Thanks for your comment - I have not traveled internationally for a few years and have never taken a trip like this with family - hope I can understand Irish/English and remember how to drive on the left!! I have always enjoyed Guinness so I am good in that area !!
Thanks - I do have an orchid growing colleague who will be checking on my plants. She only lives a half mile from my place and she really knows orchids so I am good!
Enjoy your vacation. I have a Ctsm Wine delight X Jumbo puff cross ( my friend's cross) its been two years and a few which have spiked turned out to be female flowers.
I did visit the Dublin national botanic garden and will post a video on that visit soon. Their outdoor flowers were much more impressive that their orchid house - I spent some time with the staff and learned a lot from them.
You should still be able to enjoy those Dendrobium blooms, as they last for weeks. The Brassoncidium is probably another matter, however. My Brassia blooms don’t even seem to last a week in the summertime heat. I agree with your point about people being obsessed with not over potting. I don’t really care so much, and will drop my plants in a large pot and they seem to flourish.
I love using large pots too. And it really is amazing to see how people are so fixed in their ways about the right way to grow plants. I do have an orchid growing friend who offered to keep an eye on my orchids - I think that she will take images for me but I really wanted to see them in person!!
We will miss your videos for sure! I wish you a wonderful trip and an awesome time with your family and a safe return full of great stories to tell us! I guess I'm taking this last chance this month to ask you something I've been meaning to, for some time: I had a flask that got contaminated by fungi. It was a slow growing dark, close to black type of fungus. It soon wreaked havoc inside that little jar. But, one day, as I left it untouched it got colonized by a group of tiny, tiny little white bugs, the size of common fleas! I don't know how they got in there in the first place, but these little fellows began eating the fungus and multiplying like crazy. They did not harm the leftover seedlings at all. In fact, they fully controlled any further growth of that fungus by eating them and leaving just a dark mush behind. The few plants left alive soon began to bounce back, and the "white flea" population seems to have been controlled by the availability of new fungal growth. I could even open the flask periodically out in the unprotected open air, and no extra contaminations happened. I tried inoculating some of those bugs inside other fungus contaminated jars for testing. It seems like they are selective, and don't eat just any kind of mold but only those black, slow grower ones. But they did work very well controlling the growth of similar fungi, specially when they got added early to the flask, as soon as the fungal infection got detected. I have one fungus infected jar of C. trianae seedlings that I treated by inoculating these bugs. Now, five months after that, they are the fastest growers in the batch, even in the company of the fungi and bugs that grow along them in the flask! I don't think they are growing faster because of the bugs themselves, but because I've been able to open the flask and change the air inside as many times as I want, without getting any other harmful infection in the agar medium... I could give you a few more details, but you get the picture. I don't want this comment to be the length of a hardcover novel! Have you ever even heard of anything like this? If it makes you curious, tell me and I'll send you pictures of the jar by e-mail. Unfortunately my cheap microscope is broken so I can't take a close-up picture of the bugs to show you (and an entomologist). As I said, they don't seem to like all types of mold, but only these black slow growing ones. They can't handle the white fungi that turn green later. Those are very aggressive and don't seem to be in their menu.
Whoa! I'm interested in hearing what he has to say, myself! Isn't mother nature wonderful and wise in her infinite wisdom? It never ceases to amazed me how everything is intertwined.
Thanks for your comment - I have forwarded it to the chair of Entomology at my former university to ask if he has any ideas. What you are describing is very unusual - not because the insect are eating the fungi but because the insects usually carry large numbers of microbes that will further contaminate your flasks. There are insects that eat fungi - some are pretty common. When I was active in the lab, I generated in vitro soybean aphids by letting the aphids feed on in vitro plants that had been treated with high levels of antimicrobials. After some time of feeding and repeated transfers, we successfully cleaned up the aphids so that they did not contaminate my soybean cultures. Then, we could use the aphids to screen agents that we introduced into the medium or the soybean tissue that we were feeding in aseptic Petri dishes. Most insects are very dirty - when spider mites invade my dishes, you can see their tracks as they walk across the medium, as even their footprints are loaded with contaminants. If you have clean lines of your insect, that is pretty cool. If they eat the fungi and prevent them from spreading, that would be useful and potentially valuable. If you want to protect this approach, it might be a good idea to continue this privately, by contacting me at TheOrchidPropagator@gmail.com. If you want to share this with everyone, we can continue our discussion here. I will let you know what my entomology colleague says about this.
