Kaseys Korner

what I've learned about orchids

Don't worry, this won't be lengthy ~ I haven't been caring for them long enough to write a very big essay.  I have learned a couple tips tho that I thought worth sharing if there are any new orchid "parents" out there.  

The first, never, ever cut the old flower stems off your Phalaenopsis orchids.  I did this the first year (after my cat chewed it in half) but last year, I decided to leave the stem alone.  Look what I missed out on by cutting:

extra flower stems!  The photo above was taken a couple of months ago ~ below is what the same orchid looks like today:

Three bloom stems about to open ~ two from the old stem and one from the new ~ it's going to be a gorgeous show.

You can bet I won't be cutting any stems when this show is over!  Maybe one year, I'll have a ginormous cloud of beautiful white blooms hovering over the pot?? 

The second thing I've learned is that for Cattleya orchids to bloom, the leaves need to be at least 8" long.  I purchased a tiny slip of Cattleya 'Emily Simmons' (a fragrant yellow) a year ago ~ for all of $8.00 ~ that tells you how tiny!  In my ignorance, I thought it needed to grow a certain number of leaves before it could bloom. I started with two and now have six but no sign of buds.

I learned that little tidbit when I called the greenhouse for help.  Looks like I need to continue being patient before I see any flowers on this one.

The last tip is when you hear orchids like to be "neglected" more than pampered, don't take that too literally, like I did.  I'm almost embarrassed to show how badly neglected I let this particular Cattleya become ~ to the extreme I shriveled the pseudobulbs:

They should be plump and smooth since they store the water the orchid needs for survival ~ not ribbed like mine.  I don't know what was going on that I abused it so badly?  I remember reading orchids should dry out between waterings but this is crazy.   Here's a photo of the whole plant:

I sure hope I can turn it around and make up my inattentiveness to this sad orchid. 

There, I'm done.  I promised it wouldn't be too long.  Obviously, I still have much to learn.  Hopefully one day there will be more successes than screw ups!

 

 

Amaryllis 'Charisma' and 'Siren'

Two more Amaryllis bulbs from my collection have opened ~ it seems fitting (for so many reasons ~ coloring, simultaneous blooms, etc.) to view them together.  'Charisma' (on the left) is several years old while 'Siren' (the double flowered one to the right) was added last year. 

They did not bloom in unison last winter, but now that they have, I hope they always do in the future.  They go together like peanut butter and jelly (or whatever your personal favorite combination may be.)

I think I've said this before (??) but for some reason, when I look at them side-by-side, 'Siren' (above) always makes me think of a flashy "cousin" to 'Charisma.'

Not that the very stunning 'Charisma' is at all "the plain one" ~ just the double row of petals on 'Siren' makes her a bit more over-the-top and therefore an attention hog.

The red speckling on their petals ~ a shared characteristic ~ melts my heart.  I'm pretty sure I would buy any Amaryllis with speckles ~ not sure why I love them so much (maybe the same hidden reason I like freckles?)

It's also interesting how the double flowered varieties will sometimes bloom with the petals neatly layered together like in the photo below:

while at other times, the center layer is ruffled upright (like in the second photo).  I'm not sure what causes that?  'Siren' has two blooms each way ~ a bit of trivia for you.

Like with all my other varieties, I can't stop myself from photographing them in a multitude of different situations, lighting, etc.  One of my current favorites is backlit against the kitchen window (where they currently reside).  It creates a dreamy, ethereal effect, don't you think?

Amaryllis 'Charisma' above and 'Siren' below:

A happy side benefit to taking good care of your bulbs, is being able to increase (and thus share) your collection.  The parent 'Charisma' bulb produced two good size bulblets which I separated this past summer.  Now both bulblets have put up bud scapes ~ I wasn't expecting that so soon!  One of those bulblets found a new home on Saturday with a neighbor and the other is moving in with a friend.  I guess you could say Amaryllis are also "gifts that keep on giving!!"  Another reason to love them (as if there weren't already enough). ♥♥♥♥♥

January blooms

Oh yeah.  You did not read that wrong!!  I am beside myself ~ it's the first time ever for me to have blooms of any kind in January (in Colorado).  Look who surprised me:

How amazing is that? 

