It’s been a while since I posted but I’m hoping to be par...
It’s been a while since I posted but I’m hoping to be part of the community here again and I thought I’d post photos of some of my latest phals in bloom. I can see that there’s lots of updates and lots of new people to the super supportive Greg Family! I’m still trying to get my head around PTSD (my orchids and I were in a fire last year and then a few weeks later I experienced anaphylaxis and a close family member was hospitalised and still is in hospital) but I feel like I’m finally winning: going out with friends, going into shops, using public transport, healing past trauma too. My plants have been so therapeutic too. So here are some blooms: Photo 1 and 2 is Phalaenopsis Magic Art. She was one of my early orchids and I made a lot of newbie mistakes to the point that she was almost rootless. I’ve spent the last two years nurturing her back to full health (phals can be a long slog) and she’s finally healthy enough to produce blooms for me. She’s stunning and sometimes Magic Arts produce completely purple blooms too. Photo 3 is NoID, 4 is Summer Song and 5 is Exotic Punch. If anyone has any orchid questions, please do give me a shout! #PhalaenopsisOrchid #orchidlovers #PlantsMakePeopleHappy #PlantsSavedMyMentalHealth
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@MotherOfOrchids Debbie so glad to see you back on here. I love the photos of your beautiful orchids.. my favorite!! I have just ventured into Paphiopedilum this last week! 😳 they have been a bucket list plant I have wanted for a while. Praying I can keep these living and blooming at some point.. none are in spike. 🙏🏻🙏🏻 . I hope you continue to heal and yes plants have been my therapy since husband passed away in November. Something else to care for😉
@MotherOfOrchids Wow Debbie, I’m in love 🥰 ❤️ I’ve never seen so many beautiful orchids in the one post ! How long have you had orchids, you reinspire my love for them so off to my local Orchid Society I go now! I just needed a little push like this post !
Thanks so much for posting 😈😀👼👍
I’ll be thinking up some questions LOL 😂
Thanks so much for posting 😈😀👼👍
I’ll be thinking up some questions LOL 😂
That sounds like quite a year. I am sorry and wish you lots of strength to deal with all that and what may still result from it. I am a newbie on Gregg but during the last two months I have seen several shout outs for "mother of orchids", so you very obviously have been missed and all the Greggers with orchid questions will be glad to see you back.
Those are absolutely gorgeous phals, I cannot even decide which I like the most. At least the summer song has just been catapulted to the top of my wishlist.
I wish you a speedy recovery. 💚
Those are absolutely gorgeous phals, I cannot even decide which I like the most. At least the summer song has just been catapulted to the top of my wishlist.
I wish you a speedy recovery. 💚
@MotherOfOrchids I would love to share your post #theamigos assemble! @LaSiguanaba @JesssJungle @JenniB81 @PoisedAlbo @Corinne @FlowerFairy
Hi Debbie 👋 I think I'm one of the newbies that joined in your absence! Lol but welcome back to GregWorld! 💚🥰 Sounds like you've had a helluva year honey but we're always here! And your orchids are just... 🤯🤩 I haven't dared get a Phal yet but they're soooo beautiful! I guess I know exactly who to ask now if... Sorry WHEN... I do finally get a glowing plant rather than just my leafy jungle! Lol 🤣 hope you (& your family!) heal quickly and fully honey. All the best, were very glad to see you! Xx
Oh Debbie, I'm so with you. I've kinda been absent from Greg for quite a while. It seems to last six months or so have been particularly difficult. My plants are definitely worthy of the hashtag, they're so therapeutic and help with healing #plantssavedmymentalhealth the struggles are real my, complex PTSD diagnoses is a daily fight to keep focused and keeping busy so the anxiety doesn't overwhelm me!
