# The most frustrating plants u hav ever owned...



## paphioboy (Dec 15, 2006)

Hi there, everyone! I'm starting this thread so that everybody gets to 'introduce' his/her most frustrating orchid, slipper or non-slipper... It may be something that's difficult to grow, or will not bloom... U get the idea... And tell us what happened to it... Is the stubborn thing still with u? or has it deceased..? Let me tell u about the most annoying things i've ever owned...:wink: 

Well, I must say that among the most unrewarding plants in my whole collection, coelogynes top the list... In this tropical, humid climate, they grow like weeds, and take up lots of precious space. I am of course referring to the massive giants, coel. pandurata and coel. asperata. Pandurata keeps extending longer and longer that i am now trying to 'wind' the rhizomes around the pot... it has not bloomed since the day I bought it :sob: . Asperata, on the other hand, looks like a huge palm, and no flowers even though it has bearly 10 bulbs already  . Smaller species, like coel fimbriata, however, do bloom, but they are very troublesome. Recently, one of my fimbriatas was infested seriously with scales. Took me a lot of trouble to remove those little pests, and the surface of the leaves are now rather damaged... Well, anyway, all these are still with me as they are practically unkillable...sigh... 

If anyone has success with these species, i would greatly appreciate your advice.. thanks, and do tell us your experiences too..


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## Heather (Dec 15, 2006)

My stonei. 

I bought a nice, multi-growth division and it looked like it had a bit of old mite damage, so, just to be safe, I sprayed it with Safer (not SAFE!) soap, which promptly dessicated the leaves beyond repair. It is recovering, two years later, but is such a slow grower. Roots are good, but who knows when it will bloom, and it still looks awful to this day.


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## Ron-NY (Dec 15, 2006)

Den.cuthbertsonii is my nemisis
I have done everything that I can think of but is still slowly is on the decline. I suspect it started when the greenhouse was oiled.


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## Paphman910 (Dec 15, 2006)

Dendrobium cuthbertsoni is very sensitive to oil spray and the leaves get damaged very easily.

Paphman910


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## smartie2000 (Dec 15, 2006)

Dendrobium anything.... they don't bloom regardless how hard I try Now I froze my phal type dend outside by accident. oops. Well my new Dend moniliforme 'Tosa Fukurin' has pretty leaves at least.


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## Barbara (Dec 15, 2006)

I had a Vuyl. Fall in Love once. It wouldn't flower. It had wet spells, fallowed by dry spells. It was in a warm room, in a cool room, was in the sun, in the shade. It 'had a talking to', it hit the bottom of the trash can, it came back out. It was in fir bark, moss, pastic pot, clay pot. It would not flower. Guess were it is now.:viking: :evil: I have another Vuyl. now and it has 2 flower spikes coming.


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## Rick (Dec 15, 2006)

paphioboy said:


> Hi there, everyone! I'm starting this thread so that everybody gets to 'introduce' his/her most frustrating orchid, slipper or non-slipper... It may be something that's difficult to grow, or will not bloom... U get the idea... And tell us what happened to it... Is the stubborn thing still with u? or has it deceased..? Let me tell u about the most annoying things i've ever owned...:wink:
> 
> Well, I must say that among the most unrewarding plants in my whole collection, coelogynes top the list... In this tropical, humid climate, they grow like weeds, and take up lots of precious space. I am of course referring to the massive giants, coel. pandurata and coel. asperata. Pandurata keeps extending longer and longer that i am now trying to 'wind' the rhizomes around the pot... it has not bloomed since the day I bought it :sob: . Asperata, on the other hand, looks like a huge palm, and no flowers even though it has bearly 10 bulbs already  . Smaller species, like coel fimbriata, however, do bloom, but they are very troublesome. Recently, one of my fimbriatas was infested seriously with scales. Took me a lot of trouble to remove those little pests, and the surface of the leaves are now rather damaged... Well, anyway, all these are still with me as they are practically unkillable...sigh...
> 
> If anyone has success with these species, i would greatly appreciate your advice.. thanks, and do tell us your experiences too..



There is a little old German lady in our orchid society who is the queen of Ceologenys. She grows in greenhouses (has 5) and virtually never fertilizes (any orchid). She waters with well or city water which does have some important nutrients. I'm sure she lets her winter temps get into the 50's and summer temps will probably clear 90 easy. Maybe even higher. Although allot of her Ceol's started in pots or baskets most of the older plants have overgrown and busted out of their origional containers, and have grown into the benches. I don't see allot of shade cloth use, so light levels are probably very high for many of her plants. Most of her shade species like phals are under some big rubber trees that have also busted out of their pots and grown into the benches and beyond.

I think allot of epiphytic species need lots of crowding before they feel like blooming. If you repot too frequently and leave lots of room in pots or baskets for new growth they add new growth without wanting to bloom.


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## lienluu (Dec 15, 2006)

Paph. Gloria Naugle. Puts out tons of beautiful growths but so skimppy on spikes.


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## Jon in SW Ohio (Dec 15, 2006)

Any rothschildianum x parvi or brachy hybrid. Most I have I've never seen bloom and honestly don't plan to ever see bloom. The person I got divisions from hasn't bloomed most of them and got a lot of them as seedlings before I was born. I can only hope some of the breeding with the "new" roths improves this.

