Nice one, Sis. One of my little bitty windowsill orchids is getting ready,too. The buds have taken forever to form. Still enjoying my cym from before Christmas, too.
Alexandra, excited to see your blooms - I'm not familiar with that one.
Kathleen
This message was edited Jan 7, 2009 9:39 PM
Orchids then and now. The story of 13 orchids and counting..
By new arrivals, I meant the blooms. I was having a problem with my Phals. They quit blooming. Roots good, leaves good......no flowers. This went on for a couple of years. Then I remembered I had switched fertilizer and went back to what I was using before and guess what? One blooming, three more in spike. Still a ways to go, but a big improvement.
And yes I did a happy dance when I saw the first spike!
Sis...My cym in the bathtup should bloom in a couple of weeks. Surprised it did, I couldn't put it outside until way late this year because of the work we were doing on the house.
So what's the fertilizer? I could never get Phals to rebloom. Now I have a Miltonia I really, really want to bloom again. Darn, can't find the photo.
Peter's Professional Water Soluble Ferterlizer. It's a 20-20-20. Don't know why it works, but that's the only thing that I've changed. I get it from one of the Society members who buys it bulk and passes on the savings.
Ah-ha! I've had mine for a long time and I'm sure it needs to be replaced, so I'll try Peter's. I remember using it a long, long, time ago, but not for orchids.
Hope it works for you.
Liquid Seaweed; Maxicrop etc.
Always Good!
Now that's one I never heard of. I'll check it out.
Do you use the seaweed diluted more than usual? Now that I have!
Use it at half the recommended strength and give it to the plants every time you water. Be careful not to over-water your Orchids.
I read in one of the advertisements that it's a supplement to fertilizer. Do you use it that way or instead of fertilizing?
I would think added to. It contains micronutrients and minerals, etc. Here's a link http://www.planetnatural.com/site/maxicrop-liquid-seaweed.html
Metrosideros? Your experience?
Sis, I saw that link when I was looking. Did you order yours or get it at a store?
I have a different brand that I got at a store.
I grow most of my Orchids in trees, and give them seaweed when they are going to flower. My potted Orchids get seaweed every few weeks, and fish emulsion once in a while.
As they are saprophytic plants I try to feed them naturally, but the Ochids in trees need the least care. I have some Dendrobiums that are getting huge, with little help on my part.
My potted Orchids grow in a mix of chopped up coconut husk and volcanic cinder.
It seems that the Orchids which I give the most care to, do the worst!
Quoting:
It seems that the Orchids which I give the most care to, do the worst!
Ain't that the truth! I have two growing outside that look horrible, but bloom yearly. Don't have any trees suitable here - except where I would never see them!
It's only 38 deg outside right now and that's warmer than it's been. So I have to grow mine safely inside. I put some of them out in late spring, they like that and I really try to not do to much. Like cutting way back on water in the winter.
It's flowering season for the Chinese Ground Orchid, Phaius tankarvilleae.
Not all weeds are undesirable!
I brought mine in for the winter and they look horrible. I don't think they are going to make it.
Jeanne
Wow! Just beautiful Dave! Just how long is that flower spike, and how long will it bloom for you?
Aloha
Hi Jen, the Chinese ground orchids get about a meter (3 ft.) tall when the colonies mature. They start blooming in December and continue to March They pop up sporadically; when one starts to grow where it's not wanted you simply remove it, otherwise they are beautiful plants that don't need much care.
They were purposely naturalized in Hawai'i in the 1920's.
I'll try to find a nice shot of a mature stand.
Dave, I love the "weeds" that you have there!
This is the Tolumnia flower fully opened
this is an "arranged" closeup, they really don't have a black background on a regular basis...
Dave those Chinese Orchids are fantastic! Why in the world do you call them weeds?? Am I missing something?
Very pretty Alexandra! Well done.
Jeane...no negative waves kiddo...they will bounce back.
Yokwe,
Shari
Shari, something is eating them. I wiped them off with rubbing alcohol and the one is looking better, but the other one, not so good. Any suggestions?
