Booj,
I had a Noid green flowered Cym bloom earlier in the season and this is my only other two out of 5 cyms to bloom. They all got enough food last year so my guess is I have to give them a bit more light THIS coming year.
February Orchids in 2009 part 2
Fred - I don't have much information on the water requirements for orchids, so I can't help you there. I water my plants with well water. I was very fortunate that the shallow well hit very clean water -- none of the usual excess sulfur and iron that is usually present in north Florida shallow wells. I actually think I could drink the water it seems so clean, but I haven't done that. A local company contacted the county Extension Office asking for volunteers to have their irrigation wells subjected to testing. I haven't followed up on that yet, but do hope I can get into the testing program to have a better idea what minerals may be present and what pH my irrigation well water may be.
To ease the work of your plant cataloging (something I've intended to do, but haven't had time yet), you may take a look at the features offered in the DG Journal. There is a link at the bottom of every Plant Files page that allows you to "Add this plant to your journal." You can create a catalog of your plants simply by clicking. I think a photo from Plant Files is added whenever you click the link so that you have both the common name(s), botanical name, and a representative photo.
Jeremy
Kathy,
I ordered some of that FeedMe stuff (both kinds) and happened to accumulate a $250 bill for this and that. Thanks a lot for taking me there. :-)
As to my questions. I was wondering where the salt goes that I add to my filtering system. Ursula says that some of it is converted to sodium in our house water and not good for the orchids. I guess the rest flushes out via the overflow pipe I have out there. Funny thing is that our water does not taste salty. Does sodium have no taste? Or are the quantities too minute for us stupid humans to taste. Orchids have better taste buds?
In any case, Ursula says not to use my house water. Kills that idea. So I'm back to the well and white spots all over my orchids or get the RO system up and running outside. The mixing valve I was talking about is something like this: http://www.growerssolution.com/page/GS/PROD/siphon/siphon-mixer
There are various such systems on the market but generally they work on a 16 to 1 basis. I think that means that you mix one gal of fertilizer as if it were 16 gallons. The suction tube then takes it out and mixes based upon the water flow at the regular rate. This is sort of the quick and dirty hose/mixing method. For my RO system I have a more expensive mixing valve which is adjustable and goes to a 100 to 1.
I'm not too worried about water temperature around these parts. Since all the tropical plants have no problem with the irrigation system coming right out of the earth, I figure orchids have no problems either.
Jeremy,
I need a structured database program for my orchids. This way I can select/print on any category I desire. I also want to have that data on my computer as I can use SQL extracts beyond what the program offers. I also have a tracking system as to blooms, repotting, division, sickness and on and on. I can tell what medium I used when a plant did poorly or good. I must have around 300 orchids and things get a bit complicated without a good records keeping system.
Most well testing systems sponsored by governmental agencies worry about fecal matter poisoning well water. With my acreage here, I dodn't worry about that. I did have my water tested and found that the salt level and other minerals are quite OK for orchids but my calcium is very high from all the limestone in the FL substrate. No appreciable iron here. I have a mixing system which adds a 38.2% sulphuric acid solution into my irrigation water. The 55 gal drum is now empty and then the calcium is very high. I need to get more acid and then things settle down a bit. It keeps my pH just around 7 which is fine.
fred
Fred - you are right about the limited tests of well water by government agencies. It is further limited here -- the tests are conducted ONLY if the well water is the only source of water for household use. Since I am using my well for irrigation only, I can't get the usual tests the local government offers. The testing company that contacted the local Extension Office and wanted to do some sort of research project for shallow wells would probably do a more extensive analysis, but I haven't followed up with the company (a private enterprise) to get more details. The Extension Office did stipulate that they wouldn't pass along the request to test well water unless the company stated that there would be no charge for the tests and that they wouldn't try to sell the homeowner some product after the testing was completed. I'm game to give it a try, but they wanted to know the depth of my irrigation well and I'm not sure that the well driller supplied me that info (I do still have the paperwork here somewhere). The drilling operation for my irrigation well took less than 1/2 hour and all that was needed was a high pressure water hose to drill down to the water level and then a pvc pipe was inserted into the hole in the sand. Then a water pump was hooked to the pvc pipe and I've had great well water ever since.
Jeremy
Fred, that siphon system is interesting. Hafta think about that! Glad you like repotme. I just put in a second order myself. Here is the software I just purchased on ebay. http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170264062572
Fred, here is a link explaining the water softening.
http://home.howstuffworks.com/question99.htm
The resulting water doesn't taste salty, because you don't produce Sodium chloride/table salt, you just swap out Calcium and Magnesium ions for Sodium ions.
This message was edited Feb 24, 2009 8:05 AM
Kathy,
my software is strictly for orchids: http://www.cattleyalog.com/
Thanks for the how things work link. Now I understand.
