wall of orchids

[Roberta]

Cymbidiums are super-easy where you live. However, not small. Can be beasts, actually. Very rewarding - lots of flowers, last up to two months and typically bloom in the winter/early spring when not much else is blooming. So not for your wall, I don't think but for your patio. (I divide them when they get start to break a 20 cm pot...monster roots.) They are the exception to the "slow growing" rule - they grow fast so they are hungry - I add a top-dressing of slow-release fertilizer, since I fertilize everything else lightly so they benefit from that extra boost.

[Martin555]

I have already slip potted them into 15cm clay orchid pots which I thought could be a little big for them but from what you wrote they could be perfect, I am not using clay pots for the wall to save weight and the roots will also be a star feature, have you ever visited the repotme site? they have the most amazing orchid pots and once the wall is done I will be focusing on inside and have a couple of pieces of furniture in mind that will create a great display, that project will need more research but I am confident of getting all the help I need right here, with the bonsai trip I spent at least 60 hours studying youtube clips and now have a reasonable understanding of that artform, bonsai has a complete japanese culture with names, rules and ethics but in the end it really is about torturing trees, lol.

[estación seca]

I suggest doing a lot of reading about types of orchids you consider. The Search feature in the top menu helps a lot. Note there are forums for different orchid groups, accessible via Forums in the left yellow menu.

I don't have a good idea of how bright will be the light in your growing area. My understanding is your veranda faces East, and the screen is on the outer side of the veranda, so the plants will be on the west side of the screen, in the shade? Does it consist of light-impenetrable slats with gaps between them? How wide are the gaps? It would be very useful to get an inexpensive light meter to check how much light is there. Light intensity is critical for growing and flowering orchids. Too much or too little are problems.

Being on the coast your relative humidity is probably fairly high most of the year. This is very helpful for most orchids.

I seem to recall Sidney does not get as cold in winter as does San Diego, but perhaps I am wrong. There is a vast array of orchids that can be grown outdoors in San Diego - but there are also a lot that will not tolerate the cool winters. Again, ask questions and do some reading before buying.

When I was deciding which orchid discussion group to join I looked at a lot of them. This one seemed to have the most knowledgeable and friendliest people, the most information rather than just pretty pictures, with essentially no abuse of beginners. That's why I joined only this one.

[Roberta]

rePotme does have some really nice pots. I don't use nice pots for my orchids, though... when they get to the point of needing repotting, it's often necessary to sacrifice the pot to save roots (and when I have to choose, roots win every time). Your pots should be fine for them now - don't over-pot, you should allow enough room for about 2 years' growth, no more. The reason for that is that orchids (even semi-terrestrial ones like Cyms) need air in the root zone, and if the pot is too big, they stay too wet and airless in the middle. Cyms like to be wetter than most, but still want that air. They actually like to be rather rootbound - they bloom best just before they break the pot. Thinking plastic pots... clay will "push back" but when the pot gets stuffed, That's the time to go a bit larger, don't rush it. If they're in clay, a hammer will be helpful when unpotting them

[Martin555]

Thank you so much for the very informed advice, yes the screens are like venetian blinds and do have gaps which will allow some light thru kind of a film noir effect actually as well as wind, I made the right choice in screen selection, luckily, I will be doing a lot of research, I am only a week or so into the orchid trip and feel blessed that I have found this forum having had bad trips on reddit groups and australian forums, I do not like being bullied for being newbie.

---------- Post added at 03:34 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:28 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Roberta

Cymbidiums are super-easy where you live. However, not small. Can be beasts, actually. Very rewarding - lots of flowers, last up to two months and typically bloom in the winter/early spring when not much else is blooming. So not for your wall

Thanks for that, I agree that smaller orchids would be best and will certainly use that as a point of focus for selection, really thanks for the wisdom.

Knowledge is knowing that tomatoes are fruit
wisdom is knowing not to put them in fruit salad.

---------- Post added at 03:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:34 PM ----------

they grow fast so they are hungry - I add a top-dressing of slow-release fertilizer, since I fertilize everything else lightly so they benefit from that extra boost.

I put a tablespoon of slow release orchid feed in the pots and I have two types of liquid feed, I have prepared things reasonably well and have some 12-18 orchiata bark as well as the pumice, charcoal, neem cake powder, perlite and scoria that I already have for the succulents, as well I have a veritable arsenal of organic pest and fungus control products, I lost too many succulents figuring that aspect out and at one stage I thought I may end up losing all of them, doing research on each type of plant helps maintain a personal maintenance regime.

[FranningtonBear]

Originally Posted by estación seca

When I was deciding which orchid discussion group to join I looked at a lot of them. This one seemed to have the most knowledgeable and friendliest people, the most information rather than just pretty pictures, with essentially no abuse of beginners. That's why I joined only this one.

Ditto this - I have nothing useful to add since living in the UK, my climate is rather different to yours but I will say, this is by far the friendliest and most knowledgeable forum I have come across.

Welcome, as Roberta says, we are all enablers here

[Martin555]

Thanks for dropping by and letting me know the very positive nature of the members here, for me it is really good to feel good about this forum having been very disappointed in quite a few others, I was born in england in the east end of london and was a barrow boy for my dad I emigrated to oz in 1972, cheers old son.

---------- Post added at 11:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:25 PM ----------

Welcome, as Roberta says, we are all enablers here [/QUOTE]

Enabling is a new word to me, I generally encounter cancel culture cretins,

[ArronOB]

Hi Martin. I grew orchids at our home in Epping (the Sydney one) for many years. Without knowing roughly where in Sydney you are it’s harder to advise - as you know the extremes of temperature increase the further you get away from the coast. Epping is about in the middle though.

