OrchidSafari ARCHIVES*

howardginsberg1 (Canada)
marylois (northwest Louisiana)
Sparkysteve (S Florida)
MarilyninOttawa (Canada)
albertus953 (name and location needed)
peterlin (Dallas TX)
poln8r (Robert, Stanton MS)
Ellen,Smithtown,New York
Peeteilis (Tom in Kentucky)
R Fulford (S Florida)
jrfatbak (name and location needed)
Lanceps (Thamina in S Calif)
IslandSue (Vancouver Island, Vancouver, BC, Canada)
Paulav (Boca Raton FL)
foxtail2 (Doug, Palm Harbour FL)
birch10 (Paul, Saginaw MI)
jim4eq (Miami FL)
JR000 (Jerry in N Calif)
zeynep3 (Wilmington NC)
Evlyn (NW Louisiana)
pokey60 (Scott, Macon GA)
bmtorchids (N Calif)
mydonkey (Joe, St Louis MO)
JCY8S (John, Arcadia CA)
JanetteH ("Mayberry Country" NC)
jeanne23(Queensland, Australia)
AORCHID (Simpsonville SC)
The Phalie Phanatic (Gary, Hershey PA)
Fleur (Tasmania)
ChitChat2 (Joyce, Walterboro SC)
framer1 (sharon - IN)
AJHicks (New Mexico)
8_oxo_deoxyguanosine_triphosphate (name and location needed)
graphicgreg (WPB Florida)
Tirhakah (name and location needed)
Clare in LA Calif
Kbbarrett (N Calif)
howardginsberg1
This should be interesting. I've always used visual aids in the past. I'm ready to begin whenever I'm told. If people want to ask questions, start now so that I can begin typing. And, remember, no one is listening until you make a mistake. I want to say that my web site has a great deal of educational content. There are about 75 pictures or so, many from Taiwan including a very recent FCC to a phal. The site is updated VERY often and once a month we have a special of the month and a NEW page. Check it out and look at the pictures especially. Cultural info as well.

marilyninOttawa
Perhaps I might start with a question. What do you feel is the most influential parent of yellows at this time?

howardginsberg1
Marilyn, here goes the answer.

There is no magic rule for breeding better yellows. The way to breed better yellows is the same as with breeding better anything: take the 2 best plants around, check its qualities and its faults (The faults are probably most important because you do NOT want to double up on any serious fault.), check the ancestors, think of what what you are breeding for and think about whether it should happen.

There are of course some very important yellows around and in phal. history but think of them - almost every one is the result of a small yellow flower and a much larger white or white with red lip: Barbara Moler; Golden Buddha, Deventeriana; Taipei Gold; Golden Sands. Then you start combining them in various combinations and permutations (including breeding to species to intensify color) and you get Golden Amboin, Liu Tuen-Shen, Brother Lawrence, Goldberry and the magnificent Taida Lawrence.

Taida Lawrence will probably be the best yellow parent for several reasons: so many are good that many plants (not only one or two clones) will be bred with.

birch10 (Paul. Cool Saginaw,Mi.)
I would like to know what is the best cross to have a clear yellow and retain the color until the flower drops?

howardginsberg
1 A yellow that doesn't fade? They all fade SOMEWHAT.

paulav
Probably Phal. Golden Emperor

birch10 (Paul. Cool Saginaw,Mi.)
Paulav what is the cross of Golden Emperor?

howardginsberg1
Golden Emperor is Mambo by a large white.

albertus953
Snow Daffodil x Mambo = Golden Emperor

Ellen,Smithtown,New York
Which is the most awarded yellow?

howardginsberg1
The most awarded yellow is Orchid World (if you call it a yellow).

poln8r (Robert from Long Beach, MS)
You mentioned at least one gigantea cross. What influence does it have on the modern hybrids?

birch10 (Paul. Cool Saginaw,Mi.)
Do you think that the yellows will be as big as the whites?

howardginsberg1
Will yellows be as big as whites? They are already. There are some (not many yet) 4" yellows.