Jon


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## paphioland (Dec 15, 2006)

One of my rex x mm nbs seedlings just won't grow and keeps losing leaves. The others grow fine just not this one. It is the same size as it was 2 yrs ago. Thinking about trashing it. It should never be used in breeding. I would have at least liked to see the bloom.


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## Ron-NY (Dec 15, 2006)

lienluu said:


> Paph. Gloria Naugle. Puts out tons of beautiful growths but so skimppy on spikes.


 Gloria Naugle is such a reluctant bloomer but once you get her blooming, she tends to continue blooming with each new growth


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## terrestrial_man (Dec 15, 2006)

The bane of my at home orchid experience has been Ansellia africana. I got two nice plants many many years ago and they have never flowered but grew well. Maybe it wasn't enough light or not being dry enough or ??? Anyway I only have so much space in the g/h and so out they went a couple of years ago. Now they get full sun during part of the day when they are not shaded by the trees. They get watered whenever. They have suffered and have died back some especially during the winter but I really don't care. No flowers yet!


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## paphioboy (Dec 16, 2006)

Rick, thanks 4 d info...  I'll try crowding my coels and see if they respond... Since my pandurata has a new growth i'm gonna try 'icing' it 4 2 wks...  I do that 2 my den. crumenatum and it gives a very spectacular show... :clap:


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## couscous74 (Dec 16, 2006)

Damn stupid Paph. henryanums just don't appreciate my beach weather here.


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## kentuckiense (Dec 16, 2006)

Probably my Paph. Lynleigh Koopowitz. It's a huge, gorgeous plant, but it's a slow grower!


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## Rick (Dec 16, 2006)

I've gone through more P. purpuratums and Liparis purpuroviridus than I care to admit.

Short term is great long term is poor.


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## Heather (Dec 16, 2006)

Oh, oh, I must add my Prince Edward of York (damned old clones! Several mature growths (which it has had since I got it)! chilled quite a bit this fall and STILL nothing...) and P. adductum, what a slowpoke! I just got a nice new baby one from Fox Valley and I swear it is larger in leafspan than the one I've had languishing for two years (that has two new growths)! No blooms in sight. 

I was really pissed off at my Julius but it finally is coming into bud on two spikes. I am SO excited!


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## lienluu (Dec 16, 2006)

Maybe the worse of all the slippers though, is P. tigrinum. At least the other reluctant bloomers don't get your hopes up... but this species gets your hopes up and then it just sits there for months and months and then nothing!


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## Heather (Dec 16, 2006)

lienluu said:


> Maybe the worse of all the slippers though, is P. tigrinum. At least the other reluctant bloomers don't get your hopes up... but this species gets your hopes up and then it just sits there for months and months and then nothing!




Oh. yeah.  
Had to remind me. I really hope that Matt (you know, he of the legends) can do better with mine than I did! three blasted sheaths, for crying out loud!!! :sob:


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## lienluu (Dec 16, 2006)

Heather said:


> Oh. yeah.
> Had to remind me. I really hope that Matt (you know, he of the legends) can do better with mine than I did! three blasted sheaths, for crying out loud!!! :sob:




I thought Jon Babalou got that one?


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## Heather (Dec 16, 2006)

Oh right! Sorry! Momentary lapse in memory. It was Jon, (the OTHER legend!) 

Sorry guys! I should keep better records and not rely on my (bad) memory, huh? I sold a few plants around that time and several were to Matt and/or Jon, and it was when Matt's tig was in bloom... I got confused. Oops.


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## Jon in SW Ohio (Dec 16, 2006)

Haven't had it long enough to be frustrated by it. With how well grown it was, hopefully I can work a little magic and sweet talk it into spiking.

Jon


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Dec 17, 2006)

Frustrating orchids? Maybe most paphs! Well....I should say...the paphs I want most! If they live....they don't bloom. If they bloom, they die...If you really really love them, they don't bloom or live! Basically, most multiflorals frustrate the hell out of me. They live...they don't bloom. What's next? Parvis...my favorites! malipoense lives forever...doesn't want to grow larger, won't even tease me with a blasted spike. emersonii does nothing...then blooms, then dies. micranthum does nearly nothing...then maybe tempts me with a bud...then blasts...then dies. armeniacum tries to copy malipoense, but can't make it in the long-life department. Funny thing is...tigrinum was great...blasted the first few years, then became a reliable bloomer for many years...until I divided it to the point of no return....now it frustrates me because its unaffordable! Of course, give me an ugly hybrid with cupped blooms and bent petals, and you know it will never die and never fail to bloom.....Take care, Eric


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## smartie2000 (Dec 17, 2006)

....I'm opposite of you then...To be very honest I've only been involved with Paphs for a year and I love them. I did hours and hours of reading to familiarize myself and try excelerate my knowledge (I'm still learn though) with this wonderful genus of orchids. Probably my favorite now. My first paph was a parvi and brachy  they have the prettiest leaves. Then I started buying ton of other paphs very rapidly...so many shipments. So far I haven't killed anything....we shall see over the years if I kill something. I have an armeniacum in bloom right now and I will have to get malipoense because you say they are good 

...hmmm the most frustrating paph I have will have to be my Paph. Michael Koopowitz. I have a mature single growth plant that keeps loosing its leaves and not growing new ones fast enough. And its not sending out a new growth either....I don't know when it might expire, I hope it won't. I'm confident it won't, I hope I don't break my confidence. It's loosing its value as I grow it if you are placing value by leaf size. I think I need to figue out what I'm doing wrong with the Paph MK. I dont get it my strap leaved seedlings are fine.....


