We are coming from here http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1282559/ Part one was getting bulky. Let's move along.
I have a tiny that is celebrating its first year with me. Sigmatostalix radicans, an Oncidium relative. It was a bare root gift and is mounted on a crape myrtle branch. This is the first of many flowers. Wonder what the pollinator is?
The Aerides is almost in full bloom. This is another Vanda relative. The flowers will be around for at least a month. Good weather for outside photos today.
Do you see webs on the surface of your medium or up against the mount. Spiders usually build higher but these will be fall worms hatching from moth larva. Think snails are bad? One got the spike on Bulbo. Lovely Elizabeth last week. Fortunately there is a second spike coming. They can really wreck havoc. I have not been good about spraying but am now keeping a quarter of a mosquito dunk in my sprayer at all times. The active ingredient is Bt, very harmless, and it takes care of all worms.
There were eight spikes on this Prosthecea cochleata, now down to three. It's been blooming all summer.
Sigmatostalix radicans is neat.
How much water does your sprayer hold. I like that idea. Do you use RO water?
Thanks for posting that photo Laurel. Most of the roots are still out in the air aint they? Guess they'd rather that. Im going to try the tree fern mount but my Vandas are pretty tall and i just dont get the idea of a long mount so all the roots growing up the vanda can anchor on. Think i need to mount it on the bottom of a live treefern. hehe!
No i dont water with beer, it would be pretty expensive and my partner drinks enough of it. hehe!
L. Purpurata x Olivia Blue Boy? just opened one of 2 flowers and Den. Burana Emerald has just opened one of many on a tall spike.
Nice orchid eye candy, Bree. Hope the photos helped. I agree they love their roots hanging free best. It's amazing how the roots of orchids in the greenhut that get scanty water start to grow in the direction of the spray. The roots look like they are blowing in the breeze rather than hanging down. Remember when I posted the Vandas grown in large vases where the water is poured in and then poured out? Google "Vandas in vases" for info on that.
Ted, I use a one gallon cheapo sprayer for fertilizing and keep the dunk in there. One quarter dunk lasts anywhere between weeks and a month. As for RO, Atlanta has some of the best water in the country. We are graded one level below rain water so no one has a reverse osmosis system unless they are living outside the city on wells. Andy and Harry are green with envy. Even our botanical garden, which supposedly has the largest species orchid collection in the country, uses city water. They collect rain water but use it for exterior watering. I collect rain water but don't use it consistently.
I'm going to pull a bunch of stuff today and give the first of two fall Bayer sprays. We have mild weather the next few days and then it gets cold. This should keep me busy for the day.
I'm ranging around for an ID on this one. Steve Arthur, of Steve Arthur orchids, has a beautiful specimen on a large piece of cork he collected many years ago. I think he said Belize. He gave me a tiny piece last year. Looks like a pleurothallid, but which one? I've mounted it on hickory with my new preferred mounting fastener...polyester knitting yarn. It does no harm, has give and is easy to remove.
I'm at the cottage for the weekend and then off to Miami. Probably won't have time to post more photos. I moved and sprayed orchids and cleaned up the greenhut for winter. There will be just enough time to get everything back in before taking off.
Good info there on the Vanda's Laurel. I was going to suggest to Bree to try OFE in Miami for treefern totems but then remember she's a bit far away and would probably not be too economical.
I doubt I'll be able to tag along to Apopka. Tuesday's in general are just really hard days for me to get away from the farm. Maybe if it was pouring rain and I had to cancel all lessons.
My Vanda finally bloomed.. I guess it is what the tag said..."Ascocenda Jiraprapa x Vanda Charles Goodfellow.
and another one that was under threat of the trash heap if it didn't get in gear. Was generically tagged as "Dancing Lady" but I think (?) is what is called an Intergeneric ??
Absolutely nothing like the pic on the tag...but that's Ok..cause I think it's pretty cool. So I guess it can stay.
We will miss you in Apopka, MJ. Let me know posthaste if you find you can break away.