My poor phalaenopsis orchids took a nasty spill last night so have to re-pot them today. I was installing an a/c and knocked them over 😭😢
It's good to see you back on Greg. You've inspired me to be active here in the community again 🥰
My poor phalaenopsis orchids took a nasty spill last night so have to re-pot them today. I was installing an a/c and knocked them over 😭😢
It's good to see you back on Greg. You've inspired me to be active here in the community again 🥰
@CourtlyKingfern I’m sorry to hear about your husband passing away. I hope your paph and your other plants give you lots of blooms and something to care for 😊. I don’t have paphs myself as the environment in my home is not as suited to them as other orchid types but I admire them! Please post some photos when yours blooms! Miss Orchid Girl on YouTube is a great resource and I know she has some videos about paph care 🥰
@Seymour hi 👋. Thank you for your lovely words! I’ve been keeping orchids for just over three years now - so still fairly new in the journey and still lots to learn. Phals definitely have my heart, but I’ve also got one oncidium (my oncidium twinkle), which I’m absolutely in love with (photos attached). Did you treat yourself to any plants at your Orchid Society? If I lived within driving distance of one, it would be dangerous! There wouldn’t be any room in my home for me!! 😆
@elisenavidad hi Elise 👋. Nice to meet you and thank you for your kind words! My orchids definitely keep me going! Their resilience inspires me too. Phals especially are so hardy! After the fire, I was so worried about them but they bounced back and I didn’t lose any of them!
@MusicalRedmint hi 👋. Welcome to Greg! It’s such a wonderful, supportive community here. The well wishes of my Greg friends last year definitely helped keep me going. Thank you for your lovely words about my phals. I have a thing for pinks, yellows, and purples so the vast majority of mine have those colours! Summer Song has some really good genes - I don’t find her fussy at all and is easy to rebloom if she’s given an overnight temperature drop of around 10C. And she’s stunning! The pinks and yellows are so vibrant when the blooms first open and then over time they turn into lovely pastel pinks and yellows. Her blooms will last for around 4 months if she gets enough sunlight!
@MotherOfOrchids Thanks Debbie, I so love your photos, they look very professional (compared to mine). My pride and joy is my Australian orchid which I am sure more people are sick of seeing but (LOL 😉) in case you missed it. Do you have any Australian orchids ? I started a few years ago when the Orchid Society had a free workshop and I walked home with 3 freshly potted orchids which are still doing well. Will let you know outcomes from any Orchid Society visit. They offer 3 free orchids with membership - bonus! Enjoy your mothering of your orchids. Thanks 😊🙏😁
https://greg.app/Seymour/plants/dcb6d31f/
https://greg.app/post/3znpfk/noble-dendrobium-plantmememondayorchid-specialwelcome-to-the-orchid-special-for-plant-meme-monday
https://greg.app/Seymour/plants/dcb6d31f/
https://greg.app/post/3znpfk/noble-dendrobium-plantmememondayorchid-specialwelcome-to-the-orchid-special-for-plant-meme-monday
@PlantSuccer thank you so much! Yes, definitely! My therapist uses that analogy too as it’s like I’ve had to put down new roots as it felt so often like the rug was pulled right from under my feet.
@JesssJungle Magic Art is stunning! Well worth the two year wait for blooms! Now she’s recovered, I should get blooms from her every year now!
@Nikosmom13 your orchid is gorgeous! And well done for helping it to rebloom! You are doing a great job! It can be a good time to repot after the blooms have finished, if the weather where you are isn’t too hot. After blooming, you’ll notice that your plant will move into a vegetative stage of growth, where it’ll be busy making new roots and leaves. They cope with repotting much better during this phase. Miss Orchid Girl has some great repotting tutorials and I’m happy to answer any questions when the time comes. In the meantime, enjoy those blooms! They are stunning!
@JenniB81 hi 👋. Thank you for your lovely words! Welcome also to the Greg gang. It’s such a super supportive and lovely community! Phals sound like a great addition to your leafy jungle! If they get enough light and nutrients, their blooms can last for 4-5 months, so it’ll be a splash of colour without you having to do much at all (phals actually cope much better with drought than being overwatered and I can vouch for that now as I’ve definitely been leaving it too long between waterings while I was poorly but no long-term damage!). Please do give me a shout when you decide it’s time! I would love to see your jungle too!
