The Orchid Garden

Talking to ourselves?

Question:

I am actually here for this one Now to sit back and wait for the sequel. Kye.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Berber, It was a hot sultry night, the moon was large in the sky.  He could smell Brassavola nodosa in wisps of the cool air. Behind the orchids she stood in the open doorway amply pouring out of her low corset. Her 21 year-old "orchids" were the finest ever produced in Moldova.  They were firm, wonderfully pseudobulb-shaped, beginning eyes of spikes just peeking out and over, and oh so fragrant.  Natalia had become the perfect Orchid assistant and this warm part of the USA now suited her just fine. Her new tan was quite appealing… and she took great care to leave no bikini lines on her young supple nubile body. All orchid growing men longed for an orchid assistant as voluptuous as Natalia.  Such an assistant made this sometimes boring hobby all worth while. It all began innocently enough 4 years ago.  In Russia to find 12,000,000 pounds of pure nickel bullion to "quietly" purchase for an American manufacturing firm desperate for super high quality nickel as a key element in the production of those automobile spark plugs that burn for 100,000 miles he was in a now strange land full of strange but beautiful people searching out nickel producers in the Ural mountains.  She had become his Russian voice and in time had brought him into orchid heaven. He was remembering the telephone call which changed everything that came to him just after midnight those many years ago… the breeze tonight now carried a rush of Neofinetia falcata to his nose, brain.and loins. Natalia was smiling her best orchid assistant’s (slightly wicked) thin smile at him from the workbench… but he was already glazed over going back in time. Ring… ring… ring "Yeah" "White Knight?" "Hmmmm…. it might be". "It’s Richard… the US coast guard has seized one of our ore freighters off Florida loaded with nickel running the embargo out of Cuba.  You know that only Cuba and Russia produce the nickel high enough in purity for us to use. American nickel is crap." "So…. why are you waking me up at 2 in the morning to tell me this mind-boggling bit of trivia?" "Don’t get cute with me Whitey…. we’re sending an approved visa to you tomorrow morning.  I want you on the next plane out to Chelyabinsk in Russia.  Play along with Yeltsin’s local guy that you are on a mission to develop some pie-in-the-sky real estate deals, but don’t leave town until you have some nickel lined up for us." "For a starter deposit 100 flasks of  Paph sanderianum in my Grand Cayman account". "Done" "And 50 flasks of Phal violacea var coerulea to the safe house in Miami" "grrrrr…. done". "And 10 flasks of blue Cattleya lueddies…. real blue lueddies!" "My god… you are a prick". "I am on my way Richard… I am packing my bags as we speak.  Ta-ta". Click….. Hey Mick, You startin’ another orchid screenplay? I never got to see the end of the last one. Barbara P.S. Will this one have anything to do with poop-bombing geese or super stinky orchids? Reka, corset. Mick | Kathy, I have some advice I would like to share.. It was a hot sultry night, the moon was large in the sky. I could smell Brassavola nodosa in wisps of cool air. | Behind the orchids she stood in the open doorway amply pouring out of her low …watering can? — Reka LOL… But I missed the last one. I have been oh so waiting for another one. And while we are on the you might start …. Do you think that there is any chance of getting Al to run another orchid humour comp???? Kye. What?!    …don’t give him any ideas!  He might start up with another orchid "novelette." LOL!

Response:

I’m guilty.  Thank you, thank you, thank you everyone for the wonderful advise.  I’d be lost without this group (and the AOS forum)! Jean – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – So, am I the only one wondering if we are talking only to ourselves? Much advising goes on here, with no responses from the original posters as to whether the advice was any good or not. Its like a ’smash and grab’ of information around here. Personally, I like to hear back from the original poster and start a dialog, but I guess that isn’t to be. Back to lurk mode K Barrett

Response:

I agree with you entirely. Mayhaps we should all try to be more communicative. Kye.

