seeking advice on how to re-establish and keep a healthy collection

[Leafmite]

I would bleach your 'case' very well and anything else that is a part of the set up, rinse it well, then prepare it for the orchids. Before adding the orchids, write down the name of each and look up the care that it will need.
I sometimes buy orchids and plants impulsively and then must do the research to learn their care. Fortunately, in my case, I usually order online so I have time before the plant arrives. I grow many plants that should not be thriving here in an Ohio home.
I like to buy plants/orchids from vendors in the same general climate or, if that isn't possible, in the early part of summer.

---------- Post added at 10:34 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:32 AM ----------

Good luck and glad to have you as part of the mix! I hope you will post photos when you have this set up!

[quiltergal]

First you need to decide if your orchidarium is going to be for cool growers or warm to hot growers. If you try and combine the two neither will be happy. I would only put things in there that require similar conditions/culture.

Can you give us a list of what you purchased? That would help us give you better advice.

I know you are excited about getting started, but in my experience you are courting disaster by having plants shipped to you in the winter. You are much better off waiting until spring to mail order. Even with one day shipping and heat packs...weather happens, flights get delayed, trucks get stuck, carriers don't pay attention to instructions on the box. If it were me I would ask Kawamoto for a store credit and reorder in the spring.

You really don't need an orchidarium to successfully grow orchids. Only the ones that require high humidity need a special grow area. Everything else can be grown on shelving with supplemental lighting. IMO it helps keep rot to a minimum. In a closed environment if rot or anything else gets started it's hard to stop it spreading to everything in the case.

Just as an FYI there are some very fine orchid greenhouses on Maui and Oahu as well as the Big Island. H&R on Oahu is legendary. Exotic Orchids of Maui has one of the cleanest well organized greenhouses I have ever seen. They are up just off the Hana Hwy near Haiku. You can also take orchids in your carry on. The