Step out to play with the grandchildren for a few hours and come back to a show and more!!

The sponge- basket idea looks intriguing !!
Jim, regarding any ribbons, you should clean up. I love them all!! That Cymbidium is awesome!!

Elaine, very pretty too, I like the way those little blooms line up on your Den anceps.

Ken, I posted the alba species of Dendrobium nobile on Febr 20.
One thing I always have to watch on this plant, the canes grow many times straight up and if I don't bend them gently down by attaching a small weight to the tip of the cane, they actually kink to the point that you might lose that growth.

My one large, 4'-canes one is enough. I don't want any more "standards". I will now stay with compact- sized ones.

Yikes! I have one of those big, bad boys. That is a brilliant idea. Thank you for the tip!

My goodness you all have been so busy... Beautiful everyone!
Jim, I really like the idea of using the sponge as a basket. Looking forward to seeing the outcome. And your Ctt. Gold Digger is a wowzer!

Some vision, and foot 'problems' have kept me otherwise preoccupied of late, but I'm beginning to see a bit better now (finally), so thought I'd try to catch back up... Sure has been a lot going on here...

Kate, I absolutely love the mounting you did with the Pot. Shinfong Little Sun 'Youngmin Golden Boy'. What a beauty!

Elaine, your big noid Catt looks like it's on fire! I love that! Lighting up the place, indeed!
Got a couple of noid Phals blooming for me here


And because of this crazy weather, I had to bring in the Vanda again...she's getting ready to pop!

Your orchid plants look really great, Tara. I am glad you are on the mend. My two large Vanda are doing nothing. Not a peep.

Looking good, Tara!

Thanks Tara. I have that Phal, too! Wish I had an ID for it!
Your Vanda looks way better than mine. Though it finally has new little feet growing on the end of its roots. Thanks for sharing!

What's a "root-foot" look like, Kate?

I'm back from the orchid club meeting and the big Cym. won the member's choice ribbon. My cousin helped me get her into and out of the truck. What a load!

I found an orchid for the sponge and just finished potting it (or should I say sponging it). Actually, I bought two Vaughnara [Vnra.] Fiftieth Anniversary (Bc. Richard Mueller x Epi. magnoliae) plants. I put one in the sponge and the other in a regular pot so I can compare the two. My concern is that the sponge will suck the water away from the plant roots leaving it dry. So, I stuffed some sphagnum moss into the bottom and planted the orchid in bark on top of it. I'll work on the hanging devise later.

I'm glad you're feeling better Tara. We missed you!

Jim

Oo, can't wait to see your new Vnra. in their new containers, Jim. That sounds like it would be an interesting cross! Love anything that's crossed with Richard Mueller. I wonder if the fragrance of the Epi will come through, it's amazing.

LOL Ken.....this picture is the best I can do to explain! They look like little feet to me! :)

Jim, I'm looking forward to seeing your sponge pot!

OK, got it Kate. Kind of like animal toenails.

Jim, I'm not surprised your monster Cym got the Member's Choice ribbon!! 🎀

For some reason I would expect the sponge basket to hold moisture really long, but surely I am not seeing this right. It will be interesting.

Kate, thanks for the picture, I was wondering too about the feet.

Jim, since I have used those large Tarpon Springs sponges for decades (though not the way you plan on doing), you might want to consider removing the floor of that sponge and just leaving the side-walls. I still do think that the bottom of the sponge would retain water long-term and thus would tend to "feed" that water up into the side-walls.

Maybe not, if it's hanging up in the air though. Jim has great air circulation in his OC with the windows open.

Well done on the Member's Choice award for your big Cym. Jim. If you're ever considering dividing that monster, would you save a bit for me, please? I think I have a better handle on getting my Cyms to bloom now, they're all putting on growth and a couple have spikes since I moved them into the sun for the winter. One of those 'what was I thinking' things. They'll be in the sun from November onwards, and under the big oak tree for the summers from now on.

Elaine, those sponges are anywhere from 1" to 2" thick. When they get wet, well, they can hold water for quite a long time. I have great air-movement in my greenhouse, with multiple fans in both, and though all my mesh-pots/mounted plants dry out quickly, those sponges won't.

Do you have them hanging up, Ken? I used natural sponges for years, and never had a problem with them staying wet or getting smelly as long as I put them on the dish drying rack, so they could dry underneath. They do hold lots of water, but they also drain and have lots of air holes in them.

With all those holes, I'm thinking Jim's biggest problem is going to be the orchid 'devouring' that sponge with its roots in no time. We'll see, won't we!

Yes, we'll see. No, those sponges were just sitting on wire-mesh shelving. I never even thought about using them as planters.

I'm thinking if you spill water on the floor, you use a sponge to wipe it up. They therefore absorb water and I'm thinking they might pull the water away from the roots at least until the roots work their way into the sponge walls. I soaked the sponge yesterday when I potted the plant and it was dry this morning except for the very bottom where it was sitting on the table. Once I hang it, it will probably dry in 24 hours or less which is why I jammed some moss in the very bottom. Here it is:


Jim