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Hello again,
About 4-5 years ago Liese removed a tray off the the bench in House #1 and noticed that a small clump of roots had taken purchase underneath in the metal mesh. It was a Polyrrhiza (Dendrophylax) lindeni, the famous leafless "Ghost Orchid" of Orchid Thief (book) and "Adaptation" (Nicholas Cage movie) fame. A piece of a juvenile Ghost plant had fallen off of it's hanging mount, got stuck in the wire, and we had unwittingly placed a tray over the top of it. Apparently, the plant had received enough reflective light from below, as well as sufficient moisture, to survive. We decided to leave it uncovered, and have been watching it grow and entwine itself ever since. About a week ago, it bloomed. Check it out below....  | |
Ghost on a Bench!
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Click on the photo if you would like to order a "Ghost" for yourself for $15.00. Plants available are about 5 years to bloom. If you wish to purchase the plant above, please bring an acetylene cutting torch and $250.00 to the greenhouse. |
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NEW PLANT RELEASES FOR SALE NOW!
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New offerings just added to the website
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Growing Tip of the Month - by Liese
| |  A Little Levity.....
A guy walks into an orchid nursery (stop me if you've heard this one) and chooses a beautiful specimen with a double spike of lovely flowers and buds. He asks the sales associate for the price. "Twenty dollars," is the response.
"TWENTY DOLLARS!!!" shouts the man, "that's sounds kind of steep!"
To which the sales associate responds, "What do you think---that orchids grow on trees or something?"
(Thanks to Carl Nerding for what we believe to be an original story!)
In reality, orchids DO grow on trees, at least a vast majority of them do....Sure, there are some terrestrials that grow on the jungle floor and in the woods where you live, but most have a home in the crotch of or in a branch of a tree in the rainforest.
Their roots are exposed to the light and humidity around them. They enjoy the tropical breezes and rainstorms. One must keep this in mind when growing and re-potting orchids. Most orchids like the big chunky bark mixes that hold a bit of moisture around their roots, yet also allow an ample amount of air to penetrate the mix.
Most orchids like to be watered thoroughly, then left to dry out quickly. It should take an orchid plant 4-7 days to dry out before water is needed. If your plants are staying wet longer than a week, then they are not getting enough air to the roots. If this is allowed to happen over a period of time, root rot is bound to occur.
Some people grow in very loose, airy media, or even in a basket with no media around the roots. Orchids love this.....as long as there is enough moisture in the air to keep the plant hydrated. When growing in this fashion, watering once or twice a day may be required.
In very dry climates, a denser, finer grade mix can be used. This type of mix will hold more moisture for the plant, and subsequently require less frequent watering.
In very humid growing conditions, a chunkier potting material works best. The air is better able to get into the mix, allowing the roots system to dry out, thus preventing root rot.
By keeping in mind the natural environment and growing conditions of your orchids, you can give them what they need to produce healthy leaves, roots, and flowers.
Enjoy the hobby!
Liese
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Enjoy the beginning of our summer!
Sincerely,
Greg, Liese and Hermann
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