NZ Orchid Experts and Amateurs

Comment

Comment by Jordan Healey on September 26, 2012 at 5:11pm

Yes, they can be terrifically floriferous! C lowianum is the best bang for your buck if you ask me. c trayceanum is another good species, bearing larger bulbs, larger flowers, and heck, larger everything than lowianum, and the blooms are a more golden colour. For something unusual, C. goeringii is fantastic, with leaves like grass, as does erythrostylum and whiteae

Comment by Catherine Orr on September 26, 2012 at 1:58pm

Thanks Jordan. I don't know what's happening with mine - I haven't changed the conditions. Maybe I used the heat pump too much this winter! I'll be patient and see what happens. And thanks for identifying my cymbidium - I inherited two big pots of these when I moved in. Last year there were about 14 spikes.

Comment by Jordan Healey on September 25, 2012 at 11:40pm

Hi Catherine, they should have already spiked for you, im in Hamilton and mine spiked at the start of winter and are just about to flower. Its good they are looking healthy though! The trick is to let the night time temperature drop by 5C (+/-)  for a few weeks-i placed mine in a warm spot in my shadehouse. This seems to initiate spiking, as well as good light levels and moist but not damp, medium. I find, feeding them with tomato fertiliser when they begin to show signs of spiking, makes them bloom 100x better than if you used one of the way overpriced orchid foods :) Nice Cymbidium lowianum by the way, they are a fantastic species!

Comment by Catherine Orr on September 25, 2012 at 2:11pm

First cymbidium of the season!

Comment by Catherine Orr on September 25, 2012 at 2:04pm

Just wondering when phaleonopsis orchids flower indoors in Auckland. I can't remember and I'm dying for mine to flower! They look very healthy with lots of new roots and I'm feeding them with flower fertiliser.

Comment by Jordan Healey on September 24, 2012 at 6:36pm

You and me both Christine.....its not hard to spend what you dont have!

Comment by Christine on September 24, 2012 at 6:12pm

Pity Im not up that way as it would be great to be able to go it. I LOVE Sale Tables...lol

Comment by Jordan Healey on September 24, 2012 at 4:37pm

oh yea, its on the 30th, starting at 11am

Comment by Jordan Healey on September 24, 2012 at 4:36pm

Hi everyone! This weekend there is a show coming up at the Hamilton Gardens on Cobham Drive, Hamilton East. It is in the Exhibition Hall, and is 4.00 entry pp. There will be a sales table with a huge variety of orchids at great prices (starting from as low as 1.00!), and a vast array of different orchids on display! So c'mon down and grab a bargain, and bring the camera too!