Here it is, Blc Dancing Sunlight 'Sunny' X Myrmecophila brysiana 'Amarilla' . It is mounted on a big hunk of tree fern, but a few months ago, I set it at the base of one of my huge brugmansias, and since it seemed happy there, I left it. Well when I went to move it from there today to get pictures, the brug has sent roots up into the tree fern mount! Could explain why the orchid has been struggling a bit. Still . . it has put on at least 3 new pb's this summer!

Is this what you'd call 'floppy growth' Ursula? The leaves are twisted and sort of blotchy, too. Mind you, it has been getting a LOT of water this summer!
In any case, I now have a good excuse to go shopping for a nice basket, nestle its mount into some coco fiber and hang it up where it will get more light.


Howeara Lava Burst 'Puanani' has been blooming for a month, and is really getting more blazing colors now that the rain let up for a few days. Spathoglottis has 4 big blooming spikes.

All the blooms are lovely. I gave most of mine a good soaking & dose of fertilizer yesterday. Had been awhile. Hopefully this will jump start the fall blooms.

Qwilter, it will!

Elaine, the Spathoglottis is very pretty! And it looks like the Howeara Lava Burst 'Puanani' is a good one to have!

Regarding the Blc Dancing Sunlight 'Sunny' X Myrmecophila brysiana 'Amarilla'/ a Schomburgkia hybrid ( have to look up the parentage regarding the Blc) -
I would probably try to give it as much light as it can take without burning - after getting slowly used to it. Yes, I think new growth will look a lot stronger. Here in NJ, I would grow it in full sun, especially after seeing Schomburgkias in their natural habitat in Ecuador. Yours is a hybrid, but still.....?
http://garden.org/thread/view_...
http://garden.org/thread/view_...

My cat. is irene finney x lyn spencer and it smells yum. We never really had winter here, its been feeling like spring for ages.

Ah, thanks for the name, Bree.

It was 43 degr F the last couple of mornings here..... I am so glad I managed to get all warm and most intermediate to warm inside on time.

Ursula, how do you grow Pelatantheria insectifera? I have had one for 6 years without bloom!

Back from my high school reunion. It was a wondrful trip and I enjoyed meeting the old gang again. Funny how everyone seemed to be getting older except me. The weather was cool and crisp, a nice break for me.

Nice Irene Finney cross there, Bree.

Ursula, congratulations on your relocation progress. I know it is a huge job. Also, nice show here. I need to go back and catch up.

Elaine, very nice Spathoglottis!

I came home to several new blooms and took pictures this afternoon but the camera was on the wrong setting and most came out blury. It must have been reunion hangover.

Hear is C. intermedia X Bl. Morning Glory, a very reliable bloomer with great color.


Rhynchovola David Sander is back in bloom.


For those who like red, Slc. India Rose Sherwood is blooming. There are several buds yet to come.


Also blooming is Aliceara Sunday's Best X Oda bictoniense. Notice the double lip in the last picture. The normal lip is at 5 O'cl;ock and the other one is at 10. weird


Finally, Blc. Hawalian Leopard 'Mai Ling' .


I'll retake the rest of the pics and repost tomorrow.

Jim

Ahh, Jim is back!!
Very nice blooms! I am green with envy that your David Sander is blooming so nicely again! Pretty C. intermedia X Bl. Morning Glory!

Kathy, maybe I just got lucky with my Pelatantheria? It gets a bright spot indoors ( for several years over the fish-tanks) and I keep it in a sunny spot in the cage during the outdoor season. My adjoining backyard neighbor ( Verizon) cut down some very large trees and as a result my cage is this year much sunnier than previously. I don't mind at all.
It gets watered daily, either faith-based or flooded with a hose. It has been flowering every year since I got it in the Fall, when I take it inside. Lots of fertilizer outside/with additional Mg.

Jim, you know I like those reds! Slc. India Rose Sherwood is right up my alley but all the others are lovely, too!

Glad you are back safe, Jim, and fabulous flowers. The red one is super and Hawaiian Leopard 'Mai Ling' is exquisite.

I have two blooms still on your namesake, 'Big Jim'. This makes seven blooms in succession in the last 6 weeks or so. Not counting the two the snail ate! Copper strips on the door sills of the cage seem to have done the trick, I have only seen snails outside the cage since they were installed.

Cleisocentron merrillianum opens a few more blue blooms


Bulbophyllum echinolabium continues to bloom - now inside.....


Dendrobium gibiggum v. compactum flowers along


I really do like Gongoras ( horichiana)


And there is Potinara Hoku Gem 'Sunspots'

Thanks for the info, Ursula! What medium are your gongoras growing in?

Kathy, I am looking at my two small ones ( armeniaca and horichiana) - they may have had some small sized medium some time ago, at this point they are just small clumps of pseudobulbs clustered in and around a small plastic basket. The new one I picked up this Summer (Pterodactyl) is a large plant in a wooden basket and I don't see any medium either, just pbulbs and roots.