Great posts, Laurel. That little Sigmatostalix radicans flower is pretty.
My wife, Patty, leaves for Peru tomorrow, giving me 10 days to be wild and crazy. Unfortunately, wild and crazy has changed drastically through the years. :>)
Jim
We will miss you, Mjs. I don't want to travel or shop in the rain though. Where did you get that Vanda cross? Is that two spikes? I think that is the same Goodfellow I have. I got mine as a baby in a bag years ago and it's starting to spike for the first time. I had Goodfellow long ago and got the current one when I saw the name. The straight Goodfellow is a gorgeous lemon yellow with spots. As for the Dancing Ladies, that is a generic term for Oncidium spikes having loads of little flowers with relatively large lips that look like twirling skirts when they are in a breeze.
Thanks, Jim. Now don't forget...no clothes on the floor and no hanging around loose women unless they grow orchids!
Hm, don't you think Mj's dark red one in the pic above looks an awful lot like Jim's Miltassia Aztec 'Toni' ? Doesn't look like a dancing lady so much to me. Gorgeous Vanda, too. I do love pale yellow.
Btw, on my calendar, November 7th is a Wednesday. Did you change the Apopka day to the 6th? My two nieces are flying in to Tampa on the 6th so if I'm not in Salt Lake City, that would be a great day for me to spend in Apopka and then swing by TPA on my way home.
mjsponies- your red flowering orchid is a Miltassia (miltonia x Brassia) maybe Charles M Fitch. Also love your Vanda. Yeah im going to try tree fern to mount my Vandas, my nan has one in her garden without a top so ill cut it down.
Laurel,
Vanda was a Lowe's discount rack purchase about 3 (?) 4 yrs. ago. It was a baby in a bag also. At the time I had no idea it took so long to get them to bloom from that age
1 spike, 8 buds, blooms that have opened are about 3 in. across.
I seriously was ready to give it away, pitch it or leave it to the elements. And of course as I learned more I was skeptical that it would be what was labeled and that I needed to give it a bit more help...ie: more sun, fertilizer and water.
Miltassia...Ok...that definitely is not what was on the tag...and a first of it's kind for me. I knew it wasn't a Dancing Lady tho !! It too definitely responded to more sun than I had been giving it.
Bree, lucky you to be able to go cut your own tree fern !
This message was edited Oct 26, 2012 6:38 AM
That's how long I've had my Vanda. Four years. You are further east of me. I swear that has something to do with when orchids bloom. Mine got badly burned two years ago; before I covered the roof with Aluminet.
About the best dates for everyone in Apopka...unfortunately my time is not flexible and I must be traveling that way on the 7th. I need the days in Miami to take care of businessand cannot leave Atlanta earlier. We have room reservations in Gainseville for the trip home, rented a van to haul stuff to and from the house and have animal care arranged around youngest son's work schedule. I did originally communicate my options with Jim and once we settled on what would work for us I went ahead with plans.
Mjs, forgot to say, my Vanda is also from Lowes.
So the Apopka trip is definitely Nov. 7th which is a Wednesday. I do SO want to come, and meet everybody. Oh, and shop of course.
We are still on tenterhooks expecting the grandbaby any day, so I still don't know if we'll be gone, or back already or what.
I think Qwilter is having a baby as we speak! Well, a grandbaby, I mean.
Here's a pic of my new "bloom"
Miss Kayla bloomed at 6:43 on 25 Oct, 3 weeks early
I'm in TX & she is in MA
Mom & baby doing well.
Awwwww, she is the most beautiful bloom ever !!
Super cute! Congratulations!
Melanie
Well, the "Mailman" orchid finally opened. I know it's a cattleya but if anyone has anything else to add about it, feel free to comment. I split it up years ago into three orchids and a piece came off while Dad was handling it so now it's four, but only the one is really blooming size. It was a very nice gift from a customer on my Dad's mail route.
Also, George King "Southern Cross" opened its other buds.
Melanie
Jean, I'm so proud of you. You did a great job DNA-wise! She is going to be beautiful. How do I know? I'm an obstetrical nurse. lol
Very nice, Melanie. Are Cattleyas your favorites? If so, you are in good company here.
