Unless your 'Catus Orchid' is an Eulophia pertersonii which I doubt, it probably is an Epiphyllum which has nothing to do with orchids but makes spectacular, short lived flowers. Good luck with your new plants, sounds like you controlled your self pretty well. I have a couple of suggestions; Start a catalog of your plants, not now but eventually when you have a few hundred plants, you will tend to repurchase the same plants as you are attracted to certain types. Having a list of plants helps to avoid that. If you have a smart phone and can go on the internet, bring up potential purchases as some plants change names. Encyclias have been fragmented and go under several new names, the same thing will likely happen to Masdevallias. I have on several occasions bought a 'new' plant only to find out it was a synonymn of something I already have. The best times to go is the earliest and the latest possible times. Go immediately when the show opens as you get the best selection but also go 1/2 hour before closing as most vendors will drastically slash prices to get rid of stock. Don't be embarrassed to make a low offer on a plant, you will be surprised how often it is accepted at 4:30PM Sunday. Look for damaged plants. If you like a certain BLC for example and there are several available, one with damaged flowers, make a low offer on that plant, it will bloom again. Don't buy for the flowers on the plant right now but for the ones in the future. Flowers are of course important as it's your best guide to what you are getting but I have no problem with fading or slightly crushed flowers as long as the price is right. Buy the largest plant you can afford, it's very frustrating to buy a small plant because you like the 'Sample Plant' and then have to wait 2 to 3 years for your first bloom. Probably not now but once you are fully addicted, go to the show with a certain amount of cash and leave the check book and the plastic at home. Just like Los Vegas, a good orchid show will suck you dry so be prepared. In the end it's all good fun and there are centers for rehab if you ever want to escape the addiction. There also 9 or 12 step programs for recovered orchid addicts you can join in the future. Or you can fully immerse yourself and end up doing handstands for rare and unusual plants which you will never find at orchid shows but are obtained by scouring the far corners of the world. Nick

I've gotten bananas here in SW-Pa and the problem is that when the bananas first form, you need almost 6 months for the bananas to ripen on the plant. Here, when my banana flower started (dwarf orinoco), it was the first week of August. Problem was that it was too close to garbage season, ahem...cough.... winter. I tried to bring in the bananas to ripen before the first frost during the last week of October but it didn't happen. Not to take away from getting edible bananas, I think that if I had gotten the flowers in early June, I would have more time for the bananas to grow on the tree before I had to bring them in to ripen. Also, just getting the flowers and seeing them form into bananas was a wonderful experience. The banana flowers, it seem to me had a very musky scent that I could smell across the yard. It's not like any other flower I've smelled. Lemon tree flowers, I'd say are the most fragrant flowers out there, but that's another topic! :)

No. They're still safe as long as there's a good seal. You may see some darkening of the exposed beans, but it's not a source of concern. Every time I can beans like that I need to remind myself to pack them quite loosely and allow for a good amount of liquid. Even pre-cooked they do expand a surprising amount. But the flavor is so-o-o much better than the commercial canned beans. Carol

That looks like a clay pot. I think a single drain hole is OK, if you do understand how water behaves in the particular mix you are using. Clay pots for overwintering indoors were your house temps are low risks root rot issues. I have grown citrus in clay pots, without issue. The full blazing sun sure could be an issue: keep an eye out for wilting, of course, plus sunburn on leaves and stems. I measured the temp of the surface of my wood deck one day at noon. It was 150F. Leaves touching the deck rail get burned, and reflected light is an issue, too. Last summer I did move some plants to a more shaded area under the eaves, and I think they benefited. Hopefully you will be able to tell by looking at yours, if it is stressed.