strength and applies the dilute solution every other watering. Mealy bugs are a problem, and Ware uses only insecticidal soap or alcohol. P. besseae loves to be repotted, a stale medium is disaster. Must be kept moist, he waters whenever the surface is dry. He reported that the back growths are relatively short-lived which means that there are few divisions. New growths tend to grow upwards in a pot with each new growth higher in the pot that the preceding one. This matchs Guido's information about the habitat. Blooms more than once a year.]
[From Schlechteriana 2nd quarter 1990 -- Guido Braem
[Guido comments that P. besseae grows on sheer, vertical, inaccessible cliffs. He includes pictures of the habitat.]
[As always, growers need to weigh others information with their own growing conditions. Hopefully some of the preceding information will suggest something to help you bloosm P. besseae var. flava. --mb]

sparkysteve (TOPIC:Bakers and Dr.Braems new Paph Book)
Ellen---give it away---it's sure to bloom!!!!!!!!!!!

Marg and Charlie Baker
Steve, I can't tell you how often that has worked. When someone gets frustrated and gives the plant away, it invariably blooms. It may be getting an unintended rest period, or more water, or more or less light, or more or less of a different fertilizer.

marylois (northwest Louisiana)
Ellen - you say you have all of them in saucers?

Ellen,Smithtown,NewYork
All but the besseaes. I keep 6 big ones in a long shallow tray. Marge, in back crossing hybrid phrags to the species, will the plants be more vigorous?

Marg and Charlie Baker
Ellen, I don't know. The usual discussion about hybrids is that they have 'hybrid vigor'. We truly don't know much about hybrids.

gaillevy ( Boca Raton, Fl)
The bloom spikes (2) on my Socerer's Apprentice are at least 4' high I can't keep them upright, they are laying across the bench, they just keep blooming and blooming. Wish the others would follow!

marylois (northwest Louisiana)
I think I read besseaes don't like wet feet - EXCEPT FLAVA! You are right to keep them drier - but try the flava in a little water.

gaillevy ( Boca Raton, Fl)
Ellen, I took your advice and mine are in saucers too. It seems you also told me to top dress with blood meal and bone meal in October - correct. They are growing nicely and quite wet!

Ellen,Smithtown,NewYork
I will try the flavum in a saucer. Can't do any worse. Gail, works like a charm. October is right

nodosa (Ed in SAT)
Rather than give the plant away, try moving it back to front or side to side in your greenhouse or growing area. That's all it takes, many times.

BCPRESS (Bert in Miami)
What about prayer, nodosa, what about prayer?

KB Barrett (Kathy in N Calif)
Ed, I actually did that and had it work!!! I couldn't believe it could be true! I had a Cyrtochilum spike after I moved it about 1 foot, out of the direct flow from a fan.

nodosa (Ed in SAT)
I urge you to try that, Bert, right after you move the plant.

nodosa (Ed in SAT)
KB - at last one of my theories has worked. I shall go out and move a bunch of plants tomorrow!

BCPRESS (Bert in Miami)
And what's wrong with species? With 30,000 species, who needs hybrids?

[A personal note; We tend to agree with BC, but it's hard to argue with the fact that hybrids are often easier to grow and bloom. --mb]

Lanceps (Thamina from Manhattan Beach, Calif.)
I like to put divisions of the same plant in different locations, just to see if it makes a difference in blooming times.

Marg and Charlie Baker
Thamina, It makes all the difference in the world, but be careful about changing them too often. Changing the plant orientation requires a massive adaptation for the plant.

Ellen,Smithtown,NewYork
Nothing is wrong with species.I would just like some info on their hybrids.

KB Barrett (Kathy in N Calif)
Ellen, forgive me if I'm wrong, but most if not all books deal with species. Hybrids are just too jumbled up to guess about. That was one of my major frustrations with Northen, till I learned to read between the lines. But you're right, we all buy hybrids, - Sparky excepted - and we all are frustrated!

Marg and Charlie Baker
Kathy, That's the reason we decided to stick with species. Ellen, Hybrids are just too individual to make any general recommendations.

marylois (northwest Louisiana)
My favorites are primary hybrids.

Marg and Charlie Baker
Marylois, With primary hybrids, you can research the parent species and get a good idea of what they might like, or what direction to go if they need a change. [The primary hybrids are the ones for which the parent information is most valuable. --mb]

sparkysteve (TOPIC:Bakers and Dr.Braems new Paph Book)
Charlie tried to explain Ellen---out of a grex there may be 1000 plants, each with a different requirement. I agree with you charlie---you just have to be lucky! But even with species you can't go with the book 100%

Marg and Charlie Baker
Steve, The only thing any book should be used for is to give you some idea for a new plant, or what direction to go if you plant just isn't doing what it should. All our stuff does is help the grower, it doesn't eliminate the need for a skilled grower.

