Greetings all.
I have been growing orchids since I got a cutting from the branch secretary about ten years ago. She had a dendrobium that someone had given her mother, who was trying to drown it - typical problem it seems. She prought it to work as a "rescue" project which she did well. It was blooming for her and growing new stalks but was off center in the pot. One stalk was on top of the rim and a new one was hanging out in the air. She needed to repot it and I said I would help - malice of fore thought. As the day approached I begin to suggest that the one stalk could be cut off to make a new plant since it had several big roots hanging out of it. She agreed and I brought in a razor saw to perform the "surgery" - good thing it was a saw - those stalks are tough! I potted it and took it up to my room, just above hers with a big southern window. I thrived and bloomed for me.
Later she got another dendrobium from her mothers friend, again in sad shape. We nursed it back to health successfully. When I retired I got her to let me have a cutting from it - which is getting ready to bloom again. She also gave two orchids that were not in bloom with the comment, I would have to wait to see what they looked like. After something like five years I finally had blooms on the Buranaglade - see my gallery. The other has grown enough that I was able to give her a cutting, and hers has bloomed. But alas mine has steadfastly refused to bloom.
I got two dendrobiums that were on sale and split them. Gave the cuttings to her and kept the plants but now am not sure which ones they are. :-(
I started to live out in the country after I retired and the lady across the street gave me a phalenopsis that her son's girlfriend, Kitty, had saved after her sister threw it out. The mother, Janet, didn't have room for it so I got it. It is just finishing from having 20 blooms on it. It is my biggest plant, the leaves are something like 12 inches long and three to four wide. It is the pink one on the bottom shelf in my album
"My orchids".
Later the girl next door to Janet, Wendy, brought three pots of phalenopsis from her friends in DC since they couldn't get the to bloom. When I repotted them I found two in one pot. Two have bloomed, see gallery - if you can tell what they are I would appreciate knowing.
Well that is enough for a start, more as I have time.
Larry
About how I got started with orchids. 1st post.
Larry! i loved your orchid shelves!!
, I forgot about the two phalenopsis that Steve, Janet's son, gave me from a friend of his. They were in really SAD shape. He had overwatered them so when I went to repot them there were NO roots at all. I kept them alive by keeping the root stalk, if that what you would call it, in water. After over a year one of them just gave up and died. At this point I figured drastic action was needed. I pulled off the bottom leaf to reduce the transpiration. Then partially tore the next leaf up from it. Into the wound I packed Roottone. It finally started growing a new leaf in the joint where the Roottone was packed. It is now got good roots and four leaves, the newest is a good size.
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