I'll try to grab a few photos before we take off on Wednesday. The problem is an internet connection to post.
Jean, hopefully Mom, Dad and baby, Kayla will be home and snug before this weather hits.
Okay, where's Carol?
Carol's lurking. Nothing going on here.
LOL. I've been missing you, Carol. Need anything from Apopka? Jim and I can get it done.
Yup, I stick to cattleyas and vandas since I manage not to kill them (mostly).
Melanie
I wish! Nothing you find there is likely to do well here. Now, if you decide to go to Mexico, or maybe the Gobi desert I would put in an order. LOL! Our humidity has been down to 12% in the last week, with daytime temps close to 90, and nighttime down to 53. It's better this week, but I won't invest in any more Orchids,'till I see what survives this winter.
Glad to know someone thinks of me now and then! We've all missed you! I will post as soon as I have something open that isn't deformed, I promise.
Fighting the dryness here as well Carol. The Santa Ana's sure didn't help. Constant battle to keep the humidity up. Seems like all I do is water in the morning before we go to the shop and mist when we get home. If I am out in the area, I'll stop by the house and spray. But I have had some luck. Did you make it to the Huntington show? We didn't get there. Here is Laeliocattleya Tristar Boquet Florabunda and what I think will be the last bloom on Mariposa Green River.
No, I didn't make it to the show. Just as well...
Ted and Carol, you must be doing something right to have such nice orchids in such challenging conditions. Have you tried automating your water? It's a pretty inexpensive fix for low humidity. A reel of rubber tubing, a bunch of 360 or 180 degree mister fittings, a timer and a hose to an exterior faucet. The big box stores have all you need to set up. I am constantly changing the timer to fit the season, the temperature and whether or not I will be in town. I prefer to hand water when possible but in your situation you could have your plants misted several times a day.
Wow, that low humidity would really make orchid growing difficult. A tip of the hat to you folks for hanging in there.
I have swelling Catt buds everywhere. I predict great floofy pictures in November.
Jim
I just discovered my Stanhopea nigroviolacea has gone to orchid heaven. It has struggled ever since I bought it. If anyone runs across a decent sized one for sale, please let me know. They are hard to find.
Jim
I have Catts in bud and don't even grow Catts. What's with that? lol
We crossed. I'll keep an eye out and ask around for a source.
Thanks, Laurel.
I have fingers and toes crossed for all of you that might be in the path of Sandy. Both Ursula and Kathy are getting pounded. Please be safe.
Jim
I'm very sorry to hear about Ursula and Kathy. I suspect Ursula will get the worst of it. She always seems so prepared so I am sending good thoughts her way that all is well.
DD checked in from D.C.. They seem to have been spared the worst. They have not lost power though neighbors all around have. Their recent gutter clean out and extension of downspouts has facilitated drainage. The sump pump, which wasn't working yesterday, but new SIL worked on, is doing its job. We are so thankful that DD and new SIL can handle life's problems both big and small. Their pets are freaked out but all seems okay. We have had a chilly and blustery day here in Atlanta while the sun was shining. Roads were a little scarey at times but things seem to be settling down. Temperatures are continuing to drop. We will be in the lower thirties tonight. Thanks to my guy the Cymbidiums are spending the week indoors.
Cold and blustery here as well. We have had three straight days of winds out of the north. It was 58 degrees when I went to the gym this morning at 6:00 AM and today's high was 71. That is 10 degrees below normal. They say another upper 50s tonight.
We haven't heard from Elaine for a couple of days so I suspect her grandbaby may have made an appearance. I hope we hear soon.
Ursula in now on generator power. No word from Kathy.
Jim
Last check has Ursula on generater and Kathy without landline but ok.
Well, several years ago when I was newer to DG, I told Ursula she was nuts to not have a generator and have such a big collection. I knew from personal experience. She actually heard me. I think this is not the first time she has had to use the generator. I think Kathy has one too.
