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Jan 17, 2016 12:31 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Ken Ramsey
Vero Beach, FL (Zone 10a)
Bromeliad Vegetable Grower Region: United States of America Tropicals Plumerias Orchids
Region: Mississippi Master Gardener: Mississippi Hummingbirder Cat Lover Composter Seller of Garden Stuff
Does anyone have experience in growing the Bletilla varieties?
drdawg (Dr. Kenneth Ramsey)

The reason it's so hard to lose weight when you get up in age is because your body and your fat have become good friends.
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Jan 17, 2016 3:17 PM CST
Name: lindsey
wesley chapel, fl
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Orchids Photo Contest Winner 2021 Photo Contest Winner 2023
I grew them in NC..zone 7b
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Jan 17, 2016 3:33 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Ken Ramsey
Vero Beach, FL (Zone 10a)
Bromeliad Vegetable Grower Region: United States of America Tropicals Plumerias Orchids
Region: Mississippi Master Gardener: Mississippi Hummingbirder Cat Lover Composter Seller of Garden Stuff
Were they worth having, Lindsey? I am looking at this from a business point-of-view. I like the fact that they do well in a broader range of zones. All the terrestrials I have are limited to growing full-time outside in zones 10-11. Thus I have to bring all mine in when the weather begins to cool. It would be nice to be able to leave them outside, even if I had to use a little bit of protection.
drdawg (Dr. Kenneth Ramsey)

The reason it's so hard to lose weight when you get up in age is because your body and your fat have become good friends.
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Jan 17, 2016 5:17 PM CST
Moderator
Name: Ursula
Fair Lawn NJ, zone 7a
Orchids Plumerias Cactus and Succulents Region: New Jersey Region: Pennsylvania Native Plants and Wildflowers
Greenhouse Ponds Keeper of Koi Forum moderator Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Adeniums
I am growing Bletilla striata for more than 20 years, right against the South facing house wall here in NJ.
I mulch them a bit when the growth dies down in the Fall and they have really multiplied along the house wall through the years. I fertilize them along with everything else in the Garden, but they do like some Osmocote in the Spring.
I am sure you have seen my pictures, I post them every year when they are blooming, mostly in May. I like them very much and look forwards to their blooms every Spring.
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Jan 17, 2016 5:19 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Ken Ramsey
Vero Beach, FL (Zone 10a)
Bromeliad Vegetable Grower Region: United States of America Tropicals Plumerias Orchids
Region: Mississippi Master Gardener: Mississippi Hummingbirder Cat Lover Composter Seller of Garden Stuff
I am sure I saw those pictures, Ursula. Thanks for the information. I have an option of picking up three varieties and may take a chance that folks have interest in them. How large do these plants get?
drdawg (Dr. Kenneth Ramsey)

The reason it's so hard to lose weight when you get up in age is because your body and your fat have become good friends.
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Jan 17, 2016 5:24 PM CST
Moderator
Name: Ursula
Fair Lawn NJ, zone 7a
Orchids Plumerias Cactus and Succulents Region: New Jersey Region: Pennsylvania Native Plants and Wildflowers
Greenhouse Ponds Keeper of Koi Forum moderator Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Adeniums
Some pictures from 2014 and 2015
Thumb of 2016-01-17/Ursula/82a0a3 Thumb of 2016-01-17/Ursula/3ac13b Thumb of 2016-01-17/Ursula/c38eb8 Thumb of 2016-01-17/Ursula/346db1 Thumb of 2016-01-17/Ursula/9c593f Thumb of 2016-01-17/Ursula/0c1c2b Thumb of 2016-01-17/Ursula/a4e6f6 Thumb of 2016-01-17/Ursula/c48054 Thumb of 2016-01-17/Ursula/bbc067
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Jan 17, 2016 6:29 PM CST
Name: Carol
Santa Ana, ca
Sunset zone 22, USDA zone 10 A.
Bookworm Charter ATP Member Region: California Hummingbirder Orchids Plant Identifier
Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
Ursula, what is the one in the second picture, bottom row? I'm ready to try them again, and I really like that one.
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Jan 17, 2016 6:38 PM CST
Moderator
Name: Ursula
Fair Lawn NJ, zone 7a
Orchids Plumerias Cactus and Succulents Region: New Jersey Region: Pennsylvania Native Plants and Wildflowers
Greenhouse Ponds Keeper of Koi Forum moderator Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Adeniums
Carol, on my IPad here I can only see two pictures per row, I suspect your monitor will show it differently. These are all different cultivars of Bletilla striata. Some yellow Gerberas and some Hostas are there too.
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Jan 17, 2016 6:55 PM CST
Name: lindsey
wesley chapel, fl
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Orchids Photo Contest Winner 2021 Photo Contest Winner 2023
Ursulas, are MUCH happier than mine were.
I suspect mine didn't get enough water. They were in a dry shade bed .
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Jan 17, 2016 7:49 PM CST
Name: Carol
Santa Ana, ca
Sunset zone 22, USDA zone 10 A.
Bookworm Charter ATP Member Region: California Hummingbirder Orchids Plant Identifier
Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
Ok. I'm referring to the white with purple edge one. I had the standard purple one for a couple of years in a pot, but it's long gone now.
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Jan 17, 2016 8:40 PM CST
Moderator
Name: Ursula
Fair Lawn NJ, zone 7a
Orchids Plumerias Cactus and Succulents Region: New Jersey Region: Pennsylvania Native Plants and Wildflowers
Greenhouse Ponds Keeper of Koi Forum moderator Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Adeniums
That one may be Bletilla striata 'Murasaki Shikibu'. I seem to remember that one, because it was named after the author of Genji.
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Jan 17, 2016 9:00 PM CST
Name: Carol
Santa Ana, ca
Sunset zone 22, USDA zone 10 A.
Bookworm Charter ATP Member Region: California Hummingbirder Orchids Plant Identifier
Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
Thank you! I'll look for it.
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Jan 18, 2016 7:55 AM CST
Name: Alice
Flat Rock, NC (Zone 7a)
Birds Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Region: North Carolina Hydrangeas Hummingbirder Dog Lover
Container Gardener Charter ATP Member Garden Photography Butterflies Tropicals Ponds
Brent & Beck's bulbs has one called Sweet Lips that is similar. https://brentandbeckysbulbs.co...

