Bletilla striata, Orchid fertilizer, and Botany Boy Answers Q&A

[@tonyl5480]

I think the videos showing gardens with peaceful background music are lovely and enjoy them. However I’m glad that you’re now moving into a more personal approach, sharing your gardening challenges and solutions. Really enjoyable channel, and one of the most professionally filmed of any I’ve seen.

[@botanyboy1]

Yes, the "beauty videos" are nice, but aren't very personable. I just wanted to bring some of the beauty I'm seeing here to people around the world. Plants are a part of my soul, as is nature, and I try to show that in these vids. I am excited about making my channel more open to communication, and I promise to get better at this style - I'm a little stiff still. Glad you are enjoying the vids and thanks for watching!

[@resilience4lyfe331]

Hello.. this video is my first of yours. I read about you in the comments section on another channel. I’m appalled that anyone would question how you afford your garden. However, I applaud your machoism in selecting that question to respond to! I will look for the rose 🌹 vid... I love natural beauty and music- I can’t wait to learn all about these Japanese plants and how environment/weather/seasons affects plants there. Respect ✊🏾 from 🇺🇸....

[@botanyboy1]

Charla, great to hear that you like the videos. I have quite a bit uploaded, so have a look around. I should have a couple more videos up before the end of summer - or so is my plan!

[@patriciasorchids3999]

Hi, I am a recent subscriber and am enjoying watching your channel. I do like playing your meditation videos. It seems to be the only thing that motivates me to practice my yoga at home. Love your garden.

[@botanyboy1]

Cool, someone who likes my meditation videos! I'll keep posting them when I can.

[@ResQuetzal]

That was an interesting video! First time I've seen you do the Q&A bit. I will say that you have a superb exterior garden! For those of us living in Canada, it's hard to imagine all these wonderful orchids that stay outside year round. Our native species would require a cold long dormant period. I think I will really enjoy these interactive Q&A videos. I certainly am curious to find out growing techniques of successful orchid growers Your neofinetia collection is superb and will catch up on videos that I've missed. I have just 2, Asihaden, which I successfully bloomed 2 years in a row, and Benehime, a pink variety that bloomed once and refuses to bloom again.

[@botanyboy1]

I'm glad you like the new format. I will be trying to post on a near weekly basis, and keep this vlog-type style for the most part. There will be other vids too though. As for the plants in my garden, they range from true cool temperate species right thru to subtropicals. Southern Japan has such a unique climate that I'm allowed to grow a wide range of plants... alas Japanese gardens are so small it makes it difficult to choose what to grow. Neos are great. All are in growth now, so I have to repot the last few tomorrow, or wait til next year. Thanks always for watching!

[@silvieporter8577]

Aaahhhhh!!!! You said my name!!! 😁. Aside from that, another great video. Gorgeous blooms as always... but, I caught you saying you’ve lost plants....Which is sad, but nice to hear... Makes you less intimidating. You know - you’re surrounded by gorgeous orchids, ferns, all of it is perfect. Very intimidating for a newbie like me, until I hear a whisper that you’ve been where I am now. Any way, can’t wait to see your stag horn video so I can see if I’m killing mine or doing alright by it 😳

[@botanyboy1]

Hi Silvie, sorry! Listen, if you could see the number of plants I've lost, it would be a terrible sight... I'll be sure to show you less happy plants in future videos :) I'll have the staghorn video up (hopefully!) before summer comes. Thanks for watching!

[@silvieporter8577]

botanyboy1 don’t apologize - I felt famous for a minute! 😉

[@mariannaturelovers1236]

Thanks for sharing your video, I love orchids too.. It's stress reliever for me 💖 😇

[@stealthflower]

I’m really enjoying the new format in this and the last video! I’d love to see some broader views of your garden, if you’re comfortable sharing, too.

[@botanyboy1]

I will eventually show you the "whole" garden, but bit by bit. The reason is you've basically seen most of it already! It is really tiny, a small urban plot. Thanks for watching.

[@stealthflower]

Heh. Mine’s much the same. We’ve done our best to make it look bigger, though... and find places for as many plants as possible. I do envy you the orchids, though; they’re lovely.

[@botanyboy1]

Me too. I garden not by the foot or by the meter, but rather by the inch or centimeter!

[@beanerschnitzel794]

Wow! I’m glad I found you, what climate will the plants up in the trees grow? I’m in Northern California, I will watch more of your videos to see if I can find more answers and information. Oh you’re in Japan? Such lovely flowers thank you for educating me, I’m really enjoying hearing you speak 🌸

[@botanyboy1]

Thanks for watching! Southern Japan is a very unusual climate due to the surrounding waters that remain fairly warm even in winter. The result is we have quite cool winters (much on par with your area), but never get low temperatures much beyond 25 F, and in truth average lows remain above freezing most days. That allows for growing some subtropical plants, and many tree growing plants have evolved to grow here. The constant high humidity and high rainfall also allow for many epipyhtic orchids, ferns and mosses to thrive. One more thing, summers are hot and have high rainfall averages.

