Your ideas for the next summer plant project

[Rowangreen]

Had a few thoughts while I've been out pounding the streets...

It seems to me we shouldn't get too hung up trying to make each project work for everyone. The numbers of people in the Soph project are huge, which makes the thread huge, limits the choice of plants etc. Maybe it's got to the point where splitting into more than one project makes sense.

However... that means we shouldn't be expecting Camille to run several different projects. I'd suggest if there's several different popular ideas, then Camille runs the one she wants to run. Those who want to do something else sort it out among themselves.

It also strikes me that there seems to be a desire to do something a bit different. I guess some folks have done several projects, and would like to do something really unusual, difficult or long term (eg from flask). Maybe one way to split things would be a 'beginner' project, set up in the standard way, and an 'advanced' project for those wanting a bit of a challenge?

Re the importing and distributing issue: we might not have to get one of us to distribute. I think some sellers will post out plants when they visit a region. Another possibility would be if a seller in a region buys from the visiting seller, then they could act as an agent. Eg just as an example... if 'EU Central Orchids' imports from 'Brazil Orchids' and we know there's a few of us in the EU want something from 'Brazil Orchids' then maybe we could get 'EU Central' to include it in their next order. EU generally have to guess what's wanted: this way they'd be pretty sure of having buyers, and for TC's too, so they'd probably be pretty happy....

I'd assume that generally if we were doing a flask task, then people would want a flask each, so no dividing of flasks needed... Since flasks might be in short supply I think if many people are into the flask idea it might be better to do it region by region. Depends how many would be involved though. I also think if I was getting a flask I'd like to get something like a new or primary hybrid. For me that would make growing several seedlings long term more interesting and exciting.

[Rowangreen]

I also think expanding from just one plant, as Leafmite suggested, might be the way to go. Eg we could say 'a phal equestris hybrid' rather than a particular phal.

[Call_Me_Bob]

Great ideas, but imo, part of the fun of projects are that people Fromm all different places are growing the same plant, so it's cool to compare growing styles and stuff with people all over the world, not just in your region.

I agree though, I'm getting a little tired of the plain old projects.

I think to do a 3 plant project would be cool!! And you don't just have to pick one!!

What happened a few years ago with the mystery project? I wasn't on here when it happened, but it sounds intriguing!

[camille1585]

Leafmite, I actually had a similar idea to yours, inspired by the Bulbos in the spring project. In past project 1 candidate = 1 species. But I was thinking more like 1 candidate = A few very similar species. For instance, in the spring project we considered Bulbo lobbii and sumatranum as the same plant (since they used to be called the same). Another example off the top of my head is a group such a Phal lobbii, parishii and their natural hybrid...
The only drawback is that it probably will involve a lot more work since for each candidate group there needs to be at least 2 species in the US if we want there to be enough for all.


Bob- I participated in the mystery project, though I didn't organize it. To organize there was one member from each region to coordinate for participants of their region (since vendors have to be more involved than in a standard project). Basically it's the same process as for a normal project, except when it came time to vote, each plant was coded by a number and people voted randomly for a number. Afterwards, people contacted the vendor who shipped the plant (and TCs!). No one knew what the project plant was until opening the package...

Great ideas everyone. A seedling/flask project is probably best done as next year's spring project, since we need time to work out the logistics of it. Also it's much more work, and although I love organizing these projects, I'm (like most of you) very busy in the summer with other things. So I really would like to keep a summer project as simple as possible. I have much more spare time in March-April, when the weather is too shitty to do anything other than stuff on the computer.

[camille1585]

I also like the idea of something similar to the Neo project, so it isn't the same old thing again. We could select our project plant(s) the usual way, but add in the styling and photography aspect we had in the Neo project. For instance once we have voted on the plant we then chose a theme (or not) and then design a set up with the plant at the center of it, share our photos of it, and vote for the best setup/photo. With the Neo project we kept a Japanese theme, and I had temporarily mounted my plant on a rock, that I incorporated into a japanese zen garden landscape (a decorative pan that I filled with fine sand, added other rocks, clumps of moss, cuttings from mini bamboo, etc, and then drew lines in the sand with a fork). This creative aspect made it a very interesting project!

[Wynn Dee13]

I like the idea of a three plant project with a cool, intermediate, and warm grower. Then people can buy one of them, two, or all three plants.

Thanks Camille for volunteering again! If you need help with anything I'm willing to help.

[Daenerys]

I like the idea of doing a hybrid cross rather than a species.

I don't like the idea of having separate plants.

One way to make finding an acceptable plant easier would be to raise the price limit on US plants to "under $30." Most of the plants I see on catalogs are in the $20-30 price range, which would greatly broaden our options.

[camille1585]

The problem isn't broadening our options (we had something like 20 candidates last project), but finding enough of one plant in the US. I contacted a lot of growers in April, and most don't have more than 20 of anything, many have less. I do agree about raising the price limit, it seems that they have gotten a bit more expensive since these projects started. We already raised it for canadians...

Hybrids have always been out, because it is very difficult to find the same hybrids available on both sides of the pond. We could add in primary hybrids, but complex ones are impossible!

[Daenerys]

Originally Posted by camille1585

Hybrids have always been out, because it is very difficult to find the same hybrids available on both sides of the pond. We could add in primary hybrids, but complex ones are impossible!

I know that's the conventional wisdom around here, but I question its accuracy. I just cross-checked Schwerter Orchideenzucht (an EU supplier) cattleya section against Hausermann's, and I found 13 hybrids that were a match on both catalogs. And this is just comparing two individual suppliers.

Maybe the newest crosses are very hard to find in more than one region, but there are plenty of hybrids that are available everywhere.

[camille1585]

Don't forget Canada! That's where things get complicated actually, they don't have much available up there...