Added Full Spectrum Florescent Lighting

I had an old plant box with full spectrum florescent lighting in it. I decided to take it apart and install it into my orchid stand. Originally I just wanted it installed just so I can look at the orchids under normal lighting. Although the orchids are doing well under just the LEDs I read on the web that some green part of spectrum do contribute to better root growth. Well, I thought I'd try it out. I am having root problems but I think this is because of the cold temperatures of winter. I ordered heat mats but they haven't arrived yet.

Moved Orchid Stand into Office Closet

I've spent my long weekend reorganizing, cleaning and clearing out my office. Discovered that my office closet was just the right size to allow my orchids stand to fit inside! So I moved it. I placed a small table in my bedroom and placed flowering Phalaenopsis on it. Will take picture of it later. For sure now, this will be a real test of the LED lights to support the plants.

My Tolumnia Popoki is about to flower! How exciting!

New Dark Pink Phalaenopsis

Got a new Phal; thanks again Gloria. Its a very dark purple pink! Most of the roots looked good and I trimmed off all the dead roots and potted it into dyna-rok and Aussie-gold. One of the leaf is turning yellow; not sure why but I am guess from drying out. I took one of the pollen nodules and pollenated it with the orange Phal seen below it.

Terminator

Although not an orchid, Brian Bloom does make a great terminator. I hope he shows back up in the TV show.

Feb 5th, 2008

Broke down and repotted Big Red a few days ago. I don't expect the flower bud to survive.

March 18th, 2008 update: The flower sheath dried up and the flower had shriveled up inside.

Pizzaz looks okay.

March 18th, 2008 update: I have not seen any activity in terms of growth.

The Recent Additions…

I hope it flowers.

I decided to just plant the Piazza into the pot and let it rot the rest of the roots and hope it will put out new ones.

Watching growth

Rsc. Rugeley's Mill 'Mendenhall' with the bud growing bigger.

blc. Lily Marie Almas 'MGR' with single new root.

The other pot. Haw Yuan Gold 'YK#2' has two tiny new shoots.

Tolumnia Popoki's flower spike is getting taller.
I moved both Odom's Sweetheart in there pots; so they were more centered. I keep moving these guys in their pots… I should stop doing that.

Blc. Port Royal Sound 'Big Red'

I am leaving this one in its original pot, with the hope that the single sheath will flower. A very healthy looking plant indeed.

Placed it in the back corner of my plant stand.

Blc. Chrissy Compton 'Mary Piazza'

Got this today, looked at roots and found they were rotten. Cut them off and cleaned up the plant a bit.

Placed into pot suspended just above a shallow layer of aussie-gold and dyna-rok. I am hoping to encourage new root growth without rotting the existing ones.

Challenges

This poor Phal (Sun Tye Daimond) had crown rot. I treated it with Physan 20. I hope it works and that it'll eventually try to put out a basal keiki? It has good roots and some leaves; so there's hope.

MGR here had all its roots rotted away. Fortunately there a little bit of a healthy root, that today, I checked and saw it has grown out. Hope that one root can keep this guy going.

This poor guy, Pot. Ching Hua Flame 'Red Rose', also lost all its roots. so far no new root growth but I hope it will recover like MGR did. Both these plants were replanted in Aussie Gold from straight Dyna-Rok. The extra moisture must have done it.

Roots continue to grow for the Odom's Sweethearts. The cutting isn't showing any signs of anything but its still early. Tempted to put these guys into smaller pots but I really want them to grow into their 6 inch pots. ;-P

Moved plants around

Moved plants around. grouped all the Chia Lins together and Shingfong Beauty 'Water Red's.
I've also been collecting rain water, since its the rain season. I wish I had a cistern.

Did a bunch of rearranging.

Moved my denrobium Thyrisiflorum to the bottom shelf. Want to see how it will react to LED grow lights. I am hoping Sanyung Ruby 'Grand Dragon' will flower from its new shoot.

Moved Good Life, Camela and 3 Lavender colored Cattleyas to the kitchen sink window. My dendrobiums are growing crooked towards the window. Can't seem to keep em straight.

I placed all the Phalaenopsis' into the bay window area; they should all be flowering soon. Leaves are good and so are the roots! My oncidium 'twinkles' seem to be stunted. I saw an aborted attempt at putting out a flower spike. I had to treat it for mealy bugs and I think I may have used too much neem oil to kill the pests.