Some Q and A.

Since I have no news about my orchids, Im going to answerw some questions that seem to be very popular in Youtube :D Cause im no-one in orchid world i taged myself so don't blame me :D So lets begin...

1.) How long have you been growing orchids and which was your very first orchid?

I got my fist orchid when  I graduated 9th grade. It was deep purple phal, which I managed to kill.

2.) What is your main reason for growing orchids? 

I simple love them. They are so adorable and they all are so different in their own way. And color - who doesn't love plants that have so many variations of color. White to yellow, to pink, to red, to almost balck.

3.) Do you grow other plants besides orchids?

Well I have one palm inside the house. Other than that I like plants in my garden - roses, lilys and so. Don't forget tomatoes and melons in my greenhouse.

4.) What are your three favorite orchid genera?

I can't say that some are favourites and some are not. They are always changing. Right now I really love oncidiums. But some months ago my favourite was zygopetalum :D So it depends mostly on which one is blooming right now. If I have to name three, I would go with 1)Oncidium, 2) zygopetalum and 3) vanda.

5.) Which are your five favorite orchids?

Five, it's getting difficult. I really love my Onc. Tiny Twinke though she has some troubles with roots right now and sits in sphagnum moss. 2) would be Oncidium Sotoanum, I have pretty small plant, so I havent seen blooms in my plant, but I love them so much. 3)I think that 3 place would belong to my Promenaea limelight x xanthina. 4) Sure my masdevallias are one of my favourite girls. I have 3 of them now and I have seen one in bloom in summer, it was awesome. She had so many blooms I didn't believed my eyes. :) And last but not least 5) Tolumnia. I know I havent bloomed it myself but when I got her she had so cute blooms - like pink panther lol.

6.) Which one of your orchids do you like least and why? 

Maybe most of orchid growers will hate my now but I really don't like ludisia orchids. They are just too simple for me. So I have to tell that I do not own ludisia any more. I gave her to my grandmother and I go to see her time to time.

7.) How many orchids do you have at the moment?

Last I checked I have 42 orchids. Not much. 

8.) What kind of growing space do you have (windowsill, grow room, greenhouse etc.)?

I grown my plants most of the time in year on my windowsill. In summer they are in my garden and they are hanging on some trees. Last summer I did it first time and they loved it so much. Specially masdevallia - we had cilly and rainy summer, that's why. 

9.) Have you ever lost a particularly loved or expensive orchid? 

I think that the most expensive orchid that I have lost was red/brown cymbidium, cost 19€, so not that much. But still, I loved that color so much and I got it for birthday. 

10.) Which orchids are on your wish list?

Weeeeell. You can check my wishlist in my blog. I have so many plants that  I would really love to have but there are so many buts. Since I grow my girls on my windowsill, the space is so limited, and since I live in northern Europe, the light is the issue for most of the time in year. But still who can forbid me to dream :)

So thats it. Hope you like it...or don't :D 

What plants are in your wish list? Let me know maybe I must add them in mine :) Also tell me which plants are the "must-have" plants, because our orchid show and sale is getting closer and some money wants to be spent. :) 

Happy growing everybody!

Encyclia ciliare

Well lets talk about Encyclia ciliara (or is she Epidendrum ciliare...dunno). I got her in september, costed 3.50€ - great price isn't it?

She looked like this when I bought her, not bad I can say for so low price. Since then she hasn't done much, only matured 3 new growths she had. No blooms though. I don't know maybe she is slow growing plant, I have really no idea what care she needs, I have found so few informative sites. So if anyone knows how to care for her, let me know please.

But why am I writing about her right now? That's because we have some baby-theme in action.

 See, that little nubin in the middle?

Little about the conditions I have for her. Temperature 22-25C, humidity 44-55%. Extra light about 12h a day. Watering over a week, every second time watering with fertilizer.

So that's it for now. And again, if you have any idea how to properly care for that encyclia (epidendrum) please, let me konw!