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## patrix (Dec 17, 2006)

fo rme it is the coelogynes too but the Latoria dendrobiums and a few others of that sort are growing but not blooming. There is another Hamellsawara (sp?) a Zygo hybrid that I have had difficulty with but am having more success


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## Tony (Dec 17, 2006)

lienluu said:


> Maybe the worse of all the slippers though, is P. tigrinum. At least the other reluctant bloomers don't get your hopes up... but this species gets your hopes up and then it just sits there for months and months and then nothing!



Mine is growing like a weed right now, I can actually measure the growth from day to day. Hopefully this means I have a good one that will be a strong bloomer, but if not, I have the other 25 in compots... :arrr:


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## Rick (Dec 17, 2006)

smartie2000 said:


> ...hmmm the most frustrating paph I have will have to be my Paph. Michael Koopowitz. I have a mature single growth plant that keeps loosing its leaves and not growing new ones fast enough. And its not sending out a new growth either....I don't know when it might expire, I hope it won't. I'm confident it won't, I hope I don't break my confidence. It's loosing its value as I grow it if you are placing value by leaf size. I think I need to figue out what I'm doing wrong with the Paph MK. I dont get it my strap leaved seedlings are fine.....



I have an MK X rothchildianum. I've had it for almost 5 years and its hardly grown at all. But I did see a new leaf coming up this month


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## NYEric (Dec 17, 2006)

I have an Encyclia "thingie" that I've had almost for the 8 years that Iv'e been growing orchids. I think the tag disintegrated years ago. I have killed many an orchid but not this baby. It has survived major scale attacks yet it drops leaves if I bump into it. Hasn't looked like it wants to flower, but on the bright side at least it's alive and growing.


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## MoreWater (Dec 26, 2006)

Definitely dendrochilums in the orchid world - they always start declining as soon as they arrive. Any suggestions for a "fool-proof" setup in an apartment would be very much appreciated.

Following closely are maxillarias. I suspect a greenhouse would solve this one. These things also always refuse to grow, or even sit still, and just keep shrinking.

For non-orchids, any non-hardy aroid. Haven't kept one alive yet


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## lothianjavert (Jan 28, 2007)

Hard to say which ones are the most frustrating!!

I think the Laelia crispa ranks up there... grows like crazy, but the bugger won't bloom!! It sits next to my carneas and rhynchostylis and THEY bloom, but nope, not the crispa.... (and it is HUGE)

I have a couple of sanderianum hybrids that just seem to NOT want to bloom. Paph. curtisii x sanderianum is now up to 3 beautiful, shiny, BS growths.... nope, no spikes.....

Also Mokara Chak Kuan Red. It's HUGE. It's never even attempted to bloom. I even tried coaxing it with summers outside. Grows like crazy out there, but nope, no blooms.

masdevallia veitchiana and masd. coccinea. I LOVE them. but, I kill them.  My growing room is just too warm for their liking.


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## philoserenus (Jul 29, 2007)

well i know u guys are mainly focusing on orchids but the title did say "plants" afterall ok? haha, so dun blame me. roses! those darn bushes. they are similar to Eric Muehlbauer's orchids, they either bloom but die or just grow and dun flower! or they do neither and just die on me! i can never get over the idea y i tried soo many times b/c i realize that roses and i dun get along except for pre-cut ones. arg!!


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## Frederick (Jul 29, 2007)

*Frustrating paphs*

because they die on me? 
--fairrieanum (my second one is about to croak).

because they just sit there--look happy--just won't grow? 
--primulinum x sanderianum, roths 'Borneo' x victoria-mariae, Shin-Yi Fireball

because they grow but won't bloom?
--Iantha Stage (2 clones, unbelievable but true), Lord Derby (12 growths-trashed), the usual suspects (roths x parvi), and an awarded Mme Martinet (murdered).

The other plant I cannot grow though I love it. It grows anywhere even by the road-side, is unbelievably beautiful (as in Monet's garden at Giverny) but NEVER in my garden : papaver somniferum. I've tried everything in the book with no success. Ideas anyone? (I almost forgot--sweet peas.)

Happy growing all the same [sob--sob--sob].
Frederick


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## Ellen (Jul 29, 2007)

I would have to say it's an Acacallis cyanea that's mounted on a piece of treefern. Everybody raves about this plant, but for me it's been nothing but trouble. It's sulked, rotted, dried out, and been eaten by critters (don't know what). Finally, just when it was putting out some new growth, it got badly sunburned and all the new growths died. The worst thing is that it's still alive, and I keep thinking it's going to survive and grow. Some orchids should just die and get it over with.


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## bwester (Jul 29, 2007)

bulbo. saucerocephalum. killed everyone I've tried to grow, the species hates me


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## goldenrose (Jul 29, 2007)

Miltonias! 
Love the colors, the waterfall patterns but they hate me.


