New babies from H & R!

[Lady Oscar]

I went to H&R Nurseries in Waimanalo (Oahu, HI) for the first time today and brought back five new little orchid plants! I am really looking forward to watching them grow up and hopefully bloom someday. They're all potted in what I think is bark, in little round slotted pots inside outer square plastic ones.

In the picture, from left to right: Dyakia hendersoniana, Cattleya porphyroglossa, Cattleya leopoldii, LC. Irene Finney x Slc. Sierra Doll 'GC', Den. Samarai (antennatum x stratiotes).

These are my first young plants, so I'm wondering what they might want done differently. Watering more often, I would guess?

I'm especially anxious about the Dyakia, which is totally adorable and looks easy to kill. Would it maybe like to live in a small basket with maybe a little moss and be watered daily and/or misted? Right now the humidity in my living room is 89%.

(H&R was great - so many orchids, with everything beautifully labeled with descriptions! And with the small sizes available for reasonable prices, I could rationalize choosing a selection of plants....) :-P

[Edited because my picture didn't show up for some reason]

[gngrhill]

Very nice. Good luck with your new babies

[fishmom]

You are so lucky to be able to go to H & R in person! I have a number of their orchids, they are always healthy and grow well for me.

Since you are in Hawaii, I would be slow to change the growing conditions of these young orchids. At 89% humidity, I would think that misting would not be necessary. (Here in California I usually have around 50% in my home, which is a different proposition altogether!) I would be trying to duplicate the H and R conditions as much as possible, including the planting medium. I'd be afraid that moss would retain too much water. I know that I have purchased small plants from H & R that are grown in two pots as you say, but with quite large chunks of bark in the small inner pot. It is almost like being mounted on a small mount, inside the pot. This allows the roots to dry quickly, with excellent drainage.

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[No-Pro-mwa]

I wish I could go visit. Nice bunch of new orchids.

[theloyalplum]

You went!

Their back greenhouses are amazing to look at! ... and their breed stock too! Some of the best quality plants I can think of at such a great price... -goes to their website to see if a new list came out-

I would keep them outside if you could. They were already growing there so they won't have as much shock, if any at all.

[Pattywack]

Nice looking plants, wish I could visit H & R! I love buying new plants and I've been guilty this year as well. It is so nice to be able to talk with the grower to understand growing conditions needed.

Good luck with them!

[Lady Oscar]

Originally Posted by fishmom

You are so lucky to be able to go to H & R in person! I have a number of their orchids, they are always healthy and grow well for me.

Since you are in Hawaii, I would be slow to change the growing conditions of these young orchids. At 89% humidity, I would think that misting would not be necessary. (Here in California I usually have around 50% in my home, which is a different proposition altogether!) I would be trying to duplicate the H and R conditions as much as possible, including the planting medium. I'd be afraid that moss would retain too much water. I know that I have purchased small plants from H & R that are grown in two pots as you say, but with quite large chunks of bark in the small inner pot. It is almost like being mounted on a small mount, inside the pot. This allows the roots to dry quickly, with excellent drainage.

Thank you for the advice! I'm thinking I'll leave the Dyakia in its inner pot with the bark, but maybe take it out of the outer pot and hang it. There are a bunch of roots sort of squished between the pots right now.

---------- Post added at 01:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:17 PM ----------

Originally Posted by theloyalplum

You went!

Their back greenhouses are amazing to look at! ... and their breed stock too! Some of the best quality plants I can think of at such a great price... -goes to their website to see if a new list came out-

I would keep them outside if you could. They were already growing there so they won't have as much shock, if any at all.

A good point! I need to figure out how to rig some sort of partial shelter until they're big enough to just sit under the palm trees without blowing away or being drowned by the rain. Maybe a wooden frame with a bit of shade cloth at an angle?

[estación seca]

I would call them and ask about the Dyakia. Then please tell us what they say! Mine died after I let it get dry just once.

[theloyalplum]

Originally Posted by Lady Oscar

A good point! I need to figure out how to rig some sort of partial shelter until they're big enough to just sit under the palm trees without blowing away or being drowned by the rain. Maybe a wooden frame with a bit of shade cloth at an angle?

Maybe! Hard to say without being there. At my parents' house in Norcal we have a wooden shadehouse covered with some plastic to keep pine needles off - the posts anchored by cinder block. I don't know if a similar setup would stand up to the trade winds, but who knows! I would give it a shot. If it works, it works. If it doesn't, try a different design!

[Lady Oscar]

Originally Posted by estación seca

I would call them and ask about the Dyakia. Then please tell us what they say! Mine died after I let it get dry just once.

That is so sad about your Dyakia! I am already ridiculously attached to mine, although I know that anything "difficult" to grow is certainly doomed in my hands.

We need to take a dead refrigerator to the dump (across the road from H&R), so hopefully I can ask them in person soon. I'll let you know what they say!

I had put it on my microwave under Original Phal because that's a place it could get at least morning light without blowing away. Then I had an inspiration and made a ridiculous contraption with bamboo skewers to let me move it to where it could have more light and the roots could have some air. Hopefully I can get a proper hanging setup rigged soon. ^^;