2006: The Year in Review

It's natural in this week preceding New Year's to reflect back on the year nearly past, and measure it up.

I can't think back on my orchids over the past year without experiencing a schizophrenic leap from plant to plant feeling, "Oh, that genus is so cool! That other one finally bloomed after four years! Raising those seedling from compot was really neat! Flasking those seed pods was wonderful! I'm so happy I didn't kill this one!"

Every plant, and every project has its own fascination. In looking back over 2006, choose the three orchid 'projects' that brought you the most joy. I'm using the term project loosely here. It could be a particular plant, it could be learning something (ie, finally figuring our how to grow a genus), it could be a recent purchase that has you all chuffed up, it might be that you didn't kill a plant someone tied to your palm tree. Whatever.

But you can only choose three. Tell us about them. If you've previously posted photos, include the link so we can all remember the specifics. Give us your three orchid favs of 2006!

McJulie

It was hard to choose, but also fun to consider the choices. After much consideration, my three best orchid stories of 2006 are:

1. I've had my Epi. ilense for almost four years now, and until this summer it simply refused to bloom. I found conflicting culture data and tried various light levels with mixed success. When it finally tried to bloom this summer, the flowers were stunted and didn't last. But it suggested that the plant was trying. I unmounted some well enmeshed roots from its cork bark mount and placed it in a clay pot with sphag. Soon after it put up new buds (it's a free-flowering plant) and bloomed twice more through the fall, with excellent form. It's dormant through the winter, but I'm anxious to see it back in action this coming spring. Here's the thread:
http://www.rv-orchidworks.com/orchid...?t=4940&page=4

2. I crossed two Cattleyas last march (pollen from each one applied to the other) and got a seed pod on each one. This cross hasn't been registered before, so that makes it doubly exciting. This was my first experience with orchid sex. The seed pods grew through the spring and summer and I harvested them in Sept. With help from our Minister of Silly Flasking, we sowed the seeds in sterile flasks: we had no comtamination, and had germination in all flasks! With luck, Aaron will allow me visitation rights so I can take pictures of the kids! The flasks are in his care. Here's that thread:
http://www.rv-orchidworks.com/orchid...ead.php?t=4497

3. I was working with a Canadian nursery manager last summer to buy some plants. During our orchid babble mostly mine, she offered me a prized plant from her personal collection. She'd loved it for years and felt it was time for it to move onto a new home. It's a Lycaste Cassiopeia (63% skinneri, 25% longipetala, 12% lasioglossa.) I bought it from her at a bargain price, but I was new to Lycaste and was terrified I'd croak it. It's a semi-deciduous species, so when it started loosing side leaves in the fall, I freaked. Then the oldest back bulb started turning brown and softening, and I thought, "Omigod! Fungus!" Both were natural aging reactions for the plant, however.

Well, it's putting up spikes, and boy is it! I counted 8 spikes today - each should produce a peach-apricot colored flower about 6" across. I also see the beginnings of two new growths. So Cassie is happy! Which makes me happy! And hopefully before long I'll have some showy blooms!

McJulie

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I've greatly enjoyed 2006
I've rushed into my Orchid obsession pretty fast haha... Haven't had a single plant die on me yet though

1) Getting into Orchids...
I've always had a natural attraction to them over other flowers but I never knew why, I possibly noticed them over others because my favourite band released an album with a laeliocat on the cover.
I spent a great part of this year doing my own study on these wonderful creatures, getting to understand what I was getting myself into with this fascination.

2) Orchid Sex ;D
On my 20th birthday I was massively bent and sat down and shared an intimate moment between 2 of my phalaenopsis ;D I figured my birthday would be a good day to do it because it's a pretty significant day of the year and easy to keep track of how long everything has been happening. I currently have a 3 month old seemingly healthy looking seed pod on this phal


As you can see, this is one of my first plants I got before I knew not to move them around the room too much when the buds are forming haha

3) First raised spike
Generally every time I've got a new orchid it has been in spike already (obviously as an amatuer...) But I have my first spike growing on one of my Phals at the moment I'm really excited to see it when I get back from holiday, I hope they are happy in my mums hands...

Bring on 2007, I still have so much to learn...
My goal for '07 is to get some work (be it volunteer or paid) in a nursery to absorb as much about these beings as I can

WOW, McJulie! Beautiful recap and nice lycaste too!!! The lycaste might turn out easier than you might think!

Cheers. Hoa.

THis is my first real year of growing orchids. As such, I have grown a quick appreciation for what I can grow, and a bitter distaste for what dies...

The year started out with trying to mount things. First I did a Brassavola nodosa, after which it bloomed and started looking very fine. So I thought I would give my new "expertise" of the catt alliance. I hate catts now... I still have my B nodosa though!

Then I had another I wanted to mount, Aerangis luteo alba var. rhodosticta. It bloomed as well and looked very exceptional! I bought a few others and displayed them as display only in the retail greenhouse at my job. Both were stolen as they are only miniatures. Never the less, I preservered! I have 15 different agraecoid species now.

