Way to go on the sponge pot, Jim, that's a sweet flower. You should have headed down this way today with your guests. We've had wind but not a drop of that rain you've had!

I'm thrilled that one of my noid Cyms from Costco a couple of years ago is opening a flower today.

I like the color on that Cym, Elaine.

We must have had 3 inches of rain today. The back yard is a swamp. It is letting up now, thankfully. If we have a heavy rainy season, we're in trouble.

Jim

Rather than post piecemeal, I've been waiting all month, collecting photos of plants that have come into bloom since January so I can put them all in one grand post! Since it is now Feb. 28, I guess the time has arrived.

Here we go:
Blc. Copper Queen - middle flower not quite open, and Blc. Sanyung Ruby 'Lakeview'


Den. aggregatum, and Den. Cheryl's Glory


Two views of Den. x delicatum (one with a Psychopsis in the way)


Enc. prismatocarpa, and Lc. Fortune's Treat 'Dubloon' AM/AOS


Lc. Spring Show, and C. maxima


Onc. Gold Dust 'GV Starlight'


My second (of three) Blc Pamela Hetherington 'Coronation' plants was spectacular this year with six blooms!


One of my old favorites, C. Peter's Creek (same plant, light from two different sources)


And last but not least, Promenaea Colmaniana


There were a few others, but these were the best. For March, there are a few I've never bloomed before, so can't wait!

Nice growing, Ted! You have what I would call a rainbow of colors.

Wow, nice show there Ted! I love the spotty little Enc. prismatocarpa, and you've helped me decide to mount my Den. aggregatum once it's finished blooming this time. It's just about to start opening 3 spikes. (if the sun ever returns . . )
I have my scrappy little Howeara Lava Burst 'Puanani' blooming away, and a couple of new Yellow Birds not yet in the yellow stage of their lives. This is one of my 'other' plants in a slat basket, not the big one on the cork raft.

Holy Smokes, Ted!! I would call that a SHOW!
I like them all, your Dendrobium aggregatum is a charmer and I like the Promenaea Colmaniana, looks healthy and the bloom is interesting for sure!
Well done!

Elaine, I also grow both Den aggregatum and jenkinsii mounted, they simply grow around the mount in a couple of years.
Nice Cymbidium bloom, seems like you have no problem getting it to spike in Florida.

Ooh, Ursula, I have at least 6 big plants of Cymbidium and that's the only one showing a bloom spike so far. That plant had 3 huge spikes in bloom when I got it two years ago, and did not bloom at all last year (but I had re-potted it).

But I did get some great advice from Jim, to give them more sun in the winter, and some more hints on water and fert from a lady at the Sarasota orchid show so - next year I'm hoping to have a lot more to show on those guys.

Elaine, I am sure you will!
I gave up on large Cymbies some years ago, I used to keep them along with my Epiphyllums and Den kings outside in the Fall as long as possible, but then had to really look for a cool and sunny spot inside. Not easy!

Yes, we specialize in 'cool sunny spots' in my garden in the winter. The summer divas like the gingers die back and the Cyms will cover their areas nicely. Really, the problem is keeping it cool enough because the sunny spots can get pretty warm even in December and January. I guess I could water them with ice cubes, couldn't I . .

I'm looking forward to seeing blooms on some of the lovely ones I've bought the last few years. I know I have at least a white, a bright yellow, dark red 'Kenny Wine' and an orange-y one, besides this sort of ivory fellow that's blooming now.

Not ice cubes, but they probably enjoy a cool shower instead?

Just joking, I'd never let an ice cube near any of my plants! Orchids or lesser beings alike.

I did have some dormant daylilies that I tried to keep dormant by putting ice cubes on them until the sun hit the bed they were in. It didn't help much as they petered out on me after a couple of years anyway. Maybe the ice water slowed down the nematodes a bit though . . . .

WOW Ted!!!!! Awesome plants!!! And Elaine, what a find!

Elaine, of course you were joking!! Heh, in your climate you would need a cooler to carry the ice cubes to the designated pots!!

Anyway, please post your new stuff into the March Orchid thread, I just started it up here!

The thread "Our Orchid blooms in March 2015" in Orchids forum
See you overthere!

dyzzypyxxy said:Fred, what fabulous huge blooms there. Are you sure you have enough of that plant?

I'd love to know what you're fertilizing all those big healthy babies with.

I don't get a chance to cover these pages very often but I thought I'd show my Mildreds off a little. My orchids hybrids seem to bloom as if they were siblings (which they are) and know each other's timing perfectly. From previous divisions I usually have a bunch of each and it's always a show. As to fertilizing, I use a dosatron mixer and throw in a little of this and little of that but always in minimal mixes. I really don't have any set system or specific fertilizers. Personally I think air movement and proper lighting make orchids grow like mad. I have 8 fans gently moving air and when it gets too warm a huge 48 incher kicks in to suck out the excess heat. Everybody in the greenhouse seems to like their new home. Even weird orchids like this Coryanthes macrantha keep growing one flower after another.

You are right, Fred! Air movement is extremely important if one wants to grow orchids (and many other tropical and succulent plants) well.

We start a new thread at the beginning of each month, so come on over, Fred!

The thread "Our Orchid blooms in March 2015" in Orchids forum