Trying my luck with pollen

[Shadeflower]

So this is attempt #2 of selfing one of my phalaenopsis hybrids after attempt #1 failed miserably.

The annoying thing is when you self a phal you need to sacrifice one flower to get the pollen.

Then if like in my case the first pollination attempt fails, the flower just drops which is what happened.

Not great. I didn't want to lose another flower so I've enjoyed the flowers for a few weeks and I decided to try my luck again with the last pollen ball whatever they are called that I had placed in the freezer.

I know I've gotten this far and failed before but I'm optimistic.

Anyway if all fails I want to show off the flowers one last time before they fade. They've been giving me a nice cinnamon corningiana-like fragrance every afternoon.

pollinated:


remaining flowers:

[Fairorchids]

Are you doing this because you have a purpose, or goal of creating something new; or are you doing it just because you want to try?

If the former, by all means go ahead.

If the latter, please don't. There are millions of generic Phalaenopsis without names coming out of the nurseries, and we don't need any more.

[YetAnotherOrchidNut]

Originally Posted by Fairorchids

If the latter, please don't. There are millions of generic Phalaenopsis without names coming out of the nurseries, and we don't need any more.

Crazy thought: I have sometimes wondered if orchids manipulating humans into reproducing them in such volumes is just a natural extension of their ability to manipulate other species to help them reproduce. Maybe there is some kind of latent hyponosis in their blooms that makes people that see them want to help them produce more. In which case the whole industrial production of orchids is just a natural part of them establishing dominance over the planet.

Crazy sure but you never know. There are fungus that affect the behavior of their hosts. Some believe that Toxoplasma gondii changes human behavior. Who knows what orchids are doing to their "hosts" to ensure their survival. :-)

[camille1585]

Beautiful Phal Shadeflower! That's your corningiana cross if I recall correctly? I really like it!

I also tried my hand at pollinating some Phals in the spring, but neither of my 2 attemps took. The flowers had been open for too long on both parents (a month), normally you should make the cross within the first week or so of opening.

Originally Posted by Fairorchids

If the latter, please don't. There are millions of generic Phalaenopsis without names coming out of the nurseries, and we don't need any more.

Why not? Aside from the fact that the Phal in question isn't one of the generic types (and if I recall correctly from a previous thread, this is a named hybrid), I don't see the harm in someone wanting to have some fun with their plants, for their own enjoyment.

[Dorchid]

Love that flower! I hope you have success with the process! If one wants to learn the process and develop the techniques and tools needed for orchid husbandry, then by all means, they should. Discouraging those who want to try for fear of “flooding the market” with noid crosses is disingenuous at best and the product of a frail ego and selfishness at worst.

[Fairorchids]

Originally Posted by Dorchid

Love that flower! I hope you have success with the process! If one wants to learn the process and develop the techniques and tools needed for orchid husbandry, then by all means, they should. Discouraging those who want to try for fear of “flooding the market” with noid crosses is disingenuous at best and the product of a frail ego and selfishness at worst.

In the opening post, there was no ID indicated. Nor was any intent or goal stated.

In a vacuum, breeding NOID plants is equivalent to breeding two mutts from an animal rescue center. And that is generally frowned upon.

Based on Camille comment, if this is an interesting/valuable plant, it would make more sense to attempt to make some direct copies via stem props (or keiki paste).

[YetAnotherOrchidNut]

Originally Posted by Fairorchids

In the opening post, there was no ID indicated. Nor was any intent or goal stated.

In a vacuum, breeding NOID plants is equivalent to breeding two mutts from an animal rescue center. And that is generally frowned upon.

Based on Camille comment, if this is an interesting/valuable plant, it would make more sense to attempt to make some direct copies via stem props (or keiki paste).

Personally I think there is no problem with doing a cross in your living room for fun. Its what you do with the results that matters I think. If you get results.

[Shadeflower]

Originally Posted by Fairorchids

Are you doing this because you have a purpose, or goal of creating something new; or are you doing it just because you want to try?

If the former, by all means go ahead.

If the latter, please don't. There are millions of generic Phalaenopsis without names coming out of the nurseries, and we don't need any more.

So technically I have left OB but I was questioning my decision. I was thinking ok MyGreenpets started trying Inocucor beginning of this year and I wanted to see the updates. I made some friends and a lot of enemies.
But overall I do still want to participate but look at the interest this post has shown.

Basically little to "don't do it"

Ha, reinforces my belief that I won't influence anybody here and I'm just better keeping my hobby and my green pets to myself.

My aim is to have the greenest orchids that produce the most flowers which is not easy! Striving to figure out how to achieve it - I know - has led to people not liking me.

But that is fine, what was the saying recently by someone, let the fires of the bridges I burn light the way or something.

Or one has to break some eggs if one wants to make an omelette?

Anyway my latest experiment is coming a long so well after just a few weeks when I thought it would take months to see results I was excited and wanted to share my results but had to remind myself that is how I ended up deciding to leave. Every week it's the same answer, you need some expensive chemical to solve your orchid problems, not figure out what the problem is that is ailing them to start with. To me that is the completely wrong approach but my opinion is not welcome which is why I think it is best I leave. It is sad to say but participating in the forum has not been fun for me lately.

