Something About Orchids

    This is where and how I grow (and photograph) Under lights, in the basement!  The first photo does not show the two of the shelving units behind me, but there are 8 total.  I use cheap, plain white LED strips that are equivalent to 4ft  high output T5 florescent tubes.       NOTE - My grow room does NOT glow pink.  I have tried the pink LEDs and they made it unpleasant to visit my orchids, or even walk by the room.  I am proof that YOU DO NOT NEED A FANCY LIGHT SETUP TO GROW AND BLOOM ORCHIDS!  It's up to you, but I don't think you can really argue with my results!      Any trouble growing plants in my conditions seems to be due to lack of day/night temp difference.  Not lack of light.     Any difficulty blooming in my conditions are generally due to lack of a cool rest period.  Which, of course, more expensive lights will not help. In The Orchid Dungeon     Right now it only costs $30-40 to buy lights for a 2x4 shelf, which will grow just about anything.  They don't fr

Bulbophyllum romyi         I love this plant and I didn't even buy it on purpose!  It came labeled as fascinator semi-alba, which at first I was disappointed - I got over that pretty quickly.   Check out these macro shots, even the anther cap is decorated.  Each part of this flower has a distinctive texture - I highly recommend enlarging these!    Thought I would share some of the more artistic photos I took of this in my new photo nook.  Which, by the way was a great upgrade - though I did get the concentrated aroma of this Bulbophyllum.  Not the worst by far, but immediately brought to mind the bag of wet seashells that had sat in the sun for a few days - on a long car trip home from the beach.  'What on earth is that smell?'  Rotting invertabrates.  Of course we always check for creatures, but still...it's really only noticable when you stick your face in it.  Not a complaint, just an observation.  As a Bulbophyllum connoisseur, I know full well what I was getting in

At the National Capital Show - Bulbophyllum purpureorhachis rolled in for judging on a hotel luggage cart. Grower - US Botanic Garden Range - Liberia/Ivory Coast.  You need to watch the video below!    SERIOUSLY - OH MY GOD WHAT AN AWESOME PLANT      As if it wasn't cool enough - this species is one of the Bulbophyllums in which air movement causes the lips to dance and bob around resulting in a convincing impression of an insect. Something I almost missed when taking in the whole plant, but luckily it was a gusty day at the greenhouse. The plant was swaying a good bit, but I think I still managed to capture the effect pretty well. Watch until the end, and I pan out to see the whole plant. Really amazing movement, very convincing effect of a small insect ducking in and out of a bloom. Thanks to Ben and Terry from US Botanic Garden for bringing this in! It was not part of the show, unfortunately - but it did roll back home to the USBG collection with a much deserved CCE! (Certifi

Two of the best Bulbophyllums for lip movement - just a little breeze is all they need to do a convincing creature act. B. purpureorhachis (Grower - US Botanic Garden) B. barbigerum (Grower - me)

Why, When and How to Unpot your Habenaria.     It may be too late for some of you.  If they have already sprouted, unpotting can be risky, especially if they are crowded in the pot.    Risky, not impossible! And worth a try as long as they aren't too much of a tangled mess.  Even just potting that tangled mess without separating into a pot with extra room.  They will appreciate the room, and maybe even sort themselves out when the new tubers develop.  But I highly recommend repotting every year.  It's worth it.    I can say that in my collection, everything is sprouting earlier this year.  Luckily, I unpot as soon as possible after they go dormant.      For most of you, now is probably a good time to get them unpotted and repotted or bagged so you can pot up when they sprout!  Each species and hybrid has it's own schedule, and the best way to deal with new plants is to use the baggie method.  That way you can see when they are ready to grow!  Unpotting before they sprout is

Bulbophyllum lemniscatoides "The one that looks like a bunch of dangling twigs" Grower - Mount Prospect Orchids/Helen Hersh.     Described by a friend at the show as - the one that looks like a bunch of little twigs stuck together. And I knew exactly which one she was talking about!      The little 'twigs' are suspended from the sepals by a thread, allowing them to flutter in the breeze.  The sepals themselves are dark with white hairs.  Pretty sure I would have to dissect a bloom to find the petals.  The lip is smooth and nearly black, making it a little easier to distinguish from the rest of the parts.  IF you have good eyesight.   And hold your breath.  Not because it stinks, but because those danglers really move!    Bulbophyllums have all sorts of strange adaptations to attract a pollinator.  All Bulbophyllums have a hinged lip - a characteristic of the Genus.  A fragrance of dung and dead things is not uncommon, secreted into a groove on the lip.  Once the polli

I can't think of a better way to start a new blog than with lots of pretty pictures. Here are all of the photos I took at the show - there are a lot! Click any photo to see a gallery (Edit - desktop only) Gary asked me to design the flier - I thought it turned out pretty well.  This smaller version for social media (above) it was even better! ──────────── National Capital Orchid Society ────────────────────────── Maryland Orchid Society ────────────────────────── Lord Fairfax Orchid Society ────────────────────────── J&L Orchids ────────────────────────── My Orchid Display I would have benefited from a few more hours, and some pins to keep the green fabric in place.  The wind rocking the backdrops caused it, and the driftwood to fall multiple times.  Had to compromise and place them where they would stay, and maybe not where I would have liked them! Bill Elbert's three Ophrys stole the show, and were the only borrowed plants in the display.  Beyond those three - everything