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## Jorch (Jul 29, 2007)

goldenrose said:


> Miltonias!
> Love the colors, the waterfall patterns but they hate me.



Same here Rose, I couldn't keep those gorgeous waterfall Miltonia alive for more than a year! 

Other frustrating orchids of mine are all chinese/asian cymbidiums, and my maxillaria tenufolia. I hate them as much as they hate me. :sob:


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## Mrs. Paph (Feb 3, 2008)

Lc. Haw Yuan Angel...stinkin thing from Wallyworld...it was dirt cheap and I guess it just jumped into my cart. Really healthy, if a little short (shorter than it's growing now anyway) - pumped out tons of nice growths for almost 4yrs, but no blooms! Pretty sure it was ND...low humidiy and not enough change in temp seasonally, and no doubt not enough light. I didn't count for sure, but it had to have been near 50 growths, luckily it's fairly miniature compared to some Catts I've seen...anyway, I cussed it out last March, literally Ripped a chunk of growths off that were hanging out of the pot, bout 3rd time that year, repotted and kept them, and left the other 40-something growths w/ my last place of work when I moved - it bloomed for them several months later, in a GH rather than a dorm room, and it bloomed for me the same time, after being cussed out again and left out on my porch w/ the Phals this summer til the temps started going down and....Buds! And all from those 3 errant growths I ripped off the original and grew outdoors in TX for a couple months! Crazy plant, but smells Wonderful, so as long as there's room it'll have a spot in my collection





Only shows one of the three flowers, but you get the idea - it's been much less frustrating lately, but it does top my list so far for annoying plants...


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## rdlsreno (Feb 3, 2008)

My Stone Lovely It will flower but will bud blast!

Ramon


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## NYEric (Feb 3, 2008)

Isabelia virginalis!


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## practicallyostensible (Feb 4, 2008)

All bulbos. :sob:


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## cnycharles (Feb 13, 2008)

pretty much almost all dendrobiums suffer from short life with me, though the most frustrating paph was that silly malipoense. I bought it in spike, and months later it finally flowered. For about three years the spike would grow up and up and up and after an eternity the bud would blast. Last time some scale got after it and I left them to eat.... no more problem

worst non-paph would have to be the dendrochilum cobbianum. I've had that almost the whole time I've been trying to grow orchids, and it's grown and grown and grown, been divided and chunks given to others, and grown and grown and grown, and never had a flower. I've tried many things and can't seem to get rid of it completely because it grows so well. One day I am convinced that the flowers will just explode out of it.... or it'll get sold or traded to someone. I can't throw away something that has grown so faithfully for so long.


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## NYEric (Feb 13, 2008)

I'll take it!


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## cwt (Feb 13, 2008)

All Disas


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## NYEric (Feb 13, 2008)

True, not easy but I'm going to order some disas from Gore Conservatory and try again. [I must not add fertilizer. I must not add...]


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## cnycharles (Feb 13, 2008)

hey, that was part of my plant wish list; yellow uniflora, cardinalis, kewensis, deep red unifolia, subulata (or whatever the yellow species is); other parts were a bunch of sophronites, laelia speciosa, dend. falcorostrum and peguanum and, well that's enough. eric, i'll trade you my cobbianum after i kill the mbugs for one big or a few small of the above! 

hey, is it legal for me to 'trade' here even if 60% joking about it? i don't want to get banned and the way my week is going that could likely happen.....


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## Candace (Feb 13, 2008)

Oh yes, we ban people like crazy here. The list of black-balled names is huge. My goal is to ban 3 people a week;> It gives me great pleasure to have such control of the masses. cough, cough sounds like another forum, cough, cough.


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## paphjoint (Feb 14, 2008)

For me its Masdevalias and Draculas --In the past I would buy one every now and then only to see it die when the summer heat sets in.


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## NYEric (Feb 14, 2008)

I would suggest you get some that are warm tolerant then keep them in an air conditioned space.


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## NYEric (Feb 14, 2008)

cnycharles said:


> hey, that was part of my plant wish list; yellow uniflora, cardinalis, kewensis, deep red unifolia, subulata (or whatever the yellow species is);
> eric, i'll trade you my cobbianum after i kill the mbugs for one big or a few small of the above!



I'm ordering the disa multi-deal from Gore Conservatory maybe there'll be something there you asked about


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## Rick (Feb 14, 2008)

paphjoint said:


> For me its Masdevalias and Draculas --In the past I would buy one every now and then only to see it die when the summer heat sets in.



The botanical gardens in Atlanta GA (much hotter than Paris) is doing good with their Dracs and Masde's. What they have is a giant chilled fogger. The sump is chilled to about 40F. Then they pump the chilled water through a barrage of misting heads with huge fans blowing past them. Following that the cooled mist goes through a big wall of wet pad like material before getting ducted into the exhibit area.

This produces cold and humid air. If you just add standard air conditioning the air gets dehumidified.

This system is fairly efficient but still uses lots of electricity. It was actually developed by the textile industry because apparently cotton fibers are fairly demanding for climate control during processing.


