The presentation went well. There were 22 ladies and 1 man there. I just received an Email asking me to become program chairman of our orchid club. I dread where this is leading.

Jim

Sounds like you did an awesome job! smily:

That one cuts both ways, for sure Jim. It's a compliment, but it comes with SO much work and pressure. Let me say "Congratulations, but don't do it!"

At some point even Super Volunteers need to stop putting up their hands and saying 'yes'.

You do so much as a Master Gardener, I am filled with awe and shock at all the presentations you do.

The reason I like doing presentations is that I always have a story to tell after it is over. For example, the folks at the library today had a plant swap at the end. So this lady goes over to the swap table and comes away with an avocado tree seedling. You can still see the seed cracked open on top of a little dirt in the bottom of the pot. She comes straight over to me and asks what she should do with it. I told her to put it back on the table and pick something else but she would have none of it. I explained how avocado trees do not come true from seed, often do not produce at all and become very large. I suggested she go to a nice nursery that specializes in fruit and get a grafted named tree like a Brogdon. Since the fruit does not ripen on the tree, you need to know when to pick it and you would never know that if you don't know the name. I have had many of calls at the Extension from folks who have a huge tree that doesn't produce and 100 percent of them come from trees raised from seed. Save $20 by planting a seed and then spend $600 to have it cut down and hauled away. When she left, I noticed she still had that seedling with her. Maybe she will remember my advise 20 years from now.

Jim

Good one, Jim!
I didn't realize that. We used to grow small Avocados like that as house plants years ago. Of course, we couldn't plant them outside here in NJ, so they never got big and eventually expired.

So right, Jim. The other thing about avo seedlings is that it will take it about 8 years to get big enough to even bloom. Then it needs another avo tree within a block or so to pollinate it. Then you find out if the tree does come true and produces something edible. We always waited until the first fruit dropped from the tree, then picked them as needed and let them ripen on the kitchen counter.

I answered a question on the 'Ask a Question' forum last week from someone about starting an avocado from a seed. Luckily, they accepted my advice to go to a nursery and get a good variety of tree already started so that they might actually get some fruit in 3 or 4 years. They also have alternating years of a big yield and then a small crop, like some citrus and lychees. (my lychee tree is getting ready to have a 'big' year!)

That being said, the wonderful one I planted at our other house had only produced two crops when we moved away from there . . . huge 2lb. 'Choquette' variety, too. Yum. First yield, 9 fruits, second year only set two, third year about 20 or so, fourth year we moved. Argh! I still drive by there to see if that tree is producing.

They are good trees to grow orchids on, though! (just in keeping with the Orchid thread) Mango are supposed to be nice orchid hosts, too. Maybe I'll put all my phals out under the mango tree this year and let nature take its course.

While I'll agree that all seedlings won't produce the same as the parent, sometimes you get lucky. My avocado (Pinkerton) was grown from a seed I bought from a farm stand that named varieties, and it came true to the parent. I've had good years where I've gotten up to 100 fruit from it. All avocados don't need cross pollination. Depends on the type. Unfortunately, since it is in too small a space, I have to have it heavily pruned every other year, which, along with our weather, has cut production drastically. I mention our weather because, like washing the car, just when it starts to bloom we get a heavy storm that knocks off most of the blossoms.

Back from the Opera! ( Werther) It was great and it is incredible how well can one sing and how long after shooting oneself into the heart….

Wonderful music even if unrealistic!

We'll, the original story is sheer genius....
Anyway - I noticed my tiny Stelis ciliolata opening a bunch of teensy spikes.


Rhyncholaelia digbyana surprised me with a big fat bloom today, normally it blooms in late Spring for me - IF it blooms.


And a grouping of Sarcoglottis sceptrodes with its green scent of Cilantro.


Renanthera monachica


the cute Phragmipedium schlimii opens another bud.


and Ascofinetia Lionstar with a small blooming attempt this time of year.

I'm definitely going to search for that Digbyana. ! Every time I see it I drool!

Carol, it shouldn't be difficult to locate, it is not rare at all. It seems to grow better mounted for me, in full blast sun.

Beautiful show, Ursula. I have found that all Brassavolas (or former Brassavolas) do better mounted and the more sun you afford them, the better they bloom. My Sarcoglottis has yet to put up a spike so I'll have to bring her in here to see yours. Very nice flower on your Renanthera monachica. I have never tried to grow one. Very cute Phrag but I'll have to admire yours from afar.

I'll be over to the USF Botanical Gardens tomorrow to help set up for a big orchid auction this weekend. Unfortunately, I'll have to miss the Saturday morning bidding as I am involved in a nursing home singalong. Also of note is the following weekend when Greenfest will be at the University of Tampa. There will be plant vendors from all over the state selling their goods there and I am the first speaker on Saturday at 10:00 AM. They usually have four or five orchid vendors.

Jim

Ursula, I checked , and Andy's has it on their site. If I pre order, they will bring it to the Spring garden Show in April, thus saving me shipping.

Jim, lots of stuff going on there! Perhaps there will be some shopping….

Carol, sounds good!

I will post the whole Renanthera monachica, when more buds are open. This Renanthera is truly very well manageable size-wise, the plant itself is only ca 8 - 10 inches high and blooms easily on a nicely branched spike. And it seems to like it warm.

I spent most of the afternoon helping set up for the orchid auction tomorrow. There are about 250 plants and most of them look very nice. Elaine? Melanie?

Jim

Ohh, it's painful to say, I have two people coming to visit tomorrow and can't see myself breaking away for a drive to Tampa.

Thanks for the size info on the Renanthera, Ursula. I was just about to ask. I had a giant one but after it croaked, I decided to only get a little one next time and then never knew which were the little ones...maybe one in my future.

Some orchids from a recent local show in Springfield, Il. Not always the finest pics, but ...