November status...

[shakkai]

I have started doing a monthly progress report for my collection. This has been particularly useful for me to see how the new additions of the past couple months have settled in.

(Hopefully I'll be able to get photos this weekend to post as well...)

Here are the ones that are doing very well (blooms to come in bold):

Dryadella hirtzii - starting new growth
Lepanthopsis astrophora 'Stalky' - 1 spike starting
Masdevallia Chaparana 'Eruption' - 4 new growths
Masdevallia Magdalena - great new root growth
Masdevallia Bocking Hybrid - 2nd flower on stalk starting to open
Platystele oxyglossa - 3 new growths
Restrepia brachypus - bud starting
Restrepia guttulata 'Fyn Get' - bud starting

Aerangis distincta - lots of nice roots still growing
Aerangis rhodosticta - nice fat roots, still growing
Aerangis mystacidii x modesta - lots of root growth, spike forming
Phalaenopsis braceana - wonderful roots, still growing
Phalaenopsis deliciosa - very healthy roots, still growing
Phalaenopsis stuartiana - lots of root growth, 1 new leaf
Dendrobium cuthbertsonii - 12 new growths!
Dendrobium tetragonum - buds?!
Encyclia Black Comet - 3 maturing new growths, loads of new roots
Encyclia Octopussy - new growth matured, flower stalk forming
Brassia Eternal Wind 'Summer Dream' - new growths matured, great root growth, new growths already starting
Gomesa crispa - tons of new root growth, beautiful green tips!
Rhynchostele rossii - flower spike developing!
Bulbophyllum lindleyanum - 2 new growths starting, 1 flower spike?? (This is my only Bulbo, and I've never seen it flower before, so I'm guessing this is a flower spike as it looks different to the new growths.)
Sophronitis coccinea - 2 new growths starting

Ones that haven't found their 'happy place' yet:
Masdevallia Taukau Candy - dropped some leaves, moved to see if it wants to be warmer
Pleurothallis pseudopellucida - dropped some leaves soon after I got it, roots look healthy, kept in where it was and it seems to be okay now. No more leaves have dropped, but I'm waiting to see new growth
Masdevallia tovarensis - one of the flower spikes died back
Phalaenopsis lowii - flower spike aborted soon after it arrived, roots still look healthy, but no new growth
Oncidium ornithorhynchum - I moved this out of the Pleuro tank as I didn't think it liked it that cool, but I don't think it is as happy in its new place - I'll probably move it back - the new growth is taking forever to mature
Isabella virginalis - lost half of its leaves, definitely not happy!

All others haven't changed much in the past month.

OK, here are some photos taken at the weekend:

Neofinetia falcata


Sedirea japonica - there is a spike (I hope!) just starting to show in the bottom right leaf axil


Masdevallia floribunda - seems to be getting on well adjusting to the cork raft


Lepanthopsis astrophora 'Stalky' - hard to see, and really tiny - but the topmost leaf in the photo has the start of a flower spike coming, there are two other spikes as well!


Gomesa crispa - not sure why the colour came out so weird on this one... but those root tips are actually a wonderful bright green (not yellow, like they look in the photo....)


Gastrochilus japonicus - nice new roots and a new leaf - I'm looking forward to this one flowering next Spring (fingers crossed!)


Dendrobium tetragonum - buds?!?! - you might be able to make out what I'm talking about on the short bulb right in the middle...


Bulbophyllum lindleyanum - my one and only Bulbo... I sure hope the new growth means flowers!


Aerangis rhodosticta - has now firmly attached itself to the mount

[Ross]

Super idea! I think I'll do the same, just to keep myself busy.

[shakkai]

Ross, I also keep note of the monthly weather outside, and monthly min/max temperatures readings for the different growing areas. I'm hoping that I can eventually correlate what conditions make things happiest.

[Ross]

Originally Posted by shakkai

Ross, I also keep note of the monthly weather outside, and monthly min/max temperatures readings for the different growing areas. I'm hoping that I can eventually correlate what conditions make things happiest.

Just out of curiosity, what's min/max temps for today in your part of the world?

[shakkai]

Outside temps today were a high of 13C/55F. Forecast low for tonight is 9C/48F.

[shakkai]

For reference, here are the historical average monthly highs/lows:

Month: High (F/C) : Low (F/C)
January: 45/7 : 36/2
February: 45/7 : 36/2
March: 50/10 : 38/3
April: 55/13 : 39/4
May: 60/16 : 45/7
June: 65/18 : 50/10
July: 69/21 : 53/12
August: 69/21 : 53/12
September: 64/18 : 49/9
October: 57/14 : 45/7
November: 50/10 : 38/3
December: 45/7 : 36/2

[Lagoon]

Now that is a GREAT idea, Shakkai

[cb977]

Fantastic!
I see the Magdalena is doing well...I just LOVE that one!

You are going to adore the tetragonum whenh those buds open...it's the coolest little 'chid!

I can't wait for pictures!

[shakkai]

Sue, I don't know how long they take to develop, but from the tops of a few of the canes, I can see green growths - it looks like a stem with a little round bulbul on the end. Two of the canes have two of these, so I assumed that they weren't the canes extending. I hope I'm right! As this is a new one for me, I'm still learning.

[shakkai]

Thanks, Gloria. It seemed like the best way to get to know my new arrivals better and get to grips with their different likes and dislikes. In retrospect, I probably added too many different things in too short a time period. But they're here now and we're learning to live happily together - some more successfully than others!