Hi folks!
 

Hi from everybody!
after being a member for quite a while I've decided to 'de-lurk' as it were.

I've been growing for about 3 years now [anything and everything].

It started with one little Den. kingianum I found in the garden left behind by the previous owner [and grew in soil :shock: for a year or two] and now I have roughly about 130 different species and hybrids.

Last year I joined the local orchid club, which has been great.

I have a blog on an Australia orchid site- this is my latest entry:
Cochleanthes aromatica 'Magnifica' | Orchids Online

And I also upload a lot of orchid photos to my Photobucket account, especially 'macro' ones such as this:
CaromaticaMagnificaMACROVBIG3.jpg - Image - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting



It needs a little work as the site was down and I have missing photos to replace :(

This old entry:
Study greenhouse update. | Orchids Online
shows my main GH that I have been growing in since autumn last year [but it's outside now not inside!].

I also have a table outside with orchids, two fishtanks inside and another tiny plastic GH but I'm at that point- where I need more space :evil: .

Sound familar? ;)

Damian.

Oh boy! Have you found the right place!!! :banana:

Welcome to Orchidboard...glad to have you among the active members :clap: :clap: :clap:

I look forward to seeing you around the board :)
A bunch of us are usually in the chat room each night, starting around 8pm est...you're welcome to join us :cheer:

:welcome: Aboard it's great you have released the de-lurk button and join in on the fun here on the OB. Many of us nahhhhh...all of us need more space. Your :photo:s are great, lots of biggin's. :banana:

Taking photos.
 

Thanks guys!
Having a digital camera really helps in getting an ok photo.

Besides the macro function, it is so easy and convenient to be able to take around 60 photos at a time, download them to the computer, erase the card
and start all over again :banana:

It can be challenging with Pleurothallis and other small/tiny flowers just to get them in focus, but you get to see a whole lot of detail that can be hard if not impossible to see with the naked eye.

For example:

Image of P. matudiana flower. - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Image of A macro photograph of Masdevallia pachyura bloom - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Great photos, Damian :clap:
Thanks for sharing :clap:

Hello and welcome to the forum !

Thanks guys!

Actually that photo of the P. matudiana is the reduced version, good because it shows the flower in relation to the foilage but this is the full size- of the same photo which gives much more detail :)
Pleurothallis matudiana | Orchids Online

Tindomul, although I've browsed through the forums and in particular your threads and photos on your vivs I can't remember if you grow any of your pleuros in them?

I have most of mine mounted and they love it, I'm thinking of turning my 3ft long fishtank, that currently has Masd. Drac, Pleuros, Stellis etc in it, into a vertical viv- so I'm going to have to get around to grilling you some time over your very fantastic vivs :lol:

The Pleurothallidinae subfamily has some very small flowers but I love them! :drool:

I have a Pleurothallis hypnicola that hasn't gone out of flower since I got 6-12mnths ago. :cheer:

Welcome! You have a very nice growing space!

Pleuros
 

Thanks! :)

Tindo do you have your pleuros mounted or in pots?

I only just got my P. tribuloides from a great friend up north and I was amazed to discover that the new roots it's putting out are totally bright orangey-red. I don't know if I can manage to get a decent photo of them.. like the rest of the plant, they are tiny :nod:

WOW! This one is magnificent!

Ok I'm officially jealous :nod:

That Platystele is one very healthy, happy and well grown plant and your P. tribuloides is very nicely established with a lot of flowers on it! :drool:

Great photos too.

Can you tell I'm a fan of Pleurothallidinae? :biggrin:

I'm slowly going through all the terrarium threads and pics in your gallery so forgive me if this question is answered somewhere in there, but do you have these
growing in your vivs or in some other growing area?

And do they get misted every day?

Constant bloomers; Pleurothallis hypnicola
 

I just made a post in the Pleurothallis Alliance forum, on my constant bloomer, I think mentioned it before; Pleurothallis hypnicola.

http://www.orchidboard.com/community...html#post25244

Is there a thread on constant bloomers or plants always or most of the time in bloom? There should be :nod:

Thanks for the info Tindo,
I actually had that problem with my 3ft Masd. tank so
I cranked up the fan to a higher speed which has certainly helped.

I read in an article [the second part of the case-growing article here: Canadian Orchid Congress Newsletter that air movement from a fan directly on a leaf even despite high humidity levels will desicate it, yet I've read others saying as long as every leaf is slightly swaying it's good enough :scratchhead:

What tupe of 'vacuum' do you use in the tank?

Doesn't it decrease the humidity inside?

I never thought of that, sounds like a good idea. :hmm

Thanks for sharing these details. I always assumed fans were meant to be on 24/7 and I was never sure about whether they should be blowing air in, out or around [the inside of] the viv.

That's low. I have around 55% in my living room. In winter it goes up to 80 - 85%. I thought the main reason to build an orchidrarium is to increase the humidity.

Do you grow most of your orchids in the living room? Have you got a photo of your growing area/plant setup?

Well I have read a far bit saying it's better to have drier plants in low humidity when the weather is coldest which is mostly at night time/winter. So having low humidity at night and then high as possible during the day [when the plants should be actively growing does make sense to me :nod:

It is just a window sill at the moment :blushing: with supplemental lightings during the winter.

I think a lot of people just grow at or on their window sill/s. As good a place as any I think :nod:

Yes, but my window sills look like orchid warehouses at the moment. Looking forward to moving and organazing plants, but need to wait two more years... :(

I wouldn't mind having an orchid warehouse in my house :D
What happens in two years?

The house where we are going to buy a bigger flat will be finished.

Just saw your question, sorry. :blushing: I do have air washer and wet towels on the central heating radiators and my place is so small that laundry increases the humidity too. And I do laundry few times per week.

Ahhh ok I see :)