My 2 new members to the family.

[trdyl]

Originally Posted by KHaze

EEEK!



I had to google that one. You'd never believe what I found. Check this out!

Giant Madagascar Hissing Cockroach — Luxist

I wonder how many Hollywood fashionista's will ditch their teacup Chihuahuas for these little critters! I think I'd rather remain unfashionable! Gives me the willies just thinking about having one of those crawl all over me. Bleah!

Wow! What some people will do to make a statement.

[Rosiefuture]

Nibbler I love the red/yellow one, it's beautiful. I have 8 Phals and I don't know what colour half of them are as they are rescues from Bunnings Warehouse reduced rack. I have to go look at the rack every time I visit Bunnings. I found 5 of my Phal's there and one has since flowered and has a keiki growing. The other four are looking much healthier and I'm hoping they will flower eventually.

I've been growing orchids for over 10 years but only had Phals this last year, I thought they were difficult to grow but they love my kitchen window sill. I must admint I'm now hooked on Phal's! LOL

Marion

[fotofashion]

I'm amazed no one has mentioned American roaches, you know, the huge ones Floridians euphemistically call "water bugs or palmetto bugs". Here in Texas there is actually a contest every year for whoever catches and enters the largest one. Now, they aren't as big as the hissing roaches but they are big and are found all across the gulf coast area. We also have wood roaches and a couple other species other than the dreaded German roach.
And we have #@%*!? grasshoppers that get into my greenhouse and eat my orchid flowers. One got in last fall before the cold weather and every once in a while I see the results of his depredations. I don't see him, just his work. Hopefully when I get most everything outside, he will come out too or as least I might be able to find him.
Beverly A.

[nibbler]

Where does the seed pod grow from? Does it grow from the flower that you pollinated?[/QUOTE]

I will keep you updated. Its no where near ready yet. I read it can take up to 6 months to mature. Its only 3 months now but I am checking daily. Thank god there are two of them so if one goes I will know the other one is ready. I am still trying to source everything!!

Yes it comes from the flower, the stem behind the flower swells and thats where the seeds are.

As for the dogs, I hate to say it but I bought my little westie a pearl necklace with a silver diamondy bone attached to it, a night vision jacket and a tartan coat (that one had come in handy in the winter) But after a while I realised she is a dog, I gave up looking after her fur and grooming her. Now I lavish my attention on the plants and try make them pretty.

I think the red and yellow one is beautiful. But I have found some gorgeous ones. I have very few photos, I will search for some. The ones I purchased had a fungus and are now adapting to Semi Hydro so no spikes allowed. I want them to concentrate on the roots. My other Orchids. Well they are alive, but I am not sure what I am doing with them. If they are dying. Surviving. I will have to see. I have a rescued dend and that seem to be putting out a spike. I am finding Phals very easy to grow but I think thats because of all the help I have on here.

http://bedbugbullies.com/yahoo_site_...203629_std.jpg

I dont think the German ones really figure when you look at that picture.

I can kind of understand the grass hopper being hungry but eating your flowers is not on. I hope you get him. I am dreading the green fly. I lost two plants last year from it and I am dreading them coming back. I am growing a lot of seeds for my mum and I am not sure they would like the orchids but the other plants, they would have a field day with.

[fotofashion]

Hey Nibbler, you're missing one-the wood roach. He's between the oriental and German in size. Hmmm, I just Googled "wood cockroach" and that is not what I had in mind. Mark down another species of roach we have here. He's kind of wide relative to his length and a rich brown color. And I never see them inside-wish I could say that for the American.

I have to get busy this week with getting my plants out of the GH. It is finally time. I delayed this weekend because we were supposed to have some very bad wind and storms friday night. Didn't materialize. The electricity was out from around 2 am to around 7 am but that didn't bother anything.
Beverly A.

[nibbler]

I again hadnt heard of that one... yummy, Look even cockroaches get irritated by pests

http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/...ch-picture.jpg

yucky.

I hope the weather holds for you. What have you moved out? Cymbidiums? I would love a green house. It would mean we could eat at the dinner table rather than it being covered in seeds.

[fotofashion]

No cymbidiums really-too hot here. Catts, dends, oncs, laelias, Blcs., and quite a few misc.
I also have rhipsalis, ferns, hoyas and epiphyllums. And if you think your quarters are small.....I live in a large travel trailer. No room at all for any plants. Fortunately, we have plenty of acreage -5 acres. And that will hold a lot of plants. My GH is not really big-14x16. My burgeoning orchid collection is making it bulge at the seams.
I have wire strung between some trees out back and hang what can be hung from there. The rest that is in regular pots goes on my 20'x4' plant table.
I am fortunate that I lost very few plants this past winter. It was unusually cold. Many people lost large plants that were planted in the ground and could not be protected. The potted plants that I lost was due to my incredulity that the winter would be THAT cold so I didn't put them in the GH. Oh well, there are more plants out there to replace the lost ones.
Beverly A.

[nibbler]

I wont feel so bad about my tiny space so.... is a large trailer like an RV??? How useless do I sound?

I am sorry you lost some of your plants. Do you hang mounted ones outside or just pots?

[Connie Star]

Originally Posted by fotofashion

I'm amazed no one has mentioned American roaches, you know, the huge ones Floridians euphemistically call "water bugs or palmetto bugs". Here in Texas there is actually a contest every year for whoever catches and enters the largest one. Now, they aren't as big as the hissing roaches but they are big and are found all across the gulf coast area. We also have wood roaches and a couple other species other than the dreaded German roach.
And we have #@%*!? grasshoppers that get into my greenhouse and eat my orchid flowers. One got in last fall before the cold weather and every once in a while I see the results of his depredations. I don't see him, just his work. Hopefully when I get most everything outside, he will come out too or as least I might be able to find him.
Beverly A.

I could be wrong, but I think the "American" cockroach is also called the "German" cockroach- I guess they outsourced their pests to us Yanks.

[jeffg]

No comment on roaches as I lived above a restaurant...

The phals are magnificent - any chance they came from Terry G at Pine Ridge? It looks like his (ie HP's breeding).