The Armchair Orchidist

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28601708191893955242024-10-06T23:17:39.759-06:00The Armchair OrchidistHow to successfully grow your cymbidium, dendrobium, encyclia, odontoglossum, masdevallia, miltoniopsis, miltonia, zygopetalum, cattleya, epidendrum, laelia, oncidium, paphiopedilum, vanda, rhynchostylis, vascostylis, phalaenopsis, brassavola, and more!Chris & Jonahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15193258271687260992noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860170819189395524.post-29884007464403870552011-09-18T18:23:00.013-06:002011-09-18T20:05:01.859-06:00Panamanian Orchids

It has been a long, long time since I have posted anything on this blog, but here I am starting a new blog and I was reminded that I still had this one. I have been neglecting the Armchair Orchidist for far too long and I'm currently living in Panama, so I have a lot of orchid pictures toI will start off with some of the orchids we've seen so far. We've seen a lot, so I may break this up over a

Jonah Winn-Lenetskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18436291254085851558noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860170819189395524.post-7022261213500224182007-01-24T00:43:00.000-06:002007-01-24T01:31:04.692-06:00Orchid Picks From Belize and Guatemala

We came back from our trip to Guatemala and Belize and over the next couple days, I'll post pictures of some of the orchids I saw while we where there. You can see the rest of our pictures at flickr.This orchid, Encyclia Cochleata is the national flower of Belize. This is a picture of it growing on a tree at some Mayan ruins outside of San Ignacio. I have one in my collection at home that's

JWLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14910482465327671086noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860170819189395524.post-83720341874191613282006-12-14T00:14:00.000-06:002006-12-14T00:29:36.741-06:00New Growth

Some new flower buds are forming on this cattleya hybrid. I could not get a good picture of these suckers, they all came out blurry (I guess they move too fast).And here is some new flowers getting ready to emerge on this encyclia. These will look like little yellow octopi. To the right is the one that is already in bloom.

JWLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14910482465327671086noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860170819189395524.post-25228696204467665512006-12-12T21:35:00.000-06:002006-12-12T21:51:34.895-06:00More Recent Blooms

This one is Potinara Burana BeautyThis is Oncidium Ornithorhynchum. It smells sort of like candy.

JWLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14910482465327671086noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860170819189395524.post-11933366188804072002006-12-09T12:30:00.000-06:002006-12-11T12:36:02.170-06:00Plant Lust: The Sexy World of Orchid Conservation

Book Review -Orchid Fever: A Horticultural Tale of Love, Lust and Lunacy Eric Hansen’s book Orchid Fever: A Horticultural Tale of Love, Lust and Lunacy, is an exciting introduction to the world of orchid smuggling and conservation legislation. He begins the book with a critical tone, always eager to make fun of any unsuspecting orchid fanatic he stumbles upon. I read the first few

JWLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14910482465327671086noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860170819189395524.post-13616937984109849682006-12-05T15:14:00.000-06:002006-12-06T14:10:21.970-06:00Frozen Orchid

This is what a frozen orchid looks like.I received this orchid in the mail with no heatpack, or other precaution taken. It was 18F degrees when the orchid arrived. They never told me they were sending it and evidently did not check the weather forecast first. It looked fine at first, but that was because it was frozen solid. This is how it looked a few hours after I brought it in.

JWLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14910482465327671086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860170819189395524.post-13895706065138484802006-12-03T20:34:00.000-06:002006-12-06T14:09:25.069-06:00Hot and Steamy: What You Need to Know about the Ups and Downs of Orchid Temperature

Photo Courtesy of Allen Black's Photo SiteTemperature can be one of the trickier points of keeping orchids. Usually it is better to choose plants that conform closely to the temperature conditions you already have. If you choose plants for looks, or interest and ignore temperature, you will most likely end up with orchids whose temperature needs directly conflict. Most orchids require

JWLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14910482465327671086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860170819189395524.post-18445665556077938402006-11-30T22:30:00.000-06:002006-12-06T14:08:15.604-06:00Recent Orchid Blooms