Happy growing!

Masdevallias in December 2015

I know promised a new post about Masdevallias in spring but I just happened to watch a video, in which the Masde had probably a same problem as mine. So I decided to document the current situation.

Let’s begin with the purple Masdevallia that lost about 2/3 of its’ leaves due to my own foolishness and lack of knowledge. A lot of you probably remember the posts from summer about a well-growing Masde with beautiful flowers. I have to admit, up until I messed it all up, this was the one I was the most proud of. People did advise me to not buy a Masdevallia, they said it was a nightmare to grow. And yet, I found it even too easy – grows as if weed, flowers immediately grow on new growths, what a life, right?

So what does she look like right now. Well the situation has not much improved but it’s positive that she has started growing new growths. Slowly but surely. Sometimes I do feel that those people who advised me against wasting my time on Masdes, were right. But I am not giving up on them! :D

Here’s a picture of a bigger growth but there are 4-5 smaller ones.

And so she was in summer.

Now up to the Masdevallia next in line by age. I still don’t know anything about the flowers but repotting seemed to help her. There’s not much to say here, the growths are coming in nicely. There is no sign of flowers on neither this one nor the purple one but at least there’s progress. I must be doing SOMETHING right..

Last up, the third Masdevallia. She seems to have got better after repotting and there are new growths visible. Both previous Masdevallias have had wet hydroponics under them but this one hasn’t. Interestingly enough, her moss remains damp and I don’t dare to hive her extra humidity. The moss dries slower in cold and if I remember correctly, she got quite a lot of it in her pot. Thankfully, there is no sign of rotting so it seems that the humidity isn’t harming her.

Oh right, I built a barricade around her out of BBQ sticks and garden wire so that the two plants would grow upwards and not sideways. It also looks like she has finally grown proper roots and doesn’t wobble anymore while I move the pot.

So that was an overview of Masdevallias. Every question, suggestion and recommendation is always welcome. J

Peaceful forthcoming second advent to you all!

3. December update

Well I have that nice bushy but not that happy Nelly Isler. I can not figure it out why we don’t get along. Despite of that, yesterday I found something that looks like new growth but according to the position where it is located, I think that it is a spike. It is quite small so I can’t took a picture of it yet. I just don’t want to take my hopes up, maybe it still is new growth. Right now Nelly Isler and two unknown Cambrias are in „I will give you away“ list, maybe it will encourage her to bloom, we’ll see.

That little purple phal is that diligent one, who wants to bloom twice a year, but don’t have really the energy to do that. She bloomed in summer and now againg. Bloom is not that bright like they were in summer, understanable – it’s too dark already. But she tires, and it’s cute. 

Some of you already know how much I love zygopetalums. They are so cute and bushy even without flowers. And the other reason is that green and deep purple together are so awesome in my opinion. The first on is the one I got last spring from local orchid show. She has such big bulbs, it’s something big-bulb-lovers like :D (How did it go? I like big bulbs and I can not lie...). And she also grows new growths, but no blooms, sad. 

The other zygo has also 3 new growths but again, no blooms.  . 

The little Cymbidium looks great after summer out side. Two new growths looks already like plants and I hope she will make some more. I think that blooms will not be showing at least two more years – she is so small. 

But the big one is happy. Yesterday I cut the last spike with what I got it. One growth already looks like a plant, the other two not yet. By the way, I’m starting to believe that the nub in the middle, is a spike. Wonder, can I thake the credit for it to form? :D

Without picutures but let me talk about my little Onc. Sotoanum. I have found another new growth, it’s so exciting. Maybe I don’t have to wait many years for blooms after all. :)

And last, but not least the NOID Oncidium that bloomed so gorgeously. After she dropped her blooms, she started to produce new growth. Great, isn’t it. :)

Happy growing!

