I need to borrow a Sawzall

I'll need a strong arm to assist cutting through the rhizomes of what was the Buddha belly bamboo. Need to find a reciprocal saw. It's pot, with only 20" mouth is waist high. I'm thinking of Carissa macrocarpa - Natal Plum; slow growing, sweet flowers, wind resistant, full sun. But is has serious spikes, though not quite as mean as a bougainvillea. Need to find a nursery that sells such shrub/trees. Flamingo road would probably be a good start.

Sprayed the orchids with Bayer Advanced Formula for Flowering Plants and Shrubs. Sprayed at 5p or so. No danger of fungus after this bath. Probably should have done a trial on a single plant. Letting them dry before the sun saved them from harm.

What about a tall column of chicken wire for as a perch for the vanda's. Sunk in a large pot of cement.. We'll see how the smaller science experiment with the teretes work.

The winter solstice is 5 days past and the sun is already setting 15 minutes late. Possible?
 

Bounden duty

I am a member of the American Orchid Society. The AOS 2014 Orchid Source Directory came as a supplemental to their monthly Orchid Magazine. I am going to rate some websites in the booklet. Starting in Hawaii;

1. www.hrorchids.com - They evidently have bought space in the Orchid Source Directory, however the downloadable color catalogue seems to date from 2006-2007.

2. www.kaleialoha.com - Orchids offered don't have any genus information appended to pics. More of a orchid florist than an interesting source of orchids.

3. www.kauaiorchids.com - website down for service..

4. www.kawamotoorchids.com - primarily an Ebay seller. I bought a small (but pricey) trichoglottis brachiate, healthy, shipped quick, carefully packed.

5. www.lehuaorchids.com - Paphiopedilum, Masdevallia, Agraecoid, Lycastenae, etc. Specialized grower.

 A neighbor complained that my bougainvillea bracts were blowing onto her terrace and her dogs were eating them and vomiting. I cut it down from the level from 15' to about 6' below the level of the wall. I had cut down the Buddha belly bamboo the day before. It's growth had become too irregular and some of the lower branches were dying. I need to come up with a tree for the pot; wind resistant, etc.

This is a sorry excuse for a blog.

A monopodial

Acclimated this girl within a month of acquisition from partial sun, to full mid to late afternoon sun. Seems to be quite happy so far. You can see that it's already loosing some of its legginess with this sunshine. 

renanthera storiei

Too much loving?

Mokara Sayam with Miss Joachim

It's been warm and sunny this past week. Very busy at work. My time on the terrace has been made up trying to re-hydrate the vanda velum and selectively watering pots with the 3 litre water can. I probably did a seaweed Super Thrive wash once during the week.

Today, I was up early, before the sunrise. Reading about pests and diseases on the St. Augustine Orchid society. It reminded me that it's preferable to spray in the early morning. So I did. With Organicide. Leaves and roots-- all of the vandas, strap leaf and terete, the renanthera storei, trichoglottis brachiatis. Oh nooo. Organicide is made up, among other things, of fish and sesame oil. I thought I had carefully put one ounce in one gallon. Absolutely no sun after spraying  Natural, oil-based insecticides like Organicide can attack insects, fungus, rot. 3 in 1.  Wonderful. But I haven't had luck-- with them unfortunately. I don't think they're advisable in zone 10b.

I have tied 2 of the Mokara Sayam to the teretes that are themselves affixed securely against chicken wire in one instance and a branch of hardwood. Having a bunch of vandas hanging around is not really natural looking, so why not bundle up some different types of vandas-- if the strap leaves can take the sun, the different types leaves, rates of growth, flowers could be quite the center piece.




Vandas - strap leaf and 2 types of terete (same as above), it might make an interesting mass

Splurge day

 

We are on a diet; for 6 days one can eat proteins, greens and beans as the only carb. 1 day of the week can be a train wreck of macaroni and cheese followed by wild blueberry scones, donuts. I haven't lost much weight on this diet.

