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Thread: Growing Orchids Outdoors in So. Cal!

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  1. #1
    My Grow Area
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    Catts and Paphs
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    Angry Growing Orchids Outdoors in So. Cal!

    well. I am P---ed Off!!! I went out to fill the bird feeders before work this morning and found -


    MAYHEM!!

    Two of my new aquisitions, which Hoa told me would grow outside, thus easing my space problem, have been rooted up out of thier pots, the flower stems broken off, the roots chewed!


    I believe the Den King. will survive, but the Zygo is in pretty bad shape One of the two spikes was completely broken off, and the other was damaged, about 1/3 of the leaves were stripped off, and about half the roots.



    It's time to break out the shotgun - - look out furry creatures of the night!!

  2. #2
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    It's the WAAABBBBIITT! Time to shoot the wwwaaabbitt! (Or the raccoon or possum or furry critters that dine on the chids!)

    Seriously, I am so sorry to hear that! These plants may be too juicy to the rascals so they could not resist. We probably need something to cordone off the plants so they could not reach it. Chicken coop wire, maybe? I think the plants will be fine. If the damage is extensive, they might be set back a bit but as far as I remember, these twos are big plants! Repot them if you must. The dend king you could just put it back to its pot. The zygo you could repot them in cymbidium mix (which has more peat so it can hold more water) or coconut husks. The seller told us to repot this plant after it finishes blooming.
    Cheers. Hoa.

  3. #3
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    Ohhh Diane!!! That is horrible!!!!! Awful!!!! I love furry animals and some that are not so furry, but I think I would want revenge too!!! How awfully terrible!!!!

  4. #4
    Real Name
    Clint M. Dawley
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    Default Tragic!

    Diane, that is too bad!

    If you get him...I have a great recipe for hausenfeffer.

  5. #5
    My Grow Area
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    I think I'll have to find a recipe for possum stew.... there is a big mean one that lives in the creek bed that runs behind my house. Or it could have been the raccoons..

  6. #6
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    So now we find out there are other dangers to your chids at your place. What will be your action plan?
    I would be surprised if the mayhem is the handywork of possums or raccoons. We have raccoons too (and possibly possums) at my place and they have never bothered with my outdoor growing orchids (the australian dendrobs, nobile dends, zygos, cymbidiums). But the WWAAAABBIT, I think it will eat your plants! My sister's place in San Diego, it has a cayon behind her backyard and it is infested with these critters. They eat anything including cactus (it is the equivalent of succulent meat for them!), especially our Red Dragon fruit cactus plants, all the way into the plant bones!
    Cheers. Hoa.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
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    Massachusetts
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    My vote is for the tree rats! Aka, squirrels.They'll eat anything!

    Diane, I'm really bumming for you! It's so exciting to bring home new babies, and then to learn that some ignorant furball that doesn't know a Dend from a Zygo, except by taste, has seen fit to munch on your beauties...

    How about a dog crate? It would be a bit more sturdy than chicken wire, and could hold a number of plants. The big door would make it easier to get plants in and out, should you have to.

    Julie

  8. #8
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    Jan 2005
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    Miami, Florida
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    Oh that is horrible! If it makes you feel any better, the same thing happens here in South Florida. This morning I found one of my long petalled phrag buds (which was just about to open) on the ground and half eaten.

    So...your two plants plus my one equals three and since things supposedly happen in threes, that's it for all of us...right? (We took three for the RVO team.)

  9. #9
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    Clint M. Dawley
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    Default Tree rats?

    Yep. Those nasty little cute buggers WILL eat anything...just ask my brugmansia. I can just see the little tree rat in his little tree hole--trippin from all those alkaloids.

    They ate a 3' tall brugmansia from the time I left for work until the time I got home..nothing was left except the root ball in the pot.

  10. #10
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    Ouch, Eve! A bud to boot!

    Nice avatar! Who's that with you?

    Julie

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