Thank goodness for snowdrops.  I've had so much going on ~ none of it fun ~ I really needed a surprise like this to perk me up. 

I know I can make it thru the rest of the winter now.  No doubt about it.  Because, when the snow comes again, I'll know there are beautiful, pristine white blooms underneath it.  :-)

I hope to be back in the swing of blogging soon.  I've been working on a pruning post (not nearly as exciting as todays discovery) that I hope to finish soon.  I also need to make some rounds and see what's going on in your gardens.   Maybe you've made some wonderful discoveries of your own??

flock of blackbirds

outside the kitchen window when I woke up yesterday morning ~ could they be a sign of an early spring??? 

They usually don't show up until March or the very earliest, late February.  Could they have not migrated?  Or are they just coming thru way earlier than normal?  I'm not sure.  Flocks would disappear and reappear throughout the entire day.  I'm not the biggest fan but normally when the first one shows up it's a positive sign that spring is around the corner.  This year, I'm not sure what to think.

I just wonder where this guy was when they were around:

He's gotten a bird in my yard every day for the last week.  I think it's time to pull the feeders for a while and see if I can get him to move on.

On a lighter note, the first bunch of supermarket tulips have made it home with me.  They were pink, of course!

If I can only be patient, I know it won't be long before the bulbs in my own garden are blooming.  Until then, I'm sure many more of these bunches will find their way home with me.

Completely random, inspired by the show "Cupcake Wars," my daughter and I whipped up these raspberry cupcakes with mocha pistachio frosting in a little over an hour. 

Not quite as fast (or as pretty) as on TV, but the blended flavors were pretty yummy.  

Almost as yummy as the second bud stalk on Amaryllis 'Gervase' (aka Fantasy') that just opened.  It has much more white along with some fabulous red streaking:

I know I promised not to post any more photos but the streaks are so fabulous I hope you don't mind these two.

I also found a bud on the Paphiopedilum 'maudiae' orchid that my brother sent me from Hawaii last year!  It's very small yet, so I'll need to be patient waiting for it to bloom as well. 

So many things to look forward to ~ they'll all help us make it thru January, I hope!

January blues

Even tho I have orchids:

Paph 'Robert Macabre'

and Amaryllis:

Amaryllis 'Gervase' aka 'Fantasy'

and passion vine 'Triloba:'

all currently in bloom, I can't seem to shake the January "blues." 

I had just started to see grass in my backyard on Tuesday then a quick moving snowstorm whipped thru yesterday and left another coat of white.  An observation I've made in the past few years is that the first snowfall of the year seems to stay lodged on the ground until a really good spring thaw.  I don't remember that happening 10 years ago?  In fact, when I moved to Colorado (no, I'm not a native as you probably guessed), people used to say that it snowed one day and was gone the next. 

All I know is I'm happier if I can walk about my backyard without changing into snow boots.  How about you ~ are you sailing thru January or have you experienced a bit of the doldrums too???

Amaryllis 'Gervase' (aka 'Fantasy')

Some of you have commented about how many Amaryllis I have which is making me feel a bit like a "show off."  I have at least ten more bulbs with buds so if this topic is getting old, feel free to skip over my blog if you see a certain word in the post title!  I know not everyone is as enamoured obsessive about these bulbs as I am so it certainly won't hurt my feelings. 

Before you skip tho, please don't miss the opportunity to view Amaryllis 'Gervase,' also known as 'Fantasy:'

She's one of my very favorites (if I had to single a few out) because of the unexpected dash of red splashed against pale pink.  That "dash" is also extremely striking from the backside:

How often does that happen (something looking as good from the back as the front)?  

She's supposed to have white markings (along with the pink & red) but my bulb has never produced much of that color?