[@michaelgysel7657]

Hi! I have enjoyed your content for many years, especially the "Wild Orchid Hunts" as I enjoy doing the same thing here in Switzerland. I also really like seeing your beautiful garden! The "Beauty Videos" didn't do much for me, I really prefer your videos with narration, where you learn a bit about the plants, the landscape and the culture. Btw: Have you thought about some kind of social media presence other than KZbin? Could be a really good way to keep in touch with your viewers! I tried finding you on Twitter and Instagram a while back, but didn't find you...anyway: Keep up the great work!

[@botanyboy1]

Thanks for the input, I really do appreciate it. I have tried to really mix up my vids - educational ones, aesthetic ones, tutorials, mediation and so on. I'm not sure what to think of the result - maybe too varied to have a core following. Yes, I have thought of doing instagram and facebook, but frankly I'm burning the candle at both ends if I am to continue making videos. I also maintain a blog, though that has been on hold for a while. Needless to say, it all keeps me busy. Thinking...

[@michaelgysel7657]

you know, the quality of your content is great, i don't think that is the issue here. it's just a lot of work to create i'm sure and you were hoping for a bit more of a response from "the general public". i guess it's just difficult to gain traction in this very crowded marketplace of KZbin, especially with a topic like plants...for me it's my favourite topic and i can never get enough, but oh well, i guess some people are different :-) i would just keep doing what brings you personally the most joy. i think your shorter videos of your garden are a great start, i find them very enjoyable! (also if it was up to me i would say do a video about moss in japan! i'm sure that would get millions of views, haha. but i would love it!)

Hola amigo: Tienes un paraíso en tu jardín! Te invito a ver el último vídeo que subí sobre Serapias lingua. Saludos desde Galicia.

[@botanyboy1]

I just watched your video. So many growing together. Here in Japan Spiranthes sinensis grows in same kind of places. Thanks for watching!

[@beanerschnitzel794]

13:13 But it IS exciting!! Thank you muchas gracias 🙏

[@TheFloatingflower]

About music in orchid videos...or in travel videos: I am absolutely fed up from this bad habbit to ad music to each and everything. Obviously this spreads like cancer in this world. This has reached a point that some people think: "Something is missing.." when for once they are not polluted with music. When for ONCE they may enjoy the calmness of nature. The sounds of a garden in spring or summer...the wonderfull sound of silence. There is no sound more precious in these days - than silence.

[@botanyboy1]

For the most part I agree. Poorly edited/not edited music on a video is never pleasant. If you watch most well produced documentaries though, music is always incorporated here and there; ditto movies, dramas, etc. I've not reached that level yet, but will attempt it at some point. As to your second point about this being a noise filled world where natural sounds are literally forgotten, I whole heartedly agree. Noise pollution is off the charts - as is light pollution - and we are so bombarded that it has become the new norm. BTW, in my videos I have to search for good sound, meaning that most videos with natural sounds, don't have the original sound, but rather substituted tracks. These are representative of the time and place, but due to traffic noise, dogs barking, people talking, and airplanes, I have to replace the original with clean natural sound tracks. Thanks for the input, it is appreciated!

[@grindcorenl]

Fukurin looks allot like my Pleione tongariro, my first orchid of my collection :) i must search for a place i could buy some Japanese orchids, those Bletilla's looking amazing.

[@botanyboy1]

Bletilla are really easy to grow outdoors if they can handle your winters. BTW, Bletilla and Pleione are both in the same subtribe, Coelogyninae, so that is one reason the flowers look so similar. Thanks for watching!

[@SequoiaElisabeth]

Love the "Beauty" videos. If someone does not like the music just turn off the sound and play something else in the background. Life is Simple, Easy is up to you. :-)

[@botanyboy1]

Sometimes I do that myself! Glad you like the beauty vids.

[@beanerschnitzel794]

SequoiaElisabeth so, I hear you saying (KISS) keep it simple stupid lol, my ex boyfriend would crack me up when he used to say that, I like that attitude, why sweat the small stuff right, 👊🏻💕💜❤️

[@resilience4lyfe331]

SequoiaElisabeth my thoughts 💭 exactly!

[@stevebriscombe8336]

Did I miss something, but you should Identify where you live and the max-min temperatures for the area. Ave humidity also.

