# A glimpse of my greenhouse



## Trithor (Apr 21, 2013)

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H Lajo x H Web
First flowering for me of a seedling from a flask purchased a few years ago. It is still opening, so I think it may be bigger than it already is. It currently has a NS of 16cm





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Maiden Paradise x Hamana Curet
First flowering of a seedling for me, Not very flat, but massive with great texture, and I kind of like the uniform colour





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A group of Maudiae type hybrids, including Maudiae itself, nothing great, but hell they add colour.





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A mystacidium sp collected some years ago in the Waterberg area, always pretty, bit like a shower of stars.





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One of my 'shade plants', a veiw of a Bulbophylum rothschildianum from below. I use these and others to provide shade for my paphs below. This year it has flowered with 18 spikes, quite impressive even from below.


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## Ron-NY (Apr 21, 2013)

thanks for the blooming tour!! Envious here!


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## Trithor (Apr 21, 2013)

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A Laelia to add some colour along the East wall of the greenhouse. I keep a chunk of my multi species on this bench.





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Greenhouse inhabitant, busy hunting nesting material from the hanging baskets.





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Paph Honey, just does not seem to stop flowering, as one spike finishes, another has developed. I think it has been in near continuous bloom for three years now.





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Odds and Ends greenhouse. I kind of 'banish' all sorts here, as I run out of space. Occationally I am surprised by a bloom or two.


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## Rick (Apr 21, 2013)

A real jungle in some spots! I love it:clap:


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## The Mutant (Apr 21, 2013)

Love the bird. :smitten:

And the Maudiaes, but I like these types of paphs, so no surprises there.


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## jjkOC (Apr 21, 2013)

Wow! How large is your greenhouse?


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## Dido (Apr 21, 2013)

I really want your grennhouse. 

Great shots thanks for sharing


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## abax (Apr 22, 2013)

Your gh is wonderful and full of color. Not to disparage your plants, but that bird is spectacular. Ain't nature great?


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## Trithor (Apr 22, 2013)

Thanks all for the positive comments on my growing area. My greenhouse is 9m x 6m (x5m high at the roof apex) and I have a separate greenhouse which has 3 heated benches in it for seedlings. Each hot-bench is 2.2m x 1m. My hot-bench greenhouse at the moment is occupied by my 'odds and ends' and is badly in need of some attention.
I am hoping that now that I have got a better grip on fertiliser, that my plants will grow a bit better next Spring (Oh so long away!)


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## SlipperKing (Apr 22, 2013)

Thanks for sharing. Is your GH an attached unit to your home?


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## SlipperFan (Apr 22, 2013)

Rick said:


> A real jungle in some spots! I love it:clap:


Exactly what I was thinking. It really looks like a wondrous place!


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## chrismende (Apr 22, 2013)

Could you tell us a little more about keeping birds and plants together? By the way I had a Gouldian finch very much like that one during my childhood!


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## eggshells (Apr 22, 2013)

Nice Greenhouse and blooms.


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## Susie11 (Apr 22, 2013)

Fabulous!


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## Trithor (Apr 22, 2013)

SlipperKing said:


> Thanks for sharing. Is your GH an attached unit to your home?



I built a cottage for my parents to use when my father was unwell. There was a 9m gap between the house and the cottage. I decided to build the greenhouse between the two. I built a solid back wall, and then a front wall with doors. Then a 30 degree pitch roof, and a timber deck on the front to fit my potting bench. I will take a picture of the outside tomorrow to give you a better idea.


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## NYEric (Apr 22, 2013)

Very nice, thanks for sharing.


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## Trithor (Apr 22, 2013)

chrismende said:


> Could you tell us a little more about keeping birds and plants together? By the way I had a Gouldian finch very much like that one during my childhood!
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



I have tried a whole range of birds, most are too destructive. I have found that Gouldians are the best, as they dont do too much damage at all. If you provide them with nesting material, they almost do not touch the plants. They also do not realy come down to the benches, but spend their time flitting from hanging basket to hanging basket. I find the movement and colour fair payment for any nonsense that they may make (almost non at all). If you spend as much time in your greenhouse as I do, they become tame very quickly and spend a lot of time bouncing arround you while they investigate what you are doing. They realy love watering days and frolic through the spay. I have to admit that they have added a great dimension to the whole greenhouse experience. (Much better than the previous tenants, dont ever consider letting your kids tarantulas loose in your growing area! They grow huge and become territorial, and once entrenched are damn difficult to catch and remove)


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## SlipperFan (Apr 22, 2013)

Oh my! I would much prefer birds to tarantulas! I have thought about geckos, though. Anyone have those in their greenhouse?


