January 22 - 31 2010 mailing list messages

2010 Archived Messages

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From: Geoff Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: sorry...
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 2010 10:15

sorry about that last message − I don't know how it happened − I am having a bit of PC difficulty, having (needed) to do a clean instal of my operating system, and choosing to update to Windows 7. No problems there, except that I can't get my server settings back for my preferred e-mail ( talktalk.net tell me my password, and then it gets refused − very frustrating − an hour on the telephone to Bangalore etc etc ... you know the feeling !I expect ). So I am using my laptop , and an unfamilar programme − goodness knows how the ATI files got on to that last message or why it appears in code.

However the real message is that Ecuagenera will take orders for delivery at the London Show, if you are quick , and one of the enclosures is their price l;ist − in dollars I presume.

From: Tricia Garner
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: sorry...
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 2010 10:30

Hi all, I managed to extract the file (Ecuagenera Price List) and
have attached it.

From: David Martin
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Re: sorry...
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 2010 11:15

From: PG Hieke
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Re: sorry...
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 2010 09:50

Yes, the file is readable, thank you very much. I wish I could buy some plants, but
this not possible.
I'm too far away from London.

> Hi all, I managed to extract the file (Ecuagenera Price List) and
> have attached it. Hope it is readable.
>
> Tricia
>
> Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

From: Michael Spencer
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] building an orchid house
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 2010 19:30

I have been lurking here on this list for some time, and want to ask a question of the group. First, let me say that I am a columnist for the Naples Daily News and have recently been given the assignment to talk about building an orchid house here in southwest Florida.

Does anyone know a source for some background material, where I can find perhaps a checklist, or considerations for different types of orchids, and perhaps how to handle the environmental controls, how much room needed for supplies, etc.? Pros and cons of building it yourself or purchasing a kit, too.

It's a broad question, I know! But thanks, if anyone can point me in the right direction?

http://www.msadesign.com
239.598.2828
866-794-7515
Blog
Naples Daily News Weekly Column

From: Roger Grier
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] building an orchid house
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2010 10:10

As you are from Naples, where we twice had a nice holiday, maybe you might like to ask the advice of Judy and Dave of 'Jade Orchids' 285 Morgan Road. Naples. That is of course if they still have their Orchid Nursery there?

Try this for starters, and if you get no joy, then come back to me as I may be able to drum up some more help close to hand.

From: Geoffrey Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] building an orchid house
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2010 11:20

I did some research on costs and cost savings, using different glazing
materials, a few years ago, when building one particular new greenhouse in
UK ( I reckon that after almost 50 years of orchid growing living at more
than 7 different locations around UK I have built or significantly modified
about 19 different growing houses.) .

But I think our weather is rather different from what I remember of my few
weeks spent touring your delightful State a few years ago ( the best
Italian restaurant I have ever visited including my trips to Italy, was in
Naples, Florida, as I remember) , and your material costs and energy costs
are probably quite different too, so it might be little more than one
starting point. It is stored on the group web-site somewhere − Tricia who
does all the work running the site , mentioned it recently and if you can't
find it, will perhaps help.

Personally I don't keep much by way of supplies in the orchid-house itself ;
when paying out good money just to keep the plants warm enough in the
winter, it makes sense to use all the available bench space for plants − and
hang them up in the roof too − making two layers. Underneath my benches it
is either too wet for useful storage because of humidification or drips from
plants, or is actually used for storage of rainwater so that it is at
greenhouse temperature ready for use, and to bridge me through rain-less
spells.

Environmental controls means electrics at some point − and electricity and
greenhouse humidity and water being splashed about are not a good
combination; I find that most "waterproof" fittings were not designed with
our needs in mind, and first class trip-out switches − known in UK as
Residual Current Devices (RCDs) are absolutely essential for safety .

From: Geoffrey Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: latest pics
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 2010 10:15

Dendrobiums ; I put my plants in the lean-to unheated house where I grow my
tomatoes in the summer, putting them there late September or thereabouts -
if I am away at the time then maybe early October. They stay there, while I
look at the night's weather forecast, and watch the temperature ( which I
can read from a wireless link, without leaving the warmth of the house).
When it gets down towards 5 or 6 deg.C it's time to bring them back into the
orchid house. I think they had 6 weeks this year. No water of course. It is
long enough for many dendrobes, but not all. What I intended to do, and may
get around to doing, is put a properly controlled fan heater in there so as
to be able to maintain say 7 or 8 degrees even if the frosts come − but the
ordinary 'stats are not accurate enough for a small lean-to, and when I have
tried before I have found the temperature up to 25 rather than down to what
I want.

283 Pearl Princess and 285 Spring Dream are both nobile types; the Spring
Dream is I think a patented one, so it's naughty to propagate .but Dennis's
technique of flowered leafless canes laid on moss brings a good crop with
nobile dendrobes I find,and in hydroponics they flower within a year − as
15cm high single canes with a couple of flowers. But I prefer to grow them
more conventionally , and that way they get to have a few canes of say 30cm
or within a couple of years and are on their way to being worthwhile .

