Mmm summer. It really feels like summer when I bring the orchids outside for a few weeks while we are on vacation. Well, I can’t bring all the orchids, but it usually amounts to the vandaceous bunch and this year was no exception. Hanging under the eve of the seaside cottage this summer is indeed mostly vandaciaous orchids, including the whole Neofinetia-collection and joining them are a few Cattleya along with some additional strays. I go back to the city every 5 days to water the rest and to tend to the cool viarium, filling up the rain and fog systems with water etc.
We have enjoyed three weeks so far, and have one week to go. A very nice break after an extremeley hectic spring at work. This year I felt the need to take a vacation from all my electronic devices for a while, especially the computer, why I have been a bit quiet lately. But some quiet time by the coast is healing to both humans and orchids. I have a large Cattleya intermedia v. orlata that refused to rest properly for me this winter. She bloomed with 6 huge flowers on two winter growths in early April and nearly wore herself out completely. Most of the leaves and bulbs were wrinkly and tired. After only one week outside she was back to her normal gorgeous self, in perfect condition. I guess 80 % relative humidity, warm days and really cool nights was just what she needed. Me too. Although I require a little more time to recharge. Having this group of orchids near is very therapeutic though. Several Neofinetia falcata are blooming, filling the deck with their lovely scent every evening.
For those of you new to this vacation tradition of mine, here is a refresher: Vandas on vacation: winter 2008, summer 2009, winter 2009, summer 2010, summer 2011.
niceeee
You grow the largest number of orchid genera of anyone I know. I’m limited to only Phalaenopsis, with a few Aerangis/Angraecum. I tried Neofinetia, but they refused to bloom —– and now I know why. They like full-sun!
LOL.
Thanks guys! 🙂
Patrick, yes, I guess I do have a rather diverse collection… although it does not feel like it. 😉 Give Neos another try, they are just awesome. I grow mine just as bright as I do Vanda and they bloom like crazy.
Hi Karma,
I lost touch with what was happening with your orchids, several things conspired to bring this about, I just couldn’t really get to grips with Twitter, what it was about and how to get it to work for me, I seemed to be more at home on Facebook. Also long-term illness and ongoing disability along with a 2-year-old son turning off the power to the greenhouse in January 2011 on a night the temperature dropped to -17c saw me throw my hands in the air in despair and throw in the towel, with a loss of around 2,000 plants. However, with the encouragement of my forum members I picked myself up and shook off the self-pity enough to move on. I’m happy I did. I’m also happy to see that your dedication continues and such super dedication it remains to take your orchids on holiday with you. Maybe I should do similar because it looks like it’s a real tonic for your plants, which have then been a real tonic for you. Keep it up, I’ll be making more of an effort now to drop in a see your plants.
Bill.
Hi Bill! Great to hear back from you. I am sorry to hear about your hardships over the past few years. I hope you are doing much better now. I can’t even imagine how heartbreaking it would be to loose that many plants!!! Well, perhaps I do know… I too suffered a devastating setback this winter and I lost many dear plants, not as many as you but a significant amount none the less. You can read about it in this post. It took some energy to deal with and the heart is slow to mend, but this week I discovered flowers on two plants I had just about written off six months ago, then things all seem worth it. I am so happy to hear that you managed to pick yourself back up and move on. Welcome back!! I hope to hear from you again soon.
Karma, it’s a beautiful and fun thing that you bring all these plants on vacation with you and a marvel to me that they don’t show displeasure (i.e. sunburn) at the change from indoor growing to receiving full sun exposure. Perhaps your sunshine is more kind than ours in California which would surely fry these Vandas if they experienced full summer sun even in the foggy SF Bay climate.
Patrick, one of the less-discussed tricks to getting Neos to bloom is to reduce watering in winter (coinciding with cool nights between 0-16°C) but not too much (leaves will shrivel if the reduction is too severe. Some of my more shy blooming cultivars have responded favourably to this treatment.
Bill, how devastating! I too have had some really tragic orchid losses, with greenhouse overheating; I empathise with your loss.
Ha ha… yes our sunshine is most definitely more kind than that of California. The location where I keep the orchids they mostly get morning sun for a few hours, plus I do gradually ease them onto more light the first few weeks. Some respond with a slight blush of red from the sun so you have to keep an eye on the more sensitive ones. I almost burned a Vanda last summer, but luckily the leaves healed up nicely.
I do the same with my Neos. Cooler and less water in the winter.