Project 7 (Mystery Project) Sign-up and Discussions

[cb977]

Hey folks...now that we have our polls going for the Neo contest, it's time to start thinking about our next project.

Take a look through this link to see how it all started:
Mystery Project?

That thread has now been closed so all further discussions/suggestions will take place here in the new thread. Once we get some ideas, we'll see about scheduling a chat to fine tune it.

Here we go again!

[dgenovese1]

Hi Susanne,
I'm game for a project, not having participated in one before though I'd rather just tag along for now. I'm not afraid to throw out ideas however.

I am actually doing a little project with some folks at work, and maybe we can do something similar, or that has some of the elements I'm using in it. Here’s what I've got going on:
I was given a small flask of an un-named hybrid cattleya that I was able to grow out in a compot and then transfer into 2 inch plastic pots when they got big enough. I had 25 plants and didn't want to take up the space required to grow them all out, so I came up with this idea.
I asked folks if they would be interested in a contest to see who could bloom one first; it’s something just for fun. Most of these folks aren't orchid nuts like us, but 15 of them are playing along. We decided that I wouldn't tell them or show them photos of the parents so that the blooms would be a surprise, and everyone was given the same culture sheet on cattleyas from the AOS. The winner (first to bloom) gets a full sized blooming plant from my collection – my choice of course.

Maybe our "Mystery Project" could be something like getting an un-named cross seedling (or 2 or 3) from a vendor and growing them out and trying to figure out the parentage...or something along these lines. We could use any of the mainstream genera as a base plant.
I don't know...it's just an idea.

[flhiker]

Thats sounds like its on the right track although I think that the plants should be blooming size. My Idea or thought is, First we need to find a vendor willing to participate and have enough plants. I think it would be better if we can get plants more suited to the members area so we need not get the same plant. When the vendor gets a order for this project they can send one best for that area but send it with a tag that only has a number. They could make a master sheet with the plant name matched to the number. once all the plants are sent they can send the master sheet to whoever. The master sheet should be sealed till one blooms. Well thats my Idea

[kiki-do]

Hi All,
Those are great suggestions. I don't think I am experienced enough to have flasks, though. I would prefer blooming size also. Of course, we would need to have miniatures due to space. I was thinking that everyone would sign up first and list their area or say Warm, Intermediate, or Cool growing. All of us can check off intermediate, but many can opt for an another temp preference as well. Once we see how many participants we have, Sue (she said she would volunteer to be the master sheet holder) can contact vendors who handle miniatures and might give a discount for say 25 people or more.
She can list 20 or 25 orchids that we've picked before but it didn't become the final pick, and when we sign up, we can check off if we have any of them....so Sue can be sure we don't get that one again??? Personally, I don't care if I get a duplicate. And she can pick three finalists that will be used anonymously. They should be about the same prices. No one else knows what three she has picked or who will get which of them.
Then say for example, I would get one not marked (but Sue has the info) and it would be either an intermediate and/or cool grower and all I would get is basic light requirements/watering regime. Pretty generic info. Say Sue picked Andy's to ship from. Andy would ship out to everyone exactly what, how, and where Sue tells him and he sends her the master sheet.
No tags on the plant at all, and no invoice.
Money...Sue can tell us up front what the entire cost of plant and shipping and we can send money to an OB account through paypal, credit card, or something like that. Once she has collected the entire money amount, she can pay the vendor and the shipping begins.
There is still a matter of shipping costs to various areas and how to handle that.
Meanwhile, when the plants arrive, we can have fun posting pics and guessing what it is we have. This way, everyone receives the same size plant at about the same time, too.
I'm sure I have a gazillion flaws here, but these are some thoughts, anyway.

[Roly0217]

YAY !!!! Sue we are starting the Mystery Project !!!!! I'm so excited !!! Why don't we do what you had proposed before. Take the second plant from different projects and do a poll and the winner will be the mystery plant; and then you pretty much have the rest figured out as you have done other projects before. I'm in for sure

[Dorothy]

Roly - I like that idea as we have already done the research needed on the orchids that we know will fit our requirements ..

We could vote on a genus .. and find that genus that were accepted in previous projects to vote on .. random thought

[flhiker]

I thought it was suppose to be a Mystery. The reason I like the idea of area tolerant plants is I have not been able to get any of the previous project orchids to bloom. I think my area is just to hot for intermediate to bloom. They grow like weeds but don't flower. Just for curiosity has anyone from S.Florida been able to get a project plant to flower? and if so HOW . My neo. came in spike

[cb977]

I've only skimmed over what Dave and kiki wrote...I'm so exhausted, I can't absorb anything I'll re-read them tomorrow

I said in the beginning that I would not participate in this particular project as somebody needs to know what everybody actually has I don't mind doing that...and at the rate orchids "mysteriously" appear at my house, it might be a good thing

When Roly and I were discussing this last week in the chat room, I was just starting to think about the details for this project but hadn't really put any effort into it yet. Now that I've had some time to think about it more, I think the idea I originally thought of might be the best way to go.

This is what I came up with:
I would go back through all of our previous polls and choose one of the close runner-up plants from each one. For example, let's say the third favorite choice in each of the previous polls...would then be numbered as I did for the Neo photos. The new poll would have no pictures or information available, just each plant's assigned number. The most votes is the plant you all get...with no tag or info from the vendor. Only the vendors and I will know what you've all gotten yourselves into

I would make arrangements for the vendor to send the plants with no identifiers on the plant or the receipt...and everybody would order their own. I don't want to get into collecting funds.

We would be dealing with plants that have passed muster in the past with all the research being done so we know they work for us as a group.

I'm going to get some rest now...no more thinking till tomorrow!

[Roly0217]

Originally Posted by cb977

I'm going to get some rest now...no more thinking till tomorrow!

You go ahead anf get some rest. You do need it. Tomorrow we'll keep brainstorming

[dgenovese1]

Ummm...ok. I'm just going along for the ride.
I think I'll wait and watch what happens, but I'm with Dave on having plants other than intermediate growers to choose from, as we are in the same area and many of those don't bloom well here, if at all. Choices are good! Just my worth.