Ebook called "Orchid Care Expert - A Practical Guide to Orchid Care"

[KCR]

Has anyone purchased the ebook called "Orchid Care Expert - A Practical Guide to Orchid Care" by Nigel Howell? He claims it gives you all the information you need to grow beautiful orchids and keep them blooming. He is selling his e-book fo $27.77.
Thanks for any info you might have on this e-book.

Karin

[unhappykat]

I have never heard of the author or the book. I get books on orchid care from barnes and noble. I have a book called Growing Orchids Successful gardening indoors and out, by brian and wilma rittershausen. It is a basic care manual for the top fifteen genre of orchids as well as some pointers on more complex genre. I think I paid fifteen dollars for it. I would reccomend it if you are a beginner because it goes over the most basic of watering needs to fertilizer and light exposures.

[addictedcountryman]

i think i bought mine from Barnes and Noble also for $10. It's called [IThe Practical Encyclopedia of Orchids[/I] by Brian and Wilma Ritterhausen. My most helpful one cost a little more, Ortho's All ABout Orchids from Home Depot, but it has been pretty handy.

[paulinanyc]

going to buy this one for sure...

[unhappykat]

I also have the book from ortho. the one I mentioned is simmilar but has a more in depth discussion of orchid growing as it includes details on the seasonality of certain orchids and hoe best to cope with their cultural requirements if you dont have a green house.

[KCR]

Thank you both for replying to my question. I will look into the books that mentioned. I need some good books on basic orchid growing and their needs and it sounds like the ones that you have will be a very good start to my collection.

Karin

[Ray]

I have read and likely owned pretty much every orchid culture book out there, so I will throw out one major caveat here:

If they try to tell you "HOW" to grow something, keep in mind that it is their recommendation based upon their growing conditions and care habits. Those same instructions may not be applicable to your situation, so you may not be successful if you follow them to the letter.

Instead, read several books by different authors, so you may begin to understand basic cultural concepts and the individual needs of the specific plants you want to grow, and figure out how, through the manipulation of things you CAN control (pots, potting media, watering regimen, to name a few), how you can achieve what the plants need.

[Leafmite]

The best way to learn how to grow orchids is to join an orchid society, attend a show and ask questions, ask the vendor selling the orchids for advice, visit a vendor who raises and sells orchids, or research the location from where the orchid derives.

When I first started growing orchids, the two books our library had about orchids (Nineteen-nineties) all said that orchids needed a greenhouse, required some sort of fiber or tree fern, and had some other impossible rules. A houseplant book was a little more friendly with hints and I soon figured out my own style of growing. Orchid books, I have since learned, are often geared to growing outside or in the greenhouse as the professionals usually grow that way.

[estación seca]

The very best way to learn is to go to habitat and pay attention to the conditions around you. Yes, it costs money, but not as much as you might think. Save up and take a vacation on an orchid tour. Your growing skills will improve almost overnight.

[Leafmite]

Originally Posted by estación seca

The very best way to learn is to go to habitat and pay attention to the conditions around you. Yes, it costs money, but not as much as you might think. Save up and take a vacation on an orchid tour. Your growing skills will improve almost overnight.

That would be great but, for many of us, it is impossible. It is great that you have been fortunate enough, though, as I think it is a wonderful experience to travel. I traveled in my youth and never regretted it.