Photos and Chat #4

Lin, I can't figure out why I am so fat (LOL) as I told my sister in law that I work so hard on my plants. You were talking about dead leaves, etc. I have been doing that all week long in between planting up avs, etc.

I agree that the right is chirita tamiana and the left could be any number of plants. I am going to post just a few and let Eunice guess.

I do know that I always have to keep taking off the bottom leaves and planting deeper to get a strong plant. Plus , I seem to think they do better when they have a lot of perlite on the bottom and not much soil??????????

This is Smithiana 'Texas Freckles'. I just potted her up again for the 3rd time as she gets so leggy.

This is a blurry picture but it does show the smoothness around the leaf like Eunice has.

These are Sinningia Cardoso Morieira and I have pinched the tops off and they still don't seem to have a good sturdy stem.

Oh, I like the looks of that Smithiana 'Texas Freckles'. That's another gessie that's new to me ... I don't have one, but had never heard of it before getting interested in gesneriads after joining DG. I love your Sinn. Cardoso Mo whatever! LOL. Neat looking plant. Can you keep pinching it back to make it bushier and can you root what you pinch off?

Yes, Gessiegail. SOOOO WINDY TODAY! Hubby brought his big orchids in. We will not freeze here though. I have my little parrot staring at me right now. We are reading here on Daves. She sits on me as I am on my laptop, on the couch.

I can't wait to show pics of the two new bakers racks we bought today. They are gorgeous. They are perfect! I will get pics. tomorrow.

Oh Sally, your little friend is so pretty! What's his/her name?

Can't wait to see the pic's of your new Baker's racks! I love B. Racks and think they make great plant stands!

Would love to see the pic's of your hubby's orchids too!

Sally, I am laughing thinking about the wind today. Late this afternoon I ran outside without a jacket to tie up loose ends before it gets any colder and the lawn chairs were all over the place. I mean as up against fences where the cattle are. After running around chasing down everything that had blown off, my ears hurt like crazy from the wind and cold.

I am like Lin. I want to see your hubby's orchids and your new backer's racks. They are just the look anyone would love!

Lin......I think the plants might have to get a little bigger to make good cuttings???
I believe I got the Smithiana from jannich in a trade some time ago. I want to look up and see what she is going to look like if she blooms for me.

Ok I lied earlier when I said I had nothing in bloom. I found one of my orchids in bloom just now! I'm so excited! It's not a gesneriad, so you'll all have to excuse me and my excitement.....

And might as well show the other orchid I have in bloom right now. I bought it in bud last week so can't take credit for the blooms.

Wow,you ladies have been busy posting today.Loving all the pictures!

Finally I have some blooms to share. This is a ruffled No ID.

Diane, those are gorgeous.......Did you think that we only post pics of gesneriads? Of course not. Those are really something to see. Congrats

This is Wrangler's Spanish Cavalier.

how nice begoniadude! You always have the most interesting foliage. I am going to have to open that thumbnail up and see what you have.

****edited to say I have never seen any Wrangler's series that wasn't outstanding IMHO!

This message was edited Dec 15, 2007 9:44 PM

Here is Suncoast Lavender Silk. This is my largest violet and I love it.

WOW! Don't you just love the large standard avs? I love the foliage again.

Congratulations to Jannich for being the first winner in our AV Bingo Game! I confirmed your win on the Bingo thread Jan!

Wow Diane ... Love those Orchids! I have a few but don't know a lot about them!

Begoniadude: Lovely plants you have there! That one with the pink bloom looks like one I had a couple of years ago called Rococo Pink. I love that one called Suncoast Lavendar Silk! I just love the variegated foliage and the purple bloom!

Thanks Gail and Lin!
Ihave quite a few orchids but as they are a newer hobby and most only bloom once a year this is my first real re-bloom.

well, you will have to help the rest of us in the spring with new orchids. I have 4 phals I have gotten in trade and I bought 2 Vandas. They are on the front porch right now. I put up a new stand but was afraid to drastically change their living conditions.

Gail: Did you ever get your propane heater for your porch, for the cold weather that's coming?

Walmart doesn't carry the one I wanted as the weather is not cold enough here.
So I went to Lowe's and they wanted 229.00 for the propane heater and then told me I would have to buy a 20 gallon propane container full of propane for 40.00. The crushing blow came when they said that it would heat for 12 hours on that amount of propane.

Personally, i was in a hurry but I don't think the kid knew what he was talking about and I knew less than him. So, I will have to start asking questions to my brother as he has time.
It will be interesting to see how many plants make it without anything but the poly wrapped around the screen porch. (remember the length of the porch is up against the south side of the house) Tonight I opened the French doors to the living and bedroom on the porch to let some heat out there (LOL) . I know that is a 'stupid' thing to do!

hee hee Gail, I probably would have done the same thing! I would have a humungous electric bill but at least my plants would be warm! It's still 75 degrees here right now but tomorrow is supposed to start getting cold. I'm glad we are only going to have 2 cold nights!

I can't find the table full of orchids pic! I will keep looking. Here is my hubbis largest one. Hangs in the willow tree. In the sunroom tonight though. Will be in the upper 30's tonight.

Here is another pic.

I am impressed! Tell your hubby that he might have to be our teacher (LOL)

I just saw how big that orchid really is. That excites me to learn.

This message was edited Dec 15, 2007 11:37 PM

Another, ha

Oh, Sally, he just must start a local orchid group and teach us how. What kind of orchid is that? Someone told me that only phals are good for Texas weather?? But I certainly don't know anything about them except that they obviously can be grown by looking at your husband's talent.

It is a Cattalya Brassavola cross. I love Paphs too. The slipper looking ones. I have two in one pot. I HOPE they both bloom this spring. I hope I can find more pics. soon. They should all be in one folder.Lots of orchids do fine here

Here is one of my paphs. Bloomed a double bloom once.

Love that Catt. Sally! I have a Paph whose bloom looks close to yours. Gorgeous!

You can see I don't even know the names. I picked up the short term phal from the orchid forum. Are we talking about the same kind of orchid?

Good morning everyone.

Beautiful AV's begoniadude and the orchids are so pretty.

Heres my blooming beauty for today.E.Silver Dust

Wow! Sally, I bet you and your hubby are going to be spending a lot of time on the Orchid Forum. Those are some Gorgeous, Impressive plants! I have a few orchids and they look scrawny and pitiful compared to yours! Keep those pictures coming! Can't wait to see more!

Ditto on what Gail said ... we could use some instruction on growing orchids!

wow, you can grow those episcias and sinnningias, Jannich!

I love looking at the pictures. Nothing blooming here, but, just for you Southerners, here is what we woke up to this am.

I would gladly choose your weather and that beautiful snow if i could just ask God to only let it happen for 3 months !(smiling)

LOL

Pretty picture threegardeners! Looks like a postcard.
Nice to visit(in a pic) but I wouldn't want to live there. LOL!!!!

DH wasn't too happy having to shovel out the back door this morning so the dogs could go out.

I don't imagine that was fun! What are you're temps?

Currently sitting at -11 (12F)