I know, it really hasn't been all that cold yet. But mine did SO much better last year when I finally broke down and started protecting them from the cold, now I'm committed to being a 'helicopter parent'.

Besides I have veggies that need to not get cold enough to stop blooming - I am harvesting tomatoes every day and peppers a few per week, which is really wonderful. If I let them get too chilled, they stop blooming for a month or two. I have a big 'tent' that I unroll to cover them, and a bunch of my other tender divas go under there as well. So I've been programmed to protect for ages.

I do have my "cold lovers" out there in the garden where they are suffering the cold as much as possible, and not getting watered either.

Beautiful blooms everyone. As always I get drawn to the Vandas and Catt blooms that you all just posted.

Although I'm of course amazed of Ursula's multiple buds in one plant, mine will most likely get that big because I always want to divide mine.

Melissa, great info, just realized that none of my Catts will ever get a prize .

Patty and Ibis is my Vanda the same as your Thai Sunset? It was a no ID at Lowe's.

Oooh, Gigi, it sure does look like Thai Sunset! Maybe someone with a better eye than me can confirm though. I just love the salmon/pink/rosy color

That's the color that attracted me to this

with Ibis...it sure looks the same, even down to all the 'freckles'!

Patty. I did compare your photos with several pictures I took of mine and googled them and they are quite the same.

With the exception of this one, more pastel in color:

http://www.rv-orchidworks.com/...

They really are a gorgeous color, and I like the color you all have, better than the pastel one.

I finally took the bull by the horns and sprayed all my outdoor orchids with fungicide today I've fought the good fight for over 4 years, and am tired of suffering so many losses to black rot fungus. The indoor orchids have not yet been sprayed, but I'll wait until they can be outside, and spray the whole group again after the next cold front is gone.

A few more flower pics today, Renate still opening her lovely little delicate flowers - funny how this color combination looks really garish sometimes, but on this one, it's just a really nice sunset. They fade nicely, too.

Little Onc. noid from Trader Joe's on it's 3rd bloom spike this year. Sure can't complain!


I got my new victims (ahem, members) for my collection from Hawaii today. Will post on the "what did we buy" thread.

Nice ones, Elaine.

Love the colors on that Renate! And your onc. is on it's 3rd bloom - that's great!

on spraying, After reading Dr Mote's December newsletter, I mixed some "Daconil?" On my rainwater and feed my orchids with it and also sprayed on some.

Ellaine I love that vibrant color of your Renate. My 2 Oncidiums are struggling

Does anyone have experience with growing from seed pods? My Nodosa has 4 pods . I would like to try it .

These are blooming under the mango trees oncidium is full of spikes. A NOID phalaenopsis and cattleya

Brenda, you'll have to post a picture of that Onc when the flowers start to open - it's going to be great! Love that purple hue on the Catt and the Phal!

I have never considered growing orchids from seed, Brenda, but if you want a challenge, a really big challenge for a hobbyist grower, go for it. You will need the right equipment and material and of course sterile, completely controlled conditions, to successfully germinate the seeds and grow those plants. There may some orchid growers here on ATP that can give you guidance, but I don't know any who grow from seed. I am quite sure there are instructions for doing so on the web though.

Gorgeous flowers, Brenda and as Ibis said, can't wait to see the Onc. burst into bloom.

As far as starting orchids from seed, I don't think any of us have tried it. They start out very tiny and take so very long - 3 to 5 years - to grow and mature enough to bloom. That's the reason they're relatively expensive compared to other plants.

Commercial growers use sterile conditions to germinate and grow baby orchids in flasks to ensure a high rate of survival, but in the wild, orchids just produce a gazillion seeds to ensure that at least some baby plants will live. If your B. nodosa is in an oak tree, I would think that's the most friendly environment you could give it to release seeds and reproduce on its own. But I wouldn't set your heart on seeing a lot of seedlings.

Here's an article on it: http://homeguides.sfgate.com/g... Pretty much describes the complications entailed. There's also a youtube video on it. Just Google "growing orchids from seed".

Brenda, those are nice purple blooms!

My Dendrobium kingianum keeps on opening and it smells heavenly. If you are looking for a fragrant Orchid, this one puts out!!

And V. Peddler's Velvet Gold opens the first of two Winter spikes.

Thanks guys . It sounds indeed challenging. I'll reasearch it some more.

That's a nice Dend. Ursula. Something to look out for ;)

Gorgeous Ursula!..your Vanda is my favorite..and with 2 spikes...wow!
Brenda...how many spikes on your oncidium?...it's going to be a spectacle when they open!
We finally got some rain here in Tampa this morning ...the 3am to 11:30 shift at Busch Gardens
was a cold , soggy mess. I think this makes the 4th time it has rained at my house since the
end of August...I envy you guys that can catch and use rainwater!

I do love that yellow Vanda, too. I have a nice Den. kingianum to look forward to, but it has not yet had any sort of good chilling weather to help it move towards blooming. C'mon winter!

I always leave the Den kingianum outside in the Fall at least another extra month. This time it was outside at least during the day way into November. I have three more small pots of Den kings, they haven't done anything yet.

Lindsey, can you work inside on those crummy rainy days/nights?