I'm the Orchid Grand Champion and Here's My Secret

[@carynholden6421]

An old timer orchid grower once told me that growing orchids is all personal preference. What works for you may not for someone else. You have some amazing plants growing in lava rock and they look happy. So if it is working then why changes. Chances are if you change their media they may not be as appreciative with the change as you think they would. Don’t change what is working until it breaks. Keep doing what you’re doing, I enjoy your videos.

[@Orquideascristy]

Thanks Dave. I’m always learning from your videos. God bless. 😊

[@yuliam.2457]

I’ll never stop growing in lava and pumice stone ❤ 💯 it’s the best! Have mineral content in them.

[@rickl.orchids]

Dave, ...your beautiful collection is a great example of consistant care and what mimicing mother nature can do.......With your set up, ..your orchids get fed small amounts all the time.... and when you get rains,...... they get flushed........then the cycle repeats. ....The size of your plants, and the vigorous growth and blooms shows how happy your plants are......great work.....congrats on every ribbon and every award......

[@DavesOrchidOasis]

Many thanks!

[@deborahblanchard9158]

I grow in lava rock and have found that a lot better for me in my climate than bark or any other media so it all depends on where you are and your climate and what your organs are happiest in

[@ponbounket8057]

Thanks for sharing ❤ beautiful and congratulations!

[@elisep2450]

Dave, you don’t have to apologize about anything. You’re not giving medical or financial advice on KZbin, you’re just talking about orchids. I think a few of your followers are nitpickers and jealous of your beautiful set-up. You’re already very humble. It’s normal and healthy to be proud about your orchids and your orchid knowledge. The nitpickers are the ones with the big ego.

[@miamianz]

awsome man yes take some time off we are just one step away from the computer if we need to catch up with you dont worry about over analyzing whether your right or wrong your coming from a good place and to be honest your years ahead of my experience but i also apply what i see and monitor what does good and bad. im heading to the international orchid show in Tamiami this weekend.

[@newmanmansell760]

Hi Dave😃🙌It's been a while. Your Vandas are putting on a show. Yeah, the lava rock, well I wouldn't panic yet, just leave them and see how it goes. I'm sure the roots will grow fine since Mercedes has hers all in mostly lava and her Cattleyas seem happy. I love the new tags Dave☺️👏💞Wow! I enjoyed watching! I love your lealianthe meadow gold. That yellow is beautiful

[@Hypancistrusspecies]

Congratulations on these trophies As usual beautiful amazing plants And what a collection 👍🏻🙏🏻 Cheers from 🇨🇭

[@gab363]

Congrats!

[@hollyslick6702]

Good to have you back , Dave. What kind of engraving machine did you get and what is the approximate cost? I really enjoy your show. Holly from Indiana!

[@TuyetMa728]

Beautiful 👍😁😁😁😁❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@tomfurmby88]

congrats on the prize. What you have to realize is that no matter what an orchid grower claims, none of us have all the answers. Especially the people that claim they do like the vanda man!!! I can highly recommend you try pumice instead of lava rock if you haven't yet. It is probably the most expensive media you can try and there is different quality, you want pumice that looks almost white when dry. So the more expensive, generally the better but it can be hard to find a good suplier. The darker the pumice, the more dirt impurities it will contain and might stay too wet compared to very light grey pumice that dries out well. It would avoid the sharp edges you mention with the same good quality to lava rock.

[@hangvu4735]

Congrats! Your Kryptonite Parkside was just beautiful

[@petrichor7121]

Nice to have you back Dave! Happy 2025 !🎉 Looking forward to seeing that Angraecum in all its blooming glory! 💚🥰

[@Ellie-wh6mi]

Congratulations, Dave. Getting those prizes is very well-deserved. 👏👏👏 I am very happy with charcoal, river stones and some coconut chunks. Works well for me. Your plants look great; maybe you shouldn't mess with them.👍

[@LizE2654]

Good to see you’re back!

[@tracystrombotne2855]

I love bioadvanced 3 in 1,

[@shirleytaylor9267]

Congratulations on your win! It was nice to see a new video from you pop up. So many beautiful blooms on display 💖 If your setup using lava rock is working is working well for you (and it sure appears it with all the blooms and healthy looking roots), why change it??? In my opinion, there is no one right setup as there are so many other factors to consider and what works well for you in your area probably wouldn't work quite so well for my orchids over in northeast central Florida. I love the new orchid tags you are making! Tell us more about the laser engraving machine, how long does it take to make one tag, cost, etc

[@JustcallmeDebbieB]

Congrats! My vandas are from Vandaman!

