I left my dendrobiums in the cooler shade inside my house, near a sunny window in Silang, Cavite. The heat during this summer, 2011 hit 100*F or 35*C and providing the humidity these orchids need, was to water them just before dawn too keep them cool, and let the sun's intensity gradually dry out by noon. The potting materials must dry up before nightfall to avoid any fungus from forming on the leaves.
A few months ago, the group of yellow dendrobiums started to show buds, but I noticed the others that bloomed red I segregated to the side of my house in the semi-shade, were beginning to bloom too.
Quickly, I shifted the position of the orchids to the front porch, and watched them open their buds with the surprise that these plants were naturally pollinated and now had two colors. One group had all yellow, another group had yellow and red petals.
I expected the heat to cause the flowers to dry up and fall off quickly like my oncidiums, that are more delicate , but the yellow and red dendrobiums stayed on for almost 3 weeks!
The Easter Lily popped out of the ground during the Holy Week as scheduled. Nuns at the St. Francis Church at the ridge told me that each year, these lillies will bloom right before Easter Sunday! Sure enough the lillies told me it was definately in time to celebrate Resurrection Sunday.
