Dancing Lady lures another into Orchid collecting

[Ad Astra]

It was a normal Saturday when my wife Marta & I decided to enjoy the cool fall weather while walking around the local flea market.

Just before leaving, we noticed an older gentleman selling orchids. My wife asked if he had any "dancing ladies" and sure enough, he pulled out what I can tell you (now) was an Oncidium, a "Chocolate Dancing Lady" (or Sharry Baby).

Marta's dad, who died a few years ago, grew orchids and was most proud of his "bailadora" (dancing lady in Spanish). I remember him showing off its blooms once when I went over to pick her up.

As a happy memory of her dad, the Sharry Baby went home with us. I read about them on the internet and that same day put up a five-foot shelf in a south-facing window. The plant looked stunning up there, and within a few days, bloomed fabulous cocoa-smelling flowers.

I was hooked. You know, that plant looked lonely in the middle of that long shelf... and once you have to mix up a gallon of orchid food every other week, you may as well... get more orchids.

In two weeks, I had 15.

"Subject: Orchid list

1 Oncidium "Sharry Baby," (lg.)
1 Oncidium "Splendidum," (lg.)
1 Vanda "Ascocenda," (sm.)
2 Cattleyas "white with colored lip," (sm.)
1 Cattleya "splash and two-tone," (sm.)
1 Cattleya "Momilani Rainbow," (med.)
1 Phalenopsis "Alice Girl," (med.)
1 Phalenopsis "Brother Little Yellowboy," (med.)
1 Phalenopsis "unknown- white with little purple spots," (med.)
1 Dendrobium "Karen," (med.)
1 Dendrobium "intergeneric pink," (med.)
1 Dendrobium "intergeneric white," (med.)
1 Epidendrum "Mabel Kanda," (med.)
1 Laelia? "Iwanagara Apple Blossom," (med.)"

Make that 16- added a large Phal. "Wedding Promenade" today (11/3)

Most all of them came from the "big box" stores at half price after flowering; don't know if that's a common trick. $5-10 has gotten most of them, and at least three- the "Karen" Dendrobium and two of the Phals- are about to flower. The small catts were bagged, and the Momilani Rainbow is the most beautiful flower I'd ever seen. $24, but it's still in bloom and smelling wonderful.

Have read the Ortho book, "All About Orchids" and a book written by a man named Hollingsworth, can't remember the book's name.

Cannot wait for my three flowering plants to pop... likely the end of this week, and the Oncidiums are still looking really nice.

Nice meeting you all.


Mike

[cb977]

Hi Mike
Great intro!

Sharry Baby is a seductive little lady, isn't she?
The rest of the 'chids on your list are lovely too...the last one is not a Laelia. The genus is Iwanagaara (go figure! ) When this one blooms, you will be jumping for joy when you get the fragrance! It is by far my all-time favorite smell...they should put it in a can or something!

[Tindomul]

Welcome to the orchid board Mike. Glad you could join us and glad you discovered the world of orchids. Its so cool that you were able to get names from your big box stores. Usually the orchids they find at the home depot etc... are NOID ---> have No Idendtification.

[Ross]

Welcome, and yours is surely one of the most interesting intros I've read so far! What a way to change from no orchids to orchid pimp! (Sorry, had to say that! )

[cb977]

Ross, as a moderator I feel the urge to say
but as a person with a sense of humor ...

[Dorothy]

WELCOME!
Glad you have joined us here at OB
Yours is an endearing story and you have a great collection so far ... you will soon find many more orchids you will want to add .. with the help of all of us here
We are an enabling group of orchidteers and love to make suggestions ..
Seeing you live on the Gulf Coast .. there are many members here that live in your vicinity besides all the many others that come from around the world.
This board is filled with people filled with knowledge and experience who are more than happy to help answer any questions you have
When you get the chance, please post photos of your little lovelies .. we all love to and over them.

Ross - As far as orchid pimping ... it takes one to know one ...

[Ross]

You 2 are both right. I am one, what can I say?

[Ad Astra]

Thanks, all. I post on a couple other message boards for different hobbies, but I'm having a lot of fun with orchids and wanted to come to the right place.

Um, all 15 are not on that one 5-foot sill... some are at work and a few are on other south-facing windows.

I've made a few mistakes- repotted a flowering plant, for example- but am trying to go by the book. I did put a 12" circulating fan on a timer, as moving air seems to be a special benefit to these plants.

The south-facing window was really concerning me as possibly having insufficient light due to the roof overhang. I tried the camera light-meter trick but the digital won't go down to ISO25, only ISO100, which throws off that test. Luckily, my next-door neighbor's wife is super-knowledgable on the subject (she lived in Perrine, Fla.- where some big growers are at one time). She told me the roof overhang was probably making it better, since the window is a five-foot square; might have provided too much light. So far, the plants are the correct shade of green. Working on a Phal that came with leaves too dark; it's sitting towards the front.

Here's a pic of the Momilani Rainbow Catt (linked).



Thumbnail of shelf.




Mike (below, one of the Sharry blooms)