Now, yesterday I put 2 Noriko Sumida together in a pot interspersing orchid bark around the roots very loosely to help keep maintain a little moisture. The pot is unglazed and we have a hot sun, so I think the assistance is warranted. How did you secure the orchids in the pot you may asking? Please see below:




 

It's gotten up to about 85 degrees (F) today, sunny and dry. I Jacked (Jack's 20-20-20 All Purpose) everyone up today full strength with some sea weed emulsion-- a popular cocktail. The teretes especially 'Miss Joachim' seem to be responding well to this bright, hot, winter sunshine. Miss Joachim is tied to a nice straight arm of hardwood and is sending out rootlets feeling things out. The Mokara Sayan (x2) have a black stickiness on the stem (on base of strap leaves). Probably a bug that eats and leaves sticky droppings (white flies will do this when they eat the fronds of the coconut palms over my car). Need to get on the case here asap.

http://www.tohgarden.com/orchid-care/common-orchid-pathogens/

Looks like my Mokara might have some black mold due to too much water sitting on the leaves, right at the. joint between leave and stem. Soap and water. Need to focus on the roots in daily watering. A pesticidal spray might be in order for thrips .

Tropical Orchid Farm, Inc., Haiku, Maui, HI 96708



Here is a good online source for orchids.These handsome semi-teretes were just 15$ ea. I saw a Noriko Sumida approx. same size as below sell for $30 on Ebay recently.. I would buy from TOF again if I should ever buy another orchid. Great selection.Very professional. Shipped quickly, wrapped carefully-- and just as cheap as my going to RF Orchids in Homestead, FL.and buying them there (1 hour away). R.F. does have great tables running down the hot houses with cuttings and smaller plants for 8-15$. I bought a nice 12-15" sprig of trichoglottis brachiate for cheap, they tied it into a pretty clay orchid pot. I feel a growing affinity toward monopodial orchids. I wonder if I can find an untreated fence post I could sink into a bucket of concrete to tie vanda's on? A  10' pole would be fantastic covered with rowdy vandas climbing over each other.



Had to have a v 'Noriko Sumida', but they had a $45 min so I ordered a pair @ $15per. Beautiful plants!

2 peas in a pod. The Noriko brothers tucked in. I think plants like a mate when possible.

 

Also ordered a fairly priced vanda denisoniana, healthy in empty pot 15$

 

Received a healthy looking Catleya skinneri f. delicate 'teresita de Pizz. x self as a gift. Can't find a pic online for this particular variety.

 

Very pleased with my purchases. Worth every penny.

 

My Selph-ishness

 

b. 'Selph's Mahogany' blooms in early spring. A very fine erect rhizomatous begonia with a lot of character (pic from a few years back.. but I still have some Selph on the terrace-- looking forward to its flowering).

 and a little off topic..

Getting close to the Winter Solstice, happy holidays! (Fairchild Botanic Garden)

In your garden

 Papillionanthe teres var aureolablum securely weighted in. A cutting of vanda 'Miss Joachim' dropped down the interior against a hardwood branch, good for food and moisture. The placement's southerly exposure gives this sun-lover at least 8 bright hours of the winter sun. Nice schomburgkia has found a perfect home (hopefully)  on palm. The label on this handsome boy is illegible. The bloom will point us in the right direction.

 I've ordered 2 Vanda Noriko Sumida and 1 Vanda Denisoniana  both in empty 3.5" baskets, this order coming from Tropical Orchid Farms in Maui, HI-- and the Fort Lauderdale orchid show is yet to come (beginning of 2014). See below for pics nicked off the web.

V. Denisoniana  

V. (semi-terete) Noriko Sumida


 

Late November rains?? what up wid dat??

Pouring afternoon rains were a good excuse to get wet and sweep dirt and leaves off the terrace. It was a late afternoon deluge and it was getting cooler, oh no! fungus, black spot, I can't see any good coming out of it. Having said that, it had been a beautiful, sunny day earlier, so everyone had gotten some shine. The Dutchman's pipe is spitting out a few blossoms. The pattern would make a royal fabric.

