Thanks Kathy and Elaine!
Kathy, for some reason this Laelia really took off the last couple of years, other rupicolous Laelias don't grow that fast for me either. It has a few more sheaths, so I am happy.
Bulbophyllum echinolabium rots easily in my hands, it really needs to drain well, so that the newly emerging growths dry up without problems. And it wants it warm. Mine started to do better when I switched it to the Epiweb basket, it is growing now for a few years without any other medium.
I always get the Carter and Holmes catalogs both by email and hard copy. I buy occasionally from them, mostly Neofinetia hybrids, which I like very much. Their plants are very nice and healthy and I don't have any problems with their Neo x, but - if you look at the Cattleyas, most of them are very reasonably prized, but look at the size! A 2,5 inch pot? At my age I may never see blooms on those. Those are babies! Healthy, ready to grow, but not blooming that soon. At least many of them in their catalog fall into that category. Surely one could call and ask for a larger plant, but it will surely cost more.
Regarding these terrestrial Orchids like Habenarias, Pecteilis etc. In my hands it is a crap-shoot!
Let me start with Pecteilis sagarikii, a really cute Orchid. here is an old picture of mine, from 2006
I saw plants in bloom at Hoosier Orchids in 2003 I think, was totally smitten with them. I tried to grow from some corms, nothing! Either they didn't come up at all or the crown rotted.Then I found some corms at the Orchid fest in Chicago in 2005, tried them - again no dice. Either they didn't start up, or rotted out or the birds pulled out the Sphagnum and everything was tumbling about - broken.
The year later I found one at Parkside, I had it for a couple of years, got it to bloom and then it was done. Well, at least it was blooming for me.
This Winter Ten Shin Gardens sold them at the NJ OS, I had to try again. I am looking at the pot right now - shall I sing zippiydidoodah? Nothing! I have to take a look if the corm is still there.
Also from Ten Shin Gardens this Winter - I bought a corm of Habenaria lindleyana. Result? Zippydi......again! Nothing at all. Have to check the pot if they are still in there!
Now some years ago I bought corms of Habenaria radiata from a nursery (which to this day bombards me with email- ads). I placed them into the bog outside. They were not to be found again. Forward a couple of years - last year in Fall a small plant popped up in the bog near where I had placed those corms. It looked great! So I potted it up and kept it inside over the Winter. It did beautifully, I had to put it into a larger pot this Spring. No blooms on it yet, but it looks suspiciously like a Habenaria. We shall see.
What I am trying to say here - bottom-line: I don't think these type of terrestrials Orchids are that easy and straight forwards to grow. But that is just me.
Heh I forgot the Australian corms, I forget the name of that one.... Someone was kind enough to share some with me. No dice either, I never saw growth on them.
So this pot of Habenaria medusa I have growing now is a real treat for me. I was holding my breath to see it blooming last year and this year I am just tickled pink, the spikes look really great. Will it bloom next year? I would consider that a big bonus and I will be happy as a Lark if it happens.
Did I say Crap shoot?
Ok, that was my song and dance regarding this kind of Orchids.