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## Migrant13 (Apr 23, 2013)

Can I live in your awesome greenhouse?!!! Just need coffee occasionally.


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## Trithor (Apr 23, 2013)

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My greenhouse front, dont ask why I have so many doors, as I cannot open them without letting the birds out. Besides benches block all but the left door.






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I am thinking of moving the front wall of my greenhouse forward to include the swimming pool. The problem is that the roof apex will end up about 9m high. The neighbours may end up complaining. My thinking is that if I install a pool heater for winter, the pool will function to keep the humidity up, as well as moderating the temperatures a bit better than they currently are.


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## Trithor (Apr 23, 2013)

Migrant13 said:


> Can I live in your awesome greenhouse?!!! Just need coffee occasionally.



I have posted pictures of your front door. There is a nespresso machine in the kitchenette, so you should be OK for coffee.


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## NYEric (Apr 23, 2013)

Trithor said:


> I(Much better than the previous tenants, dont ever consider letting your kids tarantulas loose in your growing area! They grow huge and become territorial, and once entrenched are damn difficult to catch and remove)


 

I would never have guessed there was a greenhouse from the bottom photo. 
Thanks for sharing.


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## Paph_LdyMacBeth (Apr 23, 2013)

I cannot contain my jealousy!! 

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## Marc (Apr 23, 2013)

Nice growing place you have there.


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## Ozpaph (Apr 26, 2013)

That's wonderful.
The fumes from chemicals in the pool water may not be good for the orchids or birds.


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## The Orchid Boy (Apr 26, 2013)

Awesome! Got to love the B. rothschildianum and the bird. So jealous! And I agree with Ozpaph, the chemical fumes wouldn't be good for your birds or plants. You could turn it into a nice fish pond though!  I would...


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## Trithor (Apr 27, 2013)

The pool gets very low doses of chlorine powder, as the water is run through a High Dose UV unit which kills the algae and potential bacteria in the pool water. So I doubt that there are too many chemical and fumes. But good point, I will have to investigate that problem more fully. I just dont have anywhere else to extend my greenhouse to.


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## Trithor (Apr 28, 2013)

Every week now as we go deeper into Autumn, more flowers...
Bulb. Elizabeth Anne




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and Slc Newberry Promise x Pot Newberry Delight




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It always amazes me how two seedlings out of the same flask can be so different!




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## Trithor (Apr 28, 2013)

And of course, my gratrixianum tub, has 22 buds, still a way to go for them all to be open




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## Hera (Apr 28, 2013)

There's a cultural award waiting to happen!


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## mattryan (Apr 28, 2013)

WOW!!!! Can I move in???? Roflmao! Fantastic,beautiful, stunning I could go on and on.

Cheryl


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## Dane (Apr 28, 2013)

WOW !!! Amazing growing area and plants:drool::clap:


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## Trithor (Apr 28, 2013)

Hera said:


> There's a cultural award waiting to happen!



Dont think they give cultural awards for growing in a dustbin, big plant, but not so well grown I am afraid


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## grady (Apr 28, 2013)

My gosh, what a beautiful place, full of beautiful plants and one beautiful bird. Good job!


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## Dane (Apr 29, 2013)

Trithor said:


> Dont think they give cultural awards for growing in a dustbin, big plant, but not so well grown I am afraid



They probably would, if it is quite big..... Some people have had plants awarded with a cultural certificate when it was grown in something worse than a dustbin .... It just shows how big the plant really is:clap:


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## jhbgrower (Nov 26, 2013)

Would love to see the greenhouse - also in JHB


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## SlipperKing (Nov 26, 2013)

I'd love to see it too. But in south Texas Send plane ticket soon!:rollhappy:


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## Justin (Nov 26, 2013)

lovely place...

That's funny you have a tarantula in your greenhouse. The African tarantulas are not to be messed with. 

By contrast the new world tarantulas are extremely docile and make great pets. 

I had a Pink Toe for over 10 years that was the most peaceful, gentle creature you could ever imagine. It loved the humidity of the orchid room.