284. Sharry Baby well known oncidium hybrid. I have grown a few un-named
clones and not liked either the flowers or the scent, but this one,
meristemmed I believe is much nicer."Tricolor" is the correct variety name I
think.

287 − a real cracker. Such an unusual colour, the pic may not be quite
correct ( my problem in the greenhouse is the lights give a sodium glare
yellow cast − but its not easy to get it right in the studio with flash,
either ). This one available from our friend/member Kenneth − Akerne
Orchids. ( just send me a bottle of Belgian champagne as commission please
Kenneth − joke ) . A nice sized flower too − 12 or 13 cm I would guess.

288 C. trianei . a species, of course. Rather oddly proportioned flowers .
But like many cattleyas, there is the regression feature ( read all about it
in Withners classic cattleya series ) making every plant different from the
next. Also it's a first flowering in Uk after coming across the Atlantic
last Spring , so may well be better in all areas next year. Interesting too
in having two flowers, one on top of the bulb, as per usual, and the other
on a flowering stem with no bulb/cane or leaf. I know that a few soecies do
this, but there is no mention of it in Withner in relation to trianei. It
will be interesting too, to see if the flower only growth has any extension
growth buds to lead to a new bulb .

286 Lost label. A nice one too ; but as a hybrid, I doubt anyone can give me
a name.

289 C. quadricolor. Doesn't open flat − it's not supposed to, although its
not cleistogamous as the other non-completely opening cattleya ( aurantiaca)
is.The four colors by the way are white, lavender ( faint flush in the lip
tubular part) purple and yellow ( also flush in the lip ). Quite a handsome
flower I think when the plant is better established, medium sized flowers.

From: Geoffrey Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: a few more pics
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 2010 10:30

290. Super flowers, but not many here, as my plant fell apart when I
repotted it, and I made three small plants, of which this is one not yet
very big.

291 Jewel Box − an old and famous mini-catt . my mere 5 inch pot now ( only
now) starting to grow decently, still hnas three flowering growth and 5
flowers.

The cycnoches is a first flowering , hence only one flower, and maybe bigger
than I shall get when I see a long spray of them.

293. An unusual cross here − Vanda coerulea ( in the rosea form here − which
makes nonsense of the grex name !) crossed with Aerides lawrenceana.

It actually seems to have some of the good features of both ; upright spike
instead of drooping ( Vada influence) more open flowers than the Aerides,
larger too , and the V. coerulea influence can be seen from the twisted
lateral petals. Size intermediate too − flowers say 6-7 cm.

294 sold by Orchis under the name Ah Chun Yo Yo , but Orchid Wiz has it as
shown on my file label, two words not four, and a g in the middle. A nice
small cattg, good for a (man's) buttonhole − I'll hope for better on the
plant when growing more strongly.

296. Renanthera bella. A species. Rather poor flower shape, but good size -
8-9 cm north-south , and of course intense colour. A first flowering on a
plant which − by the standards mentioned by our Aussie members is tiny -
butin UK we have to be glad to get reantheras to bloom at all − I guess they
will all be amazed when (if) I take this plant to my orchid society , and
truth to tell with my conditions aimed at Vandas and Cattleyas, rfenantheras
seem to bloom pretty easily . I have one other out, and two others in early
spike, and I I don't have that many.

295 this dendrobe is , to tell the truth, disappointing me by flowering at
all. It seems that the winter rest last year ( 2008) was not enough to stop
the canes growing, so they continued in 2009 and are now a metre or so high.
This (2009) year's rest has been enough to give me flowers as seen from the
lower part of the stems, none from the top − I was hoping to see flowers all
the way up..

From: David Martin
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Emailing: Dendrobium transparens (2), Dendrobium transparens, Dendrobium yondi gold, dendrobium yondi gold, Full gtreenhous
Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:25

The white Dendrobium transparens I got from Marie Selby Gardens in
Sarasota Florida in 1997. It grows like a weed in my greenhouse and is a
metre across now. This is only about a quarter of the plant, the rest
being split up and given away over the years. It's flowering quite well
considering how dark the weather has been this winter.

The Dendrobium Yondi Gold I got from Florafest in Australia. It flowers
without fail every year, and has a similar scent to Den speciosum which
is in the parentage.