@Seymour these are stunning! And do I spy a clearance label!? The leaves look so healthy! The one with variegated leaves is probably Phalaenopsis Sogo Vivien. Absolutely stunning! I believe it needs the same care as regular phals so it shouldn’t need you to do anything special! I’ve been looking out for one with leaves like this and if this were me I’d definitely be purchasing it! It’s a great find! If you buy any, I would remove the moss that’s touching the stem of the plant - the way they are in the photos works well in nursery environments and with nursery watering methods, but in the home environment, the moss can stay soggy around the stem for too long and can lead to stem rot. If you buy the one with the pretty leaves, I would also think about repotting it unless your climate is hot - I’m not sure where you are? I’m in the UK and sphagnum isn’t suitable for phals here, but in hot climates it’s perfectly fine. But I think it would be happier in an orchid pot with drainage at the bottom, rather than a glass pot with no drainage as the media can stay wet for too long in glass. Phal roots need a wet/dry cycle to stay healthy!
@MotherOfOrchids those are absolutely beautiful. Welcome back to Greg, sorry for all your unfortunate circumstances, I’m a new Greg app plant momma taking up yet another hobby I thought I’d retry my luck at with plants as I’ve never really thought I had much of a green thumb so here I am to learn everything plants
@MotherOfOrchids oops 🙊 Looks like I will be going back there tomorrow with my fingers crossed that one of the two the Phal. Sogo Vivien (nice name) are still available. I went a bit crazy buying earlier (see martini🍸 glass photo) but now you have my interest piqued! I have never seen so many good plants on clearance at the one time ! But i am trying to diversify from standard Phals as I have many, hence the Australian and hopefully this one now! Will show some photos if manage to still get one. Thanks so much for your advice! I’m currently propagating my own sphagnum moss quite successfully. I’m in Perth, Australia however we are moving towards winter, not summer. I may check with you about potting mix at some stage. Thanks so much, fingers crossed 🤞 I’ll know by this time tomorrow 😀🙏
https://greg.app/question/2mbab6/i-prefer-my-plants-shaken-not-stirred-hey-greg-fansi-went-to-one-of-my-regular-plant-haunts-and-i
https://greg.app/question/2mbab6/i-prefer-my-plants-shaken-not-stirred-hey-greg-fansi-went-to-one-of-my-regular-plant-haunts-and-i
@Seymour she’s beautiful! Australian orchids are going to the top of my wishlist! Also just seen that you’re in Australia so ignore my comment about spagnum - it’s perfect for your environment! Have you come across warm blooming Phalaenopsis (sometimes called polychilos) or warm blooming hybrids (hybrids have the genes of cool bloomers and warm bloomers)? They can be a little more of a challenge than phals but not too taxing and it sounds like you have lots of experience with orchids. They have glossy bright leaves, and their blooms are scented - warm weather triggers blooming and they will continue blooming from the same spike for years. They are also prone to making keikis! The most common warm blooming hybrid is Sweet Memory Liodoro - it produces a lemony, floral scent that makes my whole flat smell lovely. This is a photo of mine. I branched into warm blooming hybrids to see how they cope in my home and they are doing well, so I want to purchase a non-hybrid warm bloomer at some point soon.
@MotherOfOrchids
I found Cécile amongst these other Australian orchids however she was breath-taking in comparison so (hopefully like the Sogo Vivien tomorrow) I went back to collect her. I know the orchids you are referring to and it's for such reasons the Orchid Society is calling. I have some information sheets they provided.
Thanks your knowledge is inspiring, I appreciate it and the beauty of your plants. Wish me luck 🙏 🍀🤞
I found Cécile amongst these other Australian orchids however she was breath-taking in comparison so (hopefully like the Sogo Vivien tomorrow) I went back to collect her. I know the orchids you are referring to and it's for such reasons the Orchid Society is calling. I have some information sheets they provided.
Thanks your knowledge is inspiring, I appreciate it and the beauty of your plants. Wish me luck 🙏 🍀🤞
@MotherOfOrchids The summer song sounds lovely. And the colors are right up my alley. Right now I have just come out of one major unhinged shopping spree, so no more flowers for me, but it is definitely on the list. yes, stunning is the right word. (But she has no fragrance, right? Does not look like a fragrant one at least and if she had a lovely fragrance at well, I might throw all resolutions over board again.)