I saw an African King Baboon tarantula in person once that was extremely agressive, when provoked it actually jumped out of the tank
to attack us! (lesson learned, never provoke an African King Baboon tarantula)


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## goldenrose (Nov 26, 2013)

How on earth did I miss the updates? ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!!! :drool::drool::drool:


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## abax (Nov 26, 2013)

How do you manage all those plants?!! I'd get lost in there...happily lost.
The wood doors are beautiful. What kind of wood? In passing, I have a
friend in CA who built his greenhouse around a hot tub which basically uses
the same chemicals as our pool and his Cyms. are spectacular. I can't imagine any specific problems with extending the greenhouse around the
pool. I think it would be wonderful.


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## sweaver24 (Nov 28, 2013)

What a great set-up you have. That wall of paphiopedilums (in the photograph with the three Maudiaes in the foreground) is impressive (and a little intimidating). I really like the mystacidium. You're lucky to live in an area where the angraecoids grow naturally. The bird is also great.

Steve


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## Trithor (Nov 28, 2013)

I have been very busy repotting all my plants. I only realise how many there are when I have to handle each one. Even the potting mix is a mission to mix up. Up till now I have used 4 bales of Sphag, 2m3 fine bark nuggets, 1m3 of coarse perlite and half a m3 of 12mm hardwood charcoal chips. I hired a small electric concrete mixer from a local equipment hire company after I got tired of mixing the potting mix. Much easier to fill the drum with a m3 of mix, bit of water, turn on, .... and go inside for a glass of wine. I have about 500 plants to go, so almost there. My wife just shakes her head and repeats the same old thing, .... It has got too big to be much fun as a hobby. Problem is, it is too small to be a commercial venture.

Angela, I made the doors in my workshop (one of the items we make quite a bit of are special hardwood doors). These are made from Merbau, a Asian hardwood which is reasonably resistant to water. The idea to extend the greenhouse is on hold at the moment (need to buy food for Christmas dinner). I am not too sure how to go about it, the roof span will be 25m. This hobby is getting very badly out of control!

There are now 14 Gouldians resident in the greenhouse (of which 6 are new babies). The Quacker parrots are too noisy and have to go! I have sold all my tarantulas to a local collector. He has spent a few days catching them and clearing them away. Some of them became too territorial and aggressive. The only ones to catch (as far as we can figure) are the pair of Cobalt Blues. They are fast like lightning and very aggressive! I am amazed how high and far they can jump, and am afraid that they might start targeting my finches soon. I no longer see any crickets, snails, slugs or other creepys. (despite the reduction in insects, I cannot claim the tarantula experiment to be a success and will be glad when they are all gone!)


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## Justin (Nov 28, 2013)

I do love tarantulas. Cobalt Blues are beautiful but not sure i would keep one! 

i was wondering if they might go after the birds!


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## abax (Nov 28, 2013)

Your whole set up is beautiful, but I particularly love that wood. Every single door is perfect even if you can't open them. I can get the Scot engineer who lives here to work out the specifics of construction if I have
measurements. He loves such things. Of course, food first!


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## SlipperFan (Nov 29, 2013)

Trithor said:


> ...(despite the reduction in insects, I cannot claim the tarantula experiment to be a success and will be glad when they are all gone!)


So what will you try next?


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## annab (Nov 30, 2013)

Gary you have built your heaven,it's beautiful, you can enter and exit from it, now for you and for us the watchword is to resist. the plants have need of us ,and we have need of them. God give to Gary and us the eternity or a long life.
bye and congrats,Anna


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## Trithor (Nov 30, 2013)

annab said:


> Gary you have built your heaven,it's beautiful, you can enter and exit from it, now for you and for us the watchword is to resist. the plants have need of us ,and we have need of them. God give to Gary and us the eternity or a long life.
> bye and congrats,Anna



Thankyou Anna


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## Trithor (Nov 30, 2013)

I thought I would post an update of my greenhouse. Most of the plants have been repotted. Things are starting to look a lot neater. 99% of the plants under the benches are mottle leaf paphs (max shade and highest humidity) The benches are a bit of a mix of complex, novelties, multies and plain leaf with the occasional mottle. 
Dot, I don't know what my next experiment in pest control will be. Perhaps I will try a method similar to RickH (gnomes with an African spin)?