Catasetum and dormancy vol 2

Today’s post is not at all long. I need to document the fact that my darling little Catasetum has started yellowing one of her leaves. This can only mean one thing… dormancy is coming! :)

 I really do hope that the process will follow all the way through not stick to just one leaf.

I should also talk about quite a few growths that have started growing or at least how they have developed in this month. In the coming days I’ll try to make a separate post about the babies.

After all, Christmas time is the time of waiting and my girls are waiting for progeny as well!

I wish a peaceful time of waiting to you all and your families!

PS! Who said orchids and Christmas don’t go together?

SOS and surprise

In yesterday’s post, I mentioned that I received the small pots I had ordered, today I already found a use for them. A tiny phal growth that had grown two proper roots in a greenhouse (they’re a bit over 5cm long) was already waiting to be put in the medium. Her new home is now an 8cm round pot and DCM medium (which, by the way, I am slowly running out of… Where on EARTH shall I get some more of it?).

The most difficult part about repotting her was fitting the roots in since they were spread out wide. I had to make sure, that new roots would have normal room to grow and still make sure she would stand straight in the pot. Nevertheless, into the pot she went and while it might look pretty okay in the picture, it’s actually pretty lopsided in there. We’ll just have to wait and see what she’ll do.

The following will be about an oncidium, namely the Onc. Sotoanum who was completely not at home in the pot she had been residing in. So, she also got a new 8cm pot. I did not cut her in any way, for she had just been repotted a little while ago, I simply moved her and her medium to a new pot. I got quite a surprise when I saw a new growth on a plant I had previously thought to be in a pretty bad state. How did I not notice it earlier? Probably because it was half-hidden in her pot.

At least now she’s in a new pot and can grow into heights. Hopefully, we’ll get to see some blooms in autumn-winter if not already in the spring.

What else is interesting… Only a few days ago, I made a post about how my big cymbidium has delighted me massively. Today, as I was checking whether she needed watering and picked her up I found yet ANOTHER new growth. If all the tiny nubs are indeed new growths, then at this time, she has four of them. Someone did tell me, though, that one of the growths (the one in the middle) might actually be a flower spike. Again, we’ll just wait and see. The process is definitely interesting, with or without the flowers.

Order from Currlin Orchideen

At the beginning of the November I made order from Currlin. I didn't order any plants and thats because of weather, we have minus degrees already - snow and ice everywhere. So I ordered some pots and fertilizer.

So I got five pots which are 7cm in diameter

Five pots with 8cm diameter

and five 11cm diameter pots. 

The reason why I ordered so many small pots (no I dont have lots of seedlings) is that we in Estonia don't have small pots in stores. There are only 12, 18 and 21cm pots and sure I can't put my catasetum seedling into one of those. 

I lied, we have small pots, but they are not seethrough, but I am little but control freak so I need to see what my darling plants are doing. 

So and fertilizer. Many orchid growers over here prais Currlind standard fertilizer, so I bought one of those too. By the way, my fertilizer bottle got empty last weekend, so I'm really happy I have that now and I didn't buy another before my order arrived. 

Green Cymbidium

Some of you already know something about my gorgeous green cymbidium. I got het for my birthday from my great-grandmother - how cute :) She grows on my cold North-West window (about 19C ). Just some days ago, when I inspected her to know when to water, I found one little knob. Sure it it new growth. 

Then I looked more and found another knob. About this one, I'm not sure is this growth or spike. It is a little bit different than other. But we will see soon.

And the biggest. I don't know how I didn't noticed it sooner. Talking about blooms, she is still in bloom from one spike, but it is going to end soon. Lip is already turning red. But no worries, next autumn she will bloom again, Im sure!

Happy growing!

