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The thread "Anticipation 2020 and 2021" in Orchids forum

I thought we could use a new thread for 2022

My Ludisia discolor has a bunch of spikes right now. Normally we grow these Jewel Orchids mainly for their pretty leaves, but pretty leaves AND bloom make for a nice display.
So - waiting for the spikes to open!

That's just a lovely plant of your Ludisia discolor, Ursula. I've tried several times with these and can't seem to keep them alive.

However . . . our annual orchid show is next weekend, here. Maybe I'll go and buy another little plant to try. I wonder if they'd be happier out in the garden through the summer. It is somewhat cooler under the oak trees than it is in the cage in the summertime.

Elaine, I am not sure how this relates to growing in Florida, but this is what happened some years ago here - I had a pot with Ludisia declining by the end of Winter. Pieces were falling off here and there, it looked terrible. Came Spring I dumped the fairly large oval planter into a corner in the garden, thinking I will reuse the still nice pot.
Summer came and went and it was time to bring things inside. I looked at the planter in utter disbelief!! It had received hours of full sunshine daily!!! The plant looked healthy and robust, only the leaves were not as dark as one would expect.
Since then, I keep this one a bit brighter than I used to and keep it potbound.
Mind you, this is NJ!!

Interesting, I had a similar thing happen here. I stashed a pot of Ludisia under some shrubs when we moved intending to get back to it when I had time and, of course, forgot about it. When I remembered to look for it it appeared to have died so I dumped the pot and sure enough some time later I found several small plants thriving all on their own.

Elaine, if you fancy a trip to Apopka, Krull Smith is having an Orchid Festival, Jan. 14 - 23rd with many vendors. You can check their FB page for more info. Apparently it is to make up for the cancelled Tamiami show.

Ah, that is enlightening information, for sure. Do you suppose the plants go dormant in the heat of summer? Then sprout up when it starts to cool off and bloom in winter when it's cooler?

That did sort of seem to be what happened here although I thought they died. I always bought them in winter or early spring when we went to Apopka, or at the Sarasota show (next weekend!!). They'd grow and bloom, then decline and disappear. I wonder if I was giving up on them too soon?

I'll try again, and dump the pot out in the garden where there's some good light. See what happens.

At the time I thought that perhaps the sunlight killed some pathogens. Perhaps less water/it dried out quicker in the sun, helped. Perhaps I might have kept it too wet.

Waiting on my Laelia anceps - 5 spikes in the works and they take their sweet time! I am watering plant and spikes daily!

My Orchids are so Jealous of your Lean-to Rooftop Greenhouse ! It's 28 & snowing in Memphis.

Those L. anceps are going to be a sight to behold! They do take their time, though don't they?

My Cyms are doing the same, sort of sittin there looking at me, and we have a run of cool weather coming along starting tomorrow so I'm sure that will slow them down some more . . . Argh.

Glenn, I am always happy we had this greenhouse built! It was this Summer 20 years ago and it held up well. I count my blessings!
28 degr and snowing - I think it is coming our way.

Elaine, a couple more weeks!

Count your blessings everyone as all things are relevant.
We have one day in the next 7 forecasted to be above freezing.
All night time temperatures will range from 12-18 degrees! But that's normal for January! I am generally 3-4 degrees colder here then forecasted. After all, it is winter!!!

I hope we see nothing reminiscent of that stupid Polar Vortex from a few years back.

Luckily my place is pretty cozy for a one story brick ranch of 1300 square feet, without much in the way of insulation. My coldest spot used to be my kitchen but in remodeling that two years ago, the added sheets of 3/4" foam has rectified that problem.

85 F at noon today. I imagine we set another record high today. We get a significant "chill" beginning tomorrow, with a high predicted to be 72 and a low of 55. Wednesday, the predicted high is 80. Winters are tough down here Bill. But, you know how we suffer the winter temps.

I know.
Honestly I am so glad for the 9 years spent in the sunshine! The people, the birds, the habitat. It was worth the trip.

I am back where there are 4 seasons. The cold doesn't bother me at the moment. The heat was worse. Hurricanes were scary. But there was something missing. My family.

But I must point out that orchids have kept me strong, they have been the one constant in the last 47 years. And of course it is the friends that I have met along the way.
I can do without the SNOW, but not all of you!!!

Nicely said, Bill. Happy New Year!

Same to you Dr. Ken.

This is a different sort of anticipaion LOL and I don't have photos.
Tomorrow is my 62nd birthday, and in view of that I was enabled to buy a few new orchids!
These were my choices (from Andy's...they are having a sale and I opted for overnight express shipping in light of the season).
Bulbophyllum barbigerum
Bulbophyllum virescens
Ancistrorynchis metteniae
Dracula papillosa
Masdevallia kuhniorum

They should ship the week of the 17th!

Happy Birthday Gina!! What a great present! I am familiar with the Bulbophyllum barbigerum, lots of little hairy doodaflatchies wiggling about! A real cutie!

I just noticed a Phaius is loaded with spikes. , it will be a good show this year. DH stepped down another Phaius the other day and my dog has demolished still another, , I need a new family.

Alice, you need to cage your special plants! Seriously, at our Pennsy place we protect some special orchids in our woods with a chicken wire cage!!

Ooh, it's so disappointing when your beautiful flower spikes get trodden down! We wait all year for flowers that only bloom for a few weeks.

I know I've been trying to protect tulip, daylily and iris stems from my daughter's two large, heavy-footed dogs for years. Just when they're a few inches high and SO tender the dogs would romp through the flower bed and just smash them to pulp. These linking stakes from Gardener's Supply have proven to be the best thing, and most inconspicuous as well. https://www.gardeners.com/buy/...

Here are some of mine - you can link together any number of them, make a fence or just a small enclosure. I use two linked to hold up single stems, as well. Sturdy, flexible and so easy to use. I have two sizes as well.