Well, O.K.  I’m as guilty as anyone.  I haven’t been practicing in this orchid mode for very long, but I have probably purchased more variety than is good for me. Currently I have one of those Phrag. Amazonica x Besseae (written on tag) that is beginning to sprout some multifloral blooms. (EFG) I have a Kagawara ‘Red Lava Pinatubo’ with blooms ready to burst open. (Oak Hill Gardens) There’s the Paph. Maude Raven x Paph. Black Buddha that has been in bloom for approximately 4-5 weeks. (EFG) I purchased several Bulbophyllums recently, along with a couple of Masdevallias. (Oak Hill Gardens) I also went and did something I am not ready to undertake.  I bought a flask of Coryanthes mastersiana ‘Nikirk’ x self and so far about 95% are still alive.  I’ve had them for 2 1/2 weeks.  They look weaker than newly born blades of grass.  What was I thinking? (Troy Meyers) There are a few more, but I’ll save those for another time. I apologize for any ‘orchid related grammar nomenclature errors’.  For some reason, at this time it doesn’t seem all that important to me. If it’s not important to me than why am I apologizing? I think I’m talking to myself … again!  Well, I suppose I should go now so I can finish my conversation. Thanks for all the good advice guys and gals.  Maybe one day I will know enough to be able to give some. ciao, Luigi

Response:

I have a Coryanthes mastersiana (-um??) and like it quite a bit. Its easy to grow and is about to flower for me again. I hope your flask is as nice a plant as mine is. I just keep it rather on the wet side. I have mine in coir and a net pot. It has roots growing all outside the pot now. I started with about 3 growths, 2 of which promptly died, the other took off, and now I have a 6" pot full of plant. I understand these get huge, so be prepared to sell off your extras, for bench space if nothing else. K Barrett – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I agree with you entirely. Mayhaps we should all try to be more communicative. Kye. Well, O.K.  I’m as guilty as anyone.  I haven’t been practicing in this orchid mode for very long, but I have probably purchased more variety than is good for me. Currently I have one of those Phrag. Amazonica x Besseae (written on tag) that is beginning to sprout some multifloral blooms. (EFG) I have a Kagawara ‘Red Lava Pinatubo’ with blooms ready to burst open. (Oak Hill Gardens) There’s the Paph. Maude Raven x Paph. Black Buddha that has been in bloom for approximately 4-5 weeks. (EFG) I purchased several Bulbophyllums recently, along with a couple of Masdevallias. (Oak Hill Gardens) I also went and did something I am not ready to undertake.  I bought a flask of Coryanthes mastersiana ‘Nikirk’ x self and so far about 95% are still alive.  I’ve had them for 2 1/2 weeks.  They look weaker than newly born blades of grass.  What was I thinking? (Troy Meyers) There are a few more, but I’ll save those for another time. I apologize for any ‘orchid related grammar nomenclature errors’.  For some reason, at this time it doesn’t seem all that important to me. If it’s not important to me than why am I apologizing? I think I’m talking to myself … again!  Well, I suppose I should go now so I can finish my conversation. Thanks for all the good advice guys and gals.  Maybe one day I will know enough to be able to give some. ciao, Luigi

Response:

I have a Coryanthes mastersiana (-um??) and like it quite a bit. Its easy to grow and is about to flower for me again. I hope your flask is as nice a plant as mine is. I just keep it rather on the wet side. I have mine in coir and a net pot. It has roots growing all outside the pot now. I started with about 3 growths, 2 of which promptly died, the other took off, and now I have a 6" pot full of plant. I understand these get huge, so be prepared to sell off your extras, for bench space if nothing else. K Barrett

Hello K. Barrett, I’ve started them in sphag. which I drenched, wrung out and loosely packed.  I was told not to water much at first and to keep moisture away from the leaves since it will cause them to rot.  So far so good. I don’t know how long it will take, but according to my culture info, they will make rhizome for quite a while, then roots along the rhizomes and then begin to produce more robust leaves.  After all of that they should produce pseudo bulbs.  Once at that stage they should be ready for moving to Gongora or Coryanthes culture, sans sphagnum. Huge plants?  Bench space?  Mama mia!  I told you I was new to this. I must learn to put my brain in gear more often when my eyes decide to do the shopping. Luigi

