Hi everyone...I just watched the video by Dr. Motes about growing orchids in South Fla.. I can adapt some of his methods to use for my orchids here in Middle Ga.. I am not a botanist or have a doctrine degree in plants, I am just a hobbyist. I was maybe thinking of doing a booklet on growing orchids here in Middle GA.. Of course I would have to use Jim to make sure the names are right...lol. How do you guys feel about this? All input is appreciated.

Mike, just my opinion but writing something and publishing it is a bit risky nowadays. So many people exchange information freely - and for free - that it's hard to compete.

That being said, I did buy Dr. Motes orchid books within the last year. Already there is information, new bugs and diseases, and there are products that have appeared for orchid use that are not in his books. Printed materials go out of date, but information on the internet is so easily updated. Unless you publish an update every few months, your booklet may be outdated very quickly.

Side note: Dr. Motes' doctorate is in Literature, I believe. But he has been growing orchids in Florida for 50 years so that qualifies him as an expert by any standards.

Another expert, who just passed away recently at age 90-ish is Thomas Sheehan, an associate professor of Biology at the University of Florida. He co-authored a book I have and when I finished it, I asked myself "Where's the information on fertilizer?" So I was able to find an e-mail address for Dr. Sheehan through the University and wrote to him. Know what his answer about fertilizer was? "Every orchid grower has their own system and combinations of products they use and it changes very often. I've been growing a greenhouse full of various orchids for nearly 70 years and I spray them with a hose-end sprayer and Miracle-Gro every second week".

Hoo Boy! So much information, and so much of it conflicts. I'd think twice about setting myself up as an "authority" on any subject so changeable.

Dr. Sheehan and I have about the same way of watering and fertilizing and similar philosophy about fertilization in general. So many people seem to hate Miracle-Gro products, that I seldom mention using the fertilizer (in the spring and summer). I get in enough trouble as it is.

I think the bias against Miracle-Gro has a lot to do with the "Evil chemical Empire" i.e. Monsanto. Let's not even touch that whole subject.

I don't think I'd use Miracle Gro on my orchids here, just because of our high pH water that has naturally occurring phosphorus already in it. You're probably fine using it where you are.

I use the water out of my pond filter. As most of my plants are over the pond, I don't want to use anything that will harm my fish or turtle. I try to keep most of the 'dirt' from going back into the pond though.

Forgot to address the relavent question: How about an on-line blog?

Daisy

Mike, there would be nothing wrong with sharing your cultural conditions here on the forum. We do it all the time!

But, I would never tell anyone anything other than: This is what I do under my conditions, in my climate zone, with my sun exposure etc etc. What works for me, may kill your plants and so on.

Thank you for all the input...Now you guys got me scared. I love to share for new people just getting into growing orchids. But yes Ursula, I understand that what you guys do, may not work for me and what I do here in GA. may not work for any of you or other growers. With all the climate changing going on, something that I might have done for months with my plants might not work the next week or month and then you have to start adjusting till you find the sweet spot again.

I agree with Elaine, writing a booklet is a lot of work especially when updated information is available for free. I belong to the Garden Writers Association and can tell you that the professional writing experts feel the same way. It is just not worth it. However, sharing info like the folks do here is another, and very valuable, story.

My personal bias against Miracle Gro is that with herbaceous plants it seems to push top growth and flowering at the expense of good root growth. Obviously this is a different application than with orchids where you are looking for foliar growth and roots may be secondary. For plants like annuals MG is tops.

Thank you Alice...I am seeing what everyone is saying. About the fertilizer, I am using a very light Miracle Gro for Orchids. I want to go back to using cow manure tea when the plants are outside. I remember one spring and summer I used the fish manure stuff, can't remember the name. the stuff smelled so bad that my wife and kids said daddy don't use that stuff again...lol. But has soon has I can I am going to use the Peters 15-5-15 excel that Dr. Motes uses. I am using the Epsom salt that Motes suggest also using 1 tlbsp per gallon about, once a week.

Hi Mike,

Do you have an Orchid Society in your area? I found my nitch in the local OS. When we have shows and sales, I give the potting seminar. Another member gives the basic orchid growing seminar and so on. The information we are dispensing is only valuable to someone who lives in our area (the high desert). Not a lot of outdoor orchid growing around here although we do have a couple members with summer lathe houses (they move their plants indoors to a greenhouse or sunroom in the winter). Mine spend all their time in a greenhouse as I live in a hilltop neighborhood with no tall trees (to preserve the view).

So the information you have stored in your brain (or notebook) is only valuable to those with similar growing conditions. Find a local audience and share away. Do you know the definition of an expert? (someone who knows more than you do).

Daisy

Hi Daisy...thank you for the input. The closest OS to me is an hour away. I am disabled and do not drive anymore due to uncontrollable diabetes and neuropathy. I cant fell anything below my knees. My wife will not drive into Atlanta, especially at night. So it is groups like this to share info with and I use the AM. OS to stay up on other orchid info.. I do not let my disabilities hold me down to grow my plants though. OH and by the way I am no expert, because there are a lot more ppl. out there that knows more than me...LOL!

I do appreciate everyone on here for sharing their pictures and growing info with me and all the others on here.