Perfumed Orchid

 This I beleive to be either a Laelia Purpurata or a type of Cattleya. As I bought it at a supermarket, where they don't like to lable things well, I don't know the exact name.

When I bought it, it had lovely large deep purple flowers, which gave off a lovely sweet perfume.

I'm fertalizing it and watering it the same as the others in my garage. So far so good, as there is a new shoot coming well on it.

The photo below shows the shoot coming up to the right of the plant.

I hope it is promising a nice couple of flowers.

I'll update soon.

Today is the 7th June 2012. I'm updating the progress of my orchids.

Here is a photo taken today of the new growth of my perfumed orchid, of which I don't know the exact name.

Have a look at the beautiful new leaves! I hope it will give flower by the end of this year.

2 July 2012. New growth is still going strong. The centre of the leaves, from where the flowers will come, is starting to appear now. Appart from that, nothing else has happend.

More updates soon.

Oncidium

 These are my Oncidiums. I have two others which are happy tied up on a piece of wood hanging from my washing line in the backyard.

The one on the left was a real bargain. I bought it in another supermarket for R$3.00!! The others the same which were in flower were being sold for R$22.00!

The one below I bought from a garden nursery without any labling, just going by what the woman there told me. I think it's an Oncidium because of the shape of the leaves and the growth of the plant.

The photo below is similar to what the flowers will be on the first orchid on this post.

On the right are what the woman told me the orchid above right will be like.

Again, we'll wait and see what happens!!

Today, 7th June 2012, I took photos of my sherry baby oncidium, which now has a nice new flower shoot growing.

 I'll update with more photos when the shoot is bigger! It's very exciting!!

Phalenopsis

 These are my phalenopsis ochids. I have had these the longest out of all my orchids, and they haven't been doing too well. They have been attacked by slugs and snails, and they've had to put up with me getting the watering right. So, they haven't given any flowers for a while. Now, however, they are both sprouting from the last flower stalk. The one above has one sprout and the one on the right has two, growing well!!  Perhaps the fertalizer has taken affect, or maybe it's a mix of that and me getting the water, sunlight and temperature right.

There are many colours in the phalenopsis group. Mine are white with a deep purple centre and pinky-white.

Perhaps they will come into flower by spring!!

Today is 7th June 2012. I took photos to update the progress of my orchids.

Previously, my two phaleanopsises weren't looking too good. But now, we have new evidence of my care taking effect!! Have a look!

Can you see the new flower shoot? This is the phaleanopsis which I don't know the colour of the flowers, so this year, I'm looking forward to the surprise!! Have a closer look!

I've recenly taken out the moss which I had put around the base of the orchid. I took it out again, because it was staying too humid for too long, and I know that Phaleanopsis like their roots aired.

Look at my other phaleanopsis:

Also with happier looking leaves, and a nice new flower shoot! Have a closer look!

 The only problem with this orchid, is that I think water got into the middle of the leaves when I was watering them. The new leaves have either been eaten by little beasts or have rotten back. Have a look at this photo:

But, there's good new growth on the roots, so I think it's healthy enough. Once these orchids have finished flowering, I'll repot them, as their substrata is old and mankey.

3rd October 2012

An update on the phaleanopsis. The poor phal with two leaves in the previous photos now only has one leaf, but is still determined to flower. I have now put it on a piece of wood to see if it improves. It has hardly any good roots. I cut the flower stem off so it would concentrate its energy on sprouting new roots, but it just sprung up a new flower stem, so I decided to let it flower and then I'll help it recover its roots if it survives.

The other healthier looking phal has flowered for the first time with me. I bought it without flowers, so the colour was going to be a surprise. Here's a photo of the imperfect, but beautiful flower.

More photos to update soon.

L.C Persepolis

This is a plant I won in a raffle at the Orchid Exhibition.

When I got it, it already had this brown tongue which looks like a dead leaf. I was told it is where the flowers grow out from. Then I found out that you can feel the flower developing inside this leafy part. I think this one was a false alarm. It's too thin to have a flower. May be next time.

This is having the same treatment as all the other orchids, too. It seems to like it where it is with the others. Most of my orchids are on the garage floor waiting to be hung on the wall in better terrecota pots.

 The flowers, when they come, will look a little like these below, just a darker, richer purple colour.

7th June 2012. Here is a photo of this lovely orchid, to evaluate the progress, growth, etc.

Have a look at the photo before, and now:

 Not much difference, except the colour of the leaves. I think they appear a lighter green than before. There isn't much growth which you can see in the photo,but on the base of the furthest bulb, there is a little bulge which looks like it will grow into the next bulb and flower!? Watch this space!!

Pot. Little Toshie

Above are what will be the flowers of this smaller orchid. I bought this also at the Orchid Exhibition.

At the moment it doesn't look like much, but I hope that it'll soon pick up.

Here you can see a new shoot coming. Maybe it's a leaf, or maybe it's a new flower. I don't know yet, so we'll have to watch this space!!

7th June 2012. New photos!! Here you can see what that new shoot has become, so far! Have a look:

 The new shoot is the nearest leaf to the camera. The bulb is now begining to thicken out. I will continue to update when there is any sign of more development.

Bulb. Lasiochilum

This tiny thing is called a micro-orchid. It is already mature to flowering age, so I hope that it won't be too long until it gives me a little bloom.

It's having the same treatment as the other orchids, same watering and fertalizing, just in different quantities, obviously because of the size.

The flowers will be something similar to this photo.

We'll see, hopefully soon!!

7th June 2012, new photos!!

Here you can see the new bulb spreading out its new white roots and reaching down towards the substrata.

New updates to come when new growth is visible.

Miltoniopsis Ananda Apple

 This one I bought at the annual Orchid Exhibition in Santo André, São Paulo, Brazil.

Supposidly it will come into flower next year.

I have given it the same amount of fertalizer as the Dendrobium. A spray of water every day and a good wetting with the hose once a week.

The flowers will look something like this:

We'll just have to wait and see!!

7th June 2012. Here's a new photo of the progress of my "Apple" orchid:

 You can see the new leaves closer to the camera.

More updates to come!!

Dendrobium

 This beauty I bought from the supermarket for R$7.00. A bargain considering they are normally sold for at least R$20.00.

I bought it with two little buds, and now it has rewarded me with the beautiful blooms!

Now both buds are open. It has been more than a week since the first one opened, and around four days that the other opened up.

I am spraying them every fifteen days with a fertalizer solution, which I bought from the Orchid Nursery, and once a month I sprinkle another powdered fertalizer on the soil, but not directly onto the roots, as this could damage them.

7th June 2012. Here are some new photos of my dendrobium from before, and another dendrobium which my mum gave me.

 

This is the first one, which I bought. The flowers lasted at least one month. They dropped about a week ago. There is already sign of new growth on the stems. I will repot it soon, as I think this pot is not ideal for it, as it doesn't dry out very well.

 

This is the beautiful present from my mum. I brought it home at the end of April, and the flowers are only now starting to droop. Thank you, Mum, for this beautiful flower!! It is a wonderful addition to my collection!

My Orchid File

Hi, this is Debbie and this is my Orchid File. I'm new to cultivating orchids and wanted to record the progress of growth and flowers of the fifteen orchids I already have. I'm collecting orchids and so far, so good!!

Here I'll post photos of my orchids, although I don't know what the names are of all of them.