Undead Orchid

A coworker of mine had an orchid at her desk last year. It was in bloom when she acquired it of course, but then it became little more than a few waxy leaves in some potting mix. Then, it lost its appeal and was neglected a bit, so it turned yellow and came close to death. So, after the greenhouse was built I offered to adopt the little plant with the understanding that I would bring it back to work if it should ever bloom again. I up-potted it, left it on the ground in the greenhouse where the filtered light would reach it (though I did give one of its leaves a nasty sunburn), and hoped the humidity would coax it back to life. And so it did rise with a few more leaves and eventually a little spike! The spike sprouted buds, and the buds opened with snow white blossoms.

The only thing is...I think it was pink last time it bloomed. I have a few things to learn about orchids evidently.

Tillandsia and More

One of the gifted plants that I received from a local Epiphyllum friend was a Tillandsia aka air plant. I don't know the species, but since it didn't need a pot or much space, I let it hang out in the green house since I acquired it. It has been growing rather quickly. What's more is that today it began blooming. It's a cute little thing with a single flower spike. I suspect that with warmer weather, that this little plant is going to explode with growth. We will see.

The Epiphyllums that I attempted to root will be investigated today. They'll either be moved to a more soily substrate or need a recutting so that I can try to root them again. Doing all of this now will hopefully mean that by Spring I can plant them into some containers that I bought for the cinder block wall behind my house. I think they'll get the right amount of sunlight there.

I updated on the Passiflora in the greenhouse in my last post. But I failed to mention that I began some P. membranacea and P. cirrhiflora cuttings in the cloner. They're in the garage with a LED grow light on them. Last time, they were in the greenhouse with all of the other cuttings, and when they were, P. cirrhiflora took root and P. membranacea quickly died. I checked on the cuttings today in the garage and the P. cirrhiflora cuttings were all expired while there were little roots appearing on P. membranacea. The most significant factor is evidently heat. I've determined that P. cirrhiflora likes approximately 80°F water/air and P. membranacea likes approximately 65°F water/air. When one considers the normal growing environment for both species, the correlation isn't difficult to understand. Hopefully the new P. membranacea cuttings will take once I pot them. And, hopefully I can generate some more P. cirrhiflora cuttings in the greenhouse when the weather warms up a bit more.

New Year: A New Hope

The new year has come. The garden has been largely stagnant except for a showering of leaves from P. holosericia, which did the same last year, but regrew them and many flowers following last Winter. In the greenhouse, where I installed a large, new, bright light there are many plants. Some are well established like P. cirrhiflora (which just finished its second bloom), P. antioquiensis, P. nephrodes, and P. macrocarpa. Others are cuttings, or back-up plants, if you will. I have P. Raspberries and Cream, P. x decaisneana, P. Blue-Eyed Susan, P. racemosa buzios, P. Manta and a few others just hanging around. There are some seedlings that have been growing for a long time like P. gritensis, P. lindeniana, P. umbilicata, and some guest hybrids. And finally, there are the new seedlings like P. caerulea and my new cross! Hopefully, I'll have another beauty to claim and name in 2014 to compliment P. Erl.

With all of these plants, I need a solid Spring strategy. And here, Spring comes early. In March it will be time to start pulling out the Tacsonias. Soon after I'll pull out the rest. And will that, I think I need to cull some of the older plants in Pergolatory. Some will be reincarnated with their cutting backups. Others, well...they had a good run.

It will be another exciting growing season. I'm quite confident of that. My only concern now is that P. cirrhiflora will run out of steam before the sun returns from it's Winter solstice zenith. It survived last Winter with the spot lights directly on it. Now it's sharing the light with the rest of my brood. I hope it's strong enough to survive. I've sent away all of my viable back-ups. Taking cuttings now would be certain vegicide, and unlikely rooting. So, we wait, as the theme of Pergolatory continues in 2014.

December Lights

It's amazing that the neighbors are cool with the glowing 8 ft obelisk behind my house. Maybe it's just Christmas cheer. Or, maybe they assume it's cannibis and the cops are going to show up. For the record, they're all Passiflora!

New Epidemic

I recently helped a local Passiflora FB friend add a few plants to her collection. She was kind enough to bring some Epiphyllum cuttings for me. I wasn't very familiar with that genus, but I soon became hooked. Moreover, I purchased a bunch more cuttings and plan to visit the local enthusiast group that meets monthly. There was a little floor space available in the greenhouse, so I decided to make use of it.

My collection now includes:

Kirby's Giant
Jesse's Tower
Canary Princess
Hidden Treasure
Sherman Brahm
Princess Kelly
Chuckles
Jungle Red
Poison
Tribute to Beauty
Nocturne
Clown
and a few Unknowns

Sweet Cirrhiflora

I noticed a yellow spot through the polycarbonate walls of my greenhouse this morning. I found the first Passiflora cirrhiflora bud of the second blooming this year opening part way. I waited a little later to take some pictures, and in doing that, I was rewarded with a sweet fragrance filling my little greenhouse. I really like the smell of P. x belotii, but this is even better. A photograph will have to suffice until that technology is invented. Obviously, there are more flowers to come!

Greenhouse Growth

Well, the greenhouse that I built with my father this Summer is doing the job so far. In fact, Passiflora cirrhiflora is thriving better now than it did outside. It clearly likes the heat provided by the sun and a trash can full of water with a submersible aquarium heater inside and the humidity from a misting stand that emits daily. Of course there are other species and hybrids in the greenhouse from cuttings and seed alike, but the growth on P. cirrhiflora is extravagant. I should be seeing lots of fully form flowers by the end of 2013!