I’ve been hoarding a trove of orchid close-ups from the New York Botanical Garden 2024 show, and this seemed like a good weekend to share some. Thank you, Ema!
***********
It’s not autumn yet — we can still expect more hot, killing-humidity days, maybe weeks — but there’s been a change in the light quietly announcing the end of summer, here north of Boston.
What’s going on in your garden(s), this week?
satby
Beautiful Ema! Never really got the love for orchids before (pretty, just too fussy for me) but these really show why so many people are fans.
JAFD
Beautiful flowers!
NotMax should b sending in pics of yestrday’s meetup. Good time had by all.
‘Twas hot humid day, tho, not one for walking around city.
Happy Labor Day!
JPL
Beautiful!
satby
@JAFD: Oh, glad it went well! Cooler weather just blew in here overnight, hopefully heading your way soon JAFD!
PBK
@JAFD: Glad you could make the meetup and hoping your health is continuing to improve. Always enjoy reading your Joisy missives!
Ema, was just thinking the other day that I hadn’t seen your beautiful pictures in a while. Hope to see some more OTR offerings from you as well.
raven
Cool, I have a friend who is a judge for the American Orchid Society!
satby
As I mentioned, cooler and less humid air has moved in for the next 10(ish) days around here. Just in time, as everyone was sick of the cloying humidity making our low 90s daytime highs feel more like 100°+. It was too hot to clear up some of the minor damage caused by the roofers, so that’s this week’s project. Along with getting ready to transplant my pot dwelling roses into their final home, and making bruschetta from my small bumper crop of tomatoes.
Jeffg166
@satby:
Most orchids aren’t that fussy. I had a few. They aren’t all that interesting until they bloom. Most of the year they just sit there doing nothing.
satby
@Jeffg166: Interesting! I don’t do indoor plants, except one tropical hibiscus that’s non-toxic, because of all the cats. I wouldn’t keep the hibiscus either but it was a gift and is about 10 years old at this point so I’m fond of it.
rikyrah
Good Morning, Everyone 😊 😊 😊
K-Mo
Wow! Thanks for posting these.
Baud
@rikyrah:
Good morning.
kalakal
@rikyrah: Good morning
Dorothy A. Winsor
Stunning flowers
kalakal
Gorgeous orchids.
I fear I may have obliterated some of my orchids, I move them out of the porch on evenings when it’s raining. Forgot to bring them back in and they may have gotten a bit too much sun before I remembered Sat morning. Hopefully got them in time and it was a bit overcast
Am plotting planting schemes for some of the beds near the house. Due to repair work am having to clear some of them so now have lots of stuff in pots. Was never that happy with how they were so this has finally forced me into doing something about it.
Marleedog
The colors are sublime.
delphinium
Lovely photos Ema-such a beautiful variety of orchids! Have been neglecting my yard a bit this summer but hope to finish the weeding and cleaning up now that cooler temps are on the way.
WaterGirl
Wow, ema, some of those are crazy! In a good way. :-)
Since you are in NYC are you thinking of going to the Four Directions event this week?
WaterGirl
I thought the top one was a bearded iris for a minute!
Gvg
Beautiful pictures.
It is not cooling off here yet, but days are getting shorter. I had another load of free mulch after the hurricane that I haven’t spread yet because it’s been hot and I am busy, so I thought this would be a good chance with the weekend. Wheelbarrow tire decided to split. It’s an old repaired one gifted to me when dad found the size had become impossible to replace. He patched it but warned me it wouldn’t last, and bought himself a new barrow. So I checked and a tire that might or might not fit is 60. I will get a new wheelbarrow I think. Parents just left for a month RV out west. I can borrow theirs if I don’t like what’s available on sale this morning.
I have learned to try wheelbarrows. Things like how tall you are and how long your arms and legs are impact how a particular wheelbarrow fits you. You can end up always having to bend your elbows when walking if the angle is for a taller person or kicking the front of the barrow if the handles are too short. Sometimes the handles are uncomfortable. That’s on top of poor construction or fads.
I also just realized I better measure my garden gates. They are a bit narrow. Too big a barrow might have trouble. There is always something.
O. Felix Culpa
Beautiful pictures! Thank you, Ema. And thank you, AL for the Garden Chat and all your other posts.
We’ve finally had a break in the heat in Albuquerque, so I was able to do more outside than just water the plants, walk the dog, and then shelter indoors the rest of the day. My tomatoes are nearing an end (did better than last year, but still not great) and the Armenian cucumbers continue producing, but my zucchini did poorly for the first time ever. Not sure what the problem was–no squash beetles or disease in evidence. Maybe the heat depressed fruiting?
I’m considering planting garlic this fall. Have never done that before. Any recommendations on sources and types? Our winters can get cold, but are overall fairly mild. Based on my limited research so far, it looks like you can fake out hardneck types by refrigerating them before planting. Would love to get input from more experienced garlic growers. :-)
Van Buren
@Gvg: This reminds me that in June when I was mulching I noticed that my wheelbarrow handles were splinters waiting to happen and I made a mental note to sand and repaint them and never did.
SiubhanDuinne
Those are all orchids? Wow! I had no idea there was such a huge variety. They are beautiful.
MomSense
I used to have an amazing collection of orchids. Some years ago my mom stayed to help with my youngest while I was recovering from major surgery and she kept watering them in their pots. She said they felt dry so she would add more water. Then the leaves started turning yellow which to her meant they really needed more water. Anyway – by the time I was able to leave my bed and come downstairs they were all rotted and dead.
I have a few now but they are cheap ones and haven’t done as well. There was an orchid nursery in a rural town in Southern Maine and his orchids were so healthy. I need to find a new supplier.
WaterGirl
@O. Felix Culpa: My only garlic advice comes from my neighbor who decided to plant garlic last year. He didn’t know how many would come up, so he planted 40. They all came up. :-)
He supplied the whole neighborhood with garlic. It’s great garlic, so if no one else suggests suppliers, etc I can check with him.
oldgold
I never plant West of Eden until the Fourth of July. I tell the inquisitive that this is to starve the June bugs.
But, the real reason is that it ensures the vegetable will not ripen and appear on my dinner plate.
Unfortunately, this year the outer rim of the twilight growing zone has had a spectacular weather. So good, t appears my vegetables, including the killer kale, may reach maturity.
I told my spouse I was praying for an early frost. She responded, “Are you serious orchiding? “
comrade scotts agenda of rage
@JAFD:
Hope to finally meet you at Fall In. I’m just finishing up the Tourney program.
ema
Thank you all!
ema
@PBK:
Thank you, and I’m a bit behind with my OTR submissions but working on it.
(The delay is all BJ’s fault. Before I found this lovely place I was a normal person. Now, I’m a darned “content creator” starting one, possibly two, new YouTube channels. What is even happening to me? ‘Tis a mystery.)
ema
@WaterGirl:
Tempting but I’m working.
JAFD
@satby:
Hello there !
OTOH, weather cooler today,
OTOH, skies today like the old Fort Dix joke:
First soldier “Sure looks like rain …”
Second soldier “Yeah, but the mess sargeant insists it’s coffee.”
Note to Nukular Biskits – this shot was Pfitzer, most of my previous ones were Modena. Hope that helps.