Response:

Berber, It was a hot sultry night, the moon was large in the sky.  He could smell Brassavola nodosa in wisps of the cool air. Behind the orchids she stood in the open doorway amply pouring out of her low corset. Her 21 year-old "orchids" were the finest ever produced in Moldova.  They were firm, wonderfully pseudobulb-shaped, beginning eyes of spikes just peeking out and over, and oh so fragrant.  Natalia had become the perfect Orchid assistant and this warm part of the USA now suited her just fine. Her new tan was quite appealing… and she took great care to leave no bikini lines on her young supple nubile body. All orchid growing men longed for an orchid assistant as voluptuous as Natalia.  Such an assistant made this sometimes boring hobby all worth while. It all began innocently enough 4 years ago.  In Russia to find 12,000,000 pounds of pure nickel bullion to "quietly" purchase for an American manufacturing firm desperate for super high quality nickel as a key element in the production of those automobile spark plugs that burn for 100,000 miles he was in a now strange land full of strange but beautiful people searching out nickel producers in the Ural mountains.  She had become his Russian voice and in time had brought him into orchid heaven. He was remembering the telephone call which changed everything that came to him just after midnight those many years ago… the breeze tonight now carried a rush of Neofinetia falcata to his nose, brain.and loins.  Natalia was smiling her best orchid assistant’s (slightly wicked) thin smile at him from the workbench… but he was already glazed over going back in time. Ring… ring… ring "Yeah" "White Knight?" "Hmmmm…. it might be". "It’s Richard… the US coast guard has seized one of our ore freighters off Florida loaded with nickel running the embargo out of Cuba.  You know that only Cuba and Russia produce the nickel high enough in purity for us to use.  American nickel is crap." "So…. why are you waking me up at 2 in the morning to tell me this mind-boggling bit of trivia?" "Don’t get cute with me Whitey…. we’re sending an approved visa to you tomorrow morning.  I want you on the next plane out to Chelyabinsk in Russia.  Play along with Yeltsin’s local guy that you are on a mission to develop some pie-in-the-sky real estate deals, but don’t leave town until you have some nickel lined up for us." "For a starter deposit 100 flasks of  Paph sanderianum in my Grand Cayman account". "Done" "And 50 flasks of Phal violacea var coerulea to the safe house in Miami" "grrrrr…. done". "And 10 flasks of blue Cattleya lueddies…. real blue lueddies!" "My god… you are a prick". "I am on my way Richard… I am packing my bags as we speak.  Ta-ta". Click…..

Hey Mick, You startin’ another orchid screenplay? I never got to see the end of the last one. Barbara P.S. Will this one have anything to do with poop-bombing geese or super stinky orchids?

Reka, corset. Mick

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – | Kathy, I have some advice I would like to share.. It was a hot sultry night, the moon was large in the sky. I could smell Brassavola nodosa in wisps of cool air. | Behind the orchids she stood in the open doorway amply pouring out of her low …watering can? — Reka

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – LOL… But I missed the last one. I have been oh so waiting for another one. And while we are on the you might start …. Do you think that there is any chance of getting Al to run another orchid humour comp???? Kye. What?!    …don’t give him any ideas!  He might start up with another orchid "novelette." LOL!