Psychopsis papilio new growth

I managed to wait for my baby papilo to make new growth. I thought that she would die, when the last one died because of rot. But no, she is brave little one! :) Now the new growth is big enough to be captured on picture, so here is the new born baby. lol

I changed her growth space. She is now on hanging shelf, right beside the light and seems to like it very much. I'll keep you posted how she grows. :)

Happy growing

Cattleyas baby

I totally love my recently saved Cat. She has been growing so well lately and thanks to her, I have started to believe in Catts again :D I didn't understand before how can people say thet they are so easy to grow - no they aren't, they are very slow growing - was my thought before. But now, Im impressed.

When about 10 days ago her new growth was just little red/purle dot, then now it is easy to see the plant. And roots, they grow so fast.

That little saved Catt had accident few days ago. Vandas roots were all over her and pulled her down. So I had to repot her. I thought that because of it she will end the growing and dry her new growth and roots. But no, she started to grow even faster. :)

The other little red dot is so small and I cant take a picture of it, but as soon as I can, I will. :) Hopefully it continues to develope.

Happy growing!

Phal in semi-hydroponics

Well today is the day I try first time in my life semi-hydroponics with one of my phals. The reason is that I have that one phal who have had very weird leaves all the time (about 2-3 years for now). They are little curly and always seems like she doesn't get enough water.

Last summer I repoted her, she had pretty good roots. But now i thought, what if I take her out and look againg. And what did I see? Nothing. I see nothing. No roots at all. Well there are some roots but they were out of pot anyway. So then I thought, I have hydrotons and plant with no roots. What should I do.

I took one plastic throwaway drinking cup, but hydrotons in it and then pour it over with some tap-water.

I have no idea how long it would take to see some improvement. I simple hope she won't die. She looks pretty bad but I must save her.

Out of purple?

Today I'll sohw you something funny my one phal does. She seems to be losing her purple color with each bloom. I haven't noticed that before. :)

About care - I water her every two weeks and nothing more. She seems to like it! :) 

If you have any questions or comments, leave them here and I'll anwere

Thank you

November update

Since it is first post in this blog, I'll start with the update. Here is majority of my plants, not all of them. Basically I believe that this is the only post where i put most of the plants. Next time I will post only about those who does something interesting at that time. So lets begin...

Lets start with Nelly Isler. She has been in bark media since August. Im not sure she is happy with it but it's good that I can't pick it up from media as I used to. So even though I can't see new roots, I'm sure she does something. Well as you can see, she has been suffering in lack of water but I must say, new growths in one half of the plant are pretty nice but I can't say it about other half. Well we'll see what she does for spring. If she's not getting better we will do something with her. Sphagnum moss again maybe - we'll see.

Zygopetalum no 3. She is the latest zygo I've purchased. She has 3 new growths but I can't see any spikes forming, it's OK though, it bloomed about two months ago with two spikes. Two growths are in very active growing but I cant say it about the third one. It is slightly lazy, but I'm happy about it, better slow-growint than rothin - right? lol This plant is not repoted after buying, but I will do it in spring. 

Little Zygo has finally two almost mature new growths and I didn't rot them, what a good news. Maybe I should rename her - she isn't that small anymore. Anyway I can't see any spikes forming - again, but I see lots and lots of new roots. So I just wait for another new growths. 

    

And the biggest zygo is the lazy one right now. She has lots of little new growths but they are not very actively growing. Probably she enjoys the autumn, good for her. lol
          

Well little Phalaenopsis plants are doing fantastic. They are both in spagnum moss and new roots are very healthy. Right now I'm waithing my order from Currlinist to repot at least one of them. The one which has at least 6cm of roots. The other one moves then into a big home made "green house" so hes leaves wont suffer that much. 

Talking about the mother plant, then she died. But I know it will happen sooner or later, she has grown two precious basal keikis which do very well. They only need little more humidity and warmth and that's what I give them to grow up. 

Since I'm already talking about Phals, lets talk about one cute white phal who has grown one basal keiki about three years ago. The reason why I talk about it, is that I'm hoping its going to bloom next summer. All my Phals bloom in June-August. 