I always hate when my orchids are in spike and I’m going on a trip! But they’ll bloom again :) enjoy your trip! My Sharry bloomed about 2 months ago and then my pink Twinkle. I crossed Sharry Baby onto Twinkle and the capsule has swollen. We shall see how it goes.
Thanks for your comment - I hope that your oncidium cross works - I have not been very successful with this group. I know that they will bloom again but I missed one of these previously and am now missing it for the second time. Maybe, the third time will be the trick!!??
@@plantpropagator fingers crossed 3rd try works! I have the Kyla Kobayashi also, but I think mine has a few more moths or longer before the first bloom
While I'm sure we all enjoy orchids, your channel name is plant propigator. My suggestion would be to enjoy time with your family on vacation, but visit some nurseries and highlight some of the native plants you come across while on vacation. It's obviously a passion of yours and I enjoy your videos and the passion you have that comes across.
There are some gardens on the itinerary but I am afraid that the plant lovers in the family are a minority. All I have to do is get one additional vote though - time to do some convincing! I will see what I can do....
Thanks for your comment. Yeah - I assumed that there were native orchids there but I will have family with me and the orchid-loving part of the family is a minority. I will certainly keep my eyes open for them but, even if I find some, I will get eye rolls from most of the group.... Sad but true!🙂
Thanks for subbing!! I sell both flasks and small orchid seedlings - which are you interested in? You can contact me at TheOrchidPropagator@gmail.com for more information. I only ship within the US.
Oh, that is fabulous!! Enjoy to the fullest
Thanks for your comment - it is good to hear from you! It will be good to get away with my human family - and then return to my orchid family....
Enjoying life is what living is about. You will enjoy The cooler temps.
Thanks for your comment - I have not traveled internationally for a few years and have never taken a trip like this with family - hope I can understand Irish/English and remember how to drive on the left!! I have always enjoyed Guinness so I am good in that area !!
Enjoy your family vacation! If I lived closer I’d volunteer orchid-sit. 😊
Thanks - I do have an orchid growing colleague who will be checking on my plants. She only lives a half mile from my place and she really knows orchids so I am good!
Have fun in Ireland!
I am just hoping that I remember to stay on the left side of the road!!
Enjoy your vacation thanks for the video and see you in next
Thanks for your comment and wishes! I am looking forward to spending time with family.y again!!🙂
Enjoy your vacation. I have a Ctsm Wine delight X Jumbo puff cross ( my friend's cross) its been two years and a few which have spiked turned out to be female flowers.
I do get mostly male flowers so I have saved pollinia in case I ever get any female....
Hopefully you will have a chance to visit the ireland botanic garden and visit their orchid collection. Love to see what their collection is.
I did visit the Dublin national botanic garden and will post a video on that visit soon. Their outdoor flowers were much more impressive that their orchid house - I spent some time with the staff and learned a lot from them.
@@plantpropagator awesome... looking forward to that episode
You should still be able to enjoy those Dendrobium blooms, as they last for weeks. The Brassoncidium is probably another matter, however. My Brassia blooms don’t even seem to last a week in the summertime heat.
I agree with your point about people being obsessed with not over potting. I don’t really care so much, and will drop my plants in a large pot and they seem to flourish.
I love using large pots too. And it really is amazing to see how people are so fixed in their ways about the right way to grow plants. I do have an orchid growing friend who offered to keep an eye on my orchids - I think that she will take images for me but I really wanted to see them in person!!