Ken, most of the bletillas do well here and seem to multiply rapidly, they might make a good investment for you. I do find the yellow ones to be slower growers but that might just be me and my lack of fertilizing.
Minds are like parachutes; they work better when they are open.
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Jan 18, 2016 8:07 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Ken Ramsey
Vero Beach, FL (Zone 10a)
Bromeliad Vegetable Grower Region: United States of America Tropicals Plumerias Orchids
Region: Mississippi Master Gardener: Mississippi Hummingbirder Cat Lover Composter Seller of Garden Stuff
Thanks, @ardesia. For me at least, not only is color (perhaps) important, having one that grows more slowly has its advantage. Space taken up by those orchids would be less, and that's a positive. Space is always an issue and a concern for me.
drdawg (Dr. Kenneth Ramsey)

The reason it's so hard to lose weight when you get up in age is because your body and your fat have become good friends.
Image
Jan 18, 2016 2:22 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Ken Ramsey
Vero Beach, FL (Zone 10a)
Bromeliad Vegetable Grower Region: United States of America Tropicals Plumerias Orchids
Region: Mississippi Master Gardener: Mississippi Hummingbirder Cat Lover Composter Seller of Garden Stuff
Wow, I was outside for a little while and boy, is it cold. I just looked at our weather forecast and the temperature is 29F. It never got above freezing. The low tomorrow AM is 16F. It will be a cold trip to the hospital in the morning. I hope they have the heat on in the surgery suite. They keep those suites so doggone cold. Sticking tongue out
drdawg (Dr. Kenneth Ramsey)

The reason it's so hard to lose weight when you get up in age is because your body and your fat have become good friends.
Image
Jan 18, 2016 3:17 PM CST
Name: Alice
Flat Rock, NC (Zone 7a)
Birds Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Region: North Carolina Hydrangeas Hummingbirder Dog Lover
Container Gardener Charter ATP Member Garden Photography Butterflies Tropicals Ponds
Did I miss something? Are you operating or being operated upon?
Minds are like parachutes; they work better when they are open.
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Jan 18, 2016 4:04 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Ken Ramsey
Vero Beach, FL (Zone 10a)
Bromeliad Vegetable Grower Region: United States of America Tropicals Plumerias Orchids
Region: Mississippi Master Gardener: Mississippi Hummingbirder Cat Lover Composter Seller of Garden Stuff
Upon. I wouldn't want frostbite added to my dilemma Whistling .
drdawg (Dr. Kenneth Ramsey)

The reason it's so hard to lose weight when you get up in age is because your body and your fat have become good friends.
Image
Jan 18, 2016 4:18 PM CST
Name: lindsey
wesley chapel, fl
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Orchids Photo Contest Winner 2021 Photo Contest Winner 2023
Group hug
Well here's hoping its painless.. And don't forget to ask for one of those toasty warm blankets that they keep in a warming drawer
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Jan 18, 2016 4:26 PM CST
Name: Elaine
Sarasota, Fl
The one constant in life is change
Amaryllis Tropicals Multi-Region Gardener Orchids Master Gardener: Florida Irises
Herbs Region: Florida Vegetable Grower Daylilies Birds Cat Lover
Hope all goes well, Ken.

On the Bletilla, they didn't work well for me, but I hope you have better luck. I tried them out a few years ago, and something got to them before they managed to bloom. I potted up about 5 bulbs in potting soil with perlite and some bark incorporated for air.

The foliage came up, held on for a couple of months and by then it was killer hot and humid. They faded away never to be seen again. Shrug!

My perception was that they needed cooler temperatures.
Elaine

"Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." –Winston Churchill
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Jan 18, 2016 4:26 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Ken Ramsey
Vero Beach, FL (Zone 10a)
Bromeliad Vegetable Grower Region: United States of America Tropicals Plumerias Orchids
Region: Mississippi Master Gardener: Mississippi Hummingbirder Cat Lover Composter Seller of Garden Stuff
The "doing" will be. Then all hell breaks lose. Whistling
drdawg (Dr. Kenneth Ramsey)

The reason it's so hard to lose weight when you get up in age is because your body and your fat have become good friends.

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