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## orchid527 (Nov 30, 2013)

Trithor


Thanks for the additional photos. I always enjoy seeing someone's growing area. I noticed that you have a lot of young plants in various stages of development. I think watching these seedlings bloom for the first time is one of the best parts of growing orchids. 

Mike


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## Ruth (Nov 30, 2013)

So Nice!!!!!!:clap:
I notice that you use small flower pots to hold up the shelves next to the floor.
It gives me ideas. Are they plastic or clay?


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## Trithor (Nov 30, 2013)

Ruth, the pots are plastic. 
I cut some sheets of polystyrene and drilled holes in them to hold my small plant pots. I got tired of pots falling over all the time. Now that they fit snugly into the polystyrene tray I no longer have that problem, but the problem was that the pots did not drain properly if the tray is placed flat on the floor, hence raising them on the pots. (The trays are universal and also fit on my heated bench for raising seedlings. The polystyrene cuts down on the cost of heating by insulating between the pots and ensuring that the heat is directed up through the pot and the root zone, without too much loss)


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## Carkin (Nov 30, 2013)

Outstanding! :clap: I am enjoying the glimpses into your greenhouse immensely!!!


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## SlipperFan (Nov 30, 2013)

I love the hanging moss. But how do you keep your floor so neat and clean?


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## Rick (Nov 30, 2013)

That's a ton of orchids:drool:

Where do you find the time to keep up with this collection??


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## abax (Nov 30, 2013)

Yep, when all those babies get a bit older, you're gonna have to expand
your growing area. What fun! Everything looks so neat and clean...how
on earth do you keep algae off the floor???!!! Even the grout looks clean!


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## paphioboy (Dec 1, 2013)

Very nice update! Love to have your growing area..  What is the multifloral paph blooming from what appears to be mottled leaves in the 3rd pic?


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## Trithor (Dec 1, 2013)

SlipperFan said:


> how do you keep your floor so neat and clean?





abax said:


> Everything looks so neat and clean...how
> on earth do you keep algae off the floor???!!! Even the grout looks clean!



I give the floor a quick scrub once a week with a 'car brush' It has a hose attachment and a long handle so I can use it upright and not crawl around. I find if I scrub it lightly once a week the algae does not get a chance and it is easy to keep clean. I also let the floor dry out for a few hours each day. I find that the dry cycle prevents the algae from getting started.



Rick said:


> Where do you find the time to keep up with this collection??


As the collection grows I find it more and more difficult. I spend about an hour every weekday morning before I go to work, and a couple of hours each evening. Then I spend a full day every second weekend (when I am not up at the farm) But yes, I am starting to run out of hours in the day.



paphioboy said:


> Very nice update! Love to have your growing area..  What is the multifloral paph blooming from what appears to be mottled leaves in the 3rd pic?



Paph Ultor, my all time favourite! It is not a show winner or something that other growers like, but it has fantastic red colour on an exotic bloom. As I ran out of space and had not only filled the under bench space, I started hanging plants off the benches and on a trellis which I made for the purpose on the back wall. This vacation I will make a trellis for the two side walls which should give me space for a few hundred more plants


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## JeanLux (Dec 1, 2013)

Trithor said:


> ....
> I cut some sheets of polystyrene and drilled holes in them to hold my small plant pots. I got tired of pots falling over all the time. Now that they fit snugly into the polystyrene tray I no longer have that problem, but the problem was that the pots did not drain properly if the tray is placed flat on the floor, hence raising them on the pots. (The trays are universal and also fit on my heated bench for raising seedlings. The polystyrene cuts down on the cost of heating by insulating between the pots and ensuring that the heat is directed up through the pot and the root zone, without too much loss)



very nice, but lot of work cutting these holes, or did you had a great trick ? Jean


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## Trithor (Dec 1, 2013)

Jean, I used a hole saw slightly smaller than the pot size to pre-drill the holes, then I used a pot which I had cast a steel shaft with fibreglass resin into the pot. I epoxied silica sand to the outside of the pot. this contraption grinds the hole to the exact shape of the pot so that the fit is very snug. The whole process does make it look as if it has been snowing even though it is mid 30 C.