Wow, this thread has filled up with so many long texts. Just one day away and a small orchid and mental health niche is created just like that. I love it.
Wow, this thread has filled up with so many long texts. Just one day away and a small orchid and mental health niche is created just like that. I love it.
@Seymour yes, go get her. Debbie was faster than me, but the variegated sogo Vivien it is. Those blooms are unmistakabley the vivien😀 i can also say from experience that at least the unvariegated one is very easy to care for (at least in my climate, which might differ a bit from yours, as established 😀 ). Do you remember my post about my two major pruning frenzies? The Vivien was one of them. And still she refused to drop more than three buds, kept all buds(!) branched out and she is now starting her full bloom. I think those waxy flowers are very special and the fact that she does not bloom all at once (at least mine doesn't) and that makes her stand out from your normal flower shop phals.
Btw, @MotherOfOrchids: if you are actively looking right now, and don't mind straying into EU territory, I think I saw the variegated one at Orchideen Wichmann (not sure though). And I love your twinkle. I have been trying to get one (tiny twinkle/ normal, any color), but without success up till now. I settled for an ornithorhynchum, but it is tiny now and will not flower for a long time. Does your tiny twinkle smell as heavenly as I imagine?
Btw, @MotherOfOrchids: if you are actively looking right now, and don't mind straying into EU territory, I think I saw the variegated one at Orchideen Wichmann (not sure though). And I love your twinkle. I have been trying to get one (tiny twinkle/ normal, any color), but without success up till now. I settled for an ornithorhynchum, but it is tiny now and will not flower for a long time. Does your tiny twinkle smell as heavenly as I imagine?
@MotherOfOrchids The collection is going well!! I ran out of shelf space so I haven't gotten any more orchids recently. I don't have any blooming right now, but here's some photos from when they were in bloom :)
This isn't all of them 😅 I think I've got close to 10? In the future I plan on getting more oncidiums and mini phals. I love mini phals so much !! 😄
This isn't all of them 😅 I think I've got close to 10? In the future I plan on getting more oncidiums and mini phals. I love mini phals so much !! 😄
@MotherOfOrchids Hi Debbie, a quick question as I appreciate your expertise. Of the two variegated orchids in the photos, which one would you choose? Swipe Left or Swipe Right LOL 😂
@MotherOfOrchids Welcome back, Debbie. It's good to see you....and WOW! What a welcome from Greggers! 😃
I'm glad you are doing well. Resilience is so important.
How in the 🌎 does photo 3 have NoID? What a beautiful bloom!
I'm glad you are doing well. Resilience is so important.
How in the 🌎 does photo 3 have NoID? What a beautiful bloom!
Welcome back Debbie @MotherOfOrchids it’s nice to see you posting again. Gorgeous orchids as always!🥰😍. I’ve decided to go down the orchid path and ventured into a Paph, a Cattleya, an African Plume orchid an epidendrom, an Encyclia, and a maxillaria. All are doing pretty good so far except the Cattleya which evidently I didn’t water enough. Are you experienced with Cattleya? There’s still some green but it’s like a tiny nub. Wondering if it’s a sign something might make it back??🤷♀️🥹
@Sassylimey hi Sarah 👋. It’s good to see you too! Sorry that you’ve been struggling too. I suspect that I have CPTSD instead of PTSD as so much of my childhood trauma has been stirred up and my flashbacks tend to take me back to childhood rather than the most recent traumas. You describe it perfectly - the daily fight so that anxiety doesn’t overwhelm. That’s how I’ve been feeling too. If you ever want to talk, I am here, even if it’s plant talk! The great thing about phals is that they bounce back from stress well (even though they might throw a bit of a strop for the first few weeks), so I’m sure yours will recover from being knocked over. I have knocked over mine a few times too (either by knocking into them or a gust of wind blowing them off the windowsill) but they all bounced back! 🥰