Oops, meant to say fall is here. Oh, well.

After what we've been through with the heat this summer and the rain and the hurricane and the floods in August, I'm with you. I'm really happy to see Fall, and I'll bet if they could talk, so are the plants.

Yep it's been hotter than Heck here. But all the "orcs" outside seem kinda happy.

What's Blooming???
The Dend. kingianum is sending up new p-bulbs
my white and red "Twinkle" are both spiking and/or flowering
catts are putting out new p-bulbs
Richard Mueller catt cross has two spikes w/5 buds each.(This blooms dependably twice a year)

I still haven't learned the nack for getting all the catts to bloom though. I know it's a light issue, just has to be.gb

After a SOLID week (ok, 6 DAYS !) of rain, rain, rain, and RAIN I'm sure my plants are more than glad to see the sun for a change !!! It's supposed to drop into the 40s Thursday night and for a few nights after.

Two Dens, a Ctsm are spiked, it confused my Coelogyne so much I think it quit spiking !

Returned from trip to New England to find Cat. George King Serendidpity had bloomed while I was gone
Vandas, Miss Joaquim and Ruby Prince, are going gangbusters
Ctna. Why Not
Den. Lorrie Mortimer
Den. Easter Bunny
den. bigibum
Den. Rainbow
Den. Concert Cana
5 or 6 other catts and another dozen or more dens whose names I can't remember

Some of the names I forgot:
Encyclia radiata
Lc. Tropical Pointer "Cheetah"
Den. Remy Hartmann "Two Tone"
Blc. Hawaiian Carmela Purple
Den. Medy Stripe
Den. Caroni Darcie

after some frost damage this winter and scorching hot weather this summer. and a little wind dmg on a few leaves from TS Lee.

{{gwi:196405}}
Den. Halealani Achangel 'Mini Pegasus' X Jaquelyn Thomas 'UH800 Short Spiker'

cj, I waited nine long days to read about your vast collection of flowering orchids. Regrettably, my list is rather sparse for this time of year. It has been a very WARM summer!

in FLOWER:
Cattleya Bob Betts
Brassavola nodosa
Lockhartia lunifera
Laelia lucasiana
Oncidium paranaense

in SPIKE:
Most of the above plus,

Lc Cypheri (C. forbesii X L. purpurata) Don't even question the nomenclature! This is a classic case of overzealous taxonomy and the resulting devastation.

Lycaste bradeorum

plus, many more as the outside temps are expected into the 40s F tomorrow evening! I will update soon!

--Stitz--

Chryss, I can sympathize with the rain. We had five solid days of it due to TS Lee, about 14" overall. We did need it, just not all at once.

Jank, you seem to have the right touch with Dendrobium hybrids.

Stitz, you have to save me a piece of that Lc Cypheri. Pretty please! That's a beautiful hybrid.

IN BLOOM:
Aerangis punctata
Brassavola cucullata
Brassavola nodosa 'Mem. Rick Johnson'
Brassavola nodosa 'Minnie Mouse'
Diplocaulobium tipuliferum 'Wilbur'
Encyclia aspera
Encyclia bracteata
Encyclia buchtienii
Lepanthopsis astrophora
Mexipedium xerophyticum - sequential
Phalaenopsis appendiculata
Phalaenopsis bellina
Phalaenopsis hieroglyphica
Phalaenopsis tetrapsis
Phalaenopsis venosa
Pleurothallis alata
Scaphyglottis cuneata (proliferu)
Stelis morganii - last flower
Trichoglottis bataanensis
Trichoglottis tomentosa
Angraecum Shooting Star (florulentum x eburnum v.xerophylum)
Barkeria Marsh Melton (whartoniana x melancaulon)
Bc Tripp's Grandma (C Tripp Johnston x B. nodosa)
Brassavola Crazyarachno (perrinii x cucullata)
Cattleya Quinquecolor (aclandiae x forbesii)
Darwinara Charm 'Blue Star'(Neo falcata x Vasco. Tham Yuen Hae)
Encyclia (bracteata x atrorubens)
Epicattleya Joseph Beckenbach (guttata alba x tampense alba)
Eplc (Lc Sunset Flare x Epi tampense)
Renanetia Sunrise 'Prasong' AM/AOS (Neo falcata x Renanthera imschootiana)
Rolfeara Creole (Bc Daffodil x S. cernua)
Rumrillara Margaret's Jewels (Ascf Peaches x Rhyn coelestis)
Rumrillara Sugar Baby (Neostylis Lou Sneary x Asctm miniatum)
Stellamizutaara Red Thompson (Ctna Why Not x B. nodosa)
Vascostylis Viboon Velvet 'Perfection' (Ascda Tubtim Velvet x Rhyn coelestis)

IN SPIKE:
Aerangis biloba
Aerangis distincta
Aerangis kotschyana
Aerangis mystacidii
Aerangis mooreana
Aerangis mystacidii x decaryana
Aerangis Winter Snow (Winter Dove 'Peace' x fastuosa)
Angraecum firthiii
Esmeralda cathcartii - spikes just starting
Euryangis Galeankotsch (Eury galeandrae x Aerangis kotschiana)
Gastrochilus acutifolius
Nakamotoara Gene Gadilhe (Neo falcata x Ascda Yip Sum Wah)
Plectrelminthus caudata
Schoenorchis buddleiflora
Summerangis Ivory Star (Aerangis biloba x Summerhayesia laurentii)
Vascostylis Mem. Fay Glascott (Vasc Mona Heider x V. tesselata 'RF Orchids AM/AOS) - finally, waited 6 years

Hi everyone, I am new here and I would like to start with orchids.....sugestions....where can I start, how much cost an orchid...where buy them?
Thank you.
Christina

Christina may I suggest you visit a Trader Joe's if you have one close. They will probably have a good starter orchid for you. Look for a "Moth Orchid", that's a good starting point.Or go to the library and get some orchid books out, read a little bit of those and see how your growing environment compares with what they need.