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## Trithor (Dec 1, 2013)

Paphioboy, here is a slightly better view of Ultor





and while watering this morning I was surprised to find a flock of prehistoric predatory birds peering at me from a basket in the back corner of the greenhouse


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## Trithor (Dec 1, 2013)

After Ruth's question about my under bench shelving, I thought I would post a few pics of my 'seedling greenhouse' there are no seedlings in it as I ran out of space for my cats and other shrapnel. But it does show the 4 heated benches with their polystyrene trays for the seedling pots. With the cats being on the benches I had to turn the benches off because the cats root through into the aggregate around the heating cables and are impossible to remove.


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## Ruth (Dec 1, 2013)

> Jean, I used a hole saw slightly smaller than the pot size to pre-drill the holes, then I used a pot which I had cast a steel shaft with fibreglass resin into the pot. I epoxied silica sand to the outside of the pot. this contraption grinds the hole to the exact shape of the pot so that the fit is very snug. The whole process does make it look as if it has been snowing even though it is mid 30 C.



Clever idea to get the right hole size for the pot. How do you heat the benches?


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## abax (Dec 1, 2013)

There's a floor I recognize ;>) Apparently, the terra cotta tile is easier to
clean than rough broomed concrete.

btw, who wouldn't want that deep red Paph.? It's gorgeous.


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## SlipperFan (Dec 1, 2013)

a place where you can be messy. How many cats do you have???


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## JeanLux (Dec 2, 2013)

Trithor said:


> Jean, I used a hole saw slightly smaller than the pot size to pre-drill the holes, then I used a pot which I had cast a steel shaft with fibreglass resin into the pot. I epoxied silica sand to the outside of the pot. this contraption grinds the hole to the exact shape of the pot so that the fit is very snug. The whole process does make it look as if it has been snowing even though it is mid 30 C.



Wow, that sounds very professional however!!!! Different sizes?

Anyway, great idea!!!! :clap: 

Jean


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## Trithor (Dec 2, 2013)

SlipperFan said:


> a place where you can be messy. How many cats do you have???



Around 600 plants


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## NYEric (Dec 2, 2013)

Haha! Cats. He means Catts.  If you haven't already, you need to get your wife to help with the plants, otherwise they may overwhelm you. BTW, thank you for stopping me from ever thinking I have too many orchids!


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## SlipperFan (Dec 2, 2013)

NYEric said:


> Haha! Cats. He means Catts.  If you haven't already, you need to get your wife to help with the plants, otherwise they may overwhelm you. BTW, thank you for stopping me from ever thinking I have too many orchids!


Well, I wasn't sure. I could picture lions and leopards wrecking havoc in there...:rollhappy:

I didn't know one could have too many orchids.


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## Trithor (Dec 2, 2013)

That was dim of me to not have picked up on that 
I have a semi-tame African Wildcat up at the farm. He comes to visit when I arrive, lurking at the edge of the firelight, and you have to keep an eye on him when you start the BBQ (braai in South African), or he steals the meat off the fire, (or off the kitchen counter for that matter). He comes to get some milk and meat, but will not let you touch him. He says 'thank you' on his own terms and in his own time. You have to anticipate when he has had enough of a neck scratch, if you get it wrong, a row of deep scratches on your arm and a nasty bite are the sure result.


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## abax (Dec 3, 2013)

Gary, if you ever get a chance to take a photo of the African Wildcat, it
would be a real treat for me. I've seen film footage of one or two, but the
film wasn't focused on the AWCs and didn't show very much.


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## SlipperFan (Dec 3, 2013)

He sounds like he has true cat-ness!


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## paphioboy (Dec 8, 2013)

Trithor said:


> Paphioboy, here is a slightly better view of Ultor



Thank you. That is spectacular! Such a beautiful outcome of sandie x lawrenceanum... A different clone shown previously favoured the sandie parent more, but personally I like your clone better.. 

http://www.slippertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9069


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## paphioboy (Dec 8, 2013)

I like your tastes in paphs. I love cochlos as much as you do


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## Trithor (Dec 8, 2013)

Thank you.


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## Justin (Dec 8, 2013)

really nice plant!

curious about the hanging plants....do you let the plants on the wall drip on each other?


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## Trithor (Dec 9, 2013)

Justin, yes. I have had little problem with that. In fact the plants at the bottom seem to grow better than those at the top. There is only a drip for half an hour or so after watering. I am busy repotting the hanging plants, so those in view are the ones not growing as well (for some reason I tend to pick the good plants first)


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