Here are some of my Most Recent BloomsCattleytonia "Why Not?"Oncidium Cheirophorum

JWLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14910482465327671086noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860170819189395524.post-78865085576644822072006-11-30T01:28:00.000-06:002006-11-30T18:43:58.306-06:00Orchid Blooms in Winter

Photo Courtesy of waikiki's photos at flickr.comToday I would like to offer up a meditation on orchids. My great fascination with these plants stems directly from their affront to Winter. When I moved to Minneapolis from California I craved something green and flourishing in the face of the January cold. In the dead of winter the house takes on the sense of a living organism, enclosed and warm.

JWLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14910482465327671086noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860170819189395524.post-78453650788468158812006-11-27T22:55:00.000-06:002006-12-06T14:07:15.502-06:00Incandescent? Florescent? Metal Halide? The Pros and Cons of Various Lighting Fixtures to Keep Your Indoor Orchids Flourishing

Image Courtesy of Hydro GardensThere are several options when it comes to artificial light for orchids. Orchids need certain kinds of light in order to grow well and bloom. They also need enough of this light. Normal incandescent bulbs may look bright, but they are the least efficient source of lighting for plants. This is because they consume a lot of power and put out a lot of heat energy, but

JWLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14910482465327671086noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860170819189395524.post-17855905081995200482006-11-26T11:15:00.000-06:002006-12-06T14:06:09.225-06:00Getting the Right Temperature Change for Orchids to Bloom

Image courtesy of DHD Multimedia Gallery If you want your orchids to flower, you must find a way to raise the temperature by ten to twenty degrees between nighttime and daytime. Orchids can grow fine with less temperature change, but in order to initiate flower buds, they need a large temperature variation. This is one of the

JWLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14910482465327671086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860170819189395524.post-40451242546434556842006-11-24T11:16:00.000-06:002006-12-06T14:05:39.852-06:00Some Good Advice on Buying Orchids

Picture is of Parkside Orchid Nursery courtesy of Arianna miles B&BThe tradeoff is simple, when you buy orchids from a reputable grower you get good quality plants. Generally speaking you do pay more to buy from a quality grower, but you save a lot of time you would otherwise spend on repotting and trying to

JWLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14910482465327671086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860170819189395524.post-45850512737866681192006-11-23T17:40:00.000-06:002006-12-06T14:04:49.028-06:00What Everybody Ought to Know about Buying Orchids

Don’t purchase orchids from big box stores, such as Target and The Home Depot (this is also true for the giant Albertsons, or Rainbow down the street). Okay, maybe one, but generally try to avoid it. I know it’s hard, but these orchids are mass produced and often in poor conditions. I have had one or two good experiences buying an orchid from a big box chain. However, most of the orchids I bought

JWLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14910482465327671086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860170819189395524.post-12141185750551499012006-11-23T16:42:00.001-06:002006-12-06T14:03:33.292-06:005 Ways to Avoid Problems if You Must Buy that Big Box Store Orchid

As I mentioned in another post, think twice before buying orchids from chain retail outlets. However, here are five things to look for if you must have that Big Box Store orchid:What is it growing in? If it is in soggy, mushy moss, or spongy material pass it up. If on the other hand it is growing in bark and seems to be firmly held in its pot it may be a winner.Look at the roots. Orchids are

JWLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14910482465327671086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860170819189395524.post-34647263872586168822006-11-22T12:40:00.000-06:002006-12-06T14:02:42.118-06:00What Does This Orchid Look Like?

