It's vanilla bean harvest day! After growing vanilla vines in various places for various years and finally getting some flowers in a place I could reach (as opposed to high up in a tree), then hand-pollinating them with the right technique, then waiting for the pods to reach full size over a couple months, then letting the pods ripen on the vine for 9 months, they're finally ready to harvest!

I'll be using this thread to track the rest of the process.

So, how did I know when to harvest? According to this blog post: https://vanillery.com/ripe-green-vanilla-pods/ they are ready to harvest when the bottoms are yellow and just starting to crack. I've included pics below showing my pods this morning when I decided to harvest.

Pic 1: yellow on the bottom
Pic 2: yellow on bottom and just starting to split
Pic 3: further splitting, with seeds visible inside. I smelled this one at the place where it was opening, and it smelled fantastic - like vanilla.

Next steps described in next posts...

1/

#vanilla #orchids #plants #hawaii #food

It's vanilla bean harvest day! After growing vanilla vines in various places for various years and finally getting some flowers in a place I could reach (as opposed to high up in a tree), then hand-pollinating them with the right technique, then waiting for the pods to reach full size over a couple months, then letting the pods ripen on the vine for 9 months, they're finally ready to harvest!

I'll be using this thread to track the rest of the process.

So, how did I know when to harvest? According to this blog post: https://vanillery.com/ripe-green-vanilla-pods/ they are ready to harvest when the bottoms are yellow and just starting to crack. I've included pics below showing my pods this morning when I decided to harvest.

Pic 1: yellow on the bottom
Pic 2: yellow on bottom and just starting to split
Pic 3: further splitting, with seeds visible inside. I smelled this one at the place where it was opening, and it smelled fantastic - like vanilla.

Next steps described in next posts...

1/

#vanilla #orchids #plants #hawaii #food

These ghost flowers thrive without photosynthesis
https://www.science.org/content/article/these-ghost-flowers-thrive-without-photosynthesis-one-scientist-learning-how

"More than 33,000 species—including certain clubmosses, ferns, liverworts & all orchids—are initially mycoheterotrophic during early development. About 600 #plants, nearly half of which are #orchids, fully abandoned photosynthesis and depend on #fungi throughout their lives... #Mycoheterotrophy evolved independently more than 40 times. The strategy could be an adaption to surviving in dense forests where light is scarce"

These ghost flowers thrive without photosynthesis
https://www.science.org/content/article/these-ghost-flowers-thrive-without-photosynthesis-one-scientist-learning-how

"More than 33,000 species—including certain clubmosses, ferns, liverworts & all orchids—are initially mycoheterotrophic during early development. About 600 #plants, nearly half of which are #orchids, fully abandoned photosynthesis and depend on #fungi throughout their lives... #Mycoheterotrophy evolved independently more than 40 times. The strategy could be an adaption to surviving in dense forests where light is scarce"

A few more late-flowering sun orchids with spots (Thelymitra ixioides / Thelymitra juncifolia) variations near Mallacoota, East Gippsland, VIC.

Only plants in part shade on the edge of the forest were still flowering in early November at this location - usually in slightly damper soils than the adjacent open grassland.

#Orchids #OzPlants #Biodiversity #Ecology #Botany #Photography #Spring #InTheField #Nature #BloomScrolling #EastGippsland #SunOrchids #Thelymitra

A few more late-flowering sun orchids with spots (Thelymitra ixioides / Thelymitra juncifolia) variations near Mallacoota, East Gippsland, VIC.

Only plants in part shade on the edge of the forest were still flowering in early November at this location - usually in slightly damper soils than the adjacent open grassland.

#Orchids #OzPlants #Biodiversity #Ecology #Botany #Photography #Spring #InTheField #Nature #BloomScrolling #EastGippsland #SunOrchids #Thelymitra

Sun orchids (Thelymitra) growing close together in open grassland west of Mallacoota, East Gippsland, VIC.

Sun orchids with spots (T. ixioides / T. juncifolia) growing alongside T. carnea and several different species in the T. pauciflora group can lead to some beautiful hybrids including T. x irregularis (top right).

#Orchids #OzPlants #Biodiversity #Ecology #Botany #Photography #Spring #InTheField #Nature #BloomScrolling #EastGippsland #SunOrchids #Thelymitra

Sun orchids (Thelymitra) growing close together in open grassland west of Mallacoota, East Gippsland, VIC.

Sun orchids with spots (T. ixioides / T. juncifolia) growing alongside T. carnea and several different species in the T. pauciflora group can lead to some beautiful hybrids including T. x irregularis (top right).

#Orchids #OzPlants #Biodiversity #Ecology #Botany #Photography #Spring #InTheField #Nature #BloomScrolling #EastGippsland #SunOrchids #Thelymitra

Small pink Caladenia orchid variations near the Mongarlowe River, Monga, NSW. Some interesting variations in flower colour and size in roadside plants on the edge of tall forest. Most plants here are probably closer to C. carnea although C. fuscata is more common to the north around the village of Mongarlowe.

#Orchids #OzPlants #Biodiversity #Ecology #Botany #Photography #Spring #InTheField #Nature #BloomScrolling #Monga #Caladenia

Small pink Caladenia orchid variations near the Mongarlowe River, Monga, NSW. Some interesting variations in flower colour and size in roadside plants on the edge of tall forest. Most plants here are probably closer to C. carnea although C. fuscata is more common to the north around the village of Mongarlowe.

#Orchids #OzPlants #Biodiversity #Ecology #Botany #Photography #Spring #InTheField #Nature #BloomScrolling #Monga #Caladenia

Purple Beard Orchid (Calochilus robertsonii) near Gipsy Point, East Gippsland, VIC.

The flowers are fairly small at this location but they generally feature some of the bushiest beards of the local Calochilus. Only saw the one plant out this year in a dry spring although there were some good patches of red beard orchids out not far away.

#Orchids #OzPlants #Biodiversity #Ecology #Botany #Photography #Spring #InTheField #Nature #BloomScrolling #EastGippsland #BeardOrchids #Calochilus

Purple Beard Orchid (Calochilus robertsonii) near Gipsy Point, East Gippsland, VIC.

The flowers are fairly small at this location but they generally feature some of the bushiest beards of the local Calochilus. Only saw the one plant out this year in a dry spring although there were some good patches of red beard orchids out not far away.

#Orchids #OzPlants #Biodiversity #Ecology #Botany #Photography #Spring #InTheField #Nature #BloomScrolling #EastGippsland #BeardOrchids #Calochilus

Crested sun orchid (Thelymitra x irregularis) near Genoa, VIC. This beautiful sun orchid is a natural hybrid between T. ixioides (spotted sun orchid) and T. carnea (pink sun orchid) - which were both also flowering at this location.

Was fortunate to see this rare orchid at several locations on my last East Gippsland day trip but there were only one or two plants out in any one place. One of my favourite sun orchids :)

#Orchids #OzPlants #Biodiversity #Ecology #Botany #Photography #Spring #InTheField #Nature #BloomScrolling #EastGippsland #SunOrchids #Thelymitra

Crested sun orchid (Thelymitra x irregularis) near Genoa, VIC. This beautiful sun orchid is a natural hybrid between T. ixioides (spotted sun orchid) and T. carnea (pink sun orchid) - which were both also flowering at this location.

Was fortunate to see this rare orchid at several locations on my last East Gippsland day trip but there were only one or two plants out in any one place. One of my favourite sun orchids :)

#Orchids #OzPlants #Biodiversity #Ecology #Botany #Photography #Spring #InTheField #Nature #BloomScrolling #EastGippsland #SunOrchids #Thelymitra