Love them all, Lindsey! I'm looking for that Thai Frost next time we go to Apopka, for sure.

I was really leery of growing Vandas, but now that I have a bit of a handle on it, and can see mine growing and blooming I'm thinking they're going to be my favorites - virtually no re-potting headaches and mine seem to have fewer bug problems and (so far) no black rot either!

I haven't had vandas for very long, but I love the fact that they'll re-bloom in the same year. When I bought mine, it had just finished blooming and within 30 days, there was another spike! They seem to be fairly easy *so far* although I'm sure there's a ton that I don't know yet.

the needing to be watered every day scares the daylights out of me!...almost like having a dog. I've had to adjust the fertilizer packets on a couple of the plants...at least 3 of the new Thai Frost look like they got blasted...turned yellow and shriveled up. I will probably have to rig up a closet pole between two trees as the way the trees grow , it's hard getting the packets above the plant or the roots. Elaine, was it you that had talked about epsom salts? I'm wondering how often to do it..and if it can be combined with my liquid fertilizer spray routine. That one NOID that I posted a few weeks ago that turned burgundy almost overnight has been soaked in a tub full of epsom salts and been sprayed twice now..with no changes.

sugarcane said:the needing to be watered every day scares the daylights out of me!...almost like having a dog.

Yep, kinda like a dog, but they don't bark at the UPS guy

So true, Ibis. You don't have to walk them or pick up (much) after them either . . .

Lindsay, my Vandas are on a misting system that has a timer. I never have to worry about them getting watered every day. I had to do this since I travel too often to expect someone to worry about spraying orchids. I installed it myself using micro-irrigation supplies. It's easy, cheap and fun to do. My other orchids get misted on the regular yard system every 3rd day. I adapted a couple of the regular sprinklers to feed micro tubing for those guys.

The morning misting isn't quite enough if we get dry days in the summer, though. When I was away in August, DH was here and if it didn't rain, I did ask him to give them a good rinse with the hose. He was ok with that. But it rained at least half the days, really nicely so it wasn't a headache for him or for me.

I absolutely do add the Epsom salts to my regular spray fertilizer regime at least once a month, and sometimes twice in summer (when it gets rinsed off by rain).

Elaine, with Lowe's Mr. Landscaper timer you can set it to go off twice a day, maybe even more often but I have never done that so I am not sure.

Mr. Mister it is then...I used that in NC on my perennial beds and it seemed like there were a few timers to choose from with a myriad number of combinations. I think it has rained twice here in Wesley Chapel since I moved in at the end of August..
Thanks Elaine, for the Epsom Salts refresher course. Is it needed because of the water here in Florida?

I think magnesium is just so soluble, it washes away or leaches out and the plants can't store it. It really seems like you can't give orchids too much. Other plants like it, too but there must be some in the soil, or at least it stays in the soil a little longer than on orchids and other epiphytes.

You must have arrived just after the monsoons up there finished this summer. Pretty sure April through July were record-breaking for rain in Tampa. So there is relief in store.

I love the micro-irrigation mist system. It's almost invisible, as well as just about infinitely expandable and flexible as your collection changes and grows.

Lindsey, I'm drooling over your white Vanda, love that purple lip.

Lovely photos of December blooms!

I am still here in MA with my mom..and my hubby sent me photos of my orchids that has started to bloom while I am away:
Miltassia Shelob Tolkien



Bc Little Mermaid 'Janet' a first time bloom for me since I adopted it from another hobbyist last year:

Congratulations Tarev! on both counts...blooming your 'Janet' and having such a nice hubby to take care of and send pictures to you! very sweet!


Gigi..here's what the whole plant ( Thai Frost ) looks like..it's actually quite small compared to some of the others!









The last of 5 spikes on this possibly virused NOID plant that I recently bought



I love this little one...I wish I could find it's name in my records somewhere...

Lovely, Lindsey. Your Vandas look really happy perched in the tree like that, and I'm sure it's protecting them nicely from both the wind and the cold nights.

Looks pretty, Tarev! Nice husband!

Lindsey, I could easily imagine those Vandas naturalized in a few years!

My Coelia bella is opening right now and on schedule! It always blooms around this time and smells appropriately, the blooms have a delicious top note of Marzipan! ( I go through about 13 pounds of Almond Paste for my Christmas baking. )

Mmm, delicious. I love marzipan, and fruit cake even. (I know, I know, but my mother made really great fruit cake!)

Every time I see your pictures of that one I resolve to get one. I see them available at the Sarasota orchid show, which come to think of it is coming up January 2nd. Less than a month away, Yikes!

Ooo! I haven't had any marzipan in years. Just reading this, I'm smelling and tasting it.

Ursula, when would it be convenient for us to stop by and partake of your Christmas baking???
I love Marzipan too and I think I could live on almond paste alone. I might get the munchies if I had that beautiful orchid reminding me of it.

Any time, Alice!
If you are on Facebook, you would have seen pictures of the cookies and Stollen as I was making them. Lindsey? This year I also posted the recipes. I bake everything in November and split the whole thing with my two Children and their families and hand them a large container with everything on Thanksgiving. Fun! These are traditional German recipes which my Mother used to bake.
Elaine, go and get yourself a Coelia bella, you will love it!

Enjoying Ursula's holiday cooking on Facebook has been fascinating ( and low calorie ) If I lived closer it would be impossible to stick to the diet!! The best part of any holiday are the traditions...and sharing with the next generations!

Tarev, what a sweet husband. He gets extra points for noticing those beautiful blooms. I have to actually point the bloom to my husband because he never notices anything....or sometimes he would say...oh the blooms look the same to me :rofl:

Lindsey that is gorgeous, looks like it might be little because it is its first bloom, but a beauty nonetheless. Now, that virus Catt is pretty, I would probably keep the Catt even if with virus if it is that gorgeous. And Ellaine is right that setup is perfect for this time of the year. You might want them to get a little sun for it to bloom in spring...or at least that's what my Mom thinks.

Ursula your Coela Bella orchid is pretty and its pseudobulbs actually look appealing to me as well