Response:

Well, I lurk in several places and post lightly in a few and here are my views on some aspects of online orchid information-sharing: 1)First and foremost, I’m grateful to the people who take the time to answer other’s questions and share their experience and knowledge. Whenever I think I should buy an orchid culture book, I think, "Why? I’ve got the internet!"  So, thank you! 2)Many posts on this and other sorts of boards are personal conversations and inside jokes.  I think it’s great that people find each other on the internet and have formed communities, but it can create a lot of volume to wade through.  Personally, I spend a lot of time searching and searching before asking a question or making an observation.  It would be easier to smash and grab, but I realize how tiresome it gets to see a question asked that has been answered several times in the recent past. 3)Some message boards are poorly organized and hard to find specific info on (usenet) or follow a long thread (AOS).  Continual quoting and re-quoting previous messages randomly at the beginning and ending and middle of a new post also make for a measure of difficult reading. My guess is that once someone who isn’t interested in becoming part of an ongoing discussion has managed to find a board, register if necessary, post an inquiry, and then get or not get a satisfactory answer they may just be too tuckered out to post again I’m starting to sound like a rambling old curmudgeon, but really I’m not. Mark – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – So, am I the only one wondering if we are talking only to ourselves? etc. etc. K Barrett

Response:

Corset?! LOL!  I liked the watering can better! Reka, corset. Mick

–Alynne http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Jungle/2947

Response:

Hey Mick, You startin’ another orchid screenplay? I never gott to see the end of the last one. Barbara P.S. Will this one have anything to do with poop-bombing geese or super stinky orchids?

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Reka, corset. Mick

Response:

Good going! [High 5] K Barrett – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Couple of months ago I see an Ansellia in a 2 inch pot three stalks no leaves marked $10. I said to the vendor are u sure this is alive seems expensive for a dead plant,went back to get my Zygopetalum and noticed the Ansellia in the garbage so i asked if i could have it. It now has 3 stalks that was a major accomplisment for me i’m so proud. For the flowers i’ll have to move.

Response:

On information from this group, a nice person has given me some cane ends from a sweet-smelling Den Parishii hybird which I am going to try to root in spag. Thanks for the tip! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – So, am I the only one wondering if we are talking only to ourselves? Much advising goes on here, with no responses from the original posters as to whether the advice was any good or not. Its like a ’smash and grab’ of information around here. Personally, I like to hear back from the original poster and start a dialog, but I guess that isn’t to be. Back to lurk mode K Barrett

Response:

Reka, corset. Mick

Response:

Kathy, I have some advice I would like to share.. It was a hot sultry night, the moon was large in the sky. I could smell Brassavola nodosa in wisps of cool air. Behind the orchids she stood in the open doorway amply pouring out of her low

Response:

| Kathy, | | I have some advice I would like to share.. | | It was a hot sultry night, the moon was large in the sky. | I could smell Brassavola nodosa in wisps of cool air. | | Behind the orchids she stood in the open doorway amply pouring out of her | low …watering can? — Reka http://www.rolbox.it/hukari/index.html "I hate flowers – I paint them because they’re cheaper than models and they don’t move."        –Georgia O’Keeffe

Response:

Mine is sad story, i’ve been buying orchids for three years now mostly at

shows because there’s not much choice here in montreal, except for expensive no name phals.I have low light so none have flowered except a little oncidium 2 flowers ‘I’m sure it made the effort just to please me so i won’t get discouraged’ But they are all growing nicely thanks to advice i’ve had here.Couple of months ago I see an Ansellia in a 2 inch pot three stalks no leaves marked $10. I said to the vendor are u sure this is alive seems expensive for a dead plant,went back to get my Zygopetalum and noticed the Ansellia in the garbage so i asked if i could have it. It now has 3 stalks that was a major accomplisment for me i’m so proud. For the flowers i’ll have to move.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – So, am I the only one wondering if we are talking only to ourselves? Much advising goes on here, with no responses from the original posters as to whether the advice was any good or not. Its like a ’smash and grab’ of information around here. Personally, I like to hear back from the original poster and start a dialog, but I guess that isn’t to be. Back to lurk mode K Barrett

Response:

Maybe everyone is just emerging from winter hibernation. We have had some warm weather … been sunny all winter almost… but being out doing yard work in the warmth and the sun made me feel so much better mentally. Not that I was in a bad mental state… I guess I just felt like I had woken up for a nap. refreshed. This is my favorite time of the year. Been building an orchid stand which has a really good size humidity space.  I hope to post pictures when I get it done, as if it turns out the way I think it should it should provide terrarium like humidity in the lower area, and the excess should filter up to the top area. Plus I have now reached critical mass. I now have enough orchids that it is almost a chore to water. I notice the chatter on all the other groups pick up at this time as well. Crystal — If you don’t buckle down, you’re never going to hit bottom.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I agree with you entirely. Mayhaps we should all try to be more communicative. Kye. Well, O.K.  I’m as guilty as anyone.  I haven’t been practicing in this orchid mode for very long, but I have probably purchased more variety than is good for me. Currently I have one of those Phrag. Amazonica x Besseae (written on tag) that is beginning to sprout some multifloral blooms. (EFG) I have a Kagawara ‘Red Lava Pinatubo’ with blooms ready to burst open. (Oak Hill Gardens) There’s the Paph. Maude Raven x Paph. Black Buddha that has been in bloom for approximately 4-5 weeks. (EFG) I purchased several Bulbophyllums recently, along with a couple of Masdevallias. (Oak Hill Gardens) I also went and did something I am not ready to undertake.  I bought a flask of Coryanthes mastersiana ‘Nikirk’ x self and so far about 95% are still alive.  I’ve had them for 2 1/2 weeks.  They look weaker than newly born blades of grass.  What was I thinking? (Troy Meyers) There are a few more, but I’ll save those for another time. I apologize for any ‘orchid related grammar nomenclature errors’.  For some reason, at this time it doesn’t seem all that important to me. If it’s not important to me than why am I apologizing? I think I’m talking to myself … again!  Well, I suppose I should go now so I can finish my conversation. Thanks for all the good advice guys and gals.  Maybe one day I will know enough to be able to give some. ciao, Luigi

Response:

That is pretty common in most of the groups. Especially when the person is not a regular. They pop in for the information they need and then leave. I wouldn’t let it bother you though. I do wish there was more chatter on this group though. I personally like to hear what people have picked up recently. But I have to admit since very few people share, I have been resistant to share myself. I picked up a few things recently.. but am most excited about the Anselica Africana and I finally picked up Onc. Krameranian. I picked them up about a week ago.. but am tickled pink every time I think of them. I think I am finally going to put together a web-site this summer. I’m finally getting some stuff worthy of showing off. Crystal — If you don’t buckle down, you’re never going to hit bottom.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – So, am I the only one wondering if we are talking only to ourselves? Much advising goes on here, with no responses from the original posters as to whether the advice was any good or not. Its like a ’smash and grab’ of information around here. Personally, I like to hear back from the original poster and start a dialog, but I guess that isn’t to be. Back to lurk mode K Barrett

Response:

So, am I the only one wondering if we are talking only to ourselves? Much advising goes on here, with no responses from the original posters as to whether the advice was any good or not. Its like a ’smash and grab’ of information around here. Personally, I like to hear back from the original poster and start a dialog, but I guess that isn’t to be. Back to lurk mode K Barrett

Response:

I agree with you entirely. Mayhaps we should all try to be more communicative. Kye.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – So, am I the only one wondering if we are talking only to ourselves? Much advising goes on here, with no responses from the original posters as to whether the advice was any good or not. Its like a ’smash and grab’ of information around here. Personally, I like to hear back from the original poster and start a dialog, but I guess that isn’t to be. Back to lurk mode K Barrett

Response:

So, am I the only one wondering if we are talking only to ourselves? Much advising goes on here, with no responses from the original posters as to whether the advice was any good or not. Its like a ’smash and grab’ of information around here. Personally, I like to hear back from the original poster and start a dialog, but I guess that

isn’t to be. I’m a newbie here and I don’t think I’ve "smashed and grabbed" yet but I have sincerely appreciated what pointers that have been graciously offered.  I think perhaps some of the problem is that orchids grow so slowly that it is hard to tell whether something worked or not in as short a time as people are likely to remember the post. One thing I learned recently, to my chagrin, is that black spots on Onc leaves aren’t necessarily "bad".  I just recently cut off a good portion of a leave with black spots and reading here it appears it may have been nothing more dastardly than water spots. I received excellent advice over on abpo concerning repotting my Mtdm (the medium is soaking at the moment and I’ll be repotting shortly). I’ve also been encouraged by comments received about my Cym repotting although the jury is still out on it.  The new growth that was there when I repotted has continued to grow but I am uncertain whether I did a good job repotting or not.  There is still some discussion concerning whether I used the right potting medium. I also feel that as a home-grower growing for my own pleasure and a newbie orchid addict that there is little I can contribute. I guess I can offer a bit of a delurk though.  I live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.  My orchids are all in west-facing windows that are semi-shaded.  I worry about humidity, cold shock/cold drafts, shrivelled pseudobulbs and under-/over-watering.  I have everything on pebble trays because it is usually very dry here.  I can only take credit for keeping one orchid happy, my Cym, because it flowered after me having owned it for a year. At the moment I have the Cym, two Phals (poor planning on my part as they are the same cultivar (is that the right term for the name on the tag?), an Onc Sharry Baby and a Mtdm (the one with the shrivelled pseudobulbs).  I look after a neighbour’s Den which has flowered twice for me but their growing conditions are different from mine.  I would like to try some Cattleyas but I am afraid to try them because I think I am still too rank a newbie. So please keep talking and I’ll keep listening and if anyone ever wants to talk to me, I’m here. –  Sandy — Bacchae at telusplanet dot net "Beauty is terror.  Whatever we call beautiful, we quiver before it.  We want to be devoured by it, to hide ourselves in that fire which refines us." –  Donna Tartt

Response:

Ok, well I was happy to have a bublophyllum bloom for me. It was lablelled as B. facetum but when I looked it up in Siegriest’s book it looked  *nothing* like that at all, so I contacted the vendor, sent along a photo, and sure enough its a B. papulosum, from the Philippines, and pictured in Cootes book. Mine is a bit brighter color than the one in Cootes’s book, so I was going to put the pic on the webpage and ask around if it is indeed the species in question. Don’t ask me *when* I was going to do that, just that its in my mind as something to follow up on. Anyway I was pretty jazzed about that, and thought about taking it in for judging, but the flowers are past thier prime. They seem to last about 2 weeks, for me anyway. K Barrett – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – [snip] I do wish there was more chatter on this group though. I personally like to hear what people have picked up recently. But I have to admit since very few people share, I have been resistant to share myself. I picked up a few things recently.. but am most excited about the Anselica Africana and I finally picked up Onc. Krameranian. I picked them up about a week ago.. but am tickled pink every time I think of them.

Response:

I can’t cite any specific advice right now, but thanks to all the good advice I’ve received over the last several months, my orchids are busting out with bud spikes.  Hooray!  And thanks to everyone who has helped me. Sarah —

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Gee, I was afraid I was talking too MUCH <G.  Sometimes I’m looking for info, but there are lots of times when I can offer help, too, and I do.  I think most of the reg’s are good about response.  What gets me, really, is when someone posts a vague question, not because it’s vague, but because the poster seems to drop off the face of the earth.  We ask for more info and never hear another word.  Kind of makes you feel sorry for the poor, neglected orchids! Diana

Response:

Gee, I was afraid I was talking too MUCH <G.  Sometimes I’m looking for info, but there are lots of times when I can offer help, too, and I do.  I think most of the reg’s are good about response.  What gets me, really, is when someone posts a vague question, not because it’s vague, but because the poster seems to drop off the face of the earth.  We ask for more info and never hear another word.  Kind of makes you feel sorry for the poor, neglected orchids! Diana

Response:

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