 



Aristolochia elegans

Dr. Motes



v. tessellate 'wink' 

Purchased 'wink' at the Motes Orchid tent at AOS meeting at Fairchild. Almost all of the vandas offered were cut and hanging down like this. The larger have learnt to bend back up toward the sun. They had some very impressive orchids.

The gorgeous combination of greys and various shades of purple and blue was irresistable combination-- also a Motes offering. 


Ascda John de Blasé x V tessellata





Wired out

 

This genus is named after its butterfly shaped flowers.

Three teres alba wired to chicken wire. The pot is weighted with lava rock, some rock in column as well. A bag of orchid bark interspersed in rock and on top, to hold in a little moisture. The pot is unglazed terra cotta. There are some roots covered by bark and rock. Hopefully this won't cause any problems due to weight. Will it allow the roots (in the rock) to breath? In any case, this is a sturdy contraption. Column could be clipped to pot as well if the teres should make it top heavy / wind prone.

Ordered more terete, Joachim, for the other side of terrace-- or maybe to tie up with these alba?

AOS Fall Members Meeting and Orchid Sale at Fairchild (the best botanic garden in the world).

Our hero with a newly captured renanthera storiei

On  display; renenthera  storiei
Plants are best grown hanged in baskets and on mounted and require full sunlight and intermediate to warm temperatures. If hunged the roots must be watered frequently. Plants should be grown in media that is well drained such as tree fern fibers (for small plants),several pieces of coarse fir bark, or sphagnum moss. If they are grown in pots there must be excellent drainage.

Kingdom: Plantae

Division: Magnoliophyta

Class: Liliopsida

Order: Asparagales

Family:Orchidaceae

Subfamily: Epidendroideae

Tribe: Vandeae

SubTribe: Aeridinae

Genus: Renanthera

Species: Ren. storiei

 

The objects of my desire  (vanda teres alba syn Papilionanthe Teres alba)

Kingdom: Plantae

Division: Magnoliophyta

Class: Liliopsida

Order: Asparagales

Family:Orchidaceae

Subfamily: Epidendroideae

Tribe: Vandeae

SubTribe: Aeridinae

Genus: Renanthera

Species: Ren. storiei

Dear Catherine

I'm ashamed that I haven't written sooner. I wish we could take you on a tour of  the gorgeous nurseries we have in South Floriday. Tomorrow is the fall meeting of the American Society at Fairchild Botanic Garden. There will be an orchid show and sale with some of the best orchid vendors in the country;
http://www.fairchildgarden.org/Events/?date=11-2013&eventID=860http://www.fairchildgarden.org/Events/?date=11-2013&eventID=860

In particular I want to explore terete leaved orchids or Papilionanthe teres. They demand full sun, humidity, rain. They can be fairly floriferous given this tropical cocktail. And, they are odd looking, which has special appeal to me. I'll post pics.

http://orchids.wikia.com/wiki/Papilionanthe_teres

My rhynchostylis bangkok sunset is blooming, pretty thing with a elegant scent.



Much love, your cousin John.

Fairchild Botanic Garden hosts AOS fall member's meeting-- plant sale then roast pork in little Havana

I'll be looking especially for terete vandas.  There is a very tempting Vanda Miss Joachim up for grabs on Ebay.. 14.95 buy it now-- shipping from Homestead. I'm sure the plants at the show will beat anything I'll see on ebay. 2 days to go.  I'll have to sit on my hands. Not sure if I'll make it till then

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanda

Mokara Sayan 3 plants mulched in .. (?) from Mickey's Orchids, SW 23rd Ft  Lauderderdale

 

The key to successfully cultivating epiphytic Vanda species are consistent growth conditions. The plants are singularly intolerant of fluctuating environmental conditions or watering regime in cultivation, and results in the plants dropping lower leaves and having a haggard, straggling appearance and going into decline. The epiphytic Vanda species are not plants for beginning orchid enthusiasts and usually require a controlled growing environment to achieve some measure of success in cultivation (please donate money to Wikipedia).

Aerides lawrenciea freed from the bondage of a block of tree fern

Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Orchidaceae
Subfamily:	Epidendroideae
Tribe:	Vandeae
Subtribe:	Aeridinae
Genus:	Vanda