Question for everyone

[Marco]

I don't know if this post belongs in this particular forum. But, here goes.

When's the last time you went on vacation and how long? (got any pictures? if you do please post thanks!) oke: When you went on vaca who in the world took care of your plants? I mean a vaca like you live in alaska and went to australia for 3 weeks kind of vacation. Not a brief weekend hiatus to florida, new york or chicago for a show/convention for orchids of some sort.

I'm really anal about - edit - **other people** touching my plants. Well not literally touching but if someone else was to take care of them that is. I was thinking about it at work today and the first question that popped up was. "whos gonna water my plants?"

 

[Heather]

I've done this. I went to the Grenadines in 2005 for the entire month of February.

I had two people water. My mother watered the Phrags once a week, and a friend watered everything once a week, so the Phrags got it twice a week. Anything that needed extra water got a blue dot on the tag so my mom would know. I typed up an Orchids 101 instruction manual (yeah, it was pretty long!) and diseminated it to everyone. I had an emergency plan in place. In case there was a power outage or something, my most valuable and important plants had red dots on the tags. My neighbor had a copy of everyone's phone numbers so that if the power went out, she could notify them.

Things fared pretty well. I had a couple plants burn because the sun was getting very strong at that time of year. Otherwise, it was fine. It was really hard to leave them though. Let me know if you have other questions about it.

 

[Jon in SW Ohio]

What's a vacation?

Seriously though, that is why local orchid society friends are worth their weight in gold. Always seems like I'm the one plant sitting though...maybe it's time to go and cash in my vacation time and a few favors. This is also one of the reasons I got to know some local reefers really well, my plants would be fine for a week alone, but the tanks are another thing.

Jon
________
Land Rover Series History

 

[gore42]

This has been a constant problem for me.

Two summers ago (collection was less than 1/10th of what it is now), I went up to Seattle to visit my family for a couple of weeks. I had a friend of mine stop in every other day (or so) to water the plants. I had him come over before-hand to show him what plants needed water every other day (in CO outside of a greenhouse, this is anything in a 2" pot), and which could go a few days.

Then I left, and there was a heat wave while I was gone. It was over 100 F every day. My friend didn't know to adjust the watering (they really needed it every day) and I lost 20 sanderianum seedlings, all of my Disas, and a few other assorted things.

This spring, I went to Utah for a week (I think I posted some pictures here). I had someone from the University come by to take care of my plants, since my other friend had moved. This time, I was growing in an area that wasn't as affected by temperature fluctuations outside, but I was just as nervous. I don't even let the SO water my plants. Anyway, I re-arranged my growing areas so that all of the plants that needed similar watering were together, and then I posted signs on the benches. If there were plants that needed special care or instructions, they got Post-It notes with instructions. I put a few pages of general instructions on the wall, and had the woman come over for lessens the week before I left. And I had to shell out some cash.

That time, everything survived... but I'm going to have to find someone else to do the job next time I leave town. I still haven't joined the Fort Collins Orchid Society (just in the Denver one), so maybe that would be a good place to look next.
- Matt

 

[Rick]

What's a vacation?

Seriously though, that is why local orchid society friends are worth their weight in gold. Always seems like I'm the one plant sitting though...maybe it's time to go and cash in my vacation time and a few favors.

Jon

That seems to be a common thread for many of the orchid folks around here too. Actually on the rare occasions my wife and I take off for a few days together we have a neighbor who is a master gardener, who comes over to take care of our many pets, and spray down the greenhouse. My wife swaps the favor for her when they go out of town too. Our last big bash was a family trip to Gatlinburg/ Smokey Mountains TN.

I should add that I have allot of mounted and hanging basket stuff that gets watered every day so its significant work, but easy to train for.