Phal who I got from my boyfriend in last Womens day has so many roots that I'm still amazed she fits in her pot. I haven't repoted it yet but I will in spring. And she is making another spike from last one. Hope she will bloom for me, it surely has sentimental value. Also, don't worry about thirsty roots, she got water right after taking a picture. :D

Gigant Phal feels great. She lives with cymbidium and dendrobium nobile in north-west window. The new leaf you can see, grew like this with in two weeks. Awesome. The pot is also full of roots so probably i need to repot her AGAIN in spring. 

Dendrobium Pahalanopsis or Dendrobium Bigibbum does simply nothing. New growths that she has, has been there like this couple of months but she has no progress as I see. Well positive is that I haven't killed her, so let her do what she does, she seems to do it well. :D

Brassia 'Orange Delight' which I got for birthday is still in bloom. I can't say she is in active growth but she has new growths. I haven't repot her so I will do it in spring. 

I believe that my catasetum should be start thinking about dormancy, but she doesn't. She seems to be very happy in leaves. I must say, the little plant had one yellow leaf couple of weeks ago, but that's it. Nothing more. What I have learned recently is that I should whater her when the bulbs are starting to shrivle, but when I didn't water it about week, she still does nothing. And then my heart got aching and I waterd it, I don't know was it good or bad. Maybe she really didn't need the water. If someone can give me advise, it is very wellcome. Also its seedling (18-24 monthis untill bloming)

Well Catts and Encyclia. The big orange Catt had new growth, thats good. I didn't belive it will survive at all, she got very bad sunburn in summer and didn't do well since then. But now it has new growth about 3cm tall and I can see active red buds also, so probably I will have more new growths.

My Encyclia doesn't do much I must say. I can see that new growths are maturing but nothing else. No spikes no other new growths. Well we'll see what she's doing in spring. 

Little saved Catt is my favourite right now. Her big new growth is starting to open up her sheat and she already is making another new growths. What a good girl.

Paphiopedilum grows its new growths which she put out in summer. But still no flowers. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. But againg I'm happy she is alive.:D

Fake Colmanara has buds forming, so in couple of weeks she should be in bloom. The sad news is that some of her buds are deformed. As I said she is fake Colmanara (they sold me Colmanara) and her buds look exactly like my oncidium hybrid buds. So we will see what comes out of theb, but I'm pretty sure she is the same.

As I already talked about thet yellow oncidium, she is still in full bloom althought she is starting do finnish it. Some bloomes are already dried. But she still looks fantastic on my windowsill - like a little sunshine.

My Aliceara had put out new growth and I'm so happy about it. I can't see any spikes - againg- but new growths mean always something good. It is pretty big plant, I don't know why, but she likes to grow sideways.

I don't know what to do wiht Onc. Sotoanum which I ordered from Shcwerter. She simple does norhing. As you can see, she has been suffering in lack of water. Maybe I should repot her when I get my little pots...I don't know.

Promenaea is doing well. She grows little new growth. I hope she will survive winter so and in spring she will start grow much more. Probably I will purchase another Promenaea in spring in orchid meething.

I can't get very good picture about Tolumina but she does very well. She has put out one new growth which grows upside down - can't do nothing about it. I didn't make pictures about vandas but the both of them grow leaves and the white one has also active roost. So everything is okay.

Big Cymbidium blooms from her second spike and it is breath taking. Also she has one new growth. Little Cymbidium have 3 new growths and I suport their root-growing with some sphagnum moss.

Dendrobium Nobile babys do well. They get little fatter every day. Hopefully they survive winter and put out some keikis.

Last but not sure least my Psycopsis Papilio has new growth. It is very small and I can't picture it but it's there. Im so happy. I moved her close to artificial light, so I hope she will grow the little one pretty fast. 

So that was November update, too lot of time to write and lof of time to picture. Hope you like it. If you have any questions leave them into comments and I'll answere them. 

Happy growing and stay tuned. :)