Entering the hobby of growing orchids

[betwixtimes]

Hi, Welcome...my

I'd like to say, sometimes you just need to take the plunge. I would not suggest buying the most expensive specimen you can find, but one that you think is attractive, healthy and affordable. Take it home, see how it likes the apartment, it could take days, weeks or months...to see the resulting conditions. I think when I first tried growing orchids I killed probably 4 or 5 of them. Over watered--under watered, not enough light---too much light...too cold---too hot, needed to be repotted...roots needed to be tended too. Ya kinda have to analyze the situation and realize it'll be case by case.

I'd also like to suggest that you love the foliage that your orchid produces because for a portion of the year, that's what you'll be looking at.

Personally I'm a fan of the cymbidium and dendrobium, yay for pointy leaves!

I just bought two more dendrobiums and I thought ok, $30 not a biggie, but I forgot---two new pots and "dirt", would take me up over $50, however I now have enough Orchid Mix Medium for one more orchid

[Ed b]

Dorothy;
Sorry I haven't made it to that thread yet.
Ed b

[RosieC]

As I'm pretty much a fellow beginner I will say that I would also adivce some sort of phalaenopsis. I've found it easy to grow if you stick to a couple of simple rules.

My mum bought me one three years ago for my birthday and I was so pleased with how well it was doing, despite my lack of knowledge about what to do with it, that I bought two more this spring.

I quickly spotted that the roots which were running over the surface and then down into the bark would go bright green when watered and then fade to silver/white over the next week. I assumed (correctly I find out later) that I should not water it again until the roots had faded, but that once they faded it was probably due more.

I also found out early on that you should make sure the bark or other medium is well drained and you do not allow it to stand in water for any length of time. If you do the roots can rot, which is what happened to my brother with the one he was given for his birthday the same year as my first.

[sucuz]

[QUOTE=jstam;133453]Wow --




I envisage having one as a centrepiece of my living room coffee table (close to the west facing window) eventually. Similarly, I like the idea of having one or few single flowers.

My main concern is the lighting condition. My desired location is about 5 ft from the west facing window.

It sounds like you have good conditions for starting with phals. Your coffee table probably doesn't have the right conditions for growing your phals and bringing them into flower, but realize that once most orchids come into blossom, you can remove them from their area of optimum growing conditions to display them most places in your house to enjoy the blooms, then move them back to your growing area. When most orchids are not in bloom, the foliage isn't particularly interesting as a centerpiece anyway.

[RosieC]

Originally Posted by sucuz

Once most orchids come into blossom, you can remove them from their area of optimum growing conditions to display them most places in your house to enjoy the blooms, then move them back to your growing area.

Ooh, I'm glad you said that... I've been risking moving mine out of the light when in flower so I can enjoy them. I usually put them on the mantlepiece where there is not really much light, but they are then displayed with a mirror behind and I get double beauty from the reflection.

Most of my photos of them in bloom are with the mirror reflection behind. It's a cheeting way of making them look even better and a bit of a fraud but I love them in that position.