Dear Orchid Doc:

Tell me, do you believe that, depending on the time of the month that you cut the orchids to propagate them, the chance of them dying is lower than at any other time of the month?

S Walters

Dear S Walters:

Funny you should ask this question. Throughout my young life I heard my grandparents mention the effect on plants of the full moon and new moon. As a child I never really paid it any attention, but as an adult I have come to realise that they were absolutely correct.

I have proven it time and time again.

There is actually a book called the Farmer’s Almanac that does guide you as to when to disturb your plants.

You might have been doing well without it; but if you follow the guide your plants will do much better.

The new moon is usually when the farmers would be ready to start new gardens, to disturbed and start again, the plants do much better as the new moon signifies new beginnings, as a matter of fact it is written that if humans would like to start a different life style or drop a habit doing it during the new moon is the best time as it signifies new beginnings for all living things.

Don’t knock it before you try it.

Dear 0rchid Doc:

After the dry weather and then comes the rain, there are a lot of white balls on my orchids at the area between the stones and the first set of leaves; they seem to be insect eggs that were laid. Do you have any idea what they could be? Am I right?

S W

Dear S W

Those white balls to which you refer, especially after the rains, are actually the beginning of a fungus, which also tells me you have not been waiting for the plants to dry out before you water them again.

You should really wait for the orchids to dry out before you water again. This is the major reason for fungus on any orchids.

Please use Physan or Ridomil. Remove the affected plant from the others and protect it from too much water.

The instructions should be on the bottles.

Betty Stephenson Ashley

Betty’s Landscaping, Farm Garden Supplies

161 Constant Spring Road

Kingston 8

Cell# 322 4585, 8700191

931 8804/755 2204

Fax 931 8805

Betty-may2@hotmail.com