Hello's Garden

[Farhan Ahmed]

Lovely......you have diverse interests.

[Muhammad Arif Khan]

Arent they lovely and through out the year with a bonus of blooms.
My friend Wahid Malak has them by hundreds and yet I have none.
That is the diversity in Nature.

[Muhammad Arif Khan]

Normally my Orchids bloom in September, Where?
though, here, February is the normal blooming season. Where, (in Karachi)?

Are these growing out door?
Which charcoal are you using, ordinary or the rice husk charcoal ?
Coconut fiber is the one used as stuffing While coco peat is normaly used in gardening, is it the first one ?
How many types of Orchids you have in Pakistan and which one would you recommend for Lahore?
Arif

[Tahir Khan]

Lovely... another cacti and succulent enthusiast

you should move your 'Agave victoriae reginae' away from direct sun i see some burning of the crown..

[Hello1]

Lovely......you have diverse interests.

Thank you. Perhaps "jack of all and master of none" would describe it better.

[Hello1]

Arent they lovely and through out the year with a bonus of blooms.
My friend Wahid Malak has them by hundreds and yet I have none.
That is the diversity in Nature.

I agree 100%. Diversity in nature is mind boggling. Hundreds of thousands of species of plants, animals, reptiles,birds, fish insects and ofcourse humans. Yet the SOURCE is ONE, ALONE and ETERNAL

[Hello1]

Lovely... another cacti and succulent enthusiast

you should move your 'Agave victoriae reginae' away from direct sun i see some burning of the crown..

Thank you very much. I have placed the Agave Victoriae Reginae, in partial shade and have been wondering why the crown is burnt. What else could be the reason ?

[Tahir Khan]

What else could be the reason ?

cacti and succulent burn from fresh growth either if the weather turns harsh too early in that case move the plant away from burning sun in a partial sun position, sun scald is very common on round barrel type cacti... the other reason can be that when the growing season starts in March nutrients have not been given to plants which result in poor and retarded growth feed all your plants with nitrogen less fert and water regularly in the evening.

[Hello1]

Normally my Orchids bloom in September, Where?
though, here, February is the normal blooming season. Where, (in Karachi)?

Are these growing out door?
Which charcoal are you using, ordinary or the rice husk charcoal ?
Coconut fiber is the one used as stuffing While coco peat is normaly used in gardening, is it the first one ?
How many types of Orchids you have in Pakistan and which one would you recommend for Lahore?
Arif

I am based in Karachi. All my orchids are growing outdoor and some, including the ones pictured get a lot of sunlight in the first part of the day. This is contrary to what you might have read or heard about orchids. I use ordiary coal "kola". Just break it up in medium sized bits. Coconut is very common in Karachi and the fibre used for stuffing is the one I am referring to. Whatever the medium, it has to drain very very quickly. My experience is that coal is better as compared to the other stuff.

"Admired for their beauty, orchids make up the largest family of flowering plants (Orchidaceae) with over 26,000 species."
(source:http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/12774613)

"The Orchidaceae are a diverse and widespread family of flowering plants with colorful and fragrant blooms, commonly known as the orchid family. Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering plants, with between 21,950 and 26,049 currently accepted species, found in 880 genera"
(source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orchidaceae)

In the Karachi nurseries, I have seen maybe at the most 8 to 10 varieties because the more exotic ones can be pricey. The ones you get from a nursery are imported from, mostly, Thailand and are grown in a coconut medium. When I speak of coal, it is at the time of repotting.

Phalaenopsis is a good starting option. However, I am not familiar with Lahore gardening conditions. In my experience, any plant, if it likes the environment or micro-climate around it, will thrive. Orchids are no exception: Give them plenty of humidity, light and feed (19-31-17) they should do well. Since in the wild the often grow as epiphytes, you have to feed both the leaves and roots on weekly basis. I use 1/4 teaspoon feed mixed in 2 gallons of water. This is year round except in the winters when growth stops.

A couple of my plants are placed directly over a tiny pool I have in one corner.

[Hello1]

Normally my Orchids bloom in September, Where?
though, here, February is the normal blooming season. Where, (in Karachi)?

Are these growing out door?
Which charcoal are you using, ordinary or the rice husk charcoal ?
Coconut fiber is the one used as stuffing While coco peat is normaly used in gardening, is it the first one ?
How many types of Orchids you have in Pakistan and which one would you recommend for Lahore?
Arif

I am based in Karachi. All my orchids are growing outdoor and some, including the ones pictured get a lot of sunlight in the first part of the day. This is contrary to what you might have read or heard about orchids. I use ordiary coal "kola". Just break it up in medium sized bits. Coconut is very common in Karachi and the fibre used for stuffing is the one I am referring to. Whatever the medium, it has to drain very very quickly. My experience is that coal is better as compared to the other stuff.

"Admired for their beauty, orchids make up the largest family of flowering plants (Orchidaceae) with over 26,000 species."
(source:http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/12774613)

"The Orchidaceae are a diverse and widespread family of flowering plants with colorful and fragrant blooms, commonly known as the orchid family. Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering plants, with between 21,950 and 26,049 currently accepted species, found in 880 genera"
(source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orchidaceae)

In the Karachi nurseries, I have seen maybe at the most 8 to 10 varieties because the more exotic ones can be pricey. The ones you get from a nursery are imported from, mostly, Thailand and are grown in a coconut medium. When I speak of coal, it is at the time of repotting.

Phalaenopsis is a good starting option. However, I am not familiar with Lahore gardening conditions. In my experience, any plant, if it likes the environment or micro-climate around it, will thrive. Orchids are no exception: Give them plenty of humidity, light and feed (19-31-17) they should do well. Since in the wild the often grow as epiphytes, you have to feed both the leaves and roots on weekly basis. I use 1/4 teaspoon feed mixed in 2 gallons of water. This is year round except in the winters when growth stops.

A couple of my plants are placed directly over a tiny pool I have in one corner.