Kagawara Christie Low

[Bud]

(Renanthera Nancy Chandler X Ascocenda Memoria Choo LaiKeun)
Kagawara is a hybrid of Vanda x Ascocentrum x Renanthera.
I give it bright but not direct sun; this can be grown from May to September outdoors or up til two weeks before frost comes. Best hanging and mounted but I grow this in S/H because it has very long fat roots that is hard to moisten evenly….morning spray, flush every other week …. weekly weakly fertilizer of Algoflash alternated with seaweed mix and worm tea mix
Temperature: 80F all year indoors and can withstand 105F at the height of summer heat wave out in the fire escape.
Humidifier in winter and oscillating small electric fan
*this is a 5 year old given to me almost dying by a florist friend 3 years ago….notice how the bottom leaves have all fallen off….it is still recovering; the three top layers of leaves are healthy and the rest are still either cold water marked or with insect bites. It is 2.5 feet tall not including the spikes. The roots are 2 feet long all curled inside the drilled glass vase filled with hydroton.

[Lana]

Wow, what a great job you did with this plant. It's gorgeous! The color is absolutely stunning.

[Bud]

Thank You, Lana !

Thank You, Gage !

[Lana]

Bud, I can't believe the variety of healthy, strong enough to bloom in their season plants, you grow in your Manhattan apartment! How do you manage to keep them so happy, and create the right conditions?

[Bud]

It is in the southfacing baywindow in winter and they get constant 80F with humidifiers and electric fans and in summers they are outside the fire escape enjoying the hot and humid Manhattan atmosphere....
sunlight from dawn til 11am then shaded by the tall buildings until 4pm til dusk....
it is given weakly weekly algoflash alternated with seaweed mix and worm tea mix....it loves to feed and drink a lot....
I flush it clean with full throttle faucet pressure under the sink every other week

[Bud]

It is important to provide this plant bright light, warmth, feed it and let it drink a lot to produce leaves and roots so it gains enough energy to produce spikes sequentially all through the blooming cycles....otherwise if this is carelessly grown, it will be a soft, floppy and wrinkly plant that wont bloom and prone to sickness and bug infestations

[Leafmite]

Another beauty, Bud! I love the color! Your growing technique obviously works well! I think you have great taste in orchids, too! The blooms are always delightful!

[Bud]

Thank You ! Leafmite!
I am glad you like the flowers I post.
I always research on where my plant originally came from and then recreate my environment it will feel comfortable in....even if its merely a windowsill in my apartment

[Leafmite]

I do the same. This year hasn't been the greatest for my orchids. Some are recovering from the black rot, the heat took out the aerangis citrata, a green grasshopper relative ate most of my paph bloom and hail got the angraecum didieri bloom (first blooming, too!). The podangis was my only winner thus far. I do have my Burr. Nelly Isler and burana beauty in bud so next orchid meeting I should be able to show off some blooms (I am not certain anyone could see the podangis blooms).

[Bud]

WOW! I am sorry to hear about your plight....from black rot, grasshoppers, hail and heat that is mother nature and we cant help it.... yet you still have some flowers left to look forward to....this is the warmer months and orchids just want to bloom