How many orchids do you have and how many orchids do you usually buy at one time?? - Orchid Board

Linnie · #1 11-11-2006, 02:35 PM

1) Ok, I'd like to know how many orchids you all have, and if you have too many to count, how big your greenhouse or estimate how many you have.
68 and counting

2)
Then, how many orchids do you usually buy at one time? Say if you go to an orchid show or a nursery, how many do you bring home???
3-6 orchids for me most times

And
3)How long did it take before you realized you have to have just one more orchid????
I think it took me almost a year before I started wanting more. I'm in my 3rd year of this orchid frenzy now...

I'm hoping to make myself feel good with other answers:

wallyworld · #2 11-11-2006, 02:41 PM

Linnie..just getting started huh?

1) I have 92 vandas, 35 catts, 22 paphs, 12 phals, 6 oncidiums and 2 stanhopeas by my database.

2) I don't have a specific number that I buy. I look at what is available and make up my mind then. Could be 1 to 13...never can tell

3) I realized early that I was struck by the orchid bug pretty quick, it took me getting a few ascocendas and before I knew it, I was making a database to keep track of them. I guess when I jump into anything, I go all the way...LOL

Linnie · #3 11-11-2006, 02:48 PM

Wow Wally, I'm starting to feel better already.

Hmm, you don't like vandas very much , do you?? LOL

I killed my first two vandas which gave me a sour taste , but I have three now which seem to be doing okay.. if I can only get them to bloom!!!!!!!!!

Tikva · #4 11-11-2006, 03:02 PM

I'll bite

I have around 70 orchids. I'm in the stage where I have ones I don't want, but haven't figured out where to rid myself of them....

I buy at least 2, but never more than 4. I'm a numbers person..... if I fall in love with a $50 orchid, it's hard to say no and I have to get just one other one, but that's IT for goodness sake!!! BUT if I came across 10 orchids I was in love with for $20, I would most certainly break my "not more than 4 as a usual habit" rule and come home with 10 or more lol

It took me a week to know I had to have more than one orchid. Maybe it was immediate. I would have bought more if the nursery I found my Sharry Baby at had others. I dove into my obsession head first.

cb977 · #5 11-11-2006, 03:09 PM

Great questions

First, I have 114 right now.

I usually limit myself to 2 or 3 but I did bring home 14 from Redlands last May!

and finally, I think it might have been as I was picking out my first orchid that I realized I MUST HAVE THEM ALL!!!!

Seriously, I bought my second the week after the first then joined the local society and now, 20 months later...I'm a full-blown addict!

Wendy · #6 11-11-2006, 04:33 PM

I have around 200 give or take a few. Probably less. When i go to an orchid show/meeting I can usually get away with buying one or two. I've gotten to the point where i am no longer tempted by anything other than what I 'need'. At the show setup yesterday I bought two...Galeandra lacustris and Laelia rubescens. That will be it for awhile.

When i first started in the orchid hobby I used to buy everything that I could get my hands on. When i started really growing and had limited space I chose to specialize and cut back to paphs, some Phrags and species cattleyas. Oh and don't forget Galeandra. I have a few other things as well but try to keep those down becuase of space issues.

wallyworld · #7 11-11-2006, 04:57 PM

Linny...nah!! I hate those vandas. They are the plants that I first grew when I started growing orchids. Everyone thought I was nuts because they do have a rep of being a hard plant to grow but it does help to live in FL

Linnie · #8 11-11-2006, 07:03 PM

THe most I ever brought home was 8, and that was the Redlands this year. First time I went and I will be back. I wanted EVERYTHING...

I didn't really feel the pull until I attended my first orchid show and discovered scented orchids. Oh my... instant attraction and I immediately joined the local orchid society and signed up for two years to AOS so I could a a certificate towards more orchids.

Yes living in Florida does have it's advantages to orchid growers.

I wish I could say I only buy what I need, but then again , I think I need them all, especially orchids with fragrance!!!!!!

Tony · #9 11-11-2006, 08:28 PM

I'm not sure how many I have, I'm working on getting them all in a database. I think I'm somewere round 50 Paphs, 5 Brassias, and 2 Phrags. I usually buy 3-5 at a time, sometimes less, often more.

christina waines · #10 11-11-2006, 08:39 PM

Hmmm.. This is a hard one I actually don't have a firm count. I figure everything I have is MINE even if some is for sale in the shop. Everytime I see something blooming for the first time I decide it is not for sale and I sneak it into my house out of the shop. I do have a collection of Lycastes, Mazzies, and catts that I'm particular to. My son loves Vandas and collects them at every show we go to. He also collects orchids by name so of course he is very particular to Dracula Vampira ( he is 12 ) and plants with the word Dragon in their names. Of course he puts them all in my greenhouse and I get to grow them!