[@botanyboy1]

I live in southern Japan, near Fukuoka City. The regional climate could be classified as warm temperate, bordering on subtropical a bit further south of my place. There are four distinct seasons, plus a strong early summer monsoon season. Relative humidity stays above 50% most of the time and the average is around 70%. Max temperature around 36 C, and min around - 5 C.

[@sahureeser4336]

harika cicekler saygi sevgilerimi sunarım sprrrrrrrrrrrr

[@MrLuisf80]

Hey, how´s it going? Everything alright? Will you continue your blog and youtube activity? I miss your videos...

[@botanyboy1]

Sorry I haven't been posting lately. I will be uploading something to both the blog and channel fairly soon, I promise, though I can't give a date. Everything is fine, I've just not been very inspired to make anything lately. That said, I'd say a new upload will come within a week or two. Thanks so much for watching!

[@MrLuisf80]

@@botanyboy1 Even simple 5 minute vlogs would be cool. Just sharing what you think when going around the garden. Since you have such an incredible collection, it would still be interesting. For example, I recently got Habenaria radiata, and I would love to see some small videos with this plant at various stages and even repoting, but this kind of videos are really rare. Stuff like this:kzbin.info/www/bejne/jpjUoYuIe5l2jbc

[@botanyboy1]

If you told me that 5 years ago I would have said, "sure, I can make videos like that!" In fact I have made videos like that, but I also feel compelled to make something more substantial, even if it is short. The example you share is great stuff, but only an actual handful of folks are watching, bringing up the question, "if a youtube video is uploaded and nobody's there to watch it, does it leave a mark on the world?" At this point in my YT "career", I say "no" more than "yes". I do have more stuff coming, so please keep watching. THANK YOU personally for watching!

[@Nhoj31neirbo47]

The wrong choice of music can ruin a pictorial video but to my ear your musical selections have been quite good. You have peaked my curiosity regarding the staghorn / crepe myrtle problem. ~ If you’re interested in plant communication/ consciousness I have a playlist titled Plant Consciousness on my channel.

[@botanyboy1]

I've seen a several of these. I was particularly impressed with Peter Wohlleben's ideas about forests - fascinating stuff. BTW, you have assembled an amazing number of playlists. I'll definitely be checking them out. Thanks also for your input about the channel. The issue with the crape myrtle is simply that it could not adequately exfoliate its bark, and the accumulation of dead bark under the fern's roots caused the trunk to rot.

[@Nhoj31neirbo47]

botanyboy1 - That’s what I guessed was a potential problem with growing an epiphyte on a tree with spontaneous shedding bark. Live and learn. ~ Up to now I haven’t made any videos myself, so my way of sharing the wonder of our world’s flora has been to curate some of the best relevant material found on KZbin. ~ A recent interest of mine is the cutting edge research on plant biomes / Endophytes. This phenomenon reveals so much about how plants function. ~ Thanks- John

[@missanna208802]

I want to know everything you and Tom Mirenda know. Book suggestions would be lovely. Please do a video on any serious orchid books you recommend. Like 400 level college type info. I have taken just about all of the plant classes at my university minus the one that needs chemistry. We don't have botany, but we used to and I bought the textbook from the library sale. Just passed Plant Ecology, but higher info about orchids is seriously lacking at my library and lots of papers are often really hard to understand because they are written by people with doctorates.

[@botanyboy1]

I am flattered, but really I don't know that much. I know more about Japanese orchids than most westerners, but that's a very, very narrow field. As for books, I recommend the now dated, The Orchids: A Natural History and Classification by Robert Dressler which is still available on Amazon. Yes, reading research papers can be laborious, I've rifled through many and after losing my mind in the methods and materials and results sections I usually "cut to the end" and read the discussion. Lots of great research was done at the University of Florida when I was there in the 80s and 90s, so you may search in that direction too.

[@missanna208802]

@@botanyboy1 "The university of Florida" Yeah..let me tell you about my school..we don't even have a botany degree. Our library does have Dressler's book and one by arditti..volume 6 of his series, but that is as far as it goes. Anyway, I wanted to ask what is a good media for Beltilla striata in pots. I've got a mix of 50/50 peat and vermiculite, and tossed some chunky coir in, but the coir chunks are kind of huge. Have some fine bark and some leaf mould, but I don't really want to use that because of the bugs and I am growing indoors. Got the impression that they might be heavy feeders. No perlite that isn't just a fine powder. Also the bag said to plant them 3 inches deep, but that seems pretty deep to me, as the shoorts are green all the way down to the corm. Any suggestions? Thanks soo much.

[@kathymacomber5115]

I am not wealthy but hobbies all cost money and I don’t apologize for loving plants nor should you! 😤

[@botanyboy1]

Kathy, I agree! One needs to make enough money to live at some level of stability, and from there it is your business to decide what to do with the rest. Happy growing!