[@bibicheknauf4163]

I got a blue ribbon for my Cattleya Amethystoglossa at the Sarasota show🤗. It was nice meeting you there😍

[@DavesOrchidOasis]

You too!!

[@margieb4733]

Thank you for your videos! The rights and the wrongs. We are all still learning just at different levels. I look forward to the next video.

[@fritzjagr5121]

Congratulations on your win! How exciting! I’m sad about the lava rock news though 😢 but happy about the cork! I found a trash pile with a huge amount of patrón (???) bottles and spent many minutes in the freezing cold pulling all the corks out to use as substrate. Hopefully my orchids don’t get too drunk! 😵‍💫 Trash piles are the best. It’s where I find all my orchid pots! Your collection looks so beautiful, it’s always a joy to see!

[@paprikagirl5496]

congratulations! Beautiful awesome blooms! Am jealous of your setup. Maybe experiment a bit with pumice stone - I switched and it's been a game changer for me.

[@suzhanlardizabal4343]

WOW ! love it

[@lesliesolwayboyd689]

Congratulations!!!!! Great collection!

[@thomassweatland3597]

Always a beautiful display! Thanks for sharing! Congrats on your win, looks amazing!

[@nonsolorasatura9093]

Congrats.👍

[@Leishabulli-Morgan-m8o]

Congrats on your win ! I use alot of lava rock too🤞 What orchid nurseries in Sarasota do you recommend ? I’ll be there next week!

[@DavesOrchidOasis]

Palmer Orchids!

[@Leishabulli-Morgan-m8o]

@ yes! It was on my list…but it will be cold this weekend. Thanks 🥶

[@918venice1]

Congrats 🎉😊

[@alexaguero6666]

It’s always a learning experience. Here in Miami I use 20% each orchiata bark, lava rock, tree firn fiber, charcoal, leca. Vandas are all hanging, everything else like you, are either mounted or in vented terracotta pots… except the catasetums

[@ronDCM]

I've given up on tags because I keep losing them, especially when high winds would topple and ransack the area. I write them on the pots now with permanent texta/marker

[@DavesOrchidOasis]

That's a good idea

[@lethargicken7451]

Hi Dave, at what temperature do you bring your Vandas in/protect them? I’m in Palm Harbor and our overnight temps have been in the high 40s. I’m wondering if I have been too paranoid.

[@DavesOrchidOasis]

45

[@iirisrobles2284]

Can you make video how you watering your orquid in winter?

[@DavesOrchidOasis]

Yes I will

[@richscenic]

305👍Wow !! Great presentation, GOD BLESS YOU DEAR , HAVE A NICE TIME , Amazing dear pretty sister, very beautiful , wonderful coverage , greetings from HONG KONG @richscenic

[@DavesOrchidOasis]

Wow! you live a long way away. Are orchids common there?

[@rampxxxx]

congrats, ... will take note about the lava rocks issue any Cat Tigrina that you can show? I know those are really big and you have such a place that can fit one of those gigants

[@OnceuponanOrchid]

For those U don't know the name, Google lens might be useful. Congratulations on getting 1st place for your plant.

[@DavesOrchidOasis]

great idea!

[@julioneri5548]

I don’t like the smell of the gigantea either. It’s like a weird artificial citrus to me, so it just makes me think of a clean bathroom or something I’d clean the toilet with.

[@ANDREWMOORE-o3v]

Dave, we cannot smell your orchids unless you have the smell-o-matic app.

[@lynnbrooks5503]

You are correct in saying you are wrong, wrong wrong. I’ve been watching you for a few weeks now and every time I go out of your video, I think this guy is just so wrong.. what I’m referring to now is the ribbon you showed us says first place, that is not grand champion. A grand champion is judged by formal judges in a formal show and it’s the orchid that beats every orchid in the room. If you took that to an orchid meeting that you attend monthly, and it got first there that is different, it is still a first yes, but not a grand champion. Well done on your first. I can help you with the name you cannot pronounce , Rhynchostylis. Take each syllable individually, Rhynch = rink, o oh, style, iss, put them all together and it is rinkostyle iss. The same applies to most of the Greek and Latin plant names.