I have most of mine right in the ground. I didn't do anything special to the soil, but it consists of 14 years of mulch breaking down. The ones I have in pots are just in regular potting soil. :o)

Love the photo's of yours.

Lellie, I grow mine the same way Katkin grows hers. I only have the garden-variety orange ones, though. Don't know if your fancy ones are pickier. They sure are pretty and soo colorful!

Anna

Regular ol' soil???????
Finally!...a not-so-picky Orchid...LOL

Thanks!

Hi
Is there a way they will not grow?? lol The best are in a trough with pine bark fines a little peat . I like to stick them in Catt pots where they will grow but don't flower as much. I started a "hedge" using 3 kinds of Vandas along with 3 kinds of reeds. Using fir bark as a base with palms holding the whole thing up . Someday it should be spectacular lol.
I find the other colors outside of yellow and orange MUCH more difficult to grow. Particularly the white
One of my favorites is Epicatts gets the best of both parents IMO.
Did you give up on the Thelymitra??. I found a source in Oregon so I wouldn't have to import . VERY TEMPTING!!! gary

I love them for that reason. Just a couple of those root, and you can start a whole new plant. They are not picky at all. Sun, shade, water, drought, they just keep on growing. Mine get ferilizer when I do the rest of my shrubs. ;o) I have one hybrid that doesn't like to dry out though.

Those are very pretty. I don't think I have seen the colors you have. Where can I buy some? I am in Port Saint Lucie.

I have several that I received at swaps that have never bloomed. One is HUGE. They live in pots. I must be doing something wrong.

Sharbear, email me and I'll give you some cuttings.

I must be doing something wrong.
Not enough light

Most of mine are in full sun. ;o)

Sharbear, I am in PSL and we should get together sometime. Marion, maybe when you come over with Iris. :o)

Thanks all!!!

Sharbear: I can't remember where I got them.
Could've been 'The Plant Place' on RT 41 in Bradenton/Sarasota, our local nursery on the Island(now closed) or Walmart.
If I see them again, I'll letcha know. :)

Hey gary...so...you're saying those that you're growing in pots haven't bloomed?
Most Orchids like tight shoes...apparently these don't?

I'd love to see some pics of your 'hedge'!!
Sounds very interesting.
I'll bet its a sight when in bloom!

Would you be willing to share the Oregon company?
I'm up for a challenge...although I'm in the midst of a 'growing war' with a Zygo...LOLAM

Most Orchids like tight shoes
Most orchids do not care for the tight fit, but rather for the good drainage - and pots with less medium accommodate that. Hence the belief that most orchids need to be underpotted :)
-- Same orchids do wonderfully on mounts and in huge baskets with no medium

Your reedstems are beautiful...While most posters grow Epidendrum radicans (an orange epi - loves full sun and not picky about medium at all), yours are hybrid, and I would not rush to the same method...

I grow my hybrids in whatever orchid mix leftover I have, but I have them stay in pots, to provide better drainage. I tend to treat hybrid epis more like cattleyas - maybe a tad more light, and I am bit more sloppy with the medium - throw in whatever, add a few lava rocks, and ready to go!

It is not to say that planting them in regular soil would not work. It has been my experience that they appreciate to be in a pot - maybe try both?

I really like this website, good discussion on Epis
http://www.orchidmall.com/general/epi_art.htm

Thank you, Miss Olya!
Yours is very sweet...what a great color!

I kinda had a feeling that the hybrids needed different culture...thanks for the link.

Hi
IMHE they can and do grow in every method . I grow most of my CAtts in tree fern suspended on wires . The Epi's grow this way but not to the degree they grow in a trough.
Can't help but stick a few Epi's in whenever I repot.
They seem to be at least semi epiphytic but grown this way they tend to grow through the roof of the shadehouse.
This also happens to the terete vandas. Requires that you get on the roof to see the flowers lol
The "hedge " came from some pix a friend sent me from Singapore. They grew them on stretched wire much like grapes . Unfortuneately my friend doesn't know a vanda from a dandelion though the Vandas were towering 3 feet above his head he didn't even mention it lol
I reseached the methods used by the garden and since I had several offsets and 2 queen palms I'm trying to grow together.lol Have two strap leaf, five semi terete and four teretes in the group . Epidendrums were tucked into the base as I used a trough as the basis . It's less than 3 years old but all have done fantastic so far . have got a few flowers from the teretes and epidendrum and got a spike coming on the semi terete.. Some day it will be glorious or that cold wave of the century to wipe them out?? lol. Since I'm old I figure I should be far more adventurous with my methods??
As to the Thelymitra I believe I saw some at the WOC as the heavenly blue sticks in my mind and what's rarer than Blue orchids"?? Anyway ,on researching the family they do have a wide range so maybe not too tempermental?? But they are terrestrial and my track record with terrests is dismal lol Sure a lot of Austalian plants that grow in florida I figure but I fear they may be seasonal as they range on the south of the continent. which has distinct seasons.
They are being grown in the US but are certainly rare.
An Oregon co. had them listed but you had to enquire about availability as well as price. That scared me off lol Even though they seem rather common through the range tough to find culture info except on the Pacific Bulb
org. No sources though. Would much rather buy the starts in Florida if I can find them??? gary