From: Ron Bower
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Tiny Orchid
Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:50

There is a item in the February issue of The Garden which is the journal of the Royal Horticultural Society and is to the effect that a Botanist, Lou Jist, brought some new orchids from Ecuador, Cerro Candellaria, with the intention of growing them in his greenhouse. Apparently some months on he noticed a small plant of Platystele amongst the roots of a larger plant. Apparently he realised that it was different and more interesting than the larger plants as it was only 2,1mm(1/12in) wide with transparent petals.
There is a enlarged picture, about 1.5 inches, of the tiny floweret and which looks quite fascinating.
It goes on to say that CERRO Canderlaria covers 6.800 acres of central Ecuador and is one of 4 reserves owned by World Land Trust, partner the Ecominga Foundation and which LOU is a co founder.
I find it difficult to imagine how the spike, presuming there is a spike, how will it look. How many florets to a spike? and should there is a spike. and If they are numerous it would look rather like Lilac, or Buddleia Davidii perhaps. Perhaps Mr Jost may see this and enlighten us further.

This is only the jist of the article, enough I trust for those who are interested. I thought it best not to copy it word for word as it may be an infringement of copyright.

From: Tricia Garner
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: Tiny Orchid
Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 22:40

I think this is the orchid mentioned by Dennis last November. This is
the link he sent, which is still active and there is a picture of the
flowers:

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/smallest-orchid-in-the-world-is-found-1831104.html

From: Ron Bower
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Tiny Orchid
Date: Sat, 30 Jan 2010 20:05

Hello Trish,
Yes indeed this is the same as the RHS item, The picture shows more of the
spike stem but not the flower. However I must say that nothing that I see in
either of them makes me want to rush and buy one, even if I knew where to
get it.
Ecuador sure is a long walk before breakfast.
However I would like to see the flower in the real or infact a life size
picture.

From: Geoffrey Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Emailing: Dendrobium transparens (2), Dendrobium transparens, Dendrobium yondi gold, dendrobium yondi gold, Fu
Date: Sun, 31 Jan 2010 07:25

Yondi Gold looks much bigger flowers than speciosum ? Is it any easier to
flower, do you think ?
( The first speciosum I had I raised from one of Dick Warrens tiny seedlings
- not much more than 1cm high single growth of course , and very many years
later ( 10, 15 ? ) with bulbs the size of a milk bottle and never a
flower, whatever I tried , I gave it away. And I have not felt any urgent
desire to try again.

Your D transparens flowers look similar to the Xmas Chime I showed recently,
although its is not in the parentage of the hybrid ; a coincidence . A super
plant you have grown -its very rewarding to have something like this in the
greenhouse, although when they get as big as this, it is a bit of a puzzler
- to keep or not to keep, and in the latter case make room for half a dozen
or more things one wants, but has no room for.

After splitting up my big Bulbo. Elizabeth Anne, I can find room for the
little pots with parsnip and early peas I will start here, before shifting
to the unheated greenhouse to harden off before planting out. Most years
they can go out in late February here with our favoured south coast climate,
but today on the last day of January I went out at 6 am on my way for an
early swim, and found the temperature down to minus 7 − perhaps our coldest
night of the winter , so I'm not sure about sowing my first vegetable seeds
early this year.

From: Geoffrey Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Tiny Orchid
Date: Sun, 31 Jan 2010 08:10

I read that bit too, but size in flowers is a rather curious and strangely
emotive question.

Big flowers are almost automatically gross, and ugly (?) Why, if they are
merely a beautiful small flower multiplied by four or five ? I don't know
the answer to that.

From: Geoffrey Hands
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Orchid Society speakers
Date: Sun, 31 Jan 2010 08:20

We just had our meeting of Bournemouth OS a couple of days ago , and had the
best talk I have heard on an orchid subject, for many a long year. A speaker
who really knew his subject inside out , with first class interesting
habitat photographs. Completely filled his allotted time to speak with no
waffle. Absolutely to be recommended if you can get him for your Society.

Brilliant, Rog. Well done. I was not the only one in my Society with the
same view. What a pity there are not a few more like you , talking in the
same way about tropical orchids.

From: Tricia Garner
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Tiny Orchid
Date: Sun, 31 Jan 2010 17:45

Here at Garner Towers we rather like miniature orchids, but
appreciate they are not everyone's cup of tea :-)

From: N & T Burgess
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Lycaste Cassiopeia 'Wyld Peach' (2)
Date: Sun, 31 Jan 2010 18:30

This is a plant bought back in 2007 for £5 at an OSGB meeting a deceased member's plant (Pepe, some people on the list will have known him).
I have tried it in several places hoping it would flower, to no avail, until now and it seems to be making up for lost time − seven in flower and two to go!
Very pleased with the colour, just wish the leaves were not so enormous.
Norma

From: David Martin
To: Orchid Talk List
Subject: Re: [OrchidTalk] Lycaste Cassiopeia 'Wyld Peach' (2)
Date: Sun, 31 Jan 2010 23:10

MONTH	DATE	DATE	DATE	DATE	MONTH	DATE	DATE	DATE	DATE
January	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-31	February	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-28
March	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-31	April	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-30
May	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-31	June	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-30
July	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-31	August	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-31
September	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-30	October	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-31
November	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-30	December	1-7	8-14	15-21	22-31

2010 Archived Messages

January 22—31