Saga of the Cymbidium

Oh, we have another taker on the orchid challenge!

By Guest Blogger, Marisa

Well my darling C has been living on my back patio under the patio cover quite contentedly for about 3 years now. It has very enthusiastically tripled in size and despite the first year of playing opossum, has bloomed gorgeously for the last two.

This year however, despite its seemingly sufficient protection, it fell prey to the deadly frost we had back in December. Imagine my dismay when I discovered the blackened and shriveled remains of at least four promising spikes, only just preparing to be showstopping beauties in February!

My C was not to be deterred however, and came roaring back with extra vigor to produce four healthy replacements to dazzle me. The first of its efforts is shown here, three more to open! I am a proud mother. Just wait until my mystery phaleonopsis opens. The crowing and photos to follow! (she says hopefully)

Another Orchid Challenge!

By TheJenny, guest blogger

Oooh! Can I take the orchid challenge too? This red beauty re-bloomed just in time for turkey day and the flowers stuck around until after New Years. Long-lasting, lovely, and festive. What more can you ask for in a flower? To entice it to re-bloom, I treated it to my usual neglectful watering schedule, the steam from the kitchen sink, and indirect sunlight from the window box. So that's 2 orchids down (if we count the leopardy orchid re-bloom in October 2009), and several more to go. Wish me luck!

Lemons into Lemondrops!

I love Meyer lemons. Yes, I know they aren't actually lemons, more oranges, but I love them. I always prefer them over Eureka's and always look for someone who has a tree that will support my habit.


Since I'm in a condo, I've never had a tree, but finally impulse bought a small tree at Home Depot a couple of years ago, because I just couldn't help myself anymore.


The first year, it had a couple dozen blooms but no lemons which isn't surprising. I wasn't expecting much the second year because it's in a pretty small pot but I have a secret weapon. One little hummingbird.


This year the tree was covered in blooms. Jam packed with probably hundreds of blooms. Dripping blooms that the hummingbird just loved. I keep a hummingbird feeder in the lemon tree pot during the winter to keep her around. At first I thought it was the bees, but now I know better. That little bird is the key!


So this year there were nine lemons on this little tree and they were huge lemons! I will say they are the best Meyer lemons I have had. I'm so proud! For our Christmas, we make lemondrops as our holiday cocktail and this year we used our very own.


Here's a photo of our last lemon before I picked it.

Mushroom Hike

I'm straying off my usual path where I blog about plants I grow...or kill.

But this hike is so full of good plants, I just can't help myself. Stebbins Cold Canyon hike located outside of Winters, CA and is about 4.75 miles long with a 1,600 foot elevation change. You usually go up the canyon, up the to the ridge, up and down the ridge and back down to complete the loop.

It has some great views of Lake Berryessa and more mushrooms than I have seen in years! Go in the winter after a couple of nice rains and you won't be disappointed.

You can see the highest point in the picture below, the ridge in the far distance. Good stuff!

Bird of Paradise - rebloom

This year I got 2 blooms on my potted Bird of Paradise. These are photos of the larger one that started to sprout last year at this time. Took a whole year to actually bloom but it was super pretty!





-- Post From My iPhone

Orchid Bloom! 1 of 4...

I've taken the challenge of getting half of my 8 orchids to bloom this year and I am now 1/4 of the way there!

The Neolauchea Pulchella Orchid is one of my favorites because it looks like a weed that has been strapped onto a piece of wood with some moss... well actually, that is what it is. But it's very unique and I keep it hanging on my avocado plant in the windowsill.

Right after I posted my orchid challenge I noticed the tiny bulbous parts of the plant were getting more bulbous and breaking through their papery coverings. I looked closer and realized a little sprout had also come out with a pink bud.

A few of them have bloomed and I think there will be about 8 by the time it's done. I can't explain how tiny they are so look a the picture below...yes, that is the tip of a pencil. How freaking adorable is that?!!

My Orchid Challange

Hello again! It's been a long while. I do apologize for neglecting you like a cactus.

As you may know by now, I have reluctantly become some what of an orchid person. As cataloged by these past orchid posts:
Tolumnia Orchid
Den Jenkinsii Orchid
Neolauchea Pulchella Orchid
Orchid Window
Den Aussie Chip Orchid
Yuri Orchid
Iono Orchid
Another Orchid - Rescued
Space Ship Orchid - Holy Crap It Bloomed!

I am not only accepting my orchid person title but I am setting myself up for a challenge. I hope to get half of my orchids to bloom this season. You heard right. Half! So, I currently have 8of them so I'm aiming to bloom at least 4 of them.

I know they tend to bloom after they have been stressed and I've heard somewhere (probably the orchid show), that if you put them outside every night for a week when it starts getting cold - they bloom!

Tonight is their first outside night and it's supposed to be 45 degrees. I think that should be cold enough.

I'll keep you posted!

And by the way, I have to admit I have had one orchid failure. The Iono Orchid just dried up and died. I watered it the same as the other orchid, but for some reason it just keep getting thinner and drier. There, now you know.