MENA Gardens

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

yes it is the two beauties of the past

the leaves look great, fresh strong and green just have a pathetic stick where the blooms used to grow out of.

i was teetering of whether or not to post a pic...but now that you showed yours....hahaha forget it.

So defused sun and just leave them be...k.

On better info...the trailing jasmines are blooming.... sending sweet smells through out the day. Also apricot and peach trees have blooms!!! Spring has SPRUNG!

Your phals sound like they're just doing their rest & recharge period - and as J-Nasti mentioned (love that new name !) if they were previously forced, then they may need a season to re-set their little biological clocks. Do you have a place you can put them where they will get cool night air (like down to 50-60 degrees) as well as that daily defused sun ? 4-6 weeks of the cool rest can induce flower spikes. And don't forget to feed them once a week when you water.

My jasmine is blooming too - and something else called Texas mountain laurel which is also very fragrant (some say it smells like grape bubblegum or grape soda.) I will try to post some more pics tomorrow...

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Here's the jasmine, climbing all over the fence and a shrub... it finished its most spectacular show already, but there are a few blooms still going

This is a lovely little perennial bulb that comes up every March

Pink evening primrose that decided to grace me with its presence a few years ago. It's a Texas wildflower, but almost impossible to transplant - it grows where it chooses only. If you are lucky enough to get one in your yard, you gratefully leave it alone, mowing around it but never over it, until it completes its bloom and re-seed process and it'll return and spread every year.

Inluv - if you are getting new leaf growth like this, then it's a good sign your phal is done resting and ready to produce flowers again. Phals should produce one new leaf per season.

And I have one phal that is producing a whole new baby plant - I guess I can divide this eventually, J-Nasti ?

People ask me if phals are hard to grow - I tell them absolutely not ! If you can grow African violets, then you can grow phals. They love the same conditions...

** Disclaimer: I knew nothing about orchids until J-Nasti took me under her tutelage.)

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Here comes Jackie Bright !

I noticed the pattern on the lip is different than the one in the mature pic I had posted, but I found pics labeled Jackie Bright that also match this pattern. Who knows what it really is

[Nasturtium 500]

Here comes Jackie Bright !

I noticed the pattern on the lip is different than the one in the mature pic I had posted, but I found pics labeled Jackie Bright that also match this pattern. Who knows what it really is

Yay!

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Nasturtium - I understand that this is called a basal keiki ? Ever divide one of these ? Some orchid care sites say to leave it on the mother plant and it will flourish.

[Nasturtium 500]

Yeah! that is what that is! How awesome. I've never had first hand experience with one. I would try leaving it alone at first, and then if it seems to cease the plant from blooming, then look into separation. Maybe if enough time goes by, it will set out aerial roots of its own, allowing you to then cut them apart.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Yeah! that is what that is! How awesome. I've never had first hand experience with one. I would try leaving it alone at first, and then if it seems to cease the plant from blooming, then look into separation. Maybe if enough time goes by, it will set out aerial roots of its own, allowing you to then cut them apart.

I read some more on it... some people think it's okay to divide after it forms 3-4 roots. I dunno... I can keep it with the mother plant easily enough. I wanna see if I can get a double bloom display

I am trying to find 8" orchid pots that are slotted/ventilated on the sides as well as the bottom, like these. I got them in a 6" version which worked great for most of my mature phals - they are growing so well. They get lots of air circulation, and you can view the root systems without having to un-pot them. And the slots are narrow enough that the roots don't poke through.

However, I have a couple of giganto-phals with huge vigorous roots that really need a little more room, but have not found the larger size yet.

[Nasturtium 500]

I read some more on it... some people think it's okay to divide after it forms 3-4 roots. I dunno... I can keep it with the mother plant easily enough. I wanna see if I can get a double bloom display

I am trying to find 8" orchid pots that are slotted/ventilated on the sides as well as the bottom, like these. I got them in a 6" version which worked great for most of my mature phals - they are growing so well. They get lots of air circulation, and you can view the root systems without having to un-pot them. And the slots are narrow enough that the roots don't poke through.

However, I have a couple of giganto-phals with huge vigorous roots that really need a little more room, but have not found the larger size yet.

Yeah, I would just wait and see if it drags the mother plant down. If so, separate when ready. if not-- I'd probably leave it alone too!

What a pain when you can't find what you want! You know me, i am terrible at watering so mine are all enclosed. it's better for all of us lol.

[Shoot Em Straight 385]

So there is way too much in bloom on this one peach tree...but it is amazing.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

It's gorgeous, Inluv - what a beautiful color !

[Shoot Em Straight 385]

I let you know how many actually survive and grow into fruit. I should have wrote peach sticks...she is hardly a tree yet.

Nature is so beautiful with surprises.

Also thx for the tips I now have the two orchids in the recovery area in shielded sunlight.

[LaL 418]

THIS IS ALL VERY INTIMIDATING FOR US GROWING DEFICIENT PEOPLES.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

THIS IS ALL VERY INTIMIDATING FOR US GROWING DEFICIENT PEOPLES.

Haha I think I remember you telling tales of your Black Thumb But don't be intimidated - I've killed a lot of stuff in my day, too.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Here's Jackie Bright with 5 of the 6 buds open

I added a couple of shelves in the bay window... but that means... there's room for MORE

[Shoot Em Straight 385]

pretty yellow for spring