Our orchids are blooming

The trick is to create an artificial tropical rain forest environment in a portion of the garden where you plan to plant them. The balite is a deep forest tree, the nets would create a darker environment and you can spray it with water so that it would mimic light rain slowly dripping in the morning and afternoon, also keep a stock of rain water, the small pond also helps cool the place. Don't forget to transfer plants that need a lot of sunlight out from there lol. You ferns will also thrive very well in an orchid environment.

@louievill I have someone here who has orchids as their business and they have created the environment required. for them to grow. I am up to my neck having to care for a huge garden and so may not consider going in for orchids. May be just one or two

@allknowing yeah, I think you can opt for the imported hybrid Singaporean Vandas, they thrive and bloom in full sunlight and are very hardy. Yeah one or two is good enough, I know you have a lot to take care of.

So you have orchids about to flower?

@TiarasOceanView a are very beautiful., little guys adapted to survive in snow, how sweet.

@louievill No orchids but maybe some little snowdrops. They usually start peeking out of the snow.

Most of these orchids would also thrive there in Southern China, our weather and climate is somewhat similar, you can raise one or two even in the window sill of your apartment, its good feng-shui, it would make you happy in the morning and calm in the evening everytime you look at it

@louievill Yes, we did have a short and mild winter in Italy and we loved it when it snowed. It's a different story here.

If I remember right to came from a warmer country Italy, do take care from the cold their.

@1hopefulman sure hope we get that here!! But that's wishful thinking!!

Thank you, Florida climate I think is also ideal for growing them

@DianneN they are not that difficult to raise and propagate since they are usually hung for natural protection, just save a cup or less of your potato washing and feed it from time to time besides watering.

@louievill You're right. Would you believe someone gave me a beautiful orchid plant as a gift? I hope I don't kill it!!!!

Nice, these takes a long time for the flowers to wilt

@ridingbet , you are right friend,Hi? How are you? I'm back.

@louievill i agree, especially the orchids. some roses bloom fast and wither fast also.

@louievill That is so nice that you and your wife have the same interest. When you get to be seniors you will have a very nice garden .

My wife and I work as a team, we have the same interests when it comes to gardening and plants, it's also some kind of preparation for my coming senior years lol! We Filipinos are lucky, God gave us very fertile lands.

That's one of the rewards That's why I prefer to propagate and grow them from small buds rather than buy expensive flowering ones that would wilt in a few days or weeks.

@tech40 start planting! Lol

@louievill I missed the smell of orchids at home!

Yes it is

@jobelbojel yes teamwork, it's hard to take care of it alone

I do it with my wife's help

@louievill that's good.

Yes because of the cold but I'm sure there is something there that I would regret that it does not grow in my garden.

In our country different kinds of flowers bloom whole year round cause we have no winter, the thing we have to be alert with are very strong typhoons that destroy plants as well as crops.

@louievill I can't imagine a place with no winter, that must be nice. Do the temps at least drop down during the year so it is not that hot? Typhoons would be scary, I have never seen one of those either

@louievill Wow, only from March to May, Im gonna move there!!! lol

It's already giving us pleasure lol I dont know why Filipinos are sa afraid of it, once in a mountain climbing expedition in a forest, we saw one that was as huge as a small house it rained so we went inside the huge interwinding roots and I fell asleep inside lol.

@JudyEv balites are similar to these but these are commercialized and had become tourist attractions, the one I went into is probably just as old but deep inside a tropical rain forest. Btw " Siquijor" translated roughly is " island of witches" where witchcraft ( both black and white) had been rumored to be going on in there for centuries, our balite is a baby compared to them.lol.

@louievill It sounds more like a protective tree if it sheltered you from the rain.

They are a blessing to look at in the morning, nice way to start the day

@louievill Happy to be educated. These strange Philippine creatures, I think, are characters now in Stranger Things - netlfix. But hey, I am more interested in the blooms. Kakainggit talaga.

@louievill Nope, not interested in the Balete Drive. I kinda hasten whenever I am forced to pass there. Gosh, you have a beautiful hobby. Speaks much about the person you are, and your better half - you are both patient and enduring, with tender-caring hearts. Ha ha. I suppose I am a frustrated psychologist. I associate persons' activities and passion with their characters. Oh, ha. Anyway, much that I admire orchids and gardens, I am not cut out to tending the plants each day. Tamad po. I'll just view and admire yours and other people's labor of love. Ha ha.

@eileenleyva Read more about Balete drive, they now know who probably the white lady is, also the giant Balete in Siquijor ( Island of witches) province is very famous, It's very easy, if you want flowering, buy first the ones with with flowers already, they could be a bit more expensive but you can get them for a real bargain at Baclaran especially if you are patient enough and wait when the vendors are about to go home. Sooner you would also develope a " Suki" if you buy regularly. Same thing in mall shows, me and my wife use to wait for the last day, then when it's closing time that's the time to haggle, offer to buy a lot of what is left, most do not like to bring it home anymore , besides they already made a profit so they want to dispose everything as much as possible, downside is they are " pinagpilian" ( picked leftovers) When you had already gathered enough knowledge on their individual specie habits and propagation, start splitting the bulbs of your previous purchase whose flowers had wilted already, before long, if you are successful you would have your own flowering homegrown orchid and blooms.

@bagarad they are but just like anything else they need care to thrive.

Philippine climate is different, very friendly to orchids since we have a lot of tropical rain forests and jungles. Actually we just stick them by tying into dry coconut husks, drift wood, pots with moist rotting matter like husks, charcoal for support, some even grow stuck to living trees. They are suspended or hung instead grown on beds, nets control moisture when it gets too hot as in a green house and also mimics conditions in a tropical rain forest when combined with our trees.

@louievill Sounds like they are easy to grow there.

@sol_cee it would be very difficult for thieves to get into my backyard garden, the Jack built wall is 8 feet high

If you believe that lol!

@louievill What about your experience? My mother used to complain about 'thieves' stealing her orchids..

@noni1959 mine is around 20-25years old, a baby compared to them and I always trim it down, but still some people look at me with an odd look when I let them into the garden and they see my tree I love it there, it's so cool especially during summer.

@louievill Gosh this is an old post I didn't realize I didn't answer again. I hope you are doing well.

@louievill I've had Orchids when in California but they only bloomed around Easter time. Thank you for the legend info. That is just wow about the spring in the 400 year old tree and the other is so spooky!

Thank you, they are well taken cared for by my lovely wife and teenage daughter.

@just4him it has a garden set nearby where I sometimes pray and read God's word from time to time

@louievill That's wonderful.

They bloom at least ones a year and some species have their flowers for a long time, when they dry out, another plant flowers. The bird was also an impression I got when I took the picture

@MarymargII lol! It's just an optical illusion, actually it's 2 separate leaves from different plants, I told you my tree was haunted

@louievill Maybe you should give that bird a few crumbs and some water--lol!