Rlc Tribute X Rlc Memoria Crispin Rosales - Suprise In My Garden

Orchids can be such a suprise.  I purchased this unregistered cross as a small cutting about three years ago.  At first I had high hopes.  But the plant languished and looked like it was going to die.  But I kept watering it and taking care of it.  Earlier this year, it grew its first new bulbs, two of them.  One of the bulbs developed fast and before long I noticed a flower spike coming out of it.  Well, I was not going to get my hopes up this time.  Most orchids will have their buds open gradually, but the buds on this one showed no signs of opening.  It seemed to be doing nothing.

SUPRISE!  Yesterday afternoon the buds opened right up. 


The flower is very delicate and is tissue paper thin.  It has no fragrance.  The color is mostly a yellowish white.  Of course one can see the big purple lip on each blossom.  I doubt that the flower will last very long since it is so delicate.  Many cattleya will last two or three weeks, but some blooms may last as short as a day depending on the particular genus or hybrid.  With the photograph, I can enjoy it anytime.  In the meantime, this orchid is in my family room brightening my day.  May light shine in your life today!

Awarded Blue Ribbon - Blc Chyong Guu Chaffinch - 'Ta-Hsin' X Ctna Starrlyn 'Kate'

I have posted photos of this plant in bloom in the past.  This is the first time it has bloomed with five flowers.  This plant was awarded a blue ribbon at the recent SFOS monthly meeting.

THE BEAUTY OF GROWING ORCHIDS AS A HOBBY

Orchids have beautiful blooms.  Most anyone who grows orchids as a hobby is going to be primarily interested in getting his orchids to bloom.  Each person wants to enjoy the beauty.

Another beautiful thing about growing orchids for a hobby, like other hobbies, is that it is totally voluntary and discretionary.  One is only controlled by the requirements of the plant and how much effort one wants to put into the hobby.  A hobby orchidist only has his plants as his boss.  There are many different ways to grow orchids and everyone has his own preferences about how to go about it.  My suggestion is that one should listen to everyone.  One person's way may seem wrong to you, but it may be what works for her.  Use what you like and what works for you.  If what you are doing does not work, try something different.  There are many variables that can interact for your success or failure - moisture, light, temperature, nutrients, air movement, etc.  Each person's conditions affect what will work for him. 

My main suggestion.  Be observant.  Watch your plants to see what is happening and what is working and what is not.  If one thing is not working.  Try something else.

Since growing orchids as a hobby is totally discretionary, like all hobbies, one only does is for the enjoyment and beauty.  Those who grow and sell orchids for a vocation need to remember that no one really needs to buy orchids.  They do it for their enjoyment.  So have fun, smile, be nice.  Enlarge the circle, include everyone.  Just as the beauty and the many differences of each and every orchid draws one in and opens your life to the beauty ----- be open to the many differences of all of the orchid growers you encounter.  Enjoy the beauty.  Unlike an orchid, each person has a choice regarding the beauty of their actions.  Be beautiful, just like your orchids!

Blc Chyong Guu Chaffinch 'Ta-Hsin' X Ctna Starrlyn 'Kate'

I have previously posted a picture of this hybrid bloom on this blog.  I have two of these plants and this is the bloom from the second plant.  Amazingly, the blooms look quite different on the two plants. 

I was told regarding the first plant to bloom by someone who should know that the bloom did not look like the hybrid as described.  They implied that the plant may have been mislabeled.  Since I purchased the plant from a local orchid vendor, I thought that I would ask them.  I received the impression that they did not really want to be bothered with the question.  Finally, they did tell me that they had obtained the plant from another vendor at a show that did not want to transport the plant back with them.  They could not verify in any way whether the plant was really what the label claimed.  I have not been able to find any registration of this hybrid. 

Now that the second plant has bloomed and it looks quite different from the first, I wonder if one or both of these plants are mislabeled or whether there really can be this much variation between the appearance of blooms from one plant to another of the same hybrid.  I do like the appearance of this bloom much better than the first one.

This difference in appearance raised a number of questions.  How well do orchid vendors label their plants?  If you did not breed the hybrid, do you have any responsibility for proper representation of exactly what plant you are selling?  Can two plants of the same cross produce quite different blooms?

Does anyone have any experience with this?

RAINFALL IN SOUTH FLORIDA

If you grow orchids outdoors, then the amount of rain that you receive will be important to you.

April is typically a fairly dry month in South Florida.  This past April 2010 was about average as reported by a local South Florida rain station.

The actual rainfall total was reported as 3.84 inches.  The average April is 3.57.  The station shows 20 days without any rain at all.  There were only two days with rainfall over 1/2 of an inch and there was only one day with rainfall of over 1 inch.  There was one day that accounted for over 50% of the rain all month long.

Do you grow orchids outdoors in South Florida?  Pay attention to the amount of rain that you get.  Doing this will help make sure you are providing the right amount of water to your orchids.

I suggest a simple rain gauge in your backyard.  You can get one for just a few bucks at a local hardware store.

Have fun!  Be nice.

Redland International Orchid Festival

Do not forget the Redland International Orchid Festival.  It is May 14 - 16, 2010, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.  It is at the Fruit & Spice Park, 24801 SW 187th Avenue, Homestead Florida.  The admission is $7.00 and there promises to be over 60 orchid vendors.  This festival is an AOS judged event.  You can have your own orchids judged by bringing them to the Show Tent on May 14 between noon and 3:00 PM.  The judging begins at 3:00 PM.

There will be walking tours, orchid supply vendors, lectures and demonstrations, and food and drink.

I have attended this even for the past four years.  It is a great chance to travel south in Miami-Dade and see one of the county's parks and enjoy the orchids.  Compared to many of the other orchid events in South Florida, this one usually promises to be a warm outing.  I suggest wearing loose, cotton, and cool clothing.  Put on a big, floppy hat and enjoy the day.  In the past they have had covered areas to enjoy a bite to eat.