bmtorchids (Barbara, N. CA)
I have one of the earlier yellow Nancy Gordon. Sure have large flowers and bloom every year.

poln8r (Robert from Long Beach, MS)
Isn't Hausermann's Goldcup doing a lot for yellow these days?

marilyninOttawa
Perhaps you know who is now doing breeding with Taida Lawrence?

howardginsberg1
Some people are using it in breeding but I have seen almost nothing that is a 2nd generation descendant and that usually bothers me.

marilyninOttawa
What might the absence of 2nd generation decendants indicate Howard?

howardginsberg1
No 2nd generation usually indicates bad 1st generation or STERILITY (or low fertility)

albertus953
Same problem they had with Gold Emperor and many other yellows: sterilty.

howardginsberg1
From Taiwan you have the next generation of Taipei Gold hybrids. Then you have Brother Lawrence but one of the most exciting plants from Taiwan is Golden Sun. And from Golden Sun you have the linebred Ching Her Buddha.

peeteilis (sorryinky(still dry))
Are the yellows going to stay star shaped, or can they get fat cheeks like the whites?

albertus953
As of Jan 99 no Taida Lawrence progeny registered.

birch10 (Paul. Cool Saginaw,Mi.)
Why is Golden Sun so exciting?

howardginsberg1
Taida Lawrence is too new but have you seen them? They are PHENOMENAL and look at their pedigree, Goldberry x Brother Lawrence, all the great yellows are in the background: Barbara Moler, Deventeriana, Taipei Gold, Golden Amboin,etc The one thing about Taida Lawrence and I've only seen about a dozen - they are all good! Some are clear, some have markings but they are usually at least 3" and DEEP yellow. In order to understand yellows, you have to realize that they've only existed for about 30-35 years. Originally it was a species (mannii, I think) to a large white. Carmela has Taida Lawrence at reasonable prices.

marilyninOttawa
When judging modern yellows, which trait has most impact? Color, shape or spike habit?

albertus953
It was a shame when they stopped breeding with Bamboo Baby..Some of its progeny was really nice.

howardginsberg1
Bamboo Baby is nice but only the outer portion had yellow but it produced LOTS of large flowers.

marylois (Topic: Howard Ginsberg Breeding Yellow Phalaenopsis)
Is it just me, or are Golden Sands 'Canary' clones realtively short-lived?

JCY8S (John in Arcadia, CA)
Lois - I have been told that all are virused.

bmtorchids (Barbara, N. CA)
That's right, Lois, I use to have one of those, didn't live very long.

howardginsberg1
Virus is what I heard as well.

sparkysteve (STILL hot in Boca Raton, Florida)
Howard, aren't yellows summer bloomers?

howardginsberg1
Yellows - summer bloomers, the species are - as are most species of color but almost all the modern hybrids have a white etc as the other parent and most now bloom in the spring with everything else.

birch10 (Paul. Cool Saginaw,Mi.)
I had a Zuma Gold 'Micheline' (first spike) what is the yellow color.

howardginsberg1
Zuma gold - amboinensis by a large white. Let's not forget that the original amboinensis which has been around forever was cream with brown bars. The yellow amboinensis came in the 60s.

albertus953
Zuma Gold = amboinensis x Wilma Huges. I still have Bamboo Babies from the selfing of Coqui 'Fcc' and they are alive after 12 years. The problem was Benlate.

poln8r (Robert from Long Beach, MS)
Howard, is there any known reason why my yellow seem to grow scale more than the other colors? Especially on the flowers and stems. A few yellows (maybe 6), various crosses, mixed with a dozen of other colors. The scale love the yellows.

howardginsberg1
Scale, mealies, etc on 1 or 2 plants? The plant has a particular attraction - not the color but rather more sap so it's sweeter or thinner leaves or ...the location (it may be warmer where that plant is), etc.

zeynep3 (20 degrees cooler Wilmington, NC)
Robert, all the sweetness....

Ellen,Smithtown,New York
Any difference in culture or media for yellows?

howardginsberg1
Difference in culture? Not really.

