A few folks have asked/commented on this particular orchid. This is the
first time that I've had spikes (3 of them each over three feet long) all
blooming at once and the smell really is overpowering. I can understand the
person that decided to 'pitch' it. As for the individual that wanted info
in how to 'force' blooms; the best advice I found with regard to this
species is to pot them in Pro-Mix. It really does work (or at least it did
for me). All my orchids (in western PA) were summered outdoors (it rained
constantly this past summer) and brought in before the first frost. They
came indoors and were placed under a 400 watt metal halide fixture at the
perfect time - 12 hours of daylite and 12 hours of dark. Yet another
helpful hint garnered from this group. Thanks to all who have so much to
share with regard to the care of orchids. Anyone remember the guy who used
to input to this group who claimed that orchids out-of-bloom were butt-ugly?
I miss him

wrote:

.......................................... Anyone remember the guy who used
to input to this group who claimed that orchids out-of-bloom were butt-ugly?
I miss him

That reminds me, again, of our long lost "Bubba".
I figured you were recalling someone much more recent. Maybe you were,
but a quick search of the archives on Google (searching for "butt-ugly")
just points me back to Bubba.

Steve

Here's one of his famous posts, his first, I guess:




an experiment

Bubba May 16 1998, 12:00 am
Newsgroups: rec.gardens.orchids
From: Bubba
Date: 1998/05/16
Subject: an experiment


I know diddley about orchids except that they are handsome items when in
bloom and butt-ugly the rest of the time.......HOWEVER.......my wife got
the notion that it would be nifty if we had them growing on the branches
of the live oaks in our back yard.

so..........

I purchased half a dozen plants (cattle-something or other) from a
couple of ol' boys who have an orchid and live bait botique here in
Houston and stuck them up in the trees. As a base for each plant, I
used a 5 x 7 inch piece of sea grass door mat with chunks of sphagnum
moss pressed into the crevases. The plants are attached to the base with
rubber bands made of strips of panty hose. I tapped into the sprinkler
system and ran 1/4 in. polyvinyl tubing to each plant with a
micro-sprinkler head. They get a 10-minute sprinkling every other day.
If we ever have a winter again here in east Texas, I'll either create a
small greenhouse or board them over for THE cold month in a commercial
greenhouse. A buddy of mine pointed out that a light spraying with
WD-40 gives the leaves a nice shiney look.

I generally only seek competent advice or read instruction manuals as a
post mortum to figger out how I screwed up .... however .... now that
they're up, has anybody got any advice. What are their chances of
survival?

wrote:

.......................................... Anyone remember the guy who used
to input to this group who claimed that orchids out-of-bloom were butt-ugly?
I miss him

That reminds me, again, of our long lost "Bubba".
I figured you were recalling someone much more recent. Maybe you were,
but a quick search of the archives on Google (searching for "butt-ugly")
just points me back to Bubba.

Steve

Here's one of his famous posts, his first, I guess:




an experiment

Bubba May 16 1998, 12:00 am
Newsgroups: rec.gardens.orchids
From: Bubba
Date: 1998/05/16
Subject: an experiment


I know diddley about orchids except that they are handsome items when in
bloom and butt-ugly the rest of the time.......HOWEVER.......my wife got
the notion that it would be nifty if we had them growing on the branches
of the live oaks in our back yard.

so..........

I purchased half a dozen plants (cattle-something or other) from a
couple of ol' boys who have an orchid and live bait botique here in
Houston and stuck them up in the trees. As a base for each plant, I
used a 5 x 7 inch piece of sea grass door mat with chunks of sphagnum
moss pressed into the crevases. The plants are attached to the base with
rubber bands made of strips of panty hose. I tapped into the sprinkler
system and ran 1/4 in. polyvinyl tubing to each plant with a
micro-sprinkler head. They get a 10-minute sprinkling every other day.
If we ever have a winter again here in east Texas, I'll either create a
small greenhouse or board them over for THE cold month in a commercial
greenhouse. A buddy of mine pointed out that a light spraying with
WD-40 gives the leaves a nice shiney look.

