Holy cow!! Who knew we would have enough questions to get to 325 posts. We came from here. http://cubits.org/orchids/thre...

And what is the name of that orange beauty?

Ah the first question!
And the first answer is Cattleya Ella Harris Yellow x Lc. El Cerrito.

That is bright! Nice color!

I wanted to post a good first pic and it jumped out of my folders!!

Beautiful!

I have a Laeliocattleya that is getting black spots on it leaves. Does this look like a disease?

Its not sunburn is it?

Looks like sunburn to me.

It's been inside, but I do get pretty bright light, so hope that's it. Thanks!

Direct light inside can burn leaves especially spring and fall.

I was going to guess fungus...I hope I'm wrong!

if it hasnt been in direct sun i wouldnt think it was sunburn...virus maybe. Hopefully not! Maybe seperate it from other plants for a while just in case.

I would cut off the affected leaves.

Referring to this post. http://cubits.org/orchids/thre...

Diana, I started just like you about 6 years ago!! I started with an Ascocenda from the vandaceous alliance which I was told was a very hard plant to grow to begin. But I had the same determination and enthusiasm as you and I bloomed it a few months later. Now I have many of them and enjoy them immensely!

Let me start by telling you that the right side of every page has fabulous links to lots of amazing information-especially the culture sheets of the AOS orchid basics on their website and also links to their videos. These links also may help you. http://cubits.org/orchids/thre... and http://cubits.org/orchids/thre...
So girl you have some cramming to do!!

Perreiraaras are complex hybrids but they are made up of all vandaceous orchids that like to have their roots in the air, watered in the AM and dry before night. They like lots of bright indirect light year round and in winter here up north even direct light for a while every day. They do best in baskets where their fat roots can stick through the slats (not plastic unless very large holes). They should not be considered easy because of the watering commitment but if you are determined to grow them well, they are an easier vandaceous orchid. Mine bloom twice a year and are one of my most reliable plants. Ursula also owns this plant and loves it. Hope this answers your questions to begin.

Thank You Kathy, I will explore those links now that my outdoor gardening season is over and I have some time.

So far the only blooming orchids that I have had were blooming when I bought them. My goal now is to see if I can keep them alive and "rebloom" them myself. I think I am on a roll now that I have a few, and the little ones that survived are making some headway on growing new roots.

I like those clay pots with side slits that I put my Dendrobiums in, it looks like they will breath better than the plastic slotted pots that I have the baby Phalenopsis in. What do you think of the unglazed clay pots? Do you use them for any of yours?

Also what is the purpose of the filter you were talking about using over on the November Photo thread? Is that to filter out Chlorine? Our water is a rural community water system. It might have a slight amount of chlorine in it, but not much. Less than the water systems in town have. Is chlorine really bad for orchids?

I think a couple of my E-bay babies are that Ascocenda type. I put them in the same mixed medium Orchid bark as my phalenopsis are in. I hope that's OK as a general medium?

I just visited Hawaii in October and was able to see all the aerial rooted ones growing on the tree fern trunks. Over there a lot of coconut fiber is available and made use of. Do you ever use tree fern or coconut fiber for your Orchids? I was wishing I could bring some back with me, but I figured that it would just be taken away at the airport and I would be wasting my money on it. I think over here we can buy the coconut fiber in compressed bricks though, so if I decided to use some, I could find it.

So glad to find you sucessful Orchid growing folks. It will help my confidence that I can do it too, knowing you are all out there and I can see all those beautiful blooms you are all getting on yours. There may be hope for me yet!

Thanks For all your comments and encouragement,
Diana

The local nurseries around here usually sell Coconut fiber in the Spring. It comes in rolls and you pay by the foot. I loosen the fiber a bit and use it the way many people use Sphagnum moss. I would think the compressed stuff in brick form is too fine to be used as orchid medium.
Some of my orchids are mounted on a slab of tree fern or grow in a tree fern ring.
About the unglazed clay pots - yes, by all means, they work very well for a variety of Orchids. The roots of many Orchids will adhere to the clay, so that is a consideration down the road.

Hi Diana, glad to see you here!
I have had some luck writing or emailing the nurseries where the plants came from, sending a good picture with a note.
Ursula, how exactly do you repot a plant in a clay pot with roots that have adhered to it? I can see that happening and
am horrified that it might involve a hammer...

About the roots stuck to the clay pot -
yes, I used a hammer on a couple of occasions. But that can get pretty messy and the roots might suffer.
Cattleyas/Laelias really stick to those pots. Depending on which one it is, I have placed the Orchid bare root into the pot and secured it so it doesn't move. I find that after a couple of months ( daily waterings) the plant is well established this way. If it is a small Orchid, one can always place the whole thing eventually into a next size empty clay pot. Some Cattleyas and especially Schomburgkias can be grown very nicely this way, since they are now essentially mounted.

Sounds like the plant has the potential to get VERY heavy..is this the main reason for using plastic pots and baskets?
Then when it is time to show off your spectacular blossoms you set it in a more formal pot for presentation?