It was also the year for Pyschopsis! I bought a large out of bloom Pyp mendenhall 'Hildos' for foilage and when I saw it grow another spike. I was thrilled. I bought a couple more hyrbids and attempted to grow an alba Pyp papillo. It died. I also miraculously found a Pyschopsiella limminghei! Very nice addition to the Pyschos.

Overall, its been a year for the Angreacoid species! Ive been scouring the net everynight for new species. Terribly addicted.

Oh this is too hard for me. The one we know for sure is the little NoID onc pnk that Mahon found a name to - it's our first home grown bloom.
Other than that are our first orchids - Blc. Hwa Yuan Beauty 'Pearl' AM/OSROC
and Phrag. Cape Gold Nugget (Phrag. pearcei x Phrag. Eric Young). Pearl has a sheath and Cape Gold Nugget has a healthy new growth. Other orchids we've gotten in bloom or in spike, but, well, how can you top your first orchids? Now come on and bloom, dang it!!!

__________________
Life's a journey, not a destination.
Enjoy every day.

I have many orchid stories for 2006 but three do stand out for me.

1. In 1990 I bought a Paph. sukhakulii that bloomed quite regularly for me until 2002 when it suddenly lost all its leaves. I thought the plant dead but saw a small shoot arising from the remains of the roots. I nursed the single growth along for 4 years (essentially treating it as a seedling) and finally this year it flowered. It now has a second growth well established and seems once more to be back on track.

2. last year I bought a Odcdm Wildcat 'Yellow Butterfly'. At the time it had two new growths. This year whne it flowered, each growth produced a spike, but when they opened, turned out I had a Degarmorara Winter Wonderland! What looked like two growths on mt Odcdm ended up being two plants, an Odcdm and a Degarmoara in the ame pot..two different plants for the price of one!

3. Also last year I bought a Paph. Ron Williamson (niveum X primulinum). It bloomed for the first time on April 21, 2006...then kept producing one flower at a time over many months. I ended up with 5 flowers from the one spike, and the plant was in continuous bloom for 7 months! What value! I hope the new growth is as floriferous in 2007.

__________________
Todd
Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most!

Come on guys! Tell your stories of your three favorite hits this year!

I love sharing these tales because they're the great equalizer, regardless of your growing experience! It's wonderful to see where other's passions focus, and we learn from each other. So just go for it! What are you three hot orchid experiences from 2006? Only two days left to answer...

McJulie

Hmmmm.... Okay-

1. I was in Australia for business and had the real pleasure of meeting one of our most venerable forum members, bench72 (aka PoP, aka Tim). He took me to a fabulous dinner at his club, introduced me to his Significant Other, and took me to his favorite orchid nursery. At the nursery I met a wonderful grower, a real curmudgeon, named Kevin - who I would love to have around here! As for Tim and Steve, they are welcome in my home anytime!!!

2. I was in Dallas for business and went on from there to meet and visit with Bruce (BD) and Louis (LJA). For those new to the forum, until he went back to school and a full time job at the same time, Louis was the joint backbone of the forum with Bruce. They are the sweetest, funniest, most gracious hosts you can imagine. With dogs, cats, giant catfish and a lovely greenhouse overflowing with beautiful orchids. I am still hoping that they will make it to California sometime soon.

3. I met Hoa (Hoa Tony Nguyen) on a trip to the local orchid growers open houses in March. We went to the July Santa Barbara Orchid Show too. What a great guy! And 3 greenhouses full of orchids. He so kindly took in a few of my sickly plants to nurse them, and quickly restored their health. He is extremely knowledgeable about orchids, and lots of fun too. I now bury my nose in every orchid I pass by!!! We also work in the same kind of business (biotech) so we can chat about work, although he is the genius Phd scientist, and I am just a shlock business person....

Plus I have met all of you, via the internet, and hope to see many of you in person some day!!!

__________________
Diane

"NA BEAN DO'N CHAT GUN LAMHAINN"

1. I started 2006 with one orchid. A purple phal that I received for Mother's Day in 2005. Somehow I miracously managed to get it to bloom for me a year later for Mother's Day 2006. I now had 3 phals and I was hooked.

2. In June I received my first internet purchase, an Oncidium Sweet Sugar.
It was just beginning to spike and I was delighted when those beautiful bright yellow blooms opened. Soon after I added an Oncidium Sweet Sharry which had 5 36 inch spikes.

3. Christmas 2006 found me with 43 orchids and 18 of them were in bloom.
I put them all on one shelf and have been able to share those gorgeous orchids with many friends and family. I sent 2 paphs and a yellow Twinkle home with my friend of 47 years so that she could enjoy them every day. The shelves are in front of a large window and when they are lighted at night they are visible from the street. See the thread 'My beautiful holiday blooms'.

Discovering orchids at this stage of my life has been a blessing beyond words.
And discovering this forum and all of you has been fantastic. God Bless You
in 2007.

Katie

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