For easy to grow outdoor orchids in Sydney I would source these.
Laelia anceps
Laelia perronii
Laelia albida
Or any other Mexican Laelia is worth looking at

Cattleya (Laelia) purpurata

Coelongyne ‘unchained melody’

Stanhopia triginus (or related species, there’s a couple readily available in Sydney but I’ve never known what they are exactly)

Sarcochilus species or hybrids (an Australian native)

Australian native dendrobiums and their hybrids. Usually based on D. Speciosum or D. Kingianum. There’s a lot going on in the hybridising of Aussie natives and they will all grow like weeds in Sydney. Not really my thing but there are many growers and suppliers locally.

Dockrilla species, which are also native epiphytes. Till recently they were classified as Dendrobiums. Usually have interesting forms with small spidery flowers.

Dendrobium nobile. Many forms and hybrids available. These will grow well outdoors.

Oncidiums and other members of the Oncidium alliance. The majority of hybrids grow well in Sydney - species less so. Anything with Miltonia, Brassia, Cochlioda or Oncidium dominant in the ancestry do well. Beallara ‘Tacoma Glacier’, Brassia longissimus, O. ‘sharry baby’, D. Winter wonderland white fairy, O. ‘Twinkle’ , Odcm wildcat or any of the Wilsonaras that are named ‘Pacific xxxx’ are a good place to start and easily available.

I’m going to post this before I loose it then carry on

---------- Post added at 10:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:42 PM ----------

Carrying on

Zygopetalum will grow well outdoors although not really an epiphyte.

Cymbidiums, although obviously you know that already.

Phalaenopsis. No, they won’t grow outdoors in Sydney. They do die slowly however and may struggle on for a year or two and even repeat flower which is enough to make you briefly think you succeeded.

Hardcane dendrobiums. They won’t grow in Sydney either but I mention them because you will ocassionally see them for sale in supermarkets and hardware stores.

Cattleyas and other members of the Cattleya alliance will grow outdoors in Sydney but I hesitate to recommend them to beginners. I’d describe them as erratic - some will do really well while others struggle with no obvious difference in ancestors or cultural conditions. I would stick to hybrids, being more robust then species. Avoid anything with Sophronitis in the ancestry. Generally earlier primary hybrids or long-standing offerings (classic Cattleyas) are a more reliable then recent highly-derived forms or miniatures. Examples of old-favourites that are still available are C Bow Bells, C. Bob Betts, C. Canhaima, RLC Mem Crispin Rosales and C Portia/Portiata which have all been kicking around for a hundred years or so.

I also recommend Red Fox Orchids. Each year I buy 10-20 little seedlings in 50mm pots from Bunnings - they should be arriving in the shops about now.

Good,luck

---------- Post added at 10:43 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:21 PM ----------

And more …

Sorry, just noticed you’re in Chifley - and had to look it up. That’s close to the coast so more equitable then Epping and most Sydney suburbs. You will find some of the types such as cattleyas a bit more easy then my comments above indicated.

Also, do a Google on Miltoniopsis. I found them too difficult as the hottest weather we got at Epping was too much for them, but they may do well for you as your location should protect you from extremes. There is a guy here on the Central Coast who has the most amazing success with them in a location similar to yours.

In any case, the way to be successful with orchids is to figure out your climate and growing conditions, then find plants to suit. The more common approach of bringing home a wide selection of whatever catches your eye and then hoping they will survive in your conditions is not a good approach. You are probably also best limiting yourself to one or two alliances (broad groups of related genera) then trying to grow a little bit of everything.

Cheers

[Martin555]

Wow that is a very comprehensive list I should imagine, I will use it as a guide for sure, I am at chifley, way down south near malabar beach, I am thinking that smaller orchids would be great for the wall but it looks like I am going to end up with about 40 or so and have plans for a large indoor collection to display with my succulents as well, basically my lounge which has a large glass sliding door on the south wall and a large window on the east wall will become a green house/room I am doing ok using lights with the succulents and will be investigating using them with orchids as well, the succulents probably need more light than the orchids, anyway I am just starting my orchid growing journey so I need to avoid typifying any kind of theory and keep an open mind, I am sure that with this groups kindness, wisdom and positivity I will get results that go
beyond anything I can imagine atm, thanks so much for your time and knowledge Arron.

---------- Post added at 11:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:49 PM ----------

.

In any case, the way to be successful with orchids is to figure out your climate and growing conditions, then find plants to suit. The more common approach of bringing home a wide selection of whatever catches your eye and then hoping they will survive in your conditions is not a good approach. You are probably also best limiting yourself to one or two alliances (broad groups of related genera) then trying to grow a little bit of everything.

Cheers[/QUOTE]

I am finding out about which succulents do well here using an experimental method atm, I lost a few echeveria's and will not be replacing them, so I guess I will have my fair share of tragedies with orchids and end up with the heartiest survivors dominating my collection which I am sure will still provide me with a very diverse display of shapes and colors, thanks again Aaron.

[Martin555]

Hello Aaron, I used your recommendations as a guide and have purchased 15 orchids focusing on cat and deb types, not sure how suitable they are for the wall but it does not matter so much as I can and probably will utilize other areas that I intend to fill with orchids, the equation as to which ones to buy spiraled out of control for me, lol, so I just simplified and bought some, I would like to ask you what mix you would recommend, I have googled this but would really appreciate the benefit of your expertise, I have scoria, coco peat, pumice, perlite, neem powder, charcoal, 6-9 and 9-18 orchata bark available, cheers.