How many Give it Up, do U

[Ray]

Had well over 1000 in PA. Moved 12 to NC. Now 32, mostly slippers with a few phals, but between my LECA-covered slab experiment and my “epiphyte tree”, I also have about a dozen to tulumnias and a couple of mini-vandas.

Adjusting from greenhouse growing to summers on the deck/winters indoors has been a bigger challenge than I expected.

[Keysguy]

200 +/-

[Dorchid]

Originally Posted by fishmom

OK Charles, I have between 75 and 100, closer to 75, and trying to cut back. It's getting harder for me to lift the big pots.

If you ever need to rehome some smaller plants, I’m your guy!

[fishmom]

Where are you located, Dorchid?

[Dorchid]

Colorful Colorado! I was half fishing half in jest but if you have a 1 or 2 you need to rehome, I’d happily take them and pay shipping! I’m growing catts, encyclia, cats, phals and a Cory in a tent in intermediate conditions...about 65F-75F or so. Space is at a premium so could only accept smaller plants. PM me if you like.

[Arizona Jeanie]

Only seven Phals here. Five are healthy and bloom every year, two are rescues. One of the rescues had no roots and is slowly coming back. The other had no leaves, is sprouting two keikis now. I guess if one had no roots and no leaves they'd be really dead, otherwise there seems to be some hope. I've learned the most from the two in ICU!
Somehow keeping seven Phals alive has earned me the reputation of being the family orchid expert HA!
Many thanks to all the contributors here for a great deal of helpful advice.
I also find that caring for plants is good for me.

[Afid]

I have somewhere around 60, basically anything I can get my hands on. I have like 2000 though if you count all the protocorms in my flasking area.

[Roberta]

Right around 1800, about 90% outside in the back yard, the other 10% (warm growers that I just HAD to have) in a very small, very overcrowded greenhouse. But it started with one... a gift from a co-worker. Obsession

And now... there is always room for one more. At least outside. (GH, they have to be very little so that I can squeeze them in)

[Leafmite]

I had nearly a hundred once but am now staying under fifty. When I want new orchids, I get rid of some. (I am now doing this with the other plants, too.) Most of the orchids are small/compact or miniatures...except for three: the two Phaius (that I have spent the last ten years wanting and telling myself that it was crazy to buy orchids that would get so large, then finally bought in one of those middle-of-the-night purchases) and the Vanilla.

[MJG]

I have 41, maybe only 40 if I don't count the one in ICU who is surely dead by now.

Over the years the number has gone up and down. I grow in my house. I started this obsession (it is an obsession) when I lived in coastal southern California. Lovely air, good light, gentle temperatures. When we had to move to D.C. for work, my husband and I wrapped up each orchid and took them in carry-on baggage on the airplane. In DC they flourished!

5 years ago we moved again, taking the orchids to our new home in central New York state. The orchids HATE it here. They've died off. I've recently taken more serious steps to give them the climates that they need through better supplemental light and humidity. I've replenished. So now the number will go up as I prove to myself that I can meet their needs here.

I try to know each one. My favorites are my little Maxillaria. It has beautiful little flowers that look like they're growing in a field of tall grass. Psychopsis is another favorite. It's so otherworldly and spectacular. I love my Onc. Twinkle that I bought as a bare root baby in the Maui airport. It looks terrible right now, but this board is helping me with that!! (Thanks again!) It's a favorite because of emotional connections to Hawaii.

---------- Post added at 07:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:20 PM ----------

PS. I love this thread!! As my husband rolls his eyes when he sees more orchids arriving in the mail, I can show him this. "See, dear? It's not like I have 1200 of them"