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## cnycharles (Feb 18, 2008)

NYEric said:


> I'm ordering the disa multi-deal from Gore Conservatory maybe there'll be something there you asked about



cool! I still have plenty of super-sphag squares left over from the previous round. I tried s/h for disas and though it seemed to work well to a point, it was too airy and that meant it dried out too quickly (meaning I wasn't paying attention...)


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## MoreWater (Feb 18, 2008)

Rick said:


> It was actually developed by the textile industry because apparently cotton fibers are fairly demanding for climate control during processing.



That part I did not know. Interesting.

Add to my list of dendrochillum and maxillaria, any pleuro in a pot.


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## paphioboy (Aug 10, 2011)

Bump!  Anybody wanna add to this thread here?


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## Hera (Aug 10, 2011)

Masdevllia anything. I just gave away 9 of them because they just can't take my water and I really don't want to invest in a system. Back to encyclias and catts.


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## Paphman910 (Aug 10, 2011)

Anything cool or intermedia growing species hates my condition!

Paphman910


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## biothanasis (Aug 11, 2011)

Most that have to do with Cattleya. Also anything growing in cool temps dies ery quickly during the summer period...lol


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## Kavanaru (Aug 11, 2011)

Dendrobium brassii... Even though I have managed to get it to bloom once, which seems to be a GREAT achievement for this species...


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## NeoNJ (Aug 12, 2011)

Yep, I have quite a few. I have a number of Angraecum and Aerangis that are down-right stubborn - aren't growing, doing nothing ! Angraecum leonis - I have 3 of these - and none of them are doing anything! They have never bloomed, and have not yet grown one new leaf! Very frustrating. I also have an Angraecum magdalenae, also doing nothing! and I have an Aerangis luteo-alba that will not grow or bloom or anything! 

They all get bright light, dappled sunlight, good air circulation, fertilizer and still I'm not seeing these orchids perform!


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## nikv (Aug 12, 2011)

My Paph. gratrixianum x Paph. liemianum. I purchased it from Ray Rands many years ago as part of his advertised six-pack of seedlings. It now has several growths and is flower size . . . . . . still waiting! :sob:


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## Shiva (Aug 12, 2011)

Unfortunately, i have and have had a few of these frustrating plants. I tried three C. schilleriana without any success and right now a Dracula simia that grows well but every time it puts out buds, they eventually die before flowering. (And then I'm the one making monkey faces!) .


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## Paphman910 (Aug 12, 2011)

Shiva said:


> Unfortunately, i have and have had a few of these frustrating plants. I tried three C. schilleriana without any success and right now a Dracula simia that grows well but every time it puts out buds, they eventually die before flowering. (And then I'm the one making monkey faces!) .



My Paph wardii is doing the same thing as your Dracula simia! Very likely my conditions are too warm during the nights!

Paphman910


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## Kavanaru (Aug 12, 2011)

Paphman910 said:


> My Paph wardii is doing the same thing as your Dracula simia! Very likely my conditions are too warm during the nights!
> 
> Paphman910



I would check more the humidty... I grow my wardii in a warm greenhouse with my Catasetinae, and it grows and bloom very well... right now it has 4 buds maturing and just finished with two flowers...


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## goldenrose (Aug 14, 2011)

NeoNJ said:


> Yep, I have quite a few. I have a number of Angraecum and Aerangis that are down-right stubborn - aren't growing, doing nothing ! Angraecum leonis - I have 3 of these - and none of them are doing anything! They have never bloomed, and have not yet grown one new leaf! Very frustrating. I also have an Angraecum magdalenae, also doing nothing! and I have an Aerangis luteo-alba that will not grow or bloom or anything!
> 
> They all get bright light, dappled sunlight, good air circulation, fertilizer and still I'm not seeing these orchids perform!


How long have you had them? If they're not growing - how are the roots? What's the potting media? or are they mounted?
leonis does seem to be slow growing for me, then I put it in sphag in a net pot, got a good response, I have it in sun growing with the Tolumnias & Neostylis.
magdalenae can take high light & in nature has a cool dry period in winter.
luteo-alba - shady, high humidity, mine is mounted, misting wasn't enough, I almost lost it last year, soaking it for 15 minutes, usually daily did the trick - new leaves!
I've found this genus to be a bit more challenging than what is usually indicated but when you get it right they are so worth it!


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## cnycharles (Aug 14, 2011)

yes, i'd forgotten how many aerangis have jumped from a tall bridge, I suspect that it usually was because of not enough humidity


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## goods (Aug 14, 2011)

I grow a lot of Angraecoid species, and I find that they aren't terribly difficult once you get the culture down. I think most of them do best in intermediate temps. There are exceptions on both ends of the range, but I've seen much greater growth in an intermediate tank with constantly high humidity than outdoors in LA. Also, they need very clean water. Other than that, relatively shady and I do best with them mounted.


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## paphioboy (Aug 15, 2011)

Interesting to see what stuff other people have trouble keeping alive and ways to overcome it... Bring it on...


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## Rick (Aug 15, 2011)

Paphman910 said:


> My Paph wardii is doing the same thing as your Dracula simia! Very likely my conditions are too warm during the nights!
> 
> Paphman910



My P. wardii have generally done well (compared to sukhakulii). Working on 2nd generation Slippertalk seed pods presently.