Fred
This cattleyalog looks interesting. I do agree, some sort of accounting regarding our Orchids/plants is a good idea. Many times I have to think - when did you buy that etc. I do my own sort of cataloging in the form of a very simple website, started up in 1999.
I was going to show this morning my Dendrobium anceps. Here it is in 2006, 2 years after I bought it
http://www.kammlott.net/BraidedLeaves.html
and here it is now. The longer pieces measure about 2 feet.
The plant produces the little flowers every so often throughout the year, but I notice this month more numerous little blooms. I grow this plant truly more for the interesting growth, the tiny flowers are a bonus.
That's precious, Ursula.
Those are cute little flowers! Strangest orchid leaves I've ever seen.
Happy BD, HJM....
Rene, the Dendrobium in your first post- does it smell of Raspberries and Rhubarb? If yes, it might be Den anosmum/ superbum. Den. parishii looks similar too ( from here), but it won't smell like that.
A warm and fuzzy feeling from your reed orchids that are now flowering for you, Rene! Blurry photos or not, it is great to know they worked out for you. This is one of the easiest orchids to grow that I've ever encountered and it blooms dependably every spring about this time.
Jeremy
"I don't think it is a Den....."
Okaaayyyy.....( voice up) :-)
This message was edited Feb 24, 2009 2:56 PM
Kathy,
got the mixer valve. I just inquired as to my acid and when it arrives I'll use the well water with this system. The acid should reduce the white spots (calcium) somewhat. Now I need to shipment of FeedMe for well water to come in. Here is the box for the mixer.
That's pretty neat Fred.
Jim
I found one locally today-same price but different company. Just got my software. I like that it isn't just orchids since I have many different collections-hoyas, hippeastrums, epis, cacti, daylilies, irises, etc.
That sure is a dendrobium IMHO, Rene. Why don't you think so??
Rene and Ruk,
It looks like an Epidendrum to me.
We are all talking about the post at 12:03 pm today, right?
Ooops, my bad! {blush}....Saunters off to the corner.......
Thanks Happy, just got home from a great day with DH. I got 3 Phals for my birthday! Pictures to come tomorrow. We went to Flagstaff to Winslow to home for a 175 mile round trip. We're getting too old for this. LOL
Donna
Look like nobile dendrobium to me:
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://k41.pbase.com/g6/76/683176/2/68970376.NWfo9S4x.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.pbase.com/ksmflorida/image/68970376&usg=__BT57HNKNzwjwVhT3NIbMSguPfh4=&h=600&w=800&sz=145&hl=en&start=42&um=1&tbnid=Wibh4e1YLjR5uM:&tbnh=107&tbnw=143&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddendrobiums%26start%3D36%26ndsp%3D18%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4ADBS_enUS232US245%26sa%3DN
This message was edited Feb 25, 2009 12:42 AM
I concur, it's a dendrobium nobile hybrid. With over 1000 species and many more hybrids, Dendrobiums are a diverse group. Not all look like typical dendros. Nodile is classic for loosing older leaves and having bare stems at the time of blooming, but not all do this. They do however, bloom best after a cool period. Google Dendrobium nobile and see if you agree.
I have a hybrid of Dendrobium anosmum x parishii opening now, I will post when open for comparison too.
Thank you Todd and Kathy.
Perhaps you might like to see this morning a cute little Oncidium species.
This is Oncidium viperinum 'J&L' AM/CBM/AOS
I got it in Summer 2007 and it flowers very nicely on a small mounted plant.
a spike
and the plant -
Perhaps you might find some of the smaller Orchid species interesting.
Very cool! As you know Ursula, I adore smaller orchids. And I see you are getting sedirea scent filling the greenhouse I bet-I can see it open in the background.
Here is Miltonia Andrea West ‘Wild West’ today.
It's my first pansy orchid and I love it. Any tips on growing these?
Good eye Kathy!! :-)
I will take the camera upstairs today....
I love your Miltonia, such a clean pattern and pretty color. Is this one fragrant? I never know which ones are.
The only thing I know about keeping those - they like to be repotted often, supposedly once a year and should never dry out. If the leaves have a color sort of like Granny Smith Apple green, that would indicate proper light exposure.
My first cym is opening. I call it Purple Temple but I'm guessing. http://www.winterview.com/cgi-bin/quikstore.cgi?store=&search=yes&detail=yes&product=CYMPURPLETEMPLE&category=Chinese_Cymbidium_Cross&keywords=&hits_seen=&page=search.html&and=&affiliate_id=
Lovely Miltonia...you'll love the fragrance! I have trouble with them, mainly due to fungal spotting and the so-called accordion-wrinkle on the leaves. Keep them damp to prevent the latter but the fungus is a real nuisance for me. Meanwhile, I don't have a yellow one and I think I need to!
Todd, which ones are fragrant? Going back to the parentage of....?