Happy New Year 2008!!!

Just an update of my plants, above.

Incredible proof that if given a chance, Cattleyas can grow roots that are adapted to thrive in water. This Orchid is named "Good Life" and is one of few original plants I bought in Hawaii many years ago. It has grown into this big plant and has given me several blooms. This year it hasn't bloomed but that's because I transplanted it into this hydro-culture and it had to adjust.

Wider shot of 'Good Life'

Repotted

I divided both Chia Lin 'Red Rose' and 'PCT' into a few cuttings and replanted them. I made a mistake cutting 'Red Rose' and ended with a damaged leaf with bud; I put it into a jar with water and rooting hormone hoping to maybe root it. As suspected, the original roots have rotted but the cattleyas are growing new roots to adapt to the moist medium. Probably why they haven't flowered.

I couldn't resist dividing one of my Odom's Sweatheart 'Red Beauty' into two. I hope that the back bulb will bud. The other one looked like it will be okay and I didn't want to gamble dividing both.

Gosh I hope they don't die. I used cinnamon powder for the first time as a anti-fungal agent for the site of the cutting.

Close up of another division of Tolumnia Popoki. So far 7 in total.

I discovered one of the tolumnia's center had rotted and I was able to pull apart the plant into two.

Roots

Roots look good on this guy.

Roots seems to be slower growing than its clone sibling.

Shingfong Beauty 'Water Red' is growing new roots like gang-busters. Unfortunately, I think the flower sheath on this cattleya has died.

Tolumnia flower spike

The flower spike managed to break free from the leaf and I can't wait to see this guy bloom again. This is perhaps the healthiest of my tolumnias and the most moisture tolerant. From my observations; all the Popokis are amazingly moisture tolerant. My other tolumnias are pretty much dead.

Phal unknown name

I got this orangy colored phalaenopsis as a gift (thanks Gloria). It has cute little flowers and seems to be going through another round of blooming. I cross pollinated with one of the larger purples that I got from Half-Moon Bay. It is already forming a seed pod.

Young Reds

Pic of my new Reds

Tolumnia might flower!

This tolumnia I got from ebay looks like it might flower! Cool!

New Cattleyas

My order of 4 Cattleyas arrive yesterday. It was a quick shipment; only two days.

The plants are from Carter & Holmes.

Blc. Rugeley's Mill 'Mendenhall'

Pot. Red Crab 'Uncle Wang' X Blc Oconee 'Mendenhall'

Blc. Fort Watson 'Mendenhall'

Blc. Bouton D'Or 'Orange Glow' x Blc Carolina Orange D'Or 'Lenette'

The first three are reds and the last one is an orange colored cross.

When I found a picture of Rugeley's Mill 'Mendenhall' on the web, I knew I just had to have it.

see here:

I found this pic at this Japanese orchid blog. A cool website.

I loved the red on this cattleya so much, that I searched all over for it. I couldn't find a blooming size so I got a smaller plant that's 2-4 years from flowering. I guess I just have to wait. will upload pics of my new plants soon.

Tolumnia Tan Line

It seems that the LED lights really do work. The above picture shows my Tolumnia Popoki developed a tan-line. Cool. Also, the leaves of my phalaenopsis has been very reddish so they too are doing well under LED lights. I moved the Phals back to my kitchen window to make room for more Cattleyas. My next observation will be to see if the Cattleyas like the LEDs.

December 8th photos of stand

Orchids seem to be okay under LED lights. I am considering expanding the plant stand with wider shelves and getting more powerful LED grow lights.

New roots

Its been a while and I finally see that my compact cattleyas 'Red Beauty' is putting out new roots. I worried that both my plants would die because I haven't seen any roots for a long time. The new shoots are small but I figure once the roots establish the growth will be better.