Ellen,Smithtown,New York
Temperature?

poln8r (Robert from Long Beach, MS)
Culture, potting medium, etc., all the same.

howardginsberg1
The species get crown rot a LOT easier but the hybrids have so much white, etc that they all tend to grow the same.

albertus953
I put mine in vertical plaques..What do you do with yours?

birch10 (Paul. Cool Saginaw,Mi.)
Is Zuma Gold a large flower or another small yellow?

paulav
Howard, do you recommend cutting off old bloom spikes on yellow phals even when many will often rebloom on old spikes?

howardginsberg1
I am a sex fiend i.e. I am always breeding my phals so I NEVER cut off spikes unless they are brown. But if you want to show your plant then cut off the spikes and give it a rest.

zeynep3 (20 degrees cooler Wilmington, NC)
LOL

The Phalie Phanatic (Gary in Hershey)
Has anyone mentioned Ambo Buddha yet? Some seem to have definite stripes while in others the stripes are 'muddy'. Is there any particular clone that has sharper stripes than others?

howardginsberg1
Yes 'Bedford Beauty' AM

jeanne23 (Sunny Qld Oz)
How often do these plants flower Howard?

howardginsberg1
Large phals, yellows and others, bloom once or twice a year but they have flowers almost year round - when they are fully adult.

The most important thing about phals and catts and paphs is repotting unless your water is distilled, there are usually salts and other dissolved solids that form deposits on the potting media so when you repot, it gets rid of the salts and other solids.

poln8r (Robert from Long Beach, MS)
Here here!

marylois (Topic: Howard Ginsberg Breeding Yellow Phalaenopsis)
Growing in Canada, Howard, what temperatures do you maintain? Greenhouse? Basement?

howardginsberg1
Temperatures? Bedford phals are grown in a greenhouse and under fluorescents at my place.

marylois (Topic: Howard Ginsberg Breeding Yellow Phalaenopsis)
Yes, high - low, winter/summer.

howardginsberg1
Greenhouse in winter - no lower than 60F at night and about 70-80 during the day at my place, higher during the day and lower at night during the summer it's a bit warmer.

birch10 (Paul. Cool Saginaw,Mi.)
What kind of fluorescents most of mine are grown in basement under lights.

bmtorchids (Barbara, N. CA)
The flowers on the second or third bloom always smaller, is that always the case?

birch10 (Paul. Cool Saginaw,Mi.)
Howard if you were to have only 3/4 yellow phals, what would you have?

howardginsberg1
For the 3-4 phal question, am I allowed to breed with them or do I just look at them?

birch10 (Paul. Cool Saginaw,Mi.)
Any way you want I ask mostly as a hobbyist grower.

mydonkey
I am very new to orchids, are phals (in general) considered to be easy or difficult to grow? Would they be considered a beginner's plant?

howardginsberg1
To the beginner growing phals is easy. Growing phals well is hard.

birch10 (Paul. Cool Saginaw,Mi.)
Phals are easy providing you take care of them lots of TLC.

bmtorchids (Barbara, N. CA)
Phals and Cymb are the Hooker Orchids. They hook you into more and more and more.

birch10 (Paul. Cool Saginaw,Mi.)
Is anyone have trouble tonight with sending and receiving?

birch10 (Paul. Cool Saginaw,Mi.)
I started out with a few and now I must havae a couple hundred they just seem to jump at me and say take me home so I do.

AORCHID (art, simpsonville sc)
Just started having trouble receiving.

[WBS crashed for 30 minutes -KB]

framer1 (sharon from IN)
Is the talk on Yellow Phals still going on?

howardginsberg1
I am back? Is this a regular occurrence? I was booted out and couldn't get back in for almost half an hour, did this happen to everyone?

marylois
Seems to have levelled off.

Clare in LA
I missed all the good stuff about why I kill almost every Phal I have ever owned.

graphicgreg (hot in WPB)
That's why they call the Phals (Fails) Clare.

Clare in LA
Funny, Greg. Just goes to show you can't grow them all! And lucky to bloom most.

howardginsberg1
I am here as I was saying, phals are easy to grow but hard to grow well.

