I've never bought any orchids from them, Daisy but I do own two books written by Martin Motes. He's a somewhat famous orchid grower and breeder here in Florida, and goes around giving lectures on "Orchid growing in Florida" as well as selling his orchids at shows.

All I can tell you is he sure seems to know how to grow 'em, and his books have helped me a lot in growing mine. I'd be more likely to buy orchids from them if their operation was closer to me, but as it is, (a 4hr. drive) there are many growers a lot closer so I've never had the opportunity.

Ah-oh! I assumed he sold online. Guess I better check that out.

Yes, I think they do, but with several orchid growers right near me, and fantastic discount growers near Orlando, I rarely buy anything online in the way of plants.

I do send my kids a "wish list" of orchids sometimes so they can buy me gift orchids online, though. Since I went to their site just now to check it out, I think I'll put some of those nice Vandas on my wish list, too!

the Mote's folks just hosted the HUGE Tamiami show ..they are a reputable group with very nice plants. Melissa probably bought a trunk load from them and is better able to give unbiased opinions.. I if wanted to buy Vanda's ..I would certainly consider them first.

Motes is very, very reputable, Daisy. Certainly, anyone who writes books about orchid growing knows something about their care. I would not hesitate purchasing orchids from them, particularly when you found one you want and at a great price. Snatch it up before its gone.

Do be aware, though, that all those $10 orchids I saw on Motes' site are at least 6mo. to a year away from blooming size. This means they're probably very small plants.

Ursula said:Melissa, perhaps you might check in every so often with updates on the effect of this formula, please.

I looked at the orchid roots this am, and I am pleased that the stomata are open. I believe that this is the main function of the Methanol. You don't want to overdo it as you don't want to encourage heavy green growth that will be weak.

I believe I will use it infrequently sort of like the bloom booster that I use only twice per season. I understand too by the research that it performs the best in high light warm situations when the plants are really using energy to create food.

It is interesting that the originator of the Jerry's Grow is Jerry Rodder, who has won so many AOS cultural awards. I saw a photo of one of his L. purpurata OMG see it here. It is insane! I will keep you posted on my results.

for all the input. I never buy bloom size if I can buy smaller but I broke my own rule last night and bought the bloom size Myrmecophila grandiflora from Motes. My children filled out my order with a few of their own "must haves" as its $12 shipping for any size order.

Our club (Orchid Society of Northern Nevada) orchid show and sale is this Friday - Sunday. I got a surprise call a couple days ago from the club president asking me to be the "potting demonstrator". The person who was doing it lives in Canada and can't make it back. This should be fun. I hope someone comes and watches otherwise, I am going to be repotting all the club members' orchids in an empty room. All alone.... By myself....

One of the members who owned an orchid nursery in Hawaii says that when the experts re-pot, they expect to lose 10% of their newly re-potted plants. I find that unacceptable and wonder what they are doing wrong to lose that many. If I lost 10% of my plants, I would cry.

Daisy

dyzzypyxxy said:Do be aware, though, that all those $10 orchids I saw on Motes' site are at least 6mo. to a year away from blooming size. This means they're probably very small plants.

That is correct on the sizes.

Martin and Mary are fantastic folks and their plants are wonderful. One thing to note is that if you have a large order, you get the best shipping deal as they charge a flat shipping cost $12 on any size order. So if you order a single plant, you are paying a bunch on shipping.

Best to make a large order or do a single group order for friends and split the shipping cost among yourselves.

Here is one that I got from Martin blooming today. I got it last summer and this is the 2nd blooming. The babies do grow and bloom pretty fast depending on the genera. I buy Vandas. They grow fast in the summer and bloom prolifically plus for the most part, they last a long time. These have been blooming for a month. The green spotted one is a baby (first blooming).

Lovely, Melissa. What's the name of the pretty dotted one with the purple lip? I'll add that one to my kids' list, as my birthday is coming up.

I just came in from my official certification as Orchid Lifeguard - several orchids went for a swim in my pool as a result of a strong gust of wind. (where's that slapping upside the head emoticon when you need it?) Now the pool is just full of pieces of orchid bark, perlite, charcoal, lava rock and other orchid medium, floating around and on the bottom. Thankfully my pool service will be here tomorrow morning so they will get all the stuff I missed. Can't leave my pool vac on as the large pieces of bark clog up the intake. Now I have at least half a dozen orchids to re-pot, too.

Just when I thought I'd have a "day off" - which I know darn well is gremlin code for "minor disaster time". We wouldn't want to get bored anyway .. .. .

I had a kamakazi squirrel this morning..take a leap off the roof, right into the middle of the bench scattering pots everywhere! Why he couldn't just hop on the tree that is inches from the roof is a mystery.

Melissa, I love the spurs on that plant on the left.. and it's a great color as well!