Jeanne
Where do you have them placed? Are they getting enough air circulation? Maybe a fan placed somewhere nearby would help. Have you seen the critter that is eating them? Any solution to that problem, would be dependent on the bug. Plus they need light...not directly, but ambient. Let us know. With all the orchid lovers here, I'm sure we can come up with a solution for you.
Yokwe,
Shari
They are in the master bathroom. I do have my ceiling fan here in my bedroom going fairly regular.
I leave the light on in the daytime for them. I have not seen what is eating them. Mom suggested that it might be mealy bugs.
Jeanne
Oh, Jeanne! Hope you find the nasty and kill it. If it's mealy bugs, you should be able to see some little fluffy while stuff. And 10% alcohol on a Q-tip should kill them.
Another one of my orchids (a Cattleya) started to get yellow leaves that fall in a day, and deteriorate in an alarming rate, kind of like the Dendrobium chrysotoxum... :o(
Lovely pics of the Orchids! Could it be possible that they are too wet Alexandra? I just read somewhere that the "soil" breaks down after time and retains too much water - understand that this advice comes from an Orchid killer, so take it for what it's worth - probably nothing!
Jeanne, good luck with zapping those bugs!
Aloha!
Alex, Jen, thanks! The one is getting more spots so I guess it's time to treat them with the alcohol again. This is it with the orchids......I can't stand to see them die.
(BooHoo!!!!!).
Jeanne
Yep, Jenny, just knocked it out of the pot, it looks pathetic. What makes me mad is that it had mostly expanded clay bits/balls, very little decomposing matter. And, even madder, is that I was so afraid of repotting, that it's probably my fault on this one (the Dendrobium was soil-less, just roots in the pot).
Jeanne, I hear you, hate to see them die! Give them a bit-o-alcohol! Keeping my fingers crossed for you!
Hugs to all,
Alexandra
Here is a Dendrobium species which I haven't identified yet.
This is the one that looks the worst. Doesn't it look like a monster? haha. (Sad, very sad!)
The other one does look like it is going to make it, tho. Here before much longer I can take them back outside again.
Beautiful picture Metrosideros, I do so envy you having them grow in trees. We're still getting 30 deg here, so mine are still safely tucked inside. At least for two more months.
Texasgal77...if you think that plant has bugs, I'd separate it from the healthy one (which looks great by the way).^_^
Hey, Jeanne! I agree the second looks beautiful!
Dave, beautiful flowers! I'm no expert, but I swear I've seen this before, I'll check back. How big the flowers? Is it fragrant? I bet it is!
I knew I've seen them before! Saw pictures in an orchid catalog... sniff, sniff...
OK, how about this? dendrobium aggregatum (aka D. lindleyi) http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/78913/
Though I favor the first entry, this one also looks close (and related as I undestand): dendrobium jenkinsii http://www.orchidsonline.com.au/node/2773
They are both supposed to be fragrant, honey-like. Both bloom in spring. DJ is a miniature plant, but each flower is about 1"
Alexandra
Wow Alexandra, I'm impressed!
It's definitely Dendrobium aggregatum. It has a sweet cinnamony scent when the sun warms it up. It blooms for a couple weeks then is gone for another year.
Now to find out more about the species.
Mahalo nui loa! Dave
Well, Dave, I'm shocked! LOL! That I actually IDd one!
Can I move in your trees?
Two bits of info that I want to share about Tolumnia.
First: begginers/killers like me oughta love this little girl: it TALKS to you! If it doesn't have enough water (which recently happened because I've been away for over 1 week...) it's leaves get a reddish tinge! It blushes with fury if you "forget" about her! YES!
Mine is in a small clay pot, with expanded clay balls as media. She likes being watered almost every day/every other day in this dry El Paso house, or at least misted. I placed her in a bowl with stones, seashells and water, but that water evaoprates fast if not replenished (in about 3-4 days it's gone...)
Second, like Phals, it can give you a second spike from the spent stalk! So, don't cut it off, let it be! I'll take pics tomorrow!
Been missing your postings, Alex. Glad you are back with us. Every time I see an orchid I feel tempted, but.....not yet.
Christi