Jim isn't that a Bletilla?, just doesn't have the white on the back of the petals like a Phaius would. They look similar though.
November Orchid Blooms Make Us Thankful
You're right, Bree. It is Bletilia yokohama 'Kate' p.p.a.f.. Sorry. I couldn't find the tag out in the bushes and I was in a hurry.
Jim
Jim - love that Bulbophyllum orchid. The flower is so unique.
Jim, your bletilla is lovely, but I really need to find a Phaius microburst 'Wild Thing'. Just the name, y'know? My purple spathoglottis just like yours are blooming wonderfully, and I've had one spike in bloom for literally months! That's great value in any plant. Do you cover them if it gets cold? Did I recall you said you had other colors, too? I'm definitely in the market for more of those.
Been looking for some Phaius, but other than on eBay, haven't seen many. If I go in early spring, the Phaius will be in bloom, more likely won't they? It's nice to see what you're getting when you're a beginner like me.
Elaine
Yes, I cover the Spathoglottis in the winter but I lose about half of them anyway. They are not as tuff as Cyms. Spathoglottis orchids are sometimes available in Apopka in a variety of colors. I bought my Phaius about a year ago from Logee's. It has put on a lot of growth but no blooms yet.
Jim
Elaine, try this link for Phaius: http://www.logees.com/searchprods.asp
Jim
Since this thread has been very quiet, so I'll re-post the progress with one of my dendrobiums. This is Den. Woon Leng 'Chaophray,' and I assume it's a hybrid from Thailand, as the Chao Phraya river basin is there. Thailand certainly has bragging rights for their orchids. This is the 3rd spike on so few pseudobulbs, and you'll see a 4th coming up still. My green dendrobium should start opening buds on several spikes in the next few days, too.
I've been lurking in the background, enjoying everybody's posts this month.
Jim, you've got a great dendrobium collection! I've bought a couple more this year. They're very reliable...but I'm confused as to why these "high light" orchids are blooming for me, while my cattleyas have not a single sheath so far this year.
Laurel, your close-up photos definitely show the charm of those tiny rareties you grow. It's always hard for me to get photographs so closely, too.
We had our first freeze last night, so the last of the plants are indoors. I can no longer maneuver through my house without swinging from a vine. :o|
Thanks for sharing, Everybody...
And a blurry reminder of the flowers. A rather blue lip and very light green sepals/petals...
Those are beautiful, Scott. And we really want a picture of you swinging on your vine . . .
Elaine
Make sure to include the leopard loin cloth in that photo. :>) Nice color contrast on the Den., Scott. BTW, you missed a crazy good day of food and orchids at Steve Arthur's.
The next door neighbor was kind enough to share his Wifi here in Miami. I'm just here for a minute. Crazy amount of work to do at the house and no orchids. The neighbor on the other side has orchids in her trees. Maybe I'll try to take and upload photos. She's got a Rhyncholaelia digbyana that's just killer when it's in bloom.
Elaine, the orchids look so lovely naturalized in your garden.
Jim is probably getting ready for our hot date on the 18th. Right, Jim?
Absolutely, Laurel. Can't wait. I even gassed up the buying shoes.
Jim
I have to wear those Crocs with all the vent holes 'cause my feet get so hot running up and down the benches. If I gassed up the buying shoes they might spontaneously ignite! Truthfully, I'm not feeling the need for major acquisition this trip. I am so vested in keeping up with what I have through winter. I remind myself I'm a power outage and trip out of town away from having to start all over again. Having been through that three times in the past thirty some odd years I am finally (only) slightly more cautious.
I lost about twenty-five orchids during summer camp and reoccupation so I'm looking for fresh stock. The orchids that are left are beginning to behave themselves. I'm sure you will point out some must haves for me.
Jim
Spending other peoples money is another one of my hobbies. :>)
And you do it so well!
Jim
look my ..ment to be portia, looks like Anceps but could be Interceps has curled its petals..any idea on its name?
Not I but that one is a doozy, Bree! How do you end up with all those Catts with confused names? Are you online ordering or getting them from a local grower?
Much to the world's relief, I retired my loin cloth collection in the 80's, Laurel. Ha!
Bree, that's beautiful, whatever it may be. Sometimes, for me, the surprises are more fun than knowing what to expect.
The only problem with bringing a gazillion plants into your basement for the winter? Tree-frogs gallore! I found 3 in a single billbergia hanging basket tonight. I tried to catch them, but they're agile little suckers. Here's hoping they stay in the basement.
Scott, the trick to catching frogs is to turn off most of the lights, and go after them with a flashlight. If you shine the light on them suddenly they are temporarily blinded and will sit still so you can grab them. But only for a few seconds.
Or you can put out some pans of water to keep the humidity up in the basement, and they'll probably stay down there happily and eat any stray bugs that came in with the plants. . . natural pest control.
Bree, that is a heavenly pink orchid you've got there. I sympathize with the name game - I've bought rescues with broken pots off a sale rack, and a couple of second-hand orchids that had names on them like 'white flowers' or a tag with half the words broken off. I've got all you panel of experts to tell me approximately what kind of orchid it is so I can give it the right care, so, as Scott says a surprise is always fun.
Elaine
Laurel- ebay, there cheap so i don't mind if there not what they say but just thought i might be able to name it before i got rid of it. Im gradually going though my orchid collection and as they flower im only keeping the ones i really love. These are the orchids hanging in my small greenhouse on the roof. I usually take them out to water so i don't wet my Paphs underneath them. Its a job!