I generally only seek competent advice or read instruction manuals as a
post mortum to figger out how I screwed up .... however .... now that
they're up, has anybody got any advice. What are their chances of
survival?

wrote in message
...
A few folks have asked/commented on this particular orchid. This is the
first time that I've had spikes (3 of them each over three feet long) all
blooming at once and the smell really is overpowering. I can understand
the person that decided to 'pitch' it. As for the individual that wanted
info in how to 'force' blooms; the best advice I found with regard to this
species is to pot them in Pro-Mix. It really does work (or at least it did
for me). All my orchids (in western PA) were summered outdoors (it rained
constantly this past summer) and brought in before the first frost. They
came indoors and were placed under a 400 watt metal halide fixture at the
perfect time - 12 hours of daylite and 12 hours of dark. Yet another
helpful hint garnered from this group. Thanks to all who have so much to
share with regard to the care of orchids. Anyone remember the guy who used
to input to this group who claimed that orchids out-of-bloom were
butt-ugly? I miss him


We have a few Sharry Babies. All in a mix of Aliflor and wood chips, They
have bloomed like crazy, except for this year. This I received a single
spike, six is normal. Last year's spring rains effected these guys alot. As
for blooming, we elieve in the fertilize weakly on a weekly basis. 20-20-20
then 10-50-10. I alternate each week. USe Superthrive twice a month along
with espom salt to green em up.

wrote in message
...
A few folks have asked/commented on this particular orchid. This is the
first time that I've had spikes (3 of them each over three feet long) all
blooming at once and the smell really is overpowering. I can understand
the person that decided to 'pitch' it. As for the individual that wanted
info in how to 'force' blooms; the best advice I found with regard to this
species is to pot them in Pro-Mix. It really does work (or at least it did
for me). All my orchids (in western PA) were summered outdoors (it rained
constantly this past summer) and brought in before the first frost. They
came indoors and were placed under a 400 watt metal halide fixture at the
perfect time - 12 hours of daylite and 12 hours of dark. Yet another
helpful hint garnered from this group. Thanks to all who have so much to
share with regard to the care of orchids. Anyone remember the guy who used
to input to this group who claimed that orchids out-of-bloom were
butt-ugly? I miss him


We have a few Sharry Babies. All in a mix of Aliflor and wood chips, They
have bloomed like crazy, except for this year. This I received a single
spike, six is normal. Last year's spring rains effected these guys alot. As
for blooming, we elieve in the fertilize weakly on a weekly basis. 20-20-20
then 10-50-10. I alternate each week. USe Superthrive twice a month along
with espom salt to green em up.

wrote in message
...
A few folks have asked/commented on this particular orchid. This is the
first time that I've had spikes (3 of them each over three feet long) all
blooming at once and the smell really is overpowering. I can understand
the person that decided to 'pitch' it. As for the individual that wanted
info in how to 'force' blooms; the best advice I found with regard to this
species is to pot them in Pro-Mix. It really does work (or at least it did
for me). All my orchids (in western PA) were summered outdoors (it rained
constantly this past summer) and brought in before the first frost. They
came indoors and were placed under a 400 watt metal halide fixture at the
perfect time - 12 hours of daylite and 12 hours of dark. Yet another
helpful hint garnered from this group. Thanks to all who have so much to
share with regard to the care of orchids. Anyone remember the guy who used
to input to this group who claimed that orchids out-of-bloom were
butt-ugly? I miss him


We have a few Sharry Babies. All in a mix of Aliflor and wood chips, They
have bloomed like crazy, except for this year. This I received a single
spike, six is normal. Last year's spring rains effected these guys alot. As
for blooming, we elieve in the fertilize weakly on a weekly basis. 20-20-20
then 10-50-10. I alternate each week. USe Superthrive twice a month along
with espom salt to green em up.