How do you keep track of the orchids in your collection

[kindrag23]

It was their 5 pack through amazon was how I came across from them it is a growers choice type thing. But I am sure I have it somewhere their names listed.

[Leafmite]

I like NYCorchidman's idea (I once wrote the names of plants right on the pots). Tags do get lost. Birds remove the tags, they fall out, or I lose them while repotting. That is why I keep the list. I have three unlabled orchids that appear nearly identical: seedling tuberlabium, seedling angraecum didieri, and a seedling neo (vanda) falcata. Those take a closer look.
I hope you will be able to get yours identified. When my kids were small, I found burying the tags to be a good way to keep them from disappearing.

[kindrag23]

@Leafmite i mount my phal's so that is a slight issue with keeping tags haha.

[jeremyinsf]

I have an excel spreadsheet I use where things go when I buy them - name, price, where it came from, any notes etc. Then each plant has at least one tag (I don't have kids that would take them out!) with info - an original tag if it has one, my own tag with additional info, and on the back-side of that, repotting dates.

---------- Post added at 01:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:29 PM ----------

Oh yeah and I often take pictures when a plant is acquired, and then also of it's bloom.

[kindrag23]

that is another awesome idea.

[Orchid Whisperer]

I have tags on everything that came to me with a tag. Also a name list in a word processing file. I have photos of some of my plants in bloom, also.

I am working on an Excel file format to record the important details, like when acquired, who from, when it flowered, photo if I have one, culture information, etc.

Record keeping will be more important if I do more orchid growing from seed, especially if I decide to make some crosses. At that time, I may invest in Orchidwiz software. Right now, my first attempts at growing from seed are "selfs" so there is no question regarding genetics, etc.

[LadySoren]

Odd question-
Do you arrange your excel sprea sheets by categories across the top or along the side? I often have a difficult time deciding which way to make my lists (in general).

I failed to take a photo of one of my NOID's barcode and tag. I know it only said "Phaleanopsis" but I could have missed that it said Flora Ark on it if it even said. That's what I am almost positive it is. So I guess I'll call it NoID-Sogo Gotris 'Flora Ark' (whatever the proper spelling is).

What is this Orchid Wiz thing? A smart phone app or a computer program? I'll have to look into it... Sounds detailed.

[jeremyinsf]

OrchidWiz is a software program that is a huge database of orchids, along with the ability to use it for your tracking.

OrchidWiz Orchid Database Software Home Page

There is a 30 day trial of the "express" version.

For my Excel, I have columns at the top and the plants go down. That way I can sort by column and ask questions like "Which was the most expensive" or sort by who I bought them from and see "Which plants came from Golden Gate Orchids" kind of thing. I usually leave it in date-acquired sort, because in general I know how long I've had each plant.

---------- Post added at 02:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:18 PM ----------

One other note - I keep the Excel worksheet in my Google Drive folder. So, it's synced to my Android phone and tablet and marked as to sync offline too, so even if I don't have service at a greenhouse, I can still get to the file, at all times. This has come in handy when I am looking for something, can't remember when I got something, or if I have a question about a plant I want to ask the grower about and need the details of what I'm asking about.

[LadySoren]

Oh. Good idea about synching to your phone. I use drop box for now. I forget if that needs cell service to pull up though.

[fishmommy]

Orchidwiz is what I use. It allows me to track every event and parameter for every plant, as well as keep photos.