Image courtesy of: Paul Nielsen's British Flora GalleryFor a picture of the animal this orchid resembles, click here....This is the Bee Orchid, Ophrys Apifera. It resembles a bee in order to attract other bees, who attempt to mate with it. In the process they gather the flower’s pollen and transport it to other flowers, fertilizing them. The Bee Orchid is terrestrial, meaning that, unlike many

JWLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14910482465327671086noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860170819189395524.post-55159817662252809362006-11-20T23:15:00.000-06:002006-12-06T14:01:22.838-06:00Holiday Turkey Never Smelled So Good: 4 Food Scented Orchids

Here is a list of orchids that smell like sweet holiday food. These orchids also generally bloom around the holidays. 1. Oncidium “Sherry Baby Sweet Fragrance:”Oncidium Sherry Baby Image from hanaflowers.comThis orchid smells exactly like a chocolate Sunday. 2. Cattleya hybrid Potinara Burana Beauty Burana:This is a fun striped orchid that smells like a floral centerpiece. 3.

Chris & Jonahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15193258271687260992noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860170819189395524.post-80337370772209027482006-11-19T11:20:00.000-06:002006-12-06T14:00:12.386-06:0010 Things You Can do Right Now to avoid Bud Blast

Yesterday I explained that humidity levels are extremely important for growing and blooming successful orchids.Here are 10 practical tips on how to raise the level of humidity for your orchids:Invest in a room humidifier, these can be inexpensive and add humidity to a whole room. I recommend evaporative pad humidifiers instead of cool-mist humidifiers.Group orchid plants together, as they release

JWLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14910482465327671086noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860170819189395524.post-18489443830926400982006-11-19T11:11:00.000-06:002006-12-06T13:59:37.451-06:00The Secret to Growing Gorgeous Orchids

Humidity, Humidity, Humidity.This can be a very tricky one, but you need to raise the humidity. Humidity in a normal household is far too low for orchids to thrive. It is important to bring it up to at least 40 or 50 percent. In cold climates during the winter relative household humidity often averages close to 20 percent (Frowine). Household humidity can be even lower in desert areas. At

JWLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14910482465327671086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860170819189395524.post-85626199437021721832006-11-19T10:30:00.000-06:002006-12-06T13:58:39.741-06:00Strange Orchid Fact #1: Bulbophyllum

Picture Courtesy of Tinonee Orchid Nursery Several orchids in the Bulbophyllum genus smell like rotting meat to attract flies for pollination. Many of these orchid flowers also look a bit like they smell.

JWLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14910482465327671086noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860170819189395524.post-3529166448754041002006-11-19T07:21:00.000-06:002006-12-06T13:57:54.466-06:00My Latest Bloom

Encyclia Cochleata:Common in central America and the Caribbean. This is the national flower of Belize. It can sometimes bloom for months at a time.

JWLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14910482465327671086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860170819189395524.post-47129383600129318142006-11-18T15:53:00.000-06:002006-12-06T13:56:40.743-06:00The Top Myth Every Successful Orchid Grower Needs to Avoid

A little light never hurt an orchid, only a lot of light can.Lack of light is one of the main reasons orchids won’t flower in the home. Don’t believe what they tell you about light in the basic guidelines for growing orchids. Many orchids benefit from filtered, or even direct morning and evening sun. Different types of orchids require different light levels. Vandopsis orchids can sometimes be

JWLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14910482465327671086noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860170819189395524.post-84909993266259441662006-11-18T15:27:00.000-06:002007-01-26T11:16:49.500-06:00About Me and This Blog, The Armchair Orchidist

I love orchids. I have been growing orchids now for a while and I just think they’re amazing plants. I first became interested in orchids when I was a kid. I tried growing a couple, but never had much success.I used to think I couldn’t grow them in my home, but I have discovered that with a little work and patience it’s really not that hard. These are incredible plants. Orchidae is the most

JWLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14910482465327671086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2860170819189395524.post-7676632931791199482006-11-09T11:34:00.000-06:002007-01-15T23:00:01.561-06:00Resources on the Web: Links

Aquamiser Garden Watering SystemAquamiser garden watering system for beds, borders, trees, shrubs, tubs, planters, window boxes. Hanging baskets, vegetable garden, green house. The economical way to water your garden. Easy diy installationPlanting For PleasureQualified gardener and designer will create planting plans and solutions to increase your pleasure in your gardenAquarian Lawn

Chris & Jonahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15193258271687260992noreply@blogger.com