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Jox

Orchid growers

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I don't see a lot of talk on here about orchids & I was wondering if there are any hardcore orchid grows.

I keep a few different kinds that I have picked up at shows (impulse buys :) ) & have a few native spps as well. You could call me a orchid collector not grower, haha.

The reason for asking is, I am looking for someone who knows how to grow/germinate orchid seeds, I have access to some Dendrobium speciosum v tarberi (King orchid) seedpods. They are still attached to the orchid & will open in the few weeks.

If anyone knows how to grow them & are keen let me know & I will get you some :lol:.

Cheers

jox

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I once was Jox. these days i just flask the odd one here & there for my mother inlaw.

You can either flask onto agar media (activated charcoal, banana pulp & coconut milk is my standard starting point) using a pod that has changed colour but not yet split.

Or you can use the old fashioned brick in a terrarium tech, it doesn't always work but it is worth a try.

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Or you can use the old fashioned brick in a terrarium tech, it doesn't always work but it is worth a try.

 

Tell us more about this tech Shortly. Sounds fascinating.

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King orchids famously take more than a decade to flower from seed, so don't expect quick results.

If you do want quick results then have a scrounge at your local tip. I've found plenty at the dump over the years.

Edited by Halcyon Daze
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Its a Victorian era trick, place a fired clay brick (preferably an old one) in a shallow tray of water, sprinkle some orchid seed over the top & cover with a glass terrarium. The original tech called for a glass carboy but they are few & far between in the 21'st century.

low tech, not very efficient & only works with easier species, but it doesn't take much to play around with, my mother outlaw did some Calanthe vestita & got almost as many seedlings from her brick as she did from my flasks :o

Edited by shortly
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Cheers guys,

@ shortly, such a knowledgeable member :) , I like it when I've seen you've added a reply as I know I'm going to learn something.

I'm not to fussed on getting right into growing them from seed, but I might give the brick in the tank a go as I have both those things laying around. I posted this to see if there were any orchid growing members keen.

I'm lucky to live up in the mountains & orchids & many other epiphytic species seem to love it. Like Halcyon Daze I find a lot of cool epiphytic plants at the dumps green waste, or at least once a month a tree will fall across the road & the council will move it to the side & leave it there for a few days before coming back to cut it up & move it, I stop & have a look through the top branches & always come across native orchids, sometimes 20+ in the one tree!

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i have found sooo many orchids growing on the avo trees up here where i work! [sunnycoast hinterland] dont know if they r oz natives?? i hav grab a few arrr!!! i can take sum pics??

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pic from last season!! will take more 2morra!

Edited by bullit
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That's Sarcochilus hillii, a really cute Native. I grew one for about 5 years in a low branch until a caterpillar ate it. I never watered it once. It often grows on the outer twigs of trees and can be found on the ground still attached to the twig.

The trick to growing natives is to forget the whole moist and protected idea (they will die), go for the open and breezy conditions with an easterly aspect for morning sun and midday and afternoon shade.

Join a native orchid society if you want to get into them, they often salvage orchids and literally give them away. Plus they have expert knowledge.

and remember, native orchids are a protected natural resource, don't go taking them out of the wild. Oh and the excuse that you collected them from your grandmothers lemon tree doesn't hold up in court because they are protected no matter where you found them...

Edited by Halcyon Daze
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what if they r growin on your property ? can u remove them ?

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I found so many in Hong Kong. There are huge 10 metres tall trees covered with them all over the street where I was playing hockey.

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what if they r growin on your property ? can u remove them ?

 

Technically no, you can't tamper with them. But you are allowed to grow natives if you get them from a reputable source like the local orchid club.

Many people will salvage a fallen orchid if it's doomed to die but this is also prohibited without the proper licence. If you are interested in natives you should totally check out a club.

I went orchid collecting with my old club in a 50yo hoop pine plantation that was about to be logged. They had all the permits sorted out and it was really fun.

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I grow a few orchids, especially favor the extremely fragrant varieties. Was pleasantly surprised a few days ago when I caught this minature cattleya blooming.

post-3765-0-07382000-1354940738_thumb.jp

Patiently waiting for some Oncidium cebolleta's to flower

post-3765-0-07382000-1354940738_thumb.jpg

post-3765-0-07382000-1354940738_thumb.jpg

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Technically no, you can't tamper with them. But you are allowed to grow natives if you get them from a reputable source like the local orchid club.

