Saturday, March 9, 2013

Path Break - Santa Barbara International Orchid Show

It's been 1 1/2 years since I have veered off the rose hybridizing path.  After visiting the Santa Barbara International Orchid Show today (the 68th one BTW), I thought that this was an event well worthy of mentioning here.  All that I can say is WOW!

For a long time now, I have been peripherally interested in orchids, but due to our hotter and drier weather conditions, I have not taken "the plunge".  Also, knowing that when breeding orchids it generally takes many years before the first blooms of your hybrids ever present themselves, I have resisted.  Well today I bought 5 varieties.  I won't report here how much I spent, but I suspect that I will get enough enjoyment out of them to make it worth it.  Will I actually try hybridizing orchids?  Well time will only tell......

Here are a few photos from the show.  Enjoy!









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6 comments:

  1. falconelventoMarch 10, 2013 at 2:15 PM

    io ci ho provato ma per me è troppo complicato...un anno prima di ottenere i semi dopo l'ibridazione...poi la semina in ambiente sterile...mesi per vedere nascere dei puntini verdi piccolissimi...altri mesi per vedere le prime foglie...infine ti decidia metterle all'aria aperta...e nel giro di un anno vederle morire tutte

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  2. Dave BangMarch 11, 2013 at 12:52 AM

    Beautiful orchids. Great clarity on your photos as well. I had considered hybridizing orchids myself a couple of weeks ago when I walked into a orchard supply hardware store and saw an emerald blue orchid. It was the most beautiful shade of blue I ever saw, only to find out that it is actually just a dye they use. I was listen to Bob Tanem on the radio the other day as well and he had an orchid expert on and he talked about the years it took to get a bloom and all the things they did to them to ensure a quality plant and bloom. Just a little too involved for me. I will leave the hybridizing in the capable hands of the experts.

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  3. AnonymousMarch 11, 2013 at 1:42 PM

    Hi Jim,

    I was there at the show on Saturday too! Would've been good to see you there. I go every year to the show and always come back with more orchids than I should. Living in more temperate Santa Monica, the cymbidiums and dendrobiums (among others) thrive like crazy here. I really don't have the room to spare, or to take away from my roses, but I can't resist some of them.

    Joseph Marek

    And for your Italian follower: Mi dispiace molto. È molto più facile ibridare rose di orchidee. È molto più veloce!

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  4. Jim SproulMarch 13, 2013 at 10:47 PM

    Ciao Falconelvento, mi dispiace che sono tutti morti! Che si sentirebbe molto male.

    Hi Dave, thank you. These photos were taken with my iPhone. Yes, I know what you mean about letting someone else do the work. It seems like such a steep climb to work with orchids!

    Hi Joseph, sorry I missed you! I have a Dendrobium and Cymbidium that I hope will make it in the shady part of my greenhouse. The 3 Phalaenopsis will be put in the sunny window in the bathroom - not sure whether they will make it!

    Jim

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  5. Cerberus German shepherdsMarch 26, 2013 at 7:44 PM

    Wow....just beautiful.........

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  6. Jim SproulMarch 27, 2013 at 6:55 PM

    Hi Janie,

    Thank you - it was a very worthwhile show. I hope to go again next year.

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