Hi From the Cactus Queen, trying orchids

[Nemesisthewarlock]

Hi All!

I grow cacti and succulents in the driest state in Australia...
and for my next trick have decided to attempt orchids.

Not the brightest move, I know.

I have set up a wide top bowl with a layer of gravel about 2 inches deep, distilled water with a very little tannin reaches the top of this, and a living layer of sphagnum on that. Sphagnum keeps the water sweet... I've grown many trays of it.

A boiled piece of mopani wood rests on top, and I've mounted a phalaenopsis on it with a little sphagnum mix of living and dead moss.

A tillandsia also lives on the mount.

Hoping I can keep some level of humidity, I've also put an ultrasonic humidifier nearby. Our climate is extremely dry - think Arizona desert dry, and things dessicate so quickly. I'm hoping that it will live with the mini-bog underneath.

We get regular nose-bleeds from the high aridity, and have trouble keeping anything but succulents and xeriscape plants in the garden.

I have another new Phalaenopsis that is in the bathroom at the moment with another humidifier going.

I've ordered a fishtank to try and plant up with the vanilla orchid and the bathroom phalaenopsis... same idea, living sphagnum bog at the bottom to increase humidity...
wish me luck! Hoping not to kill them...

[Nemesisthewarlock]

Attempting photograph!

Epic fail.... trying attachment instead... and that's after reading the how to's... musta missed something!

[Roberta]

Welcome! And you got the photo just fine! So far, that Phal looks happy (OK, may be a new acquisition) But it sounds like you have done what you need to do to keep it happy. It's not the humidity in the whole great outdoors, or even the whole house, it's what you can manage in the immediate vicinity of the orchid, and looks good to me!

[Nemesisthewarlock]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Welcome! And you got the photo just fine! So far, that Phal looks happy (OK, may be a new acquisition) But it sounds like you have done what you need to do to keep it happy. It's not the humidity in the whole great outdoors, or even the whole house, it's what you can manage in the immediate vicinity of the orchid, and looks good to me!

Thanks!

Here's hoping I did get it right - I know nothing!

I read all the many, varied, and totally conflicting cultivation advices, and then added a dollop of intuition, a dash of common sense, stir and bake...

Jan

[DirtyCoconuts]

Wow, welcome and sounds like a difficult area to grow!

Bathroom sounds like a good idea with the occasional steam.

Keep us posted

[Subrosa]

You need to find Eulophia petersii. Care is identical to cacti which don't tolerate moisture during their winter dormancy.

[Diane56Victor]

Welcome, Im another SA resident, Victor Harbor to be exact.
There are some good orchid clubs in Adelaide if you are interested, Gawler has one and there is also both an evening and daytime session of the South Coast Orchid Club, plus the one at Victor Harbor.
More info and some contacts for the South Coast club if needed.

[Nemesisthewarlock]

Originally Posted by Subrosa

You need to find Eulophia petersii. Care is identical to cacti which don't tolerate moisture during their winter dormancy.

Thanks for the info!

Had a look for that - Alas! not to be found in Australia as yet - probably a combination of no demand due to ignorance and our very strict bio-security practices.

Sounds ideal, though. When I become rich I'll get all the permits and import/quarantine it - and become a South Australian hero amongst orchid lovers,

Actually, we have a cold wet winter, however all my cacti are mounded high, and winter water tolerant. When I say cold, we rarely have a frost or go below 2c/36f.

On the other hand, summer it's not rare to have 49c/120f days, zero humidity, so, yeah, challenging!

---------- Post added at 10:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:29 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Diane56Victor

Welcome, Im another SA resident, Victor Harbor to be exact.
There are some good orchid clubs in Adelaide if you are interested, Gawler has one and there is also both an evening and daytime session of the South Coast Orchid Club, plus the one at Victor Harbor.
More info and some contacts for the South Coast club if needed.

Thanks so much Diane! However I don't drive, and am in the Onkaparinga district.

Victor is such a lovely place, hubby will often drive us down on a Sunday for breakfast at one of the pubs.

I find clubs somewhat distressing - I'm on the Autistic Spectrum, and people at clubs seem to get right into the 'social' aspect of it, which I find alarming at best. Hubby isn't much better off than I, so he's not much help as a buffer if he were to join as well. I can never refuse invitations gracefully, and don't want to give offence - catch 22

I recently took Japanese language classes - the stress of working so hard to appear 'normal' and remembering all the right things to say was exhausting, let alone trying to learn (happy to report my recent solo trip to Japan was a success though - was understood everywhere!)

Thanks for the thought, very kind!

[DirtyCoconuts]

I have lots of family on all ends of the spectrum, plants are terrific companions because you can speak to them at your comfort level and they very rarely talk back

There are probably some species of orchid that are endemic to your region (or close) that might not need too much coaxing to thrive

---------- Post added at 08:08 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:05 AM ----------

The Tucson Cactus and Succulent Society

Found this article pretty cool

[Nemesisthewarlock]

Originally Posted by DirtyCoconuts

I have lots of family on all ends of the spectrum, plants are terrific companions because you can speak to them at your comfort level and they very rarely talk back

There are probably some species of orchid that are endemic to your region (or close) that might not need too much coaxing to thrive

---------- Post added at 08:08 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:05 AM ----------

The Tucson Cactus and Succulent Society

Found this article pretty cool

Thanks! Subrosa mentioned Eulophia - not to be found in Australia, alas and alack!

My plants only talk back when they're stressed, lol. And they never invite me to things, or talk about what they're making for dinner, or how their children are doing

In my area, I'm coastal with no wind breaks in this new development, so a pretty harsh climate even for the natives. I have a small microclimate out the back for bromeliads and fatsia/hydrangea/dragonfruit, less sun hardy succulents etc, however the air is just desiccating. If I go away for more than 24 hours in summer, we have to get someone in to water the more tender shrubs lol.

The front yard is totally exposed, however judicious selection of cacti, succulents and xeriscape plants has made quite a nice display. I love English cottage gardens, but that was never going to happen here unless I was a slave to it, and spent a fortune on water and shade, lol.