AORCHID (art, simpsonville sc)
I have phal question but not a yellow phal. question. My Phal. Tiasuco 'bright' has just started putting up a spike. Last 2 times bloomed in Jan. Is this normal? Outside in hot South Carolina.

howardginsberg1
Sure it's normal the spike began when there were cool nights and just continued despite the temperature BUT the spikes will probably be longer in the summer.

AORCHID (art, simpsonville sc)
We did have a couple of nights in low 60s at first of July.

sparkysteve
Phals are very easy to grow, but you need to have them under cover here in Florida.

Lanceps
I find an east window(side with screen) in the kitchen works best. Easy to remember to water.

jrfatbak
Novice question. Why does 'Oxalis' like my potting medium so much?

sparkysteve
LOL--I wish I knew jr!!!!!!!

jrfatbak
Thanx Sparky I thought I was doing something wrong.

howardginsberg1
Oxalis likes the potting medium of people who don't take it out WHEN IT FIRST SHOWS UP.

jrfatbak
And into what type container? I'm new at this.

marylois
Right on, Howard! Folks. Let's all stay quiet and listen to Howard...only typing to be Howard, and questions. No side chat, no privates...maybe we will ge thru this without WBS giving Howard an ulcer.

howardginsberg1
I can type but I need questions to answer.

Clare in LA
Jr, if we could find that out, and discover a way to kill it without destroying the orchid, you get the big prize.

peterlin
Howard - what is your favorite red phalaenopsis?

Clare in LA
Howard, there were earlier comments about yellow Phals. What makes them so special?

howardginsberg1
Only their rarity good yellows are few and far between.

kbbarrett (Kathy in N calif)
Well, on the subject of yellow Phals I must confess total ignorance! It was a wonderful page he put up about yellow hybrids, though. I wish it had pics so we could see the changes in hybrids as time went on.

marylois
There are numerous pictures accompanying Howard's Taiwanese phal article in Orchid Digest - last two issues. And featured on OrchidDigest online as we speak.

howardginsberg1
Photos? Aabout 75 of them are on my web site

Some of the pictures are on photo pages and others are on the flask and seedling pages.

Clare in LA
Can you tell us what direction Phals are going in?

sparkysteve
Howard, I have to laugh at a P. Sarah Frances Pridgeon that I ''used'' to have--it was in the open in at least 75% sun and bloomed OK

marylois
Ah, don't laugh at Sarah Frances Pridgeon...ALWAYS counted on her for flowers!

howardginsberg1
You'd be surprised at what extremes phals will tolerate.

sparkysteve
Yeah--but I felt sorry for her--repotted her and moved her into the shadier spot--out of spite she died on me!!!!!!!!

AORCHID (art, simpsonville sc)
Did you ever answer the question about the fullness of yellow phals.are there any that look similar to whites?

howardginsberg1
There are MANY that are that full - or at least VERY close to it such as Hausermann's Gold

. marylois
Howard, do you feel plants have a particular life-span. How many really go on ad infinitum?

kbbarrett (Kathy in N calif)
I was impressed by the number of flowers and SPIKES on the awarded clones you mentioned, I never thought any phal could put out 35 or more spikes. Is that including ones on keikeis?

howardginsberg1
Our plants are generally too mollycoddled because of this there is no stress, reproduction (flowering) results from stress.

Clare in LA
Howard, what attributes are you looking to enhance in your introductions?

howardginsberg1
Less or no fading, large size and especially good flower count.

Lanceps
Do you recommend subjecting a healthy plant to a little stress, such as underwatering a little, or a slight temp. drop?

marylois
Folks - Howard is experiencing extreme net difficulties and asks that you excuse him and he will return Saturday, August 21st, and talk phalaenopsis again. Howard! it's been great! If WBS were only as good as you! Thank you...and see you August 21st.

howardginsberg1
Goodnight all. Sorry

sparkysteve
Thanx howard--you're great!

marylois
As sad as it is that Howard was scuttled by WBS, it will be great to welcome him back on Saturday 21 August!~

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