My GH also trends towards the warmer end of the scale. Barely getting below 70 at night for the last month.

Changing over to the sphag basket with sand, and reducing available K way down has greatly improved the looks of almost all my Barbata since this spring. Even the ones still in bark.

I know you've been using a lot more Ca and Mg in general with lots of your plants in the past. Maybe try reducing standard fertilizer even more, and increasing the percentage of calcium nitrate and Epsom salts.


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## Stone (Nov 23, 2011)

My most frustrating orchid? ever?
Oncidium lanceanum. Bought as a seedling about 15 years ago at 1'' high. after about 10 years it got to near flowering size:clap: Then lost all its roots,:sob: So I ripped it off the cork slab and put it in sphag moss. It then proceeded to drop all except one leaf.:sob: After a while it sent up a new shoot and a couple of roots so back it went on to cork slab.:clap: In a couple of years it was big enough to flower and put up a spike.:drool: Just as the buds were developing it rotted off and lost all it's roots. yes ALL. :sob: Back into the sphag moss and put out a new shoot which developed a small leaf.:clap: So into a small clay pot with bark/charcoal. Grew well for a while and put out another growth bigger than the last one.:clap: A few days ago I noticed that all its roots were starting to DIE!---- JUST DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## paphioboy (Nov 24, 2011)

Stone said:


> My most frustrating orchid? ever?
> Oncidium lanceanum. Bought as a seedling about 15 years ago at 1'' high. after about 10 years it got to near flowering size:clap: Then lost all its roots,:sob: So I ripped it off the cork slab and put it in sphag moss. It then proceeded to drop all except one leaf.:sob: After a while it sent up a new shoot and a couple of roots so back it went on to cork slab.:clap: In a couple of years it was big enough to flower and put up a spike.:drool: Just as the buds were developing it rotted off and lost all it's roots. yes ALL. :sob: Back into the sphag moss and put out a new shoot which developed a small leaf.:clap: So into a small clay pot with bark/charcoal. Grew well for a while and put out another growth bigger than the last one.:clap: A few days ago I noticed that all its roots were starting to DIE!---- JUST DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



I seriously think your clone of lanceanum was meant for the big compost bin in the sky from the first day. Get another one..


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## Stone (Nov 24, 2011)

I can't bring myself to destroy it, It's called Purple giant x purple KING!!.


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## Shiva (Nov 24, 2011)

A plant that doesn't flower is just green unless it turns purple with rot.


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## Marc (Nov 25, 2011)

Shiva said:


> A plant that doesn't flower is just green unless it turns purple with rot.



Or orange


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## FlowerFaerie (Nov 29, 2011)

Stone said:


> My most frustrating orchid? ever?
> Oncidium lanceanum. Bought as a seedling about 15 years ago at 1'' high. after about 10 years it got to near flowering size:clap: Then lost all its roots,:sob: So I ripped it off the cork slab and put it in sphag moss. It then proceeded to drop all except one leaf.:sob: After a while it sent up a new shoot and a couple of roots so back it went on to cork slab.:clap: In a couple of years it was big enough to flower and put up a spike.:drool: Just as the buds were developing it rotted off and lost all it's roots. yes ALL. :sob: Back into the sphag moss and put out a new shoot which developed a small leaf.:clap: So into a small clay pot with bark/charcoal. Grew well for a while and put out another growth bigger than the last one.:clap: A few days ago I noticed that all its roots were starting to DIE!---- JUST DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Maybe it just likes sphag! :wink:


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## Stone (Dec 1, 2011)

I think its dead.


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## NeoNJ (Dec 5, 2011)

Amongst the Slipper Orchids, my most frustrating were the Multifloral Paphs, and amongst the Non-slipper orchids, right now I'm very frustrated with a few Aerangis/Angraecum (Aerangis mystadicii, Angraecum praestans, Angraecum leonis, Amesiella monticola) and also a wickedly stubborn Sophronitis cernua and Dendrobium jenkensii.


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## NeoNJ (Dec 5, 2011)

Oooops! I forgot one. I had a large multi-growth Paph Delrosi.......I was advised to 'try and kill it' in order to get it to bloom. So I baked it outside for the summer. Nothing. I was then told to freeze it out over the Winter. But before I had a chance to do that ...... the entire plant overnight turned brown. Needless to say ....... it went in the trash !


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## Rick (Dec 5, 2011)

Stone said:


> I think its dead.



I was just checking on the status of growing this species in the TN orchid society.

A few people have it, and when its doing good its growing like crazy. But talking to one grower (who has 3 or so), the best one was "out of control great" for several years until the mount rotted and they tried to put it on a new mount. Well 2-3 years later they are down to just a couple of mangy growths after trying about 6 different mounts or potting schemes.

In the meantime the same folks above gave a divsion to another member (primarily a Phale grower) when the above plant was in its prime, who stuck it in a basket. That division turned into several and is overflowing the basket.

Temps and humidity are pretty typical for both the above growers, but the Phal grower generally keeps his winter lows no lower than 60 (15.5C) in the winter, and max would be in the high 80's low 90's in summer (~32C)

The 1st grower has surprisingly soft/acidic low TDS water for TN and fertilizes a lot. 2-3 times a week at 100ppm N during the summer. The second grower has typical middle TN water which is moderately hard and feeds no more than 1X per week (often skipping to once a month in winter).

