Count me in that "expert" group as well, Melissa.

Me too!! Absolutely! But, in the long run you learn what works for you.
I know that I will kill eventually every Masdevallia, so there is simply no sense buying another one, no matter how pretty. I resist Phals too. A year or two and then they are toast.

I have no problem whatsoever in growing phalaenopsis but some of the terrestrials have given me fits. I lost perhaps a dozen Spathoglottis plicata (white and purple) during the winter and thought I had lost over a dozen Sarcoglottis sceptrodes as well. All that was left in the pots of the sceptrodes were mounds of roots with lots of rotted leaves. But since the roots seemed to still be firm, I held onto them. Most of those came back in the spring and now have become lovely, though still small plants (approximately 10" across). I have to bring them into a GH for the fall/winter months. Perhaps someone who grows them successfully can tell me the tricks to keep them growing during those GH months. Also, I have never had one bloom. What size/age do they have to be to produce those little "Green Dragon" flowers?

Hi Ken, I too have been curious about this terrestrial...I found a question/answer about this on orchid board...Don't know if it will help, but I did find it interesting.
http://www.orchidboard.com/com...

I had been looking at yours on your site, and was thinking it would be a nice one to try. I love the bloom on them!

Edit...to add, doing a little more reading on these, and it appears that their bloom time is mid-spring, but I also read of them blooming twice a year...and it appears that they may have a possible dormancy period of only a couple of months, before new leaf growth again...Sounds like a really interesting plant, but pretty much grown for foliage. I sure do like those flowers though!!!

Back again...Others speak of blooming only on 'Mature' plants...How old do you have to be, to be considered 'Mature'!? lol

Tara's right, Ken. I got a Sarcoglottis last fall, and it began to "die" on me in January or so. I read up on it a bit and they do go dormant in the winter, so you probably should just plan on living with that and not selling the plants until the new growth looks good in the spring. I also witheld water while it was resting in the cool weather.

Mine looks great now but isn't blooming so far, and I don't know how long it takes for them to bloom, but I know Jim has one that blooms, and also Ursula?

Thanks, Tara and Elaine. I now know I did two things wrong, not the right mix and (probably) too much water in the fall/winter. They are all growing so well now, I am not going to disturb them but come fall, I will repot them all in a very open mix and withhold most water. That means I will have isolate them from most other tropical plants so that I can better control their water.

Thanks for the link and the info.

Tara, I have some really nice, lush plants right now. I have had the plants since last spring, so they are perhaps two year old plants. No show of flowers though.

My Sarcoglottis sceptrodes just started some new growth, after looking pretty much dead the last couple of months. Mine always blooms in the Spring, I guess it was blooming size from the day I bought it.
Btw I have always watered mine year around.

Ursula, Slightly off topic, what have you got your Coel. 'golden bug' potted in? My Coel. cristata is ready to become trash, but I have pre-orderd another, and want to try a different medium.

I finally got my white Crucifix Orchid from Ebay. I would have preferred two shoots. I will worry until it starts to multiply. $20 including postage.

Wow, it looks healthy, Glen. A little lonely though ...

I agree, very lonely. Luckily this one will multiply quickly.

Carol, I have the Coel Golden Bug in Coconut fiber. Come to think of it, most of my Coel. are in Coconut fiber.

Thank you! I'll try that.

I'm ready for another day on the streets of Lima. These folks are super friendly which makes it all a joy. Rode the metro from one end to the other yesterday just to see the city. Wonderful food and drink. We'll be back this coming Sunday.

Jim

How wonderful, Jim!
We loved Lima some years ago!!

Any pictures Jim?

in the meanwhile -
Vanda tessellata blooms again this Summer

If you look closely, the left bloom on this Lc Tropical Pointer 'Cheetah' is missing a couple flower parts, courtesy of some chomping crickets.

Dendrobium bigibbum var compactum has about a dozen spikes and always looks a bit unruly.

Heat index is over 100 for most of the day. I've brought them in, big rush job now they are everywhere. I'm intending to take them back out as soon as weather permits. In the next few days they are in low light because I am not prepared or set up for this! By the weather channel, it will be hot and dry for at least the next two weeks. We have had a great summer so far, so maybe this hiccup won't hurt there blooming this fall and winter.



Coel and lycaste trays are still out but in the overhang shade.

Can't do anything with my hundreds of plants, Bert. Hopefully the trees will provide adequate coolness and moisture to get through the upcoming 110 F heat index days.

Love the Cooktown Orchid, Ursula. It is the floral emblem of this State of Queensland (D. bigibbum). I used to have several once. It is not a good idea to put orchids on trees in your yard if you shift a lot.

Thanks, Glen. So this one is from your area! And - I looked it up yesterday and learned they are now called Vappodes phalaenopsis.
I can picture them growing on trees, this one grows really crazy with roots and new keikis everywhere.

Looks packed there, Roberta!! I like how you have your orchids so well organized, ready to move quickly! Stay cool, Roberta and Ken!

We have a most unusual August so far here - temperatures stay in the seventies and eighties, nice sunshine, just a bit of shower activity once in a while to keep things hydrated. Low humidity too. Nothing to be unhappy about!