'Gervase' has been in residence here for three years now but only bloomed two out of the three years.  The first year was one of those times, then last year she took a hiatus, making me ever more anxious to see her return.  Happily, she decided a one year absence was enough and shot up two bloom scapes. 

Different lighting makes her appear more pink than red like in the photo above.  The other photos depict better her true coloring, but I liked this angle so much I couldn't help but share it.

It's a distinct advantage to have no bad angles or lighting ~ I wish I could say the same!  I've been so entranced by her, I must have already taken a hundred photos ~ maybe another case in point for absence making the heart grow fonder??  Anyway, I promise to stop with these four for the blog.  I don't want to push my limits any further regarding this subject matter!

gardeners gift envelope

I keep forgetting to share this idea with you ~ finally this morning my brain engaged.  It's a gift envelope I embellished to give my Mom for Christmas.   A little patterned paper to cover the envelope flap, some stickers, rub on's, sticker letters and you're done.  The hardest thing about it could be finding the cash to put inside!  :-)

It could just as easily be a birthday present, Mother's Day gift or thank you.  Very appropriate for spring too ~ "seed money" for seeds or plants.  :-)  Who wouldn't love that??

Of course you could also put a giftcard inside or a gift certificate to the recipients favorite greenhouse or nursery (or any other store ~ those are the ones that appeal to me!)

The best thing about this envelope ~ it can be recycled ~ maybe back to me?!!!!  ;-)

 

Amaryllis 'Fairytale' returns

In exactly the same manner as last year ~ three bud stalks at once! 

Incredible performance, wouldn't you say?

'Fairytale' is a "miniature" amaryllis which, before I became so obsessed with them, didn't exactly make sense to me.  Was it shorter, the blooms smaller, the bulb smaller, etc., etc.??   The answer was immediately apparent upon the first bloom cycle and now (in case you didn't know either) I can happily share with you by simply placing her near large-flowering 'Clown:'

Huge difference in bloom size, right??   'Clown' blooms are the size of dinner plates while 'Fairytale' blooms are more like tea cup saucers.

Small flowers are nothing to dismiss tho ~ especially when they bloom in quantities like these.

For some reason, having both Amaryllis blooming together makes me think of Valentine's??? 

I don't think they'll last that long but they're certainly easy to love.  :-)

 

another orchid from Hawaii

sent with love and the best of intentions but as strong as I know those two things to be, they do not offer protection from exposure to wicked winter weather.  Shipped to me from Bob's Tropicals (just like last year,) compliments of my incredibly thoughtful brother, I discovered this beautiful (or what was a beautiful) Oncidium Orchid on my front porch yesterday evening:

Our high temperature wasn't exactly "orchid friendly."  Anything but actually.  It was all of 19 degrees.  Not the day you want to leave an orchid outdoors.  I was devastated (but not surprised considering the conditions) to unwrap it and see that the blooms were beyond salvageable:

If only I'd been home....

The numerous buds (that would have put on a fantastic long-lived display) all "toast:"

Absolutely sickening. 

The saddest part ~ one day later, it would have been fine.  Today our temperature is 45.  :-(

I'm so sorry Thomas.  Your lovely surprise was interrupted by circumstances out of everyones control.  It was the most beautiful thought tho and I appreciate that with all my heart.  ♥♥♥

dreaming of hummingbirds

Our high temperature yesterday was 14 degrees.  This morning it's minus 15.  The landscape is white and so bitterly cold that even my Lhasa Apso (a Tibetian bred dog) sat down halfway around his walk yesterday and refused to go any further.  I carried him home then finished taking down the remaining Christmas decorations.  Suddenly the house feels "blah" (you know the feeling), like the indoors is competing with the outdoors in a sterility contest.   Maybe I need to move some of those greenhouse blooms out where I can see them?

Then, last night (as if I willed it) I dreamed I was in the middle of a mid-summers garden with birdsong all around and these little gems flitting from flower to flower:

I can't wait.  

Thank you dream weaver for the lovely infusion of color...

I woke refreshed, my world seeming so much less monochromatic.