I also need to check with Ed M since he has almost everything.


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## Stone (Dec 5, 2011)

Rick said:


> I was just checking on the status of growing this species in the TN orchid society.
> 
> A few people have it, and when its doing good its growing like crazy. But talking to one grower (who has 3 or so), the best one was "out of control great" for several years until the mount rotted and they tried to put it on a new mount. Well 2-3 years later they are down to just a couple of mangy growths after trying about 6 different mounts or potting schemes.
> 
> ...



Thanks for the info Rick, Its good to know that it has done well at 60 degrees.
According to the Bakers, habitat averages at 68 mins. I still have not thrown it out but it has no live roots, 1 pathetic large leaf and 1 small leaf.
I might give it one last chance but I think it may have run out of grwth buds.


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## Rick (Dec 5, 2011)

Stone said:


> Thanks for the info Rick, Its good to know that it has done well at 60 degrees.
> According to the Bakers, habitat averages at 68 mins. I still have not thrown it out but it has no live roots, 1 pathetic large leaf and 1 small leaf.
> I might give it one last chance but I think it may have run out of grwth buds.



Yes, average low of 68 for real habitat info should be well within an adaptation to 60 as an absolute min under artificial.

I'm presently trying to resurect a Phale schileriana that has the same history as your (and the Berger's) lanceanum history. I bought it as a NBS seedling in 2002. By 2005 the mother plant had 18" leaves, and multiple branching spikes over 4" long. One season I counted over 100 blooms. A few years ago the mount I had it on was so badly rotted I decided to replace the mount. Some of the roots on the outside of the mount were bad looking anyway, but when I beat apart the rotten wood, I found a bunch of big thick (but white) roots inside the rotten wood.

Anyway it's been on a decline for the last few years. Down to 1 relatively small floppy leaf until about a month ago. I did salvage on of its keikis and its doing good on its mount.

With no more than a couple of nubby root buds and 1 leaf I stuck it in a small net pot with fresh sphagnum. Kelp extract and very low levels of feed. I just discovered two fresh little leaves and a spike (which I may pinch off):clap:. No roots protruding yet. So we'll see, but not dead yet.:wink:


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## FlowerFaerie (Dec 6, 2011)

I had a Phal Newberry Parfait Picotee.... it seemed quite happy for about 6 months, and then suddenly all the roots disappeared without trace, not rotted, over one weekend. I took it out of the pot, and new roots grew, so I repotted in new bark (from another supplier, just in case...) only to see, or rather _not_ see, the roots vanish again. It continued for several months, growing roots while suspended above a pot, but losing them the moment they touched the medium - until finally it got so stressed that all the leaves fell off. At that point I gave up! Maybe I should have mounted it


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## Rick (Dec 6, 2011)

FlowerFaerie said:


> I had a Phal Newberry Parfait Picotee.... it seemed quite happy for about 6 months, and then suddenly all the roots disappeared without trace, not rotted, over one weekend. I took it out of the pot, and new roots grew, so I repotted in new bark (from another supplier, just in case...) only to see, or rather _not_ see, the roots vanish again. It continued for several months, growing roots while suspended above a pot, but losing them the moment they touched the medium - until finally it got so stressed that all the leaves fell off. At that point I gave up! Maybe I should have mounted it



I've been growing orchids only since 2001, and started out with a phal (my wife gave it to me for Valentines day). besides the slippers and bulbos and all the other stuff I've been growing over the years, I've always been keeping phales (mostly species). Until recently I've never been successful at growing phals potted (only mounted) and going through the same symptoms as what you detail for those I insisted on keeping in pots. 

But since I started cutting fertilizer (primarily to reduce the potassium contribution) I've been having some phales do pretty good in pots. The mounted ones are doing even better too.

Bark and moss mixes retain and concentrate potassium from your fertilizing regime to the point where it produces antagonistic effects to the plants. Simple flushing of the potting mix will not help unless the water you flush with has a lot of calcium and magnesium in it. 

I enjoy growing my plants mounted anyway, but if you prefer to keep them potted I would suggest changing to a regime that reduces K but increases calcium and magnesium.


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## FlowerFaerie (Dec 6, 2011)

Rick said:


> since I started cutting fertilizer (primarily to reduce the potassium contribution) I've been having some phales do pretty good in pots. The mounted ones are doing even better too.
> 
> Bark and moss mixes retain and concentrate potassium from your fertilizing regime to the point where it produces antagonistic effects to the plants. Simple flushing of the potting mix will not help unless the water you flush with has a lot of calcium and magnesium in it.
> 
> I enjoy growing my plants mounted anyway, but if you prefer to keep them potted I would suggest changing to a regime that reduces K but increases calcium and magnesium.



