Show us your new spikes!

[Gage]

Originally Posted by NYCorchidman

Please post a pic when the last one blooms. I love to see what it looks like. Thanks in advance!
wish I lived in a warm place like you so I could grow vanda and stuff.

Here are a couple of pics from the last blooming. It doesn't seem to like being out of bloom, which works for me! And to give you an idea, the blooms are about 1.5-1.75 inch across. They smell kinda citrus fruity floral? Anyhow I just love it. If I see them again this season I just might pick up a couple more... oops. Lol.

And as far as Vandas, there are plenty of cold climate folks growing Vandas indoors. Check out Bud's posts. He is in Manhattan and grows on the fire escape in the summer and indoors in the winter. Look up vase culture if you aren't already familiar. Granted you need a bright window. Anyhow, if you really love a particular orchid, you can find a way to make it happy and bloom for you.

[NYCorchidman]

Originally Posted by Gage

Here are a couple of pics from the last blooming. It doesn't seem to like being out of bloom, which works for me! And to give you an idea, the blooms are about 1.5-1.75 inch across. They smell kinda citrus fruity floral? Anyhow I just love it. If I see them again this season I just might pick up a couple more... oops. Lol.

And as far as Vandas, there are plenty of cold climate folks growing Vandas indoors. Check out Bud's posts. He is in Manhattan and grows on the fire escape in the summer and indoors in the winter. Look up vase culture if you aren't already familiar. Granted you need a bright window. Anyhow, if you really love a particular orchid, you can find a way to make it happy and bloom for you.

Thank you for the pictures. It's nice that you have it hanging by your desk at work? looking cute and smelling nice!

I do have one mini phal whose flower shape and habit(ever lengthening spike on top of making new spikes) is similar, but has no fragrance.
Mine is white with dark pink/purple in the center and spreading out.

[Gage]

Originally Posted by cythaenopsis

Is it really? If so... uh oh.
I had a mishap. I was pressing down on the moss, checking for sponginess/dryness, when I slipped (I was holding a heavy container of water at the time). My hand moved to regain my balance and unfortunately one finger hit that spike... and *snap*--the tip broke off. I figured "oh well", it's just a root and there's others. I put the tip back on anyway (it has a small "socket"). I have no idea if it will mend itself, or if just keeping the tip on will prevent infection and allow the growth to continue. If it's a spike, I sure hope so.

Anyway, terrific growing you've got there Gage. Florida certainly offers some wonderful growing conditions.

Oh no, that stinks. Yea, I actually sliced a beginning spike on that Oncidium (previous blooming) with my fingernail while carrying the plant across the yard. I felt my nail slice something rather soft, didn't feel like a psb or root, so my mind was like oh crap I just sliced a spike I didn't know was there. Confirmed. Whoops. So I feel ya. Hey, maybe it'll survive. And if the spike doesn't survive the plant just might try again. I find this happens a lot. If the spike gets chopped at any point before the blooms are ready to give up the ghost, the plant will likely try and rebloom. Of course this can stress the plant if it's already gotten to the buds stage or beyond, but not necessarily. My opinion is a once a year bloomer will stress by trying to rebloom, and a plant that blooms twice or more a year will be less stressed by this. Also depends on health and size of the plant, and what you've been feeding it. Wow, I digress. Whew, sorry for the rant.

[cythaenopsis]

Originally Posted by Gage

Oh no, that stinks. Yea, I actually sliced a beginning spike on that Oncidium (previous blooming) with my fingernail while carrying the plant across the yard. I felt my nail slice something rather soft, didn't feel like a psb or root, so my mind was like oh crap I just sliced a spike I didn't know was there. Confirmed. Whoops. So I feel ya. Hey, maybe it'll survive. And if the spike doesn't survive the plant just might try again. I find this happens a lot. If the spike gets chopped at any point before the blooms are ready to give up the ghost, the plant will likely try and rebloom. Of course this can stress the plant if it's already gotten to the buds stage or beyond, but not necessarily. My opinion is a once a year bloomer will stress by trying to rebloom, and a plant that blooms twice or more a year will be less stressed by this. Also depends on health and size of the plant, and what you've been feeding it. Wow, I digress. Whew, sorry for the rant.

Don't apologize, rant appreciated--great to hear about your experience. Isn't it odd that it would try creating a second spike, when there's one already going strong? Or perhaps it's the start of a basal keiki? The photo I took was with the piece re-attached, and even today it still looks green. I touched it lightly and it didn't fall off... I'm hopeful it's going to bond back together. Even still, it's just the tip... a spike will have shoots off the sides for most of the blooming. Anyway, I am applying a growth enhancement now, so perhaps that will help.

[Gage]

Originally Posted by NYCorchidman

Thank you for the pictures. It's nice that you have it hanging by your desk at work? looking cute and smelling nice!

I do have one mini phal whose flower shape and habit(ever lengthening spike on top of making new spikes) is similar, but has no fragrance.
Mine is white with dark pink/purple in the center and spreading out.

Yours sounds cool too. These pics were from a day I brought it to the office to brighten the mood. I definitely don't have enough light to keep a Phal happy in my cubicle.

[orchid623]

Originally Posted by orchid623

My first spike ever! Got this NOID 2 years ago as a birthday gift.

Here is an updated photo! These photos were taken 7 days apart. (11/29 and 12/5) This thing is taking off!!

[cythaenopsis]

Well, this isn't really a spike per se... But it's new growth and I'm totally excited about it!



This is my Sierra Skies Leone (Cattleya) seedling, that I bought back in July. The leaves showed some growth since then, more notably in the tallest leaf, but nothing all that impressive. The pseudo-bulbs at least attained some girth, but still look small. Then... low and behold, finally, something different has happened. I looks like the start of a new pseudo-bulb, with the very beginnings of a leaf tip protruding. I'm very encouraged to see this plant taking the next step. I was concerned my growing conditions might present too much of a challenge. Hopefully she'll make it through the winter A-OK.

[Rowangreen]

The little bent phal re-blooming spike I posted higher up broke off again... it did only have a small attachment to the plant, so maybe it was for the best! I decided I didn't want the plant to try for a third time from the same node, so cut the old spike down. It's putting out growth from the next node down anyway *G*

If we are going to start posting new growth, I'm pleasantly flabbergasted by a little oncidium alliance noid I have. Weedy looking thing, with three pulbs, has decided to grow three new ones all at once! Is it normal to double like that?!?

[cythaenopsis]

^ Wow, sounds like a super NOID oncidium. Definitely post pics if you can.

[camillenad]

All these are new spikes on my phals. can't wait for the flowers! got a dozen others that are growing from old spikes, but some of the buds are blasting