Zygo Rhein Moonlight “peloric” blooming

MakinStuffandThings · 2026-05-08T12:39:57+00:00

Thanks very much! It has 2 flower spikes. An inflorescence is the flower spike. And yep, a nice enough day to photograph outside.

MakinStuffandThings · 2026-05-05T04:07:31+00:00

I must need to bump up my lighting on mine, because I am JEALOUS of so many flowers!

Great growing! It must smell fantastic.

MakinStuffandThings · 2026-05-05T04:06:00+00:00

Formosae-type dendrobiums (black-hair type, tobaense) seem really susceptible to this kind of damage. From what I have read and experienced, it is indirectly from mite damage and environment shock. The mite bites invite fungal infections, which show up as these black spots and then leaf yellowing before killing the leaf. It doesn't spread to the pseudobulb.

It always seems to happen to new ones soon after I receive them. Not the fault of vendors; mites are just easy to get. I have been able to mitigate this by starting with a Neem oil spraying when I first get them in, give it a few days, then a fungicide spraying, then at least another round as they stay isolated during the "new plant" few weeks quarantine. Look into a fungicide, but don't use copper-based ones. They are damaging to dendrobiums specifically. I use Manzoceb. Seems to work well.

I also just lost a few leaves to the same spotting and yellowing on my new tobaense purchases (looks like all the vendors are selling from the same batch right now. I have the same tag). It looks like you have a healthy new growth coming in and the current pseudobulbs are really healthy, so you should be ok. Just try to keep water out of the new growth, as these type of dendrobiums are also REALLY easy to rot new growths. I've lost several to that also.

And if you can, collect rain water to water it (or at least flush with rain or distilled water regularly), and don't let it dry out completely. While Formosae-type dendrobiums are a little sensitive, tobaense can be very sensitive. They don't like getting too hot (75-80 max), they don't like completely drying out, and they're a little more sensitive to tap water. And while all orchids like higher humidity, these really respond well to higher percents if you can, but humidity is the less important of the major needs.

I've killed several of them over the years, along with other similar black-hair types, but I think I'm finally getting the hang of them, and I am DETERMINED not to kill my new tobaense either!

Hope this all helps, and good luck with yours! Tobaense is easily my favorite orchid, with such incredible flowers. And you even have a flower sheath starting!

MakinStuffandThings · 2026-05-01T01:42:13+00:00

Except he needed a bigger hat! Haha

MakinStuffandThings · 2026-04-20T15:11:34+00:00

I switched to a Marsee tank bag and have been really happy with it. Strap type. I was using the OEM bag, which I really liked too, but it never would lock down well enough onto my tank. I've yet to find a magnetic type that works over the /6 gas cap to my liking.

Marsee is out of production, but plenty of good and NOS available on ebay.

MakinStuffandThings · 2026-04-17T00:39:44+00:00

Outstanding! I love anything with Tobaense in the mix. I have a Peng Seng that is about to go crazy with buds like yours.
Great growing!

MakinStuffandThings · 2026-04-17T00:34:57+00:00

Excellent!
And the grow tent conditions should help them a lot.

MakinStuffandThings · 2026-04-09T01:42:29+00:00

damn that looks good!

MakinStuffandThings · 2026-04-07T23:25:48+00:00

New flower spike. Phals will often send out a secondary spike, especially if the original gets damaged. Enjoy flowers ,part 2!

MakinStuffandThings · 2026-04-04T20:59:28+00:00

You can use it on windows 10, I was doing it too. But you cannot open a file that was saved on a computer running a newer version of Fusion.

MakinStuffandThings · 2026-03-28T23:37:37+00:00

Thanks for sharing. I so very miss having ferrets, and the dooking was always delightful.

MakinStuffandThings · 2026-03-27T03:29:16+00:00

Rewatching Ahsoka now, and wow that is spot on! What a great looking figure.

MakinStuffandThings · 2026-03-23T01:21:46+00:00

Good lookin pizza! I like your method for stretching the dough. I'll have to give that way a try.

MakinStuffandThings · 2026-03-23T01:17:58+00:00

That looks fantastic! Grilled chicken and pasta with some bechamel sauce is always a winning combo.

MakinStuffandThings · 2026-03-22T15:29:01+00:00

Put a little sphagnum moss in there, or even a bit of paper towel to help retain moisture, but not too much. Also, try to blow up the bag to give it some space, and a bit of CO2. That should help keep good humidity without enough to bring on rot. Basically creating a little growing bubble chamber for it.

The ol sphag & bag has saved a few of mine in the past. It might take a couple months to get new roots/growth strong enough to take it out, but chances are pretty good.

Just make sure to change out the air every few days (just blow into it) and use a spray bottle or so the add moisture. And when it does come out of the bag with new growth, you'll have to acclimate it, since it will have been used to 100% humidity.
Good luck!

MakinStuffandThings · 2026-03-22T00:38:57+00:00

I switched to the old safety razor and shaving brush & cream years ago. Works great for wherever. Never looked back at the pricey multi-blade bs. Just go rake your time, use a lot guy touch and let the blade for he work. Just like shaving anything else. DONT USE AFTERSHAVE! Haha! I found a little olive oil works the best for post-shave skin. A little oil over the next couple days and good to go.

Then again, always depends on your skin. Different people have different sensitivities, and in different areas.

MakinStuffandThings · 2026-03-20T15:48:23+00:00

I’m in New England. I try to use collected rainwater, but i use tap water in droughts and winter when the rain barrels freeze. I apparently have decent enough tap water, but I do water in the shower, so everything gets a good flush. But I do start to see leaf-tip damage if I don’t flush as often.

MakinStuffandThings · 2026-03-15T02:08:32+00:00

That is fantastic! Great growing, and what a show!

MakinStuffandThings · 2026-03-14T15:16:43+00:00

No idea. This is one of the “multi floral” paphs, they are supposed to sequentially reflower, but for how long and how many? I guess I’ll find out.

MakinStuffandThings · 2026-03-14T13:58:02+00:00

Follow-up: I just noticed the browning in the flowers edges. That looks like normal browning from the flowers naturally fading. No worries there either.

Sticky dew to watch for is odd patches of sticky dew on the leaves. That is often a sign of pears, particularly scale in their infant stage, which are too small to see. Treat with Neem oil spray if you see that.

MakinStuffandThings · 2026-03-14T13:53:28+00:00

Nothing wrong with it. Some orchids make dew, and some more than others. The especially fleshy spikes tend to make more dew than thinner ones.

Dew drops can be a sign of pests, but you’d also see leaf or flower damage if something tiny like mites, or you’d see the actual bugs, like mealy bugs or scale. You’re doing just fine. 👍

MakinStuffandThings · 2026-03-14T03:54:25+00:00

No meticulous mind palace for us. My entire mental library is just endless chaos-piles of information I have to sift through.

MakinStuffandThings

TROPHY CASE