Thank you Rick, I will change my orchid feed with that in mind.
I think mounted orchids are beautiful. Unfortunately I don't have the facilities for that  but I now have a couple of "rescue Phals" growing very happily in vases (would you call that "Delusions of Vanda"?). Wish I had known I could do that a couple of years ago! :sob:


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## Rick (Dec 6, 2011)

FlowerFaerie said:


> Wish I had known I could do that a couple of years ago! :sob:



I wish I had figured this out 8 years ago


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## orchideya (Feb 3, 2012)

I read thorugh the whole thread, it is amazing how something is growing well for one person and just doesn't -for the other. I didn't have much time to be disappointed with any of my slippers yet, but I really had it with phalaenopsis species. Most of them (except maybe few) proved to be fussy and inappreciative for me. They sulk, they stall the spikes, they blast the buds.
But of course when any of them finally does bloom - it makes the flowers more precious.


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## paphreek (Feb 3, 2012)

Strangely, I thought I had replied to this thread. My most frustrating Paph is Paph Uncas 'Columbia' HCC/AOS. I purchased a division around 2002. The plant grows new growths, goes into bud every year, and then the buds blast. It nearly died a two years ago, but started making a come back in the greenhouse last year and went into bud this winter. Result: bud blasted!


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## The Mutant (Mar 21, 2012)

I'm too new to the entire orchid world to have managed to find certain genera and/or species that refuse to grow. At the moment I only have Phals (some of which I've had for more than five years) that all seem to be doing rather well, including the few species ones I have (I stick to the easy ones and I haven't had them for long  ). 

Plants that I've never had any success with though are:

African violet
Pelargoniums
Roses
Hoya Carnosa

Said about these plants; easy to bloom! Yeah, sure. Easy to grow! Right, when they're not busy dying! 

I had much more success with the various Marantaceae I had...


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## cnycharles (Mar 22, 2012)

I had always heard that if you could grow african violets you could grow phal hybrids (relatively same conditions and watering). often people try to do too much with african violets, often too much water. my aunt could grow them very cool and dry, and they grew and flowered for decades. at work, when we still had african violets that were sold to the grocery stores, we were supposed to grow them 'wet wet wet', with liberal applications of fungicides. let them be a bit drier and they are happier (think airy moistness, like the inside of a phal pot/media


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## nikv (Mar 22, 2012)

Dendrobium cuthbertsonii. I look at them and they die.


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## Stone (Mar 22, 2012)

Has anyone grown and flowered Pescatoria cerina? I have one which has attempted to flower three times and aborted buds each time just before they open!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## The Mutant (Mar 23, 2012)

cnycharles said:


> I had always heard that if you could grow african violets you could grow phal hybrids (relatively same conditions and watering). often people try to do too much with african violets, often too much water. my aunt could grow them very cool and dry, and they grew and flowered for decades. at work, when we still had african violets that were sold to the grocery stores, we were supposed to grow them 'wet wet wet', with liberal applications of fungicides. let them be a bit drier and they are happier (think airy moistness, like the inside of a phal pot/media


Oh, I really don't like African violets so I won't get another one. It was my mother's that I killed and I honestly think I hated it to death! :rollhappy: She had plants all over the house, including in our rooms, but we took care of those that were in our room. Or killed them apparently. I think I let "my" African violet dry to death...


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## cnycharles (Mar 24, 2012)

hmmm,.... torture! it takes a long time to completely dry out a violet if it's in a cool place


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## Marc (Mar 26, 2012)

It isn't causing frustration yet but I have issues with Paph lawrenceanum and sukhakulii.

Bot seem to be unhappy in their medium and want to grow up out of the substrate. Tried repotting with another substrate but that didn't help. 

http://www.slippertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22642&highlight=lawrenceanum


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## The Mutant (Mar 26, 2012)

cnycharles said:


> hmmm,.... torture! it takes a long time to completely dry out a violet if it's in a cool place


I believe it was in a South-facing window, but it sure was torture! Barbecued to death! :rollhappy:


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## Pete (Mar 27, 2012)

anything "cool growing" hates life at my place. 
ive been growing draculas with horribly spotted leaves that really struggle in my heat for years and years just because i love the flowers.
i can bloom armeniacums and malipoense no problem. micranthum = not even a chance. thats always killed me.


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## Kavanaru (Mar 27, 2012)

Laelia anceps! I love this species, had 5 of them and decided to give 4 away... I kept one to keep trying... Heat, cold, water, no water, light, shade, I have tried almost everythin... They grow but do not bloom.... :-(


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## Tom499 (Mar 27, 2012)

Paph. gigantifolium x (Paph Michael Koopowitz)

Had it few years now and it has done absolutely nothing.

Just sits on a south facing window. I think I can't keep it warm enough.


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## tenman (Apr 29, 2012)

Phaius. I've likked fthree Phaiocalanthe kryptonites and my tankervilliae album is dying. I have three others, all of which are doing what others did before dying: Putting out dozens of grasslike new growths that will only get a few inches high. Roots are fine. AGIving medium light, keeping moist.


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## quaker (Apr 30, 2012)

Paphs !! The one that I have never seen on the show bench --Fairriaenum!!
Bought three seedlings 4 years ago, they all started with new growths after 2 years but didn't increase n size. The original growths have now died off and I am now left with----- 3 seedlings!!! For the last two months I have been using maxi-crop and Akernes Rain mix and ( fingers and everything else crossed) I do believe they are growing -- or--- or ---!!!!!!

Ed


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