Camille, you have been the only positive contributor lately, so thank you for that. You literally made my visits worthwhile and you need to take more responsibility in stopping non-orchid growing trolls using this site to pretend they can grow orchids. You know who I am talking about.

But hey this is just my goodbye rant so whatever, maybe I am the problem. My therapist did tell me I am too self absorbed so that would explain why forum interactions are not for me. Who cares it would seem.

My opinion is that breeding Cattleya's without a fragrance is the biggest atrocity that modern cattleya breeders are committing but Kim, thousands of people are doing it.
That is my opinion.

Is it an atrocity that I am making a cross of this one? Maybe. It has got a name but the name is so long that I won't be calling it that. I will be making up a new name for it. I've got a good one picked out already.

So why this one? It is my most vigorous hybrid out of 40+ phals I have. It blooms twice a year and is one of my most fragrant.

So would it be a waste to share this one with the world or should I focus my attention on non fragrant Cattleya's?

So I am sorry to say OB but my days of arguing with fully grown kids over who is the better grower are over, some of you might rejoice, like said I know I have made enemies.

When I first joined I didn't think the hobby was so competitive or secretive. Or that there was such a big divide and even hatred between species growers and hybrid growers.

Some breeders try to protect their secrets and wouldn't dare about sharing how to breed seeds.

Well guess what I have a lot to learn on that front from which orchid media works best to how to grow seedlings.

I am hopeful that I even manage to get just one seedling from this attempt, it is more of a teaching experiment for myself - mainly to try different substrates.

But for someone who wastes their time breeding non fragrant Cattleya's to tell me not to breed one of my best phals?

Yes that is exactly the kind of answer to convince me my projects are better shown elsewhere

[Dusty Ol' Man]

Originally Posted by Shadeflower

So technically I have left OB but I was questioning my decision. I was thinking ok MyGreenpets started trying Inocucor beginning of this year and I wanted to see the updates. I made some friends and a lot of enemies.
But overall I do still want to participate but look at the interest this post has shown.

Basically little to "don't do it"

Ha, reinforces my belief that I won't influence anybody here and I'm just better keeping my hobby and my green pets to myself.

My aim is to have the greenest orchids that produce the most flowers which is not easy! Striving to figure out how to achieve it - I know - has led to people not liking me.

But that is fine, what was the saying recently by someone, let the fires of the bridges I burn light the way or something.

Or one has to break some eggs if one wants to make an omelette?

Anyway my latest experiment is coming a long so well after just a few weeks when I thought it would take months to see results I was excited and wanted to share my results but had to remind myself that is how I ended up deciding to leave. Every week it's the same answer, you need some expensive chemical to solve your orchid problems, not figure out what the problem is that is ailing them to start with. To me that is the completely wrong approach but my opinion is not welcome which is why I think it is best I leave. It is sad to say but participating in the forum has not been fun for me lately.

Camille, you have been the only positive contributor lately, so thank you for that. You literally made my visits worthwhile and you need to take more responsibility in stopping non-orchid growing trolls using this site to pretend they can grow orchids. You know who I am talking about.

But hey this is just my goodbye rant so whatever, maybe I am the problem. My therapist did tell me I am too self absorbed so that would explain why forum interactions are not for me. Who cares it would seem.

My opinion is that breeding Cattleya's without a fragrance is the biggest atrocity that modern cattleya breeders are committing but Kim, thousands of people are doing it.
That is my opinion.

Is it an atrocity that I am making a cross of this one? Maybe. It has got a name but the name is so long that I won't be calling it that. I will be making up a new name for it. I've got a good one picked out already.

So why this one? It is my most vigorous hybrid out of 40+ phals I have. It blooms twice a year and is one of my most fragrant.

So would it be a waste to share this one with the world or should I focus my attention on non fragrant Cattleya's?

So I am sorry to say OB but my days of arguing with fully grown kids over who is the better grower are over, some of you might rejoice, like said I know I have made enemies.

When I first joined I didn't think the hobby was so competitive or secretive. Or that there was such a big divide and even hatred between species growers and hybrid growers.

Some breeders try to protect their secrets and wouldn't dare about sharing how to breed seeds.

Well guess what I have a lot to learn on that front from which orchid media works best to how to grow seedlings.

I am hopeful that I even manage to get just one seedling from this attempt, it is more of a teaching experiment for myself - mainly to try different substrates.

But for someone who wastes their time breeding non fragrant Cattleya's to tell me not to breed one of my best phals?

Yes that is exactly the kind of answer to convince me my projects are better shown elsewhere

Just WOW!

Oh. And....BYE! (SMH)

[Fairorchids]

To Shadeflower - just in case you come back to see how the Orchidboard has reacted to your latest (final?) missive.

Most spectacular disasters result, when someone doesn't know, what he/she doesn't know. You have repeatedly stepped into this minefield. And we know, because your statements/comments are so far off into left field.

In your last message, you bring up Cattleya hybrids lacking fragrance. To discuss that issue intelligently, we need to look at 160 years of breeding history + what is known and what is not known about genetics.

It would take me several hours to write on this very broad subject, and I can't undertake to do that if you never come back to read it.

If you do come back, and would like to learn about this subject, please send me a PM.