We will miss your videos for sure! I wish you a wonderful trip and an awesome time with your family and a safe return full of great stories to tell us! I guess I'm taking this last chance this month to ask you something I've been meaning to, for some time: I had a flask that got contaminated by fungi. It was a slow growing dark, close to black type of fungus. It soon wreaked havoc inside that little jar. But, one day, as I left it untouched it got colonized by a group of tiny, tiny little white bugs, the size of common fleas! I don't know how they got in there in the first place, but these little fellows began eating the fungus and multiplying like crazy. They did not harm the leftover seedlings at all. In fact, they fully controlled any further growth of that fungus by eating them and leaving just a dark mush behind. The few plants left alive soon began to bounce back, and the "white flea" population seems to have been controlled by the availability of new fungal growth. I could even open the flask periodically out in the unprotected open air, and no extra contaminations happened. I tried inoculating some of those bugs inside other fungus contaminated jars for testing. It seems like they are selective, and don't eat just any kind of mold but only those black, slow grower ones. But they did work very well controlling the growth of similar fungi, specially when they got added early to the flask, as soon as the fungal infection got detected. I have one fungus infected jar of C. trianae seedlings that I treated by inoculating these bugs. Now, five months after that, they are the fastest growers in the batch, even in the company of the fungi and bugs that grow along them in the flask! I don't think they are growing faster because of the bugs themselves, but because I've been able to open the flask and change the air inside as many times as I want, without getting any other harmful infection in the agar medium... I could give you a few more details, but you get the picture. I don't want this comment to be the length of a hardcover novel! Have you ever even heard of anything like this? If it makes you curious, tell me and I'll send you pictures of the jar by e-mail. Unfortunately my cheap microscope is broken so I can't take a close-up picture of the bugs to show you (and an entomologist). As I said, they don't seem to like all types of mold, but only these black slow growing ones. They can't handle the white fungi that turn green later. Those are very aggressive and don't seem to be in their menu.
Whoa! I'm interested in hearing what he has to say, myself! Isn't mother nature wonderful and wise in her infinite wisdom? It never ceases to amazed me how everything is intertwined.
Thanks for your comment - I have forwarded it to the chair of Entomology at my former university to ask if he has any ideas. What you are describing is very unusual - not because the insect are eating the fungi but because the insects usually carry large numbers of microbes that will further contaminate your flasks. There are insects that eat fungi - some are pretty common. When I was active in the lab, I generated in vitro soybean aphids by letting the aphids feed on in vitro plants that had been treated with high levels of antimicrobials. After some time of feeding and repeated transfers, we successfully cleaned up the aphids so that they did not contaminate my soybean cultures. Then, we could use the aphids to screen agents that we introduced into the medium or the soybean tissue that we were feeding in aseptic Petri dishes. Most insects are very dirty - when spider mites invade my dishes, you can see their tracks as they walk across the medium, as even their footprints are loaded with contaminants.
If you have clean lines of your insect, that is pretty cool. If they eat the fungi and prevent them from spreading, that would be useful and potentially valuable. If you want to protect this approach, it might be a good idea to continue this privately, by contacting me at TheOrchidPropagator@gmail.com. If you want to share this with everyone, we can continue our discussion here. I will let you know what my entomology colleague says about this.
@@plantpropagator I will send an e-mail, with pictures! Thank you for replying!
I always hate when my orchids are in spike and I’m going on a trip! But they’ll bloom again :) enjoy your trip! My Sharry bloomed about 2 months ago and then my pink Twinkle. I crossed Sharry Baby onto Twinkle and the capsule has swollen. We shall see how it goes.
Thanks for your comment - I hope that your oncidium cross works - I have not been very successful with this group. I know that they will bloom again but I missed one of these previously and am now missing it for the second time. Maybe, the third time will be the trick!!??
@@plantpropagator fingers crossed 3rd try works! I have the Kyla Kobayashi also, but I think mine has a few more moths or longer before the first bloom
While I'm sure we all enjoy orchids, your channel name is plant propigator. My suggestion would be to enjoy time with your family on vacation, but visit some nurseries and highlight some of the native plants you come across while on vacation. It's obviously a passion of yours and I enjoy your videos and the passion you have that comes across.
There are some gardens on the itinerary but I am afraid that the plant lovers in the family are a minority. All I have to do is get one additional vote though - time to do some convincing! I will see what I can do....
There are wild orchids in Ireland but some are hard to find....
Thanks for your comment. Yeah - I assumed that there were native orchids there but I will have family with me and the orchid-loving part of the family is a minority. I will certainly keep my eyes open for them but, even if I find some, I will get eye rolls from most of the group.... Sad but true!🙂
Please send me the orchids for me to care for them ❤
Be careful what you ask for - right now, I enjoy my orchids - if I get too many more, it might start to feel like too much work??!!..
New sub here. Do you sell any of your orchids? I'm interested in buying some.
Thanks for subbing!! I sell both flasks and small orchid seedlings - which are you interested in? You can contact me at TheOrchidPropagator@gmail.com for more information. I only ship within the US.