This is my Grammatophylum scriptum in bloom 3 years ago. From the tip of one spike to the tip of the other is about 6 feet and it weighs 52 pounds. It is in one of those wooden slat baskets too but I haven't seen it for years. Just after this picture was taken, one of the wires that was attached to the basket snapped. I went to Home Depot and bought the largest coconut fiber lined hanging basket they had and sat this bad boy in it, filling all the gaps with bark. It has been hanging in its new basket for two years without blooming; pouting if you will. I hope this year or next will be the end of its morning period and it will bloom again.

Jim

WOW, Jim, that is gorgeous! Do the roots grow UPward?? It looks very cool!

I decided after I found the article that I want to get one of these...where did you get yours?? Think anyone in Apopka will have one??

I hope it blooms for you this year! I think I've read that it's a very 'picky' and unreliable bloomer....maybe its not pouting, just gearing up for a great show!

I had to visit a lady today, who invited me to see her back yard. I was astonished at the size of her dendrobium. She said she grows it in regular soil and waters infrequently.

Now that is a happy plant!

Jim

It grows in DIRT and in DROUGHT. She breaks every rule and ends up with results like this. Just amazing.

@orchidgal. All my garlic chive are in bloom but my Italian chive don't bloom until fall. Do you want me to send you just the garlic chive seeds or wait until the Italian chive bloom so that you get some of both?

What a gorgeous plant!

It is an amazing plant! I'm guessing the combination of growing in soil, PLUS hardly ever watering is what works there. If she watered it more it would get unhappy, surely?

Another guess is that the plant may have a lot of roots that are up above the soil, if you peeked inside all those flowers and foliage. Perhaps it's just 'anchored' in the pot by some roots or its own weight. Our humidity and warmth take care of a lot of its needs.

This advances my "theory" that I need to grow my favorites into huge specimen sized plants so that by the time I'm old and feeble, they'll be taking care of themselves.

As the old saying goes: "Whatever works for you, keep doing it."

@orchidgal. All my garlic chive are in bloom but my Italian chive don't bloom until fall. Do you want me to send you just the garlic chive seeds or wait until the Italian chive bloom so that you get some of both?[/quote]

I'll wait for both if that's OK Ken. Thanks so much.

I didn't want to send a picture of the lady with her orchid (I don't know her very well); but that plant is absolutely huge. I've talked to some friends who belong to the local orchid society and they've never heard of it growing in soil. They want to see it and talk to her. I guess I'll have to set something up.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I would find it very interesting to know just how this lady grows that Dendrobium. My large NOID has been in the same hanging basket for at least five years, and though I occasionally have taken a cutting from the perimeter of the plant's growth, I otherwise have not disturbed that basket. I guess by now, all the Douglas fir bark has turned into "soil", so perhaps I am growing my Den. in at least some soil. I do use charcoal and expanded clay, so those would help keep the media somewhat open.

I looked at my Orchid a few days ago, and unfortunately... its happiness has diminished. The lower leaves look yellow and droopy. Looks like it's time to repot, after all. So, should I put it into a smaller orchid pot?

It just depends on the root-mass, Victoria. You don't really need a pot larger than what those roots will comfortably fit into, but any roots that are growing above the potting media, let them stay above the new orchid media. I like to use clay pots with all my standard size Phal, simply because they can get top-heavy and the clay prevents their tipping over . Also, be sure you angle that plant so that water will tend to run out of those top leaves (the crown) rather than remain in those leaves. That helps prevent crown-rot. Also, be sure you have plenty of drainage holes. Phal. love moisture but don't like "wet-feet". You don't want your media to retain water.

I've invited this lady to our upcoming Garden Club meeting. If she comes we'll have a chance to get more details on her growing practices with this dendrobium.