Orchid Seasonal Changes

Here is my outdoor growing area, at least the main area where I had the hanging pots all summer. The pots are now all in the greenhouse.

The weather forecast is for seven more days of good weather, that is the low is above 40 and the high is in the upper half of the 70s. I still have about 30 3-inch pots to move and then I will be ready for winter.

When I put the pots inside I packed them as tight as possible. Now that they are all in and there is still some space, I will improve the spacing a little so as not to restrict the air flow as much. The pots are forming a layer between the top and bottom of the greenhouse. I will keep an eye on the thermometers I have placed around to see how much difference there is.

Dendrochilum cobbianum

This Dendrochilum cobbianum is in a bark/coir mix over peanuts in a 4-inch plastic pot. This is the only species I grow in a coir since it seems to need even more water than the automatic watering provides. There are six pseudobulbs and it stands nine inches above the pot.

Dendrochilum cobbianum grows in the Philippines. It is warm to hot growing and likes lots of water. The genus Dendrochilum (Dend) contains 150 species from Burma to the Philippines. Water well.

I was told that this genus hates to have the roots disturbed and takes a year to recover from re-potting.

It has now been a year since it was up-potted and I can see that it has declined. On the other hand, the new growth is strong and has bloomed. The new roots from this year should bring the plant back in the next couple of years.

Laelia lobata Coerulea 'Paulo Hoppe'

The guideline for making a division is three to five pseudobulbs. There are, however, exceptions. This plant is one. In August of 2011, just over two years ago, this was a single pseudobulb. Everything to the left of that is new since then.

Laelia lobata grows in Brazil on the coast on rocks exposed to full sun and ocean spray. It is cool to hot growing, fragrant and blooms in spring. The genus Laelia (L) has a few species in Mexico and parts of Central America.

I had a three pseudobulb division. All three pseudobulbs roots. The problem was the direction the middle pseudobulb was growing. The pseudobulbs are long and thin and the leaf continues the line so that any misalignment is emphasized.

I took the youngest pseudobulb and potted it by itself. It had good roots and an active eye that looked ready to go. It started growing right away and now has three leads.

I will need to re-pot in the spring. I can keep a two-lead division and sell a division that has the third lead.

More about my orchids in winter

During the summer I hardly look at the seven day forecast. The only thing to worry about is the occasional day where the temperature is above 95. In October I check it every day. The outdoor growing season will end when the night temperature goes below 40. According to forecast, I still have seven days of outdoor growing, but that could change suddenly.

I plan to have all my outdoor plants except the Laelia anceps and purpurata in the greenhouse by October 20th. Once that is done, if I can find space those will go in also. I lost a lot of plants winter before last leaving them out.

The greenhouse has been completely reconfigured. The benches along the north and west walls remain but all the other benches are out. The mounts are now as compact as possible along the north wall, the south wall and a line down the center. The ceiling space is now ready for the hanging pots. I hope there is enough room.

Brassavola nodosa

I have a large Brassavola nodosa from which I remove pieces from time to time. This is one that I mounted last year and it is in bloom.

Brassavola nodosa grows just about anywhere in the Brassavola range that is wet and hot. It needs bright light and blooms spring and fall. The genus Brassavola (B) contains 18 species which grow in all the tropical lowlands of the New World. They are fragrant, mostly at night with a citrus fragrance.

When I mounted it I fastened it to the cork upside down. I did this knowing it would grow the other way, but I couldn't figure any other way to get it to start growing from the bottom of the mount that didn't look funny. As the new growth expands it will cover the original cutting and ought to look pretty good for several years.

Bug Spray

I made a batch of bug spray. This is what I use on visible bugs. It is safe for use on the whole plant except flowers and is quite effective. That is not to say I don't have to use the Ortho once in awhile, but for the most part it cleans the plant quite well.

The formula is a simple one. Two full bottles of isopropyl alcohol, one cap full of Formula 409 concentrate and an empty bottle.

Pour the capfull of Formula 409 into the empty bottle then add some alcohol and shake to mix it well. Then pour back and forth with the remaining alcohol until all three bottles are the same pink color and 2/3 full. Then top them off with water and shake again.

I minimize "real" poison use, not only on general principles but because I have the cutest dog in the world and I don't want her harmed. Most of the work is done with a systemic that works really well when plants are growing. It is weak plants that get enough bugs to need to the stronger direct Ortho spray.

I put the mix in a spray bottle and apply using a fine spray. I wash off any visible bug bodies and spray again all over the plant. Usually that will do the job, but sometimes an inspection after a week will show I didn't get them all and I have to repeat.

Trust But Verify

I sold a plant a couple of years ago and the buyer just sent me a flower picture. It is a very pretty flower and one I didn't have a picture of since none of my divisions has bloomed. The plant is a very vigorous grower and very compact. I have sheaths so I may get flowers this year also.

There is a problem, however. The tag says it is a Cattleya loddigesii, but if you look at the flower picture of that species you will see there is no resemblance at all. THE TAG IS WRONG.

I have been burned by trusting tags on plants I got from other collectors or member sales tables. I made a rule for myself to always see the flower from one of these before selling it. I broke that rule on this sale.

I would like to say "lesson learned" and I hope it is true. I don't sell all that many plants and I want everybody who buys on to be a satisfied customer.

Does this flower look like one of your plants? It has a distinctive look to it and I hope someone will recognize it.

Coelogyne fimbriata

This Coelogyne fimbriata is in bloom with two flowers open and another bud. All of them have buds following so I can expect flowers for a month or so. Not showy, but a very nice flower. I cut off a couple of pieces last year to help shape it and it is looking pretty nice.

Coelogyne fimbriata grows throughout Southeast Asia in limestone cliffs below 4500 feet. It is cool to hot growing, fragrant and blooms in the fall. Coelogyne (Coel) contains 100 species found in all of Asia east of India and Indonesia and Fiji. Conditions vary considerably.

This plant is in a bark/perlite mix in a 3-inch plastic basket. There are fifteen pseudobulbs and stands six inches above the pot. I put the whole basket inside a clay pot.

Miltonia (spectabulis x Jim MacKinney)

Also in bloom is a small division of Miltonia (spectabulis x Jim MacKinney). I took apart a large mounted plant this year and I have a few divisions left to get rid of.

This plant is in bark in a 2-inch plastic pot. There are five pseudobulbs and the plant stands 4 inches above the pot. I'm going to keep this undivided and let it grow for a few years. It puts on a nice show when there are several flowers open at once.

Cattleya Orchidglade 'ZOI'

The Cattleya Orchidglade 'ZOI' is in bloom. It is not showy but the flowers are very long lasting and the color deepens as time goes by. It has been very easy to grow.

This plant is in sphagnum in a 5-inch clay pot. There are five pseudobulbs and stands nine inches above the pot.

This is the primary hybrid Cattleya walkeriana x Cattleya aurantiaca.