Orchid Advice for Beginner

[Live_Laugh_Love99@]

Hi everyone, I’m an Orchid newbie and looking for some advice:

Where would you say is the best place to buy an Orchid from and what should I look out for before buying one?

When is the best time to buy one?

Are they difficult to look after as some may think?


Many thanks.

[estación seca]

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

There are orchids from many different climates. If you pick plants with requirements you can provide they will be easy to grow. If you pick plants whose requirements you can't provide, you will probably kill them.

I strongly recommend you do a lot of reading before buying any plants, including orchids. Only buy plants that will grow in your conditions of temperature, light and humidity, and that will fit into your space.

Where will you grow your plants? What are your day/night temperatures? Your relative humidity? What kind of light does your growing space have?

I suggest you go to Forums in the left yellow menu, and start reading about different kinds of orchids. Do this before you buy any plants.

You can look up orchid species at the Internet Orchid Species Photo Encyclopedia, orchidspecies.com . Here you will find information about temperature, light and water requirements. I look up every kind of new plant I'm thinking of buying, and frequently I decide not to get a plant I will have trouble pleasing.

[reverseboB]

Since you are a self described newbie, I would suggest your first orchids should be from your local grocery store or florist. They will have easier to grow orchids. Get comfortable with them then start to expand out by buying from orchid vendors.
As for difficulty of growing orchids, this is where we say "your mileage may vary". I was told if you can grow African violets you can grow orchids. I can kill a violet pretty quickly but seem to have a green thumb with orchids. I have killed a few orchids along the way too.
Good luck in your adventures.

[Live_Laugh_Love99@]

Originally Posted by reverseboB

Since you are a self described newbie, I would suggest your first orchids should be from your local grocery store or florist. They will have easier to grow orchids. Get comfortable with them then start to expand out by buying from orchid vendors.
As for difficulty of growing orchids, this is where we say "your mileage may vary". I was told if you can grow African violets you can grow orchids. I can kill a violet pretty quickly but seem to have a green thumb with orchids. I have killed a few orchids along the way too.
Good luck in your adventures.

Thank you.

---------- Post added at 07:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:02 PM ----------

Originally Posted by estación seca

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

There are orchids from many different climates. If you pick plants with requirements you can provide they will be easy to grow. If you pick plants whose requirements you can't provide, you will probably kill them.

I strongly recommend you do a lot of reading before buying any plants, including orchids. Only buy plants that will grow in your conditions of temperature, light and humidity, and that will fit into your space.

Where will you grow your plants? What are your day/night temperatures? Your relative humidity? What kind of light does your growing space have?

I suggest you go to Forums in the left yellow menu, and start reading about different kinds of orchids. Do this before you buy any plants.

You can look up orchid species at the Internet Orchid Species Photo Encyclopedia, orchidspecies.com . Here you will find information about temperature, light and water requirements. I look up every kind of new plant I'm thinking of buying, and frequently I decide not to get a plant I will have trouble pleasing.

Thank you.

[Diane56Victor]

You have some great advice there.

Once you have found your teaching orchids, you might like to consider joining a local orchid club if you have one nearby. You should get lots of help and importantly meet nearby growers.

If a club isn't near you there is always online purchases. I have heard of Burnham's and McBeans, a quick online search should find them.

Another source of information within the UK is growers who have channels on YouTube.

Roger's Orchids
Margaret East orchids
Eds Orchids
Lynn Smith
The Orchid Room (although she hasn't posted for a few months)
What's up orchids
Mick's Masdevallia orchids.
*Mick also has a website where any grower can list orchids for sale. He also sells his massies from the site.*

Within this group mentioned above are some growers that take part in what is called Care Collabs which is coordinated by Ninja orchids (Spain)

This is a fluid group of growers from all over the world who grow the same plant. Each channel, if they choose to take part, posts a video showing how they grow that particular orchid in their environment.
Each channel links all the other channels taking part in that particular orchid care collab video so its easy to find other growers with the same plant, and the different tactics growers use to grow it within their environment or style of growing.

It's a very fluid group based on anyone who has the plant and wants to do a video.


Hope this helps with your orchid journey.

[Shadeflower]

I was literally just wondering what was up with Annabel at the orchid room. Been 3 months which has been unlike her channel so far.

there's also:
Shop | Essex United Kingdom | Spicesotic Plants

Plant Lists - Laurance Hobbs Orchids
and
Products
– Exotic Plant Company

but the last 2 charge £18 postage so using them only a bulk order justifies such postage compared to going to B'n'Q, Homebase, Tesco's or Sainsbury's which is where you will find a lot of hybrid phalenopsis and won't have to pay postage.

Which orchid will be best suited is hard to determine. Supermarket phals can be a good cheap choice and even very vigorous growers but they need to be repotted as any sold here in shops are sold in substandard substrate for growing on the orchids in our homes. They are very adaptable and with some good quality orchid substrate and the right care and environment they will thrive.

An advantage to buying in the shop is seeing the condition of the orchid, knowing what signs to look out for helps to pick a healthy one but they will all pretty much need to be repotted before the winter or they are unlikely to make it.

you can get orchid supplies from here Orchiata Orchid Bark, potting compost and orchid supplies- Orchid Accessories

or amazon sells orchid bark too but I have never used this brand so don't know how good it is https://www.amazon.co.uk/Orchid-Focu...39895002&psc=1
and bigger size https://www.amazon.co.uk/Orchid-Focu...7JB7565W&psc=1

[Diane56Victor]

She was preparing for her PhD before Covid hit, so that, along with moving house might explain the lack of videos.

[SADE2020]

Hi Love99;

I'll suggest the same. Get what you like from local garden center and get at least 2 plants so you can compare the evolution and then try here and there if you can meet the adequate lights, humidity and 🌡️ temperature range or, how you can arrange or provide that for optimal 'care" without going over your head.

The common sense is to grown what is easy for your house conditions, not only for your city, since windows and natural light at home will determine "what is appropriate" , but since you don't that the test is keep them alive and well. Then ...plan the next steps.

Orchid itself are not expensive, the investment goes to all what we need to do to creat an environment good for the less comercial plants.

BTW if is your birthday or people what's to give you anything ...tell them "Orchids please" is a great way to start a collection.