Would much rather buy the starts in Florida if I can find them???

It is usually for a reason that a plant cant be found in Florida...It most likely wont grow in Florida, and, deep down, you know that! :)

Not a lot of Aussie orchids are happy here....I cant name but one or two

Olya
What about dendrobiums,Phaius.. You could plant several acres with dends alone lol What is there around 2,000 species??? 75 of Phaius alone.
The Thelymita comes from a bulb and I suspect a long very dry rest period judging from a map . Also the range extends about a third of the continent so maybe even not so cold?? If it can be done I'll bet there's somebody in Florida doing it . Could see where they would have little commercial value though which would account for the rarity?? How many florida native orchids can you find?? There are several other closely related species which may be more appropriate??
Certainly wouldn't want to fight with a long dry and COLD rest period.
When you think about it most of the orchids being cultured are tropical epiphytes about 80 percent hybrids??
There is an article on them on the Pacific Bulb Society website if interested. gary

By all means, you should give it a try, if you can find it. The orchid is stunning

Me, I am done trying to things that are not fully suitable for growing here...I have a number of Aussie dendrobiums and none of them are as floriferous as they should be (I love speciosums and have a big selection of species, different vars and their hybrids) and kingianiums...

Phaius, I tried a few different species, and only our good old Nun's orchid is doing great...

Or, take cymbidiums...Grow as weeds in Australia and California, but the fast majority, unless bred for heat tolerance, will not flower here...

There are a ton of orchids that will grow here no problems, so to me, it is not worth trying hard to grow something that does not belong. I tried miltonias - I love the pansy looking flowers and of the original stock, I have two plants left that are hanging in there and give a flower or two, but have not changed in size. Instead, I moved on to Brazilian miltonias...just as pretty, and...grow as weeds!

For a while, I was fascinated with disas and masdevallias...The only masdies that survived (three :)) are of Brazilian origin...

Then, it was red phrags ...and etc

Now, I am growing mostly what belongs :) And thousands do! I grow a lot of Brazilian species, Borneo species, and their hybrids...
No matter how pretty, it is sad watching the orchid linger - and they take forever before they finally die! :)

But, by all means, it is worth a try. I am still not giving up on my Phragmipedium besseae hybrids and Speciousums. And I am certainly wishing I could grow easily Lycaste skinneri, Dendrobium victoriae-reginae (tried twice and failed, for the species) and Masdevallia coccinea (will not attempt to try...)

Olya

Olya
I hear ya!!! lol Would you believe orchids were the first plants I ever tried to grow.lol When we first moved here a neighbor gave me her collection of ten plants .Since everybody knows "Orchids grow like weeds" in florida lol I just hung them up in the screen room and tended to them occasionaly. I still have 3 of them but have never become "weedy"lol
Lellie had asked about the Thelymitra on the orchid forum and due to the color they were always one I was interested in. Was curious if she'd found a source.
Not for me for sure . I'm pushing 70 and still trying to cope with my "understory palm and tropical seed phase lol"
Three of these actually grew and now have to figure out what to do with them!!. My entire grow area is only 35x50 and contains 3 ponds two shadehouses and an outdoor aviary.
It was so nice when my stuff died right away didn;t have a problem then lol.
Have a similar experience with Phaius,tanks easy tank xflava hybrid limping along. have recently added a bed next to the shadehouse for terrests . Too soon for results
But how can you resist those 7/10 dollar specimens?? lol
Lellie Certainly didn't mean to hi jack your thread
If you decide to try the Thelymitra please keep us updated?? There is some info on the internet even a bit of culture info . Was surprised to find there is even a hybrid?? Good luck!!! gary

My entire grow area is only 35x50 and contains 3 ponds two shadehouses and an outdoor aviary

Your growing area sounds fantastic

Yes, Lellie, Gary is right, sorry to hijack the thread ;)