OrchidTalk - Let's Talk Orchids!

by Mandy Sun Volpe

💚 New Episodes every Sunday 💚 Welcome to Orchid Talk, the podcast for anyone who’s ever fallen in love with a bloom — whether it was a $9.99 supermarket Phalaenopsis or the crown jewel of your 1,000‑plant jungle. If orchids spark your curiosity, fuel your obsession, or completely take over your home… you’re in the right place. Hosted by Mandy, a passionate grower with a soft spot for the strange, the rare, and the wonderfully weird, Orchid Talk brings the entire orchid universe to your ears. Each episode features a special guest grower — from hobbyists to world‑class collectors — as we dig into culture techniques, share hard‑earned tips and tricks, and take deep dives into the quirks and charms of different orchid genera. And because every grower has questions (yes, even the pros), we wrap up with a listener Q&A, tackling everything from root rot mysteries to light‑level dilemmas. Send in your questions and we’ll get them answered on the show. Fun, nerdy, and full of plant‑powered joy — Orchid Talk is your new weekly dose of orchid inspiration. Tune in and grow with us 🌿 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Latest episodes

Showing 11 · updated from the feed

Episode 7: OrchidTalk is Back! The Great Catasetum Disaster of 2026.

🌿🌿 I'm back! Let's catchup on all the growing (and mistakes) of the 2026 growing season in my own backyard! I talk about the Catasetum Sun burn of Spring 2026, the cultu

Oct 11
1 h 00 min

Episode 6: Growing Phragmipediums with Morgan Jameson

🌿🌿 On the sixth episode of OrchidTalk, I sit down with Morgan Jamesson. Morgan shares how she got into orchids, her collection of phragmipedium orchids, how to grow them

Mar 8
57 min

Episode 5: The Wonderful World of Maxillarias with Eric Sauer (River Valley Orchids)

🌿🌿 On the Fifth episode of OrchidTalk, I sit down with Eric Sauer from River Valley Orchids. Eric shares how he got into orchids, his collection of Maxillaria orchids, h

Mar 1
54 min

Episode 4: Growing and Breeding Novelty Phalaenopsis with Cody Mathers (Zenith Orchids)

🌿🌿 On this fourth episode of OrchidTalk, I sit down with Cody Mathers from Zenith Orchids. Cody shares how he got into orchids, his collection of novelty phalaenopsis or

Feb 22
50 min

Bonus Episode: Cattleya Bow Bells - The Bells That Wouldn't be Silenced

🌿🌿 On the third bonus episode of OrchidTalk, I dive into the history of Cattleya Bow Bells— shaped by war, loss, resilience, and the quiet determination of growers acros

Feb 18
21 min

Episode 3: Growing Cloud Forest Miniature Orchids with Luis Ortiz Jordan

🌿🌿 On this third episode of OrchidTalk, I sit down with Luis Ortiz Jordan, who leads the curation of the McKee Botanical Gardens orchid collection. Luis shares how he go

Feb 15
51 min

Bonus Episode: Cattleya dowiana - Sunshine, Yellow Fever, and the Golden Queen

🌿🌿 On the second bonus episode of OrchidTalk, I dive into the golden yellow (fever) of Cattleya dowiana— the large flowered yellow Cattleya, with a bright, sunny nature

Feb 11
23 min

Episode 2: Growing Wind Orchids (Neofinetia/Vanda falcata with Carol Buele

🌿🌿 On this second episode of OrchidTalk, I sit down with Carol Buele, a Emmy-winning costume designer and American Orchid Society accredited judge. Carol shares how she

Feb 8
53 min

Bonus Episode: Cattleya labiata: The Lost Queen of a 71‑Year Botanical Drama

🌿🌿 On the very first bonus episode of OrchidTalk, I dive into the wild, true story of Cattleya labiata — the orchid that launched Victorian orchid mania, vanished for 71

Feb 4
21 min

Episode 1: Growing Slipper Orchids Indoors with Kevin Chen from W.W. Botanicals

🌿🌿 On this very first episode of OrchidTalk, I sit down with Kevin Chen, the grower behind Wilshire and Western Botanicals and a beloved figure in the SoCal orchid commu

Feb 1
48 min

Coming Soon - OrchidTalk

Welcome to Orchid Talk, the podcast for anyone who’s ever said, “I’ll just buy ONE orchid”… and then somehow ended up with a jungle. In this trailer, Mandy gives you a sn

Jan 27
1 min