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pleurothallid-l - Re: [pleurothallid-l] Ecuador! How did it go Lyn?

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  • From: "Lynn O'Shaughnessy" <freespirit@pleurothallids.com>
  • To: <pleurothallid-l@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [pleurothallid-l] Ecuador! How did it go Lyn?
  • Date: Sat, 4 Oct 2003 20:01:52 -0000

Yes, I am back. I think it was a very worthwhile trip and I would recommend
it to anyone who grows orchids. I grow in an area where I have to provide
an artificial environment and what I saw will result in some definite
changes in my greenhouse. Most all the pleurothallids I saw got wet at
night (for the most art) either from the clouds rolling in or from rain,
then were totally dry by the afternoon. The only ones that seemed to be wet
even in the afternoon were the high altitude ones that were in the clouds
even during the day. In most cases, it is not easy to have a wide variety
of conditions in one greenhouse, but many times we can find microclimates
here and there. Currently, my greenhouse is arranged to my convenience in
that Stelis is in one area and Barbosella is in another, etc. I plan to
move things around seeing as I know were it is dryer or brighter, etc.

I also have watered anywhere from first thing in the morning to about noon
or 1:00 - as long as I felt there was time enough for things to dry out
before evening. Now, I plan to try to water first thing in the morning and
get my under-bench misting system installed to keep the humidity levels up,
but allow more time for plants to dry out. I may also adjust the Aqua Fog
fan so that it runs in the morning and shuts off in the afternoon - as long
as the under-bench misting system does what I hope it will do. I envy those
of you who can doo all of this outdoors without having to automate all of
this artificial stuff.

We did our touring with Ecuagenera. Ivan and Pepe were our tour guides. We
stayed for 7 days plus a day of travel on each end. There was no show
associated with this trip as we felt that we would get a lot more out of it
without the crouds that might be associated with a show. Ecuagenera has
greenhouses at 3 locations - 2,500m, 2,200m and 700m with most (20) being at
the 2,200m location in Gualeceo. I spent nearly the whole first day in one
greenhouse thinking that this was the "pleurothallid" greenhouse. Was I
wrong. I spent every available minute in subsequent days going through 5 or
6 more to catch up. They also had pleurothallids at the other two
locations. Oddly enough, the temps at the 700m greenhouse were 92 to 94
degrees F. It felt a little cooler in the greenhouses which were only roofs
with shadecloth hung below and open sides. I made a separate list of things
I picked out at this location - they would be great recommendations for the
Florida people and others in warmer areas. The big key was that it was
HUMID!!! Great for the plants - terrible for us people.

I got to see plants in nature from 3,200m to 700m on rocks, branches,
terrestrially, near streams, in fields, in jungles - just about every
setting. Ecuagenera has two properties at two different elevations where
they are putting orchids back in the wild from their greenhouses. At one
location, they were very happy to see a seed pod on one of them!

I talked to Ecuagenera about how they watered. They indicated they watered
every morning unless the day before was cloudy. Things were bone dry in
most cases by the afternoon. At the Gualaceo location, quite a few of the
greenhouses had block walls with light coming in only from above. But the
light is a lot more intense there than it is for me.

So many things to talk about - so little time. I intend to try to address
different areas in short articles in the newsletter. Anyone with specific
questions, I will try to answer.

I am having about 165 plants shipped next week that I had picked out when I
was there. Can't wait.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Ron Maunder" <pondeeza@enternet.co.nz>
To: <pleurothallid-l@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Saturday, October 04, 2003 9:45 PM
Subject: [pleurothallid-l] Ecuador! How did it go Lyn?


> Ah Lyn, so you are back from Ecuador? How did it go? I'm sure you
> have heaps to tell us about your experiences when you catch up on
> things around home and in the greenhouse.
>
> As a matter of interest was your visit tied in to a tour and a local
> orchid show or was it the only time you could get away? Is there a
> best time of the year to go Masdevallia/Pleuro hunting in Ecuador to
> see them in flower? Who was your guide?
>
> Maybe these questions can start a bit of discussion going if Lyn is
> too busy to respond just yet?
>
> Ron Maunder in New Zealand
>
> (where the Spring Shows are nearly over and the Coccineae section
> Massys are in full swing!)
> _______________________________________________
> pleurothallid-l mailing list
> pleurothallid-l@lists.ibiblio.org
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/pleurothallid-l
>





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