Elaine, that Big Jim of yours is really a special orchid. Very nice.

Ursula is on a roll. I love the Gongora and also the Bulbo.

Out in the OC, B. nodosa has a single but pretty bloom. I really like the mount on this one.


Here is a rather large NOID white Dendrobium.


Miltassia Luke Skywalker has put up a couple of new spikes.


Bllra. Marfitch 'Howard's Dream' AMAOS is one of my favorite Miltassia type orchids.


This is a nice little species orchid, Enc. ciliare. The last picture is taken from behind.


Blc. Haleahi Sunbow 'Bow Wow' X Pot. Haleahi Jewels 'Ruby Tangerine' is blooming again.


Ctna Maui Maid X Mcp Brysiana continues to bloom.


Dendrobium antennatum seems to always be in bloom.


Blc. Golden Tang is beginning its blooming cycle.


I think this Slc. Ploenpit Fantasy is a first time bloomer for me.



That's it for now.

Jim

Hi there everybody.
I'm still alive and kicking but am sitting here in my recliner with a bad back. I did something I shouldn't have but don't know what. Digging, lifting, who knows. Anyway, I spent a few hours perusing old friend's pictures in the orchid world. Seems like the old gang is still doing their thing.

My orchids have taken a back seat to plants I can use in the landscape. I have them in the greenhouse in the winter and then relegate them to the outside to their own live or die atmosphere. I rarely even notice when they bloom. I don't think they are too happy with all the rain this summer but that's the way it goes.

I now have hundreds of different bromeliads, around 500 caladiums, bamboos, palms, cycads, hibiscus etc etc out there in my garden. I guess I like to have things out of pots in a more natural setting. There just isn't a lot of time for the orchids but at the last World Bromeliad Conference in Orlando I checked out some growers up there (Apopka area) and discovered greenhouse builders who service all those nurseries. Before I die I would still like to have a real tropical jungle in our subtropical neighborhood. It would have to be in a greenhouse t be something like Selby's Tropical Conservatory. The problem of course is heat and that was one of the reasons I was looking for some results on Jim's over pool structure. He keeps calling an OC but I don't know what that stands for. Another problem is cost. They started out 30 grand but we all know things tend to escalate. All the commercial greenhouses I saw up there had water cooling system but they tell me that I could get away with rollup sides and natural air flow. I worry about heat for the winter and had to insist on large fans but I also wondered about watering systems.

How does Jim water his orchids in a closed environment? Will orchids do OK with mist? Or do they need water flow through their root system?

I'm not sure if I will ever get this Tropical Conservatory but it sits there all the time while I'm out there working and thinking. I'm very much interested in as much automation as possible. Right now I'm installing Hunter node-100 battery operated valves for irrigation in remote places on my 7.5 acres. It's a job but easier then trying to get electricity all over the place. Bamboos are expensive and need a daily drink as they don't know about our dry winters. So we make do to fool the plants we grow to think they are home. :-)

I saw the post by Jim saying that the best he can do is match the outside temperature. I'm sure his fans are running all the time too but how about watering?

Fred
PS got 53 people here tomorrow to look at bromeliads: http://www.meetup.com/FloridaG...

Hi, Fred, it's good to hear from you. OC stands for Orchid Conservatory, which is exactly what it is but the name sounds snooty, so I call it the OC. I have no heat nor AC installed. The three 24 inch exhaust fans keep the air moving, especially if I close all the windows except for a couple at the far end. That keeps the temperature around 90 in the summer. If I keep the windows closed on winter nights, the temperature inside only drops to 54 degrees. That is the lowest it has ever been. I did put aluminet over the greenhouse part of the structure which really helped. All of my orchids seem to be happy with the possible exception of Stanhopeas and some Vandas. I'm not sure why. I have been thinking about an automatic mister system but for now I just spray everything down with a hose on hot days and mist/fertilize every day with a hand pump sprayer.

Your place must look fantastic by now. Please do keep in touch.

Jim

that mist/fertilize every day thing is what scares me. What happens when you go away?

PS my vandas are quite happy attached to the trees.

If I am gone for just a few days, the orchids do without. If I am gone for a week or more, my neighbor helps me out. Any leads on a good mister system?

Jim

I remember some years ago a young lady from Florida posting a huge greenhouse structure like the one you wish to built, Fred. She had even a small stream running through it and all sorts of tropical plants, heavily slanted towards Palms, Heliconias etc and also some Orchids. It was truly a very natural looking set up.
The dimensions may have been 50 x 20 feet or more and sloped from a 12 feet height. The lady's handle on DG was Gothqueen.

Jim, beautiful Show, I love it! The Slc. Ploonpit Fantasy is a cutie! Is that a large plant?

Ploonpit Fantasy is small for a Catt. About half the size of a normal one. The flowers are small as well.

Jim