TheMondayGarden.com

Eco-gardening is at its best in The Monday Garden
Issue #24 September 8, 2002

“In My Garden” today’ is this miniature dendrobium orchid, just because it’s pretty. Many “denebs” are a medium–warm temperature, tough orchids that can tolerate household conditions. I’ve found that the miniature ones do best for me and this one does the best of my collection.

I’ve had this plant since the mid-1990’s. It’s been easy-care, except for occasional scale infestations. It blooms at least twice a year, sending out so many flower stalks that it looks like a florist’s bouquet.

Eco-gardening is at its best in The Monday Garden
ISSUE #38 December 15, 2002

“In My Garden” this week, the orchids, back since Thanksgiving, are a pleasant sight against the snow. This is one of the Potinara ‘Hoku Gem’ that you last saw blooming in July. For me, it rests in the heat of August and September to return with flowers when most needed in early winter. It will continue blooming until my spring bulbs flower and then some.

Two moth orchids (phalaenopsis), a parlor maple (abutilion) and an amaryllis are also blooming. There are also plenty of ferns and some orchids that bloom late winter, so I’m ready for a bad winter. Let it snow!

note: see article in houseplant culture on keeping the humidity up during the winter.

Here's my notes on raising the Potinara ‘Hoku Gem’:This is the best performing house-orchid that I've ever had.

The Monday Garden, March 6, 2005, Issue 154A
Eco-gardening at its best

Here’s another orchid too tough for even me to kill: the Iwanagaara Apple Blossom. I’ve had several cultivars from different sources and they’ve all done well for me, and for most of the people to whom I given the divisions.

Picture: Iwanagaara Apple Blossom just opening March 5, 2005.

Here’s the cultural notes:

The Monday Garden, March 6, 2005, Issue 154
Eco-gardening at its best

There are people, quite a few of them actually, who call themselves "amateur orchid growers", but have 1000 or more orchids tucked away in a high-humidity tent complete with high-intensity lights, heaters, chillers, and air circulation fans. Such people can not only raise just almost any orchid, they can correctly spell and pronounce the Latin names. This article is not for this kind of "amateur".

This article is for those of us "beginners" who can't pronounce Latin, period, but enjoy raising a pretty flower or two in the livingroom, and who'd like try an orchid without major risk to our self esteem.

Picture: yellow-orange Potinara Hoku Gem, white and pink Iwanagaara Apple Blossom, and fuchsia phalaenopsis blooming in my window in March 2002. This is a copy of the first photo published in what later became The Monday Garden.

Why do it? Since orchids bloom for weeks at a time, when they get around to blooming, the right orchid can add a lot to a small indoor garden. But mostly, if you've never trying an orchid, you have a treat waiting: the first time you get an orchid to re-bloom on your own is a moment of sheer joy. Note, however, that, charitably speaking, most orchids are not much to look at when not in bloom; you can hide a couple in between the other plants but not a whole bunch, so be careful how many you buy.

The whole secret: get the right orchid.