I thought it was about time to show how the orchid teens are coming along. Here is a picture of them, in their community pots. The pots are 5" square, and quite deep. They are mostly filled with packing peanuts, and then a few inches of New Zealand sphagnum moss. I've had a few plants succumb to "damping off". I think I was keeping the moss too wet. Also, top-watering didn't help. So, now I am keeping them drier, and I water by lowering the pot into a container of water for a minute or so. Whatever the moss soaks up from the bottom is what they get. I'm definitely getting better results this way.

Here are two new pics for your enjoyment. The first is the orchid that got me started. I've had it for 4 or 5 years now, and it just keeps getting better. This is a phalaenopsis hybrid of unknown parentage.



This one is special. It is a phalaenopsis amboinensis. The only species phal in my collection. I got it as a baby, and this is the very first flower it has ever made.

The big day! After many months making seeds, and a year germinating in a jar, the first batch of phalaenopsis orchids have now been potted up. Here are two pictures showing the young plants enjoying their new digs (pun intended). They are in New Zealand long-fiber sphagnum moss. I added a bit of KLN rooting enhancer to help them along.

I hope that they all make it. We'll see.





What is pictured above is from one jar of 8, so there will be lots more seedlings in the weeks to come. I discarded a number of seedlings from this jar, because they had not matured enough to be viable. I'll let the next jar go at least another few weeks before I open it, so that the plants can get a bit bigger.

I am surprised that they were not more uniform in size. Some were still just protocorms, while others had leaves in the 3 cm range. I don't know if this is genetics, or environment. Probably both.

It will be very interesting in a few years when we have some flowers to compare. These seeds are all from a hybrid that was "self'd"; i.e. bred with itself. Not generally the best idea, but hey, I'm just getting started.

The Orchid Adolescents

Well I guess I can't call them "orchid babies" any more. Some have leaves around 3 cm long! I'm torn between opening a jar, or letting them continue to grow in their sterile environment. I think I'll open a jar in the next few weeks, and see how it goes. I have a total of 8 healthy jars, so I can afford to experiment a bit.



I previously posted a picture of my yellow oncidium. Here is a shot two weeks later. Most of the buds are ooen at this point.



Last but not least, here is a wine-colored paph. I love the green in the petals - must be a holdover from a Maudea parent.

The orchids have been peacefully growing. The dancing dolls are starting to pop, so it is definitely time for a new photo:



I have one species phal, which I bought as a baby several years ago. It is now starting to form a spike, so in a month or two I hope to finally see what it looks like.

The orchids from seed are continuing to grow well. Leaves are now over an inch long! In a few more weeks I'll take some out of the agar and put them in a community pot.

Those Fabulous Paphiopedilums

The Paphiopedilum are in full swing. Here is a Maudiae type, Nightfire x Black Buddha:



The Rothschildianum has opened both buds. Here is a profile shot:



And one from the side, showing the fabulous detail of the flowers:



Next month, the Miltoniopsis should be in full regalia. Stay tuned!

Time for orchids to move outside

It is warm! Time for orchids to bask in the sun. The cymbidiums spend the winter in the basement grow room. But, running 800 watts of lighting 16 hours a day is a bit pricy. So, it is high time that we took advantage of the free photons on the deck. Here is the collection. Some of the blooms are starting to fade, but overall, they still look great!



Here is a tighter shot. Can you hear them saying "All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up"?



There is activity in the living room. In particular, the Paphiopedilum rothschildianum has decided to put up a spike. I also have a Paphiopedilum Maudie which has two spikes, but neither is open for viewing yet.