We received an email last week that raises an interesting point about growing orchids.
I have a promotion idea for you.
Ethylene gas makes the blossoms of orchids drop. I just found your eggs at Abuncance co-op in Rochester NY and bought some for fruit in my kitchen that affects the orchids.
If this works, you could sell to orchid growers and flower shops for their patrons.
I’m excited to try this.
Am wondering if I would be better off putting the egg near the orchid rather than near the fruit bowl. Think I’ll start with the fruit bowl. Would love to hear from you.
VP, NY 7/3/09
Of course, the commercial growers, shippers and sellers of orchids are very careful to keep ethylene away from their product. But, for the home growers of these magnificent specimens need to be aware of it too. Some genera (e.g. Cymbidium, Phalaenopsis) are very sensitive to ethylene; others (e.g. Dendrobium) are less sensitive. The two most common ethylene-induced symptoms are flower discoloration and premature wilting and flower fall.
We will keep you informed of VM’s experience.
Tags: flower discoloration, flower fall, orchids