Many people will salvage a fallen orchid if it's doomed to die but this is also prohibited without the proper licence. If you are interested in natives you should totally check out a club.

I went orchid collecting with my old club in a 50yo hoop pine plantation that was about to be logged. They had all the permits sorted out and it was really fun.

 

I think its more along the lines of if there are 1000 in the avo's you cant remove them or sell them or whatever but once the avo's have out lived their usefulness you can push & burn the lot but you still cant rescue the orchids without paying the state for the privilege.

My cousin burned thousands of Dendrobium's & Sarcochilus.when he cleaned out his mango & lichee orchard, wasn't allowed to save a one so they went up in smoke which was perfectly fine apparently

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I think its more along the lines of if there are 1000 in the avo's you cant remove them or sell them or whatever but once the avo's have out lived their usefulness you can push & burn the lot but you still cant rescue the orchids without paying the state for the privilege.

My cousin burned thousands of Dendrobium's & Sarcochilus.when he cleaned out his mango & lichee orchard, wasn't allowed to save a one so they went up in smoke which was perfectly fine apparently

 

avos live 4 ever haha we staghorn [cut down to tha stump] them every 10 years or soooo! so i just grab them b4 tha teeth from hell mulches them haha

Edited by bullit

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Technically no, you can't tamper with them. But you are allowed to grow natives if you get them from a reputable source like the local orchid club.

Many people will salvage a fallen orchid if it's doomed to die but this is also prohibited without the proper licence. If you are interested in natives you should totally check out a club.

I went orchid collecting with my old club in a 50yo hoop pine plantation that was about to be logged. They had all the permits sorted out and it was really fun.

 

too late i saved them from a brutal death lol! orchid clubs r full off crazy crazied old people ar!!!!

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avos live 4 ever haha we staghorn [cut down to tha stump] them every 10 years or soooo! so i just grab them b4 tha teeth from hell mulches them haha

 

Avo's do live a while but market whims change & its not unheard of to push trees that are in their prime to make way for variety's that are more in demand or simply more profitable.

"orchid clubs r full off crazy crazied old people" aint that the truth :slap:

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its better to staghorn the older trees! they will fruit again in two years ! if ya pull them out ya gotta start again . this means 6 or more years b4 a good crop! trust me farmers hate bulldozen there trees only if they r sic! i have been workin with avos for many years and same with lychees my main boss runs a mechanical pruner [ huge caged tractor with an 10 metre hydrolic 5 disc rotating boom] and travells the east cost prunerin trees !

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sum more orchidz dont know what species??

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I have a few orchids one is in flower I'll take a photo in the morning and see if anyone can ID it.

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as Promised. Anyone know what it is?

DSCF2003-19.jpg

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Looks like a Zygopetalum somethingorotherensis

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sum more orchidz dont know what species??

 

Looks like a Zygopetalum somethingorotherensis

 

yo shortly can ya help with mine?

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#1 is a Sarcochilus sp, could be any one of 2 or 3 spp.

#2 looks to be a Bulbophyllum sp

Really need flowers on both to be sure of what they are?

We've been finding some really odd Sarc's the past few years, "natural" hybrids or just trying to adapt? who knows??

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sum more orchidz dont know what species??

 

I know these quite well because I lived in SEQ.

The first is the orange blossom orchid (Sarcochilus falcatus) and the second is the lily-of-the-valley orchid (Dendrobium monophyllum), both have a sweet beautiful fragrance.

Both are east to grow and easy to kill. The key is air movement. ie, put them in a breezy place and they will thrive, if you don't they will die. Both species can tollerate a hell of a lot of direct sun, as long as they have those open breezy conditions.

I know it seems like they would need the protection and moisture to stop them drying out etc but it doesn't happen that way. Try them in a few different spots and after a year or two you'll see what's what. Keep a look out for Dockrillias and also the raspy root orchid.

Oh and as for the oldies in orchid clubs, They may take a few weeks to get to know you etc but that's like any club. I really liked they way they toured each other's greenhouses every couple of months and shared awesome hints and tips.

Edited by Halcyon Daze
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