Hey guys I also discovered a newly emerging spike on a "Red Sparrow" Neofinetia and one of my Zygos. is sending up buds too!!! Yeah me!!gb

In the Minneapolis area, we were down in the 40s last weekend. Coldest night recently has been 38.

The Neos go outside tomorrow.

Blooming:
Dendrobium ceraula (gonzalesii) - profusely!
Dendrobium oligophyllum
Dtps Ever Spring Prince 'Pretty Cat'

Habenaria medusae Woo hoo!!!

Phal I-Hsin Salmon 'Joy No. 3'
Phal javanica
Phal Summer Beach

Spiking:
Catasetum pileatum
Cycnoches Jean E. Monnier
Dtps Queen Beer
Encyclia prismatocarpa
Ethyle 'Bill Teele' AM/AOS (Brass. nodosa x Prosthechea citrina)
Phal Cranberry Queen 'Regal'
Phal speciosa 'C#1'

Compared to other flowers in my collection, the Pretty Cat blossoms are large. They're a riotous contrast to the fading green outside.

Why are you putting your Neos outside now if they haven't been outside? Neos can take lower temps but do not need them to bloom. Do you do this every year?

Brooke

I brought the warm growers in this weekend and put out some of the intermediates. I'm having a decent summer...

For me:

Blooming:
Paph niveum
Paph liemianum
Paph Oto
Paph (Barbi Playmate x �x???)
Paph Maudie hybrid
Phal equestris
Phal pulcherrima var. champorensis
Phal Sogo Grape
Phal Samera
Phal violacea v. alba
Phal delicosium
Phrag Barbara LeeAnn x longifolium (1 blooming, 1 in spike)
B. nodosa
C intermedia
Asc. Cherry Blossom

Spiking:
Paph venusum
Paph Fumi Gold
Paph spicerianum
Paph wenshanense
Paph delantii
Phal speciosa C#1
C intermidea (aquino cross)
Asc Barbra Elmore "Pralor" (1st time in 8+ years!!!)

Bob

Jank, I would have been devastated if my Serendipity would have bloomed and I wasn't there!

Mine has a sheath and I've been waiting all summer for a bud.

Bob you are such a pouch pusher!!! Oh what am I talking about I don't need any encouragement to slip further into the "slipper side". I'm just really jealous of all that yummy stuff that you have blooming. Now I will confess how much of an idiot that I am!!!! I have all these paphs and only put one outside this year. I guess my thinking process was "Well it's just aliitle too hot for them so I"ll wait until it cools a bit." Well they never ended up going anywhere. The one I have outside (Armeni White x prim) is sending up a new fan, so that's a good thing.I'm just going to chalk it up as a good resting period. Oh by the way, the paph that got the HCC is STILL blooming.It started blooming in March.It is great throwing everything outside in the summer, bad side is bringing it back in. Oh well I think I'll be heading out to the Home store for a case of light bulbs soon.gb

Orchid126, yes, I was not a cappy hamper (errr.... happy camper).
It was so beautiful LAST year.
Good luck with yours!!!

ginnibug,

Of the paphs listed, the only ones left inside this summer were the spicer and the 3 hybrids (I think they are considered Intermediate), the rest really liked being out.

I started another thread with 3 that I'm struggling with currently. Not sure why they are doign as well as the some of the others.

Bob

Hi Brook. My orchids grow indoors all year. 3-4 years ago, an old-timer from here said they "like" the lower temps, and I've put them out twice a year in the cool weather since. His tips from back then have been pretty much golden for my conditions.

It may not make any difference to the Neos, but *I* feel better. :)

Does that answer your questions? WC8

WC8 I personally am sooo happy to see that you're back in the swing of things. I knew you could get through the seasonal symptoms you were having, and truly I figured the orchids would help in a way. With the orchids going outside in the summer is even more of a boost. I love my plants but if I have them inside year round they really suffer. Now that I have seen all the benefits they get from being at "summercamp",I realize how much they were suffering from my inappropriate care. I was caring for them, yes, but I was occasionally ignoring them from time restraints and sometimes I just needed a break!So hey, it's a win/win.Anyway I just wanted to say that I'm so happy that you are still here growing with us. Really I'm happy that this is such a nice little group. We can sometimes get some good threads going with tons of education. gb

Hi Ginni. For the last maybe 4 years, the orchids have been in the house all year. As long as I water them regularly, they seem mostly fine. :)

One advantage to growing in the house all the time is there's no empty shelf space in the orchid room to fill up with "just a few" plants while the rest are outside.

Thanks for your kind words. WC

WC your friend is correct the Neo's "like" the cool temps in their native habitat. As long as it makes *you* feel better and you remember to bring it in before it freezes, then all is good with the world. I'm sure it appreciates the extra light.

Brooke

Shhhhhhh! Don't say anything about the empty shelf space! I thought that was my little secret...gb;)