Just back from the Garden Circle presentation. Only 12 ladies there but good interest and questions. I'm tired and tomorrow is another long day with a library presentation at night about an hour from here. Good night.

Jim

Jim - sure wish I lived on your side of the state so I could listen to your presentations (and visit your Orchids)!!!! You know I like the "unusual" bloomers & you definately have those.

I picked up some new pots yesterday so need to get busy preparing mix & getting them transplanted while it is still warm enough to work outside.

Being retired is hard work?

I have a nice little orchid in bloom. This is Lc Mini Purple 'Blue', picked up ca 20 years ago at a local nursery. I almost lost it in-between, but it rebounded and seems happy again. Eventually I will probably simply wrap a small wire around it and let it hang from the rafters. (The roots have surrounded the Bonsai dish.) Nice scent!
I do wonder if the 'Blue' on that tag should have been 'Blue Hawaii' or something like that.

Oh, and my Paradise Fish watch the proceedings/me placing the plant above them for picture taking. Normally this Orchid sits right below the ceiling in full exposure.

What a sweet little thing, Ursula. And I see your fish came and posed for the picture in the middle, too!

Jim, I just love the Blc. Maikai - delicate color there. Does it start out white and the purple suffuse in or the other way 'round?

You sure are generous with your time, to travel an hour to give a talk! I had to put a limit on my travel, too tiresome! Now I only will give a talk if the venue is within a 20min. drive.

I'm at the Extension on phone duty this morning. It is located about half way between my house and the library where I speak tonight. I'll leave here at 5:00, grab a bite on the way and be ready by 6:30 for the presentation on cycads.

Jean, I wish you were on this coast as well. I incorporate a lot of humor in my presentations so I think you would enjoy them.

Elaine, ref the Blc. Maikai, I didn't even notice it until I saw it completely open yesterday while misting. It is hanging up near the roof and the flowers are facing the lake. Most of the Blc. Maikais I have seen come with a variety name attached so this one is a little different. I like it too.

Jim

I returned home Sunday from a 4-day trip to SC (football game) and was welcomed by this flower. The flower is 6" in diameter and is just now becoming fragrant.

The plant is Blc. Mahina Yahiro x C. Ruth Gee 'Diamond Jubilee' FCC/AOS

Ken, it is a beauty! I am really partial to these large white Catts.

It is truly a "pure" white. Not a blemish on the petals/sepals/lip.

Great shows Jim and Ursula!
That Blc X is a beauty, Ken!

From the West coast Mama Gerberara is finally hitting her stride, after struggling through the cool gloom until mid-August. I always love the various colors on her


Brassavola cuculatta Is my favorite! I love the long, twisted petals and fimbriated lip




I thought Laelia gouldiana was going to be spectacular this year, but alas, it flowers sequencially. This the last spike just starting to bloom

Ooo, love that Brassavola cucullata, Carol. It sure does have the long petals and lip!

That's a fabulous Catt too, Ken. What a nice welcome home!

I just rolled in from my last talk for the week. It went very well but I am tired.

Ken, the white catt is a beauty. Good growing.

Carol, I'll show the Florida baby her mom. Also. nice looking B. cuculatta. I have one out there somewhere but it must not be blooming.

Jim

Another baby Gerberara is putting up a spike here, too. I am so relieved it forgave me for both a scale infestation and a slight touch of black plague this summer!

Carol, beautiful show!!
In your pictures I can really see what makes everyone drool over your plant/divisions of the Geberara. It is a true beauty, I love it!
The Brassavola cuculatta is great too!

WOW, what a great show to start the Month.
Brassavola cucullata, Carol is outstanding.
Blc. Mahina Yahiro x C. Ruth Gee 'Diamond Jubilee' FCC/AOS is beautiful, Ken
Blc Keowee 'Newberry' and Brada Orange Delight 'Starbeck', as well Blc. Lime Cooler 'Krull-Smith HCC/AOS are really nice, Jim
There is a Chia Lin available to me. Is it relatively easy as far as Catts go? It is in bloom
You know I like some of the small ones, like Dendrobium leonis, Ursula.
BTW, I did check on my Miltoniopsis, does have a great fragrance in the evening.

I thought it might, Ted. Some have a nice scent, some don't smell at all.

I am always saddened to hear about scale problems on the Gerberaras I given away. I've never had any on mama. Perhaps because she lives away from the crowd, on my porch, where the air is always moving? I did lose a couple of new growths to rot though, and had a lot of buds blast during the cold, foggy weather.

I think you have nailed a very important factor, Carol. Air movement. I don't think I have ever had scale on any of my plants, at least none that I have seen. I have over 500 orchids, from tiny 1" to blooming size. I have three fans in each greenhouse, running from 8 AM until 5 PM (fall/winter) and from 7 AM until 7 PM (spring/summer).

Yup, air movement is key. I now have baby Gerberara hanging up in a basket where she gets all the breeze that's going plus some really good light. Much happier now, both of us.

None of the mounted orchids that are hanging up there had any problems this wet, rainy summer, in fact.

I think I've found the easy solution to the scale, too. I put the 'chids that get it outside the pool cage where the geckos can eat the scales. Seems to take care of it really well! I had a major infestation on my big Chia Lin a year ago, and once I cleaned it up, the geckos have taken care of that plant. It's still out there, still alive, and has a sheath coming along!

Ted, as far as Chia Lin goes, mine has bloomed twice since I've had it, and survived the trial by scale as well. I still find all Catts to be the worst for getting black rot though.

Ted, Blc. Chia Lin 'New City' is an orchid all of us should have. She is a classic, queen off floof and very fragrant. Go for her.

Jim