Daisy, I'm with you on the potting issue..a 10% loss is shocking! Although I've never bought bare root plants until this last show in Miami and I may be singing a different tune in a month or so. The plants were from Asia and 'potted' in little clear cups stuffed with wet sphagnum..I was stunned to see no roots at all on the 5 or 6 that I got. One of the plants even had 2 fat buds on it..It opened today Rlc. Haw Yuan Gold 'Yung Kang #2'


I'm debating about cutting the flower off now that it's been photographed and giving the plant a chance to grow some roots. It's a good size bloom with a great fragrance.
The almost perpetually in bloom Psychopsis has started another round this morning.

Lindsey, you know I grow plants all the way from flask, compot, seedling plugs, to BS plants. Over the years many of my plants seem to lose every single root and a few of them are deciduous and lose most if not all their leaves. I know that for one of my Dendrobium varieties, when it begins to lose its leaves, it is about 2 months from blooming. Thus, it will bloom sans leaves. After blooming, leaves begin to grow again. Talk about a bunch of forlorn-looking plants when I un-pot them and find few if any viable roots. But that's just their nature. Given time to their next growth cycle, they regrow those roots and leaves.

I think I would be inclined to cut off that flower as you said, Lindsey. They last really well as cut flowers anyway, and it surely will be less of a demand on the plant. Beautiful color, I am a fool for yellow.

I've had very good luck with all the bare-root starts I've bought here. But . . that being said I'm not keeping count and I know I've lost one or two. Can't necessarily blame it on the re-potting though since I grow outside and it could just as easily be bugs or fungus. Speaking of which, I've got to re-spray everyone with fungicide today too. (note to self)

Couple of new blooms here, my ever-faithful Yellow Bird with really great colors from the cool weather, and noid purple Den. from Trader Joes on at least its third round of blooms this year. (tiny bit of thrips damage on one flower but the second is ok, so it's been dealt with)

I am reading along here from my daughter's house tonight, having a good time with the granddaughters. Tomorrow morning will be a much nicer ride home.
Lindsey, I love the yellow Rlc! Hopefully that plant will grow some roots for you, it is too nice to lose.
Daisy, I do the opposite, I always try to buy blooms size! It least I can hope it will bloom in my life time!
Elaine, your Yellow Bird is truly a winner!

Lindsey,

I love the yellow Psychopsis. What a great lookig flower. I have Psychopsis Mendenhall - it had one flower last fall and is working on a bud from the same bloom stock. I bought it in Hawaii a couple years ago because I liked the name. Who could resist a plant with a name that close to pyschotic?

Daisy

dyzzypyxxy said:Lovely, Melissa. What's the name of the pretty dotted one with the purple lip? I'll add that one to my kids' list, as my birthday is coming up.

I just came in from my official certification as Orchid Lifeguard - several orchids went for a swim in my pool as a result of a strong gust of wind. (where's that slapping upside the head emoticon when you need it?) Now the pool is just full of pieces of orchid bark, perlite, charcoal, lava rock and other orchid medium, floating around and on the bottom. Thankfully my pool service will be here tomorrow morning so they will get all the stuff I missed. Can't leave my pool vac on as the large pieces of bark clog up the intake. Now I have at least half a dozen orchids to re-pot, too.

Just when I thought I'd have a "day off" - which I know darn well is gremlin code for "minor disaster time". We wouldn't want to get bored anyway .. .. .

Bummer on the re-potting. The names are V. Hiroshima Choice (the falcata cross left) and Papilionanda Naoki Kawamura. There are two crosses of the Naoki. One is with 'Illumined' AM/AOS and the other is 'Nirvana' HCC/AOS. Nirvana cross is showing sold out, but Illumined is still available under the Limited Editions. I bought three of the Illumined and one of the Nirvana. I can't wait for the rest to bloom. They said my bloom has been one of the best of the cross so far. It is striking and has a scent, which will get even better on the next blooming.

http://www.motesorchids.com/li...

In all my years, and I must admit my memory may be greatly flawed , I cannot remember losing a BS orchid after re-potting. I have re-potted hundreds of them. Up-potting seedlings is a different matter though. That 10% rule may be close to the truth there. I never know if I lose some of those tiny ones due to up-potting or that they were simply going to die regardless. Dealing with tiny/small seedlings is a whole other ballgame.

I have seen a lot of popularity building from this grex, but I feel I have the best!
Lys Red Jewel

I wish I could get it judged today, that always seems to happen with my plants in bloom. No shows at the time and place around here (midsouth).

It's just lovely, Bert. Way to grow!

Thanks, Melissa. I had not seen the Limited Editions section on Motes' site. I do SO want a scented Vanda!

Off to the school garden this morning, but later I'll post a new bloomer - my Copper Queen popped a couple of flowers open this morning.

I need to go out and check on my two Copper Queens. Maybe something is happening with them.