KB Barrett (Kathy in N Calif)
M+C, that's what I meant about reading between the lines. They are a suggestion only.

nodosa (Ed in SAT)
I love hybrids. Easier to grow and more poop for the effort.

KB Barrett (Kathy in N Calif)
M+C what characteristics do you look for when you purchase plants? Somehow I can't imagine you two standing at a show picking over the same seedlings we are offered. So as you pick your plants, your looking for what - evidence of new growth, good color, some indication of vigor?

Marg and Charlie Baker
These days we tend to go in cycles. We find plants we like--usually because they grow with the type of climate we provide. I know some growers that won't buy a plant until they can see it in flower. Kathy, we're no different than anyone else. Honest. We get our plants at the same places you do, [and the first thing we look for is a dependable supplier. We do not tend to buy at shows, we tend to order. We don't show our plants, and we feel that it is a bit of a mistake to propagate only the plants with the prettiest flowers. That's the way it's done of coarse, but that results in inbreeding that isn't necessarily the best idea in the long run. --mb] If I had to choose, I would probably try to select a plant with a strong root system if I could.

KB Barrett (Kathy in N Calif)
That's a good tip! About the roots, I usually look for new growth. [Good new growth usually means good roots. :) --mb]

sparkysteve (TOPIC:Bakers and Dr.Braems new Paph Book)
I agree with you Kathy---you will probably kill the roots changing their conditions.

marylois (northwest Louisiana)
Kinda hard to see the roots - vendors seem to dislike unpotting their wares - new growth is a good indicator, Kathy. I also like to find one with new growths in two-three directions...and actually fine one once in a blue moon.

Lanceps (Thamina from Manhattan Beach, Calif.)
Someone mentioned you wrote about pescatoreas, my 1st one, purchased in July from Cal-Orchid, has a bud. It's in a 3'' pot. Should I bring it inside?

Lanceps (Thamina from Manhattan Beach, Calif.)
How about the transparent pots?

Marg and Charlie Baker
Which Pescatorea?

Lanceps (Thamina from Manhattan Beach, Calif.)
Pes. wallisii x Pes. lehmanni

Marg and Charlie Baker
[Pescatorea lehmanni grows where daily highs average 69-71 deg. F. Average low temperatures are 62-63 deg. F. _ALL year!_ The greatest difference between day and night temperatures (diurnal range) is 8-10 deg. One month in winter is slightly dryer.
P. wallisii 79-85 deg F average daytime highs 60-65 average nights and the diurnal range is 18-22 deg. F. A much dryer 3 months occur in late winter and spring.
Seriously, call the breeder or greenhouse that sold it to you. If you can't. compare your growing conditions to the preceding averages and move your plant into conditions that more like one of the preceding, if it isn't happy, then gradually move it the other direction. This is necessarily brief, more info is available in Orchid Species Culture: Pescatorea through Pleione. This was taken directly from that book. --mb]

Marg and Charlie Baker
The reasons to use a clear pot would be to let light in for the roots or the potting medium. It does allow some light, but the center of the medium is still dark. It is still the center roots that are most likely to develop rot.

gaillevy ( Boca Raton, Fl)
Now that we are still in the 'P's', how about Promenea rullisunii?? My new growth doesn't look happy. It has black tips, any suggestions. It bloomed for me nicely but not it looking rather pityful.

Marg and Charlie Baker
Dying leaf tips are nearly always caused by too many salts accumulated in the medium. The salts may be from the water supply or fertilizer. If you don't flush your pots periodically, this will happen.
[Hard water or fertilizer that is too strong may be the problem. -- mb]

Marg and Charlie Baker
Hey folks, it's time for me to quit and go fix some dinner. Thanks for inviting us. These last questions, send me an email cmbaker@orchidculture.com and I'll answer them directly. Cheers all, Marg (with Charlie's supervision). :-)

marylois (northwest Louisiana)
Nite, Marg and Charlie - thanks ever so much.

gaillevy ( Boca Raton, Fl)
Goodnight Bakers it was fantabulous!

KB Barrett (Kathy in N Calif)
Thanks Marg, Above and beyond the call of duty!

sparkysteve (TOPIC:Bakers and Dr.Braems new Paph Book)
wow---what a great night! THANKS!!!

Marg and Charlie Baker
Night all...