Bree, you must have a great place to hang them. My GH doesn't have a way for me to hang plants. DH ran a pipe from one stand to another for me to hang small things. He says the roof isn't strong enough to hang plants. I am still trying to figure out how I could make a stand for the heavy hangers, but if I had orchids that would be easier since they are light weight. I have only 1 orchid that I keep indoors.
Brassia Memoria Fritz Boedeker 'Witch Doctor' opened last night.
Jim
A closer look.
Jim
My partner welds and he welded up my greenhouse and shelves in angle galvanised steel and wire mesh. It's screwed to a concrete slab. Then i just covered in in shadecloth. Its a little small now, should have made it bigger. hehe! Yes orchids are lighter though.
Bree, I'm sure you'll have no trouble selling that Catt. without a name. It really is pretty.
Plantsforpeg, seems like you could put up posts to run your pipe that are free standing. Couldn't you can use ready mix cement in five gallon buckets to set metal galvanized posts and then attach horizontals to that? I only have orchids hanging and use black extendable curtain rods that are bracketed to the greenhut roof. That would not do for heavy baskets. I hang a few of the heavier baskets from other spots.
Pretty Brassia, Jim. It seems you've been doing lots of shopping behind my back. I have added an orchid to my "she deserves" column. While painting a brand new door to replace a termited one today a flock of ducks flew overhead and one pooped on the door. Are there blueberries anywhere at this time of year? I've already repainted the door twice more and can still see blue. This could be the secret "Blue Orchid" ingredient.
I've had that Brassia for years, Laurel. I'm not cheating on you. I'm rolling on the floor at the blue Phal comment.
Jim
Notice how closely this resembles a blue Phalaenopsis...
It's a perfect match. Kind of says something about that whole process.
Jim
Well put, Jim! LOL!
Thanks for the thought about a rack to hang plants on, Maypop. Only thing is I don't have much walking space. The GH is 10 X 12. I need the hook and pulley to hang plants up high and wench them down to water. It definitely would work for small plants.
I did no orchid shopping in Miami but did get another Den. anceps start from the next door neighbor. We are on our way to Apopka tomorrow. Jim won't get there until the next day. Maybe I should buy everything before he arrives. Mwahaha! Buying shoes are balanced and aligned. Here's hoping Jim Krull has something on what Steve calls his "dead bench". Those are his really neat species orchids he collected from foreign vendors at shows and never did anything with. Some cool stuff that looks pretty bad.
Bree, that watering routine sounds like a pain. I let water go straight into the few Paphs in my gh without a problem. So you don't plan on keeping that pretty Catt?
Good luck with a hanging solution, Peg. Once you start with a gh it's one thing after another, isn't it? Not easy standing in for Mother Nature.
Yeah, I bought a heater that lasted one month. No problem with the return. When I ask for greenhouse items as Christmas gifts, no one pays any attention.
If Jim is not taking care of those orchids, I know a home that would welcome them in La. He better watch it.
Jim Krull is a grower and not our beloved (but don't tell him) Jim.
I don't know whether to be happy or sad about all this.
Jim
I think I'll be too tired to beat you to anything, Jim. We are not going to get out of here until late tomorrow. (
After watching the news, I'm glad you're still in Fl., Laurel! Hope your home in Atlanta is ok.
Thanks Carol. Youngest son is at the house and we have limited connections here so ignorance is bliss. We are only vaguely aware of the tornado weather there.
Hopefully all is well, Laurel. Our thoughts are with you and everybody that got hit with the storm. Seems like every state from Mississippi east got it.
Don't like this time of year. A few moments in the morning before work to spray those that need it and it's dark when I get home. Try to keep the watering regimen, but it can be difficult. At least most of the cactus and succulents need less attention at this time. Neolauchea pulchella bloomed and I missed it. Looks like there may be another. Hopefully I can see it and get a pic. Jeweled Ludisia is in spike. I would think blooms by this weekend. I hope! Ant Plant is blooming again. Don't think it's an orchid, but it sure does like hanging in that snail shell. lol Golden Shower Oncidium is in spike, so there are things going on. Pictures soon. Temps in the low to mid 50's so everything is outside. Maybe I should just bring them all in the garage so I can see what's going on. Just don't think they would appreciate the windowless environment and all the sawdust from he woodworking.
As an aside, Lynda and I are taking pottery throwing classes. We have a wheel and small kiln at home from a long time ago when we tried it. The instructor is into bonsai and orchids, so I am concentrating on learning how to make my own pots, I think if I put enough venting holes, slots , whatever, they should mimic baskets. At least that's the plan.
Ted, we really need to meet. My Miami neighbor hand builds a lot of her orchid pots. She does not throw. Our daughter both throws and hand builds but has never done orchid pots. She had an amazing kick wheel she sold last year. She used an electric wheel in studio work but at home only the kick wheel we gave her as a gift at age thirteen. Since she is now grown and on her own in a small home she had no space for her kick wheel. She also sculpts in various media including porcelain.
Has anyone had luck cutting holes in regular terra cotta pots? I was thinking I'd get a couple & just attempt drilling large holes. Might need to put the pot in a water to keep it cool - same concept as a tile cutter.
Would a multi-tool work?
Any ideas are appreciated.