New BB Code Feature

Attachment 12881

You may have noticed the new "L" and "R" in the advanced reply editor. These two new buttons can be used to format your posts and articles here in the forum. The "L" will format any content placed in its brackets to the Left side of a post and the "R" will, of course, do the opposite and format any content it encloses within its brackets to the right side of your post or article. These two buttons can be very useful when you want to wrap text around an image. Using this feature, you can make your posts look like newspaper and magazine articles if you would like. :)

The easiest way I have found to use these two buttons is to add all of your text to your post or article first. Then, format your attachments (photos, graphics, linked images, etc...) with either the "L" or the "R" bb code. Just insert your graphic where you think it will look the best in your text and highlight it and click either the "L" or the "R" button.

Then, be sure to preview your post and see how it appears. Make any adjustments to your placement, and then preview again before submitting. What you see is what you will get when using this feature. In the second post below, I will give an example of how this can be used. I will simply use the text from the cattleya article on the AOS website instead of creating gibberish.

Cattleya

KAT-lee-ah

http://www.rv-orchidworks.com/orchid...cache/7284.png

Cattleyas are among the most popular orchids. Their culture is often used as the basis for comparison with other types of orchids. Cattleyas and their related hybrids come in many colors, shapes, forms and sizes. Culture varies only slightly among most of these. This sheet is a general guide to basic cattleya culture. Like many other cultivated orchids, cattleyas are epiphytes, or air plants. They have developed water-storage organs, called pseudobulbs, and have large, fleshy roots covered with a spongy, water-retentive velamen. They are accustomed to being dry at the roots between waterings, and therefore should be potted in freedraining media.

Light is the most important factor in growing and flowering cattleyas, whether in a greenhouse or in the home. Bright light to some sun

http://www.rv-orchidworks.com/orchid...cache/7285.png

should be given to the plants, with no direct sun in the middle of the day. This means an east, shaded south (as with a sheer curtain) or west window in the home, and 50 to 70 percent full sun in a greenhouse (3,000 to 5,000 foot-candles). Leaves should be a medium green color, pseudobulbs erect and requiring no staking.

Temperatures should be 55 to 60 F at night and 70 to 85 F during the day. Seedlings should have night temperatures five to 10 degrees higher. A 15- to 20-degree differential between day and night is recommended, especially for mature plants. Higher day temperatures can be tolerated (up to 95 F), if humidity, air circulation and shading are increased.

Water should be provided in two ways: in the pot by watering and in the air as humidity. Watering in the container is dictated by many criteria: size and type of the vessel, temperature, light, etc. Mature cattleyas need to dry out thoroughly before being watered again. Seedlings need more constant moisture. Compare the weight of a dry pot of the same size and type of mix; it can indicate if a plant needs water by the relative weight - light means dry, heavy means wet. If in doubt, it's best to wait a day or two until watering. Plants in active growth need more water than plants that are resting. Water below 50 F may injure plants, as will water softened by the addition of salts.

Humidity should be 50 to 80 percent for cattleyas. This can be provided in the home by placing the plants on trays of gravel, only partially filled with water so that the plants do not sit in the water. Air should always be moving around the plants to prevent fungal or bacterial disease, especially if high humidity or cool temperatures exist. In the greenhouse, the humidity is best increased by use of a humidifier. Evaporative cooling increases humidity while cooling the air.

http://www.rv-orchidworks.com/orchid...cache/7286.png

Fertilize on a regular schedule. In fir bark, a high-nitrogen (such as 30-10-10) formulation, or a similar proportion, is used. Otherwise, use a balanced fertilizer. When in active growth, plants need fertilizer at least every two weeks, and when not actively growing, once a month. Fertilizer can also be applied with every watering at one-quarter the recommended dilution. Thorough flushing with clear water every month is recommended to prevent the buildup of fertilizer salts.

Potting is necessary when the rhizome of the plants protrudes over the edge of the pot or the potting medium starts to break down and drain poorly (usually after two to three years). It is best to repot just before new roots sprout from the rhizome, after flowering or in the spring. Mature cattleyas are usually potted in coarser potting material than are seedlings. Until a plant has at least six mature pseudobulbs, it generally should be put into a larger pot and not divided. If dividing a plant, three to five pseudobulbs per division are required. Select a pot that will allow for approximately two years of growth before crowding the pot. Pile mix against one side of the pot and cut off any dead roots. Spread the firm, live roots over the pile, with the cut rhizome against the side of the pot. Fill the pot with medium, working it around the roots. Pack firmly and stake if necessary. Keep the plant humid, shaded and dry at the roots until new root growth is seen.

American Orchid Society
16700 AOS Lane
Delray Beach, Florida 33446-4351
Tel 561-404-2000 Fax 561-404-2100
Web site AOS | Home

Let me know what you think and if you need more instructions on how to use this new feature.

Cheers,
BD :D

Great idea, love the plant in the second picture!
Connie

Thanks, Bruce!

(Do I see a fake Catt in there?)

Hey BD, of course the graphics are smaller than normal. So how big are the ones in the catt article? I know, I know I'm lazy, I want all the answers up front! This is a great feature btw.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by clintdawley

Thanks, Bruce! (Do I see a fake Catt in there?)

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Yes, the second photo (one on the right) is a fake orchid.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ischel1

Hey BD, of course the graphics are smaller than normal. So how big are the ones in the catt article? I know, I know I'm lazy, I want all the answers up front! This is a great feature btw.

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LOL. :) Okay, I did not upload my own photos, I just grabbed some off of the net. The photos can be any size up to the max size (that has not changed). I just happened to have grabbed smaller images from the net.

The first cattleya is from the AOS site (Actually from the cattleya article I pasted above). The second and third images were on the first page of a image search in google. I set my browser to 'medium images' for the search. :)

If you use this feature, you can use it for text, or images (large or small). Anyway you find it useful.

Cheers,
BD :D

cool!

This looks like a fun feature - it reminds me of doing layouts for my school magazine!!

Thanks for taking the time to do this - hopefully, if something blooms soon, I can try it!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pavel

cool!

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Becky15349

This looks like a fun feature - it reminds me of doing layouts for my school magazine!!

Thanks for taking the time to do this - hopefully, if something blooms soon, I can try it!

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Thanks! I did this mostly for use with the new article system. I thought that by giving our members the ability to format their content more like a magazine, it might make it more fun for them to publish articles on the areas in which they are experts. Their final article would look great, have great information, and would end up helping people all over the world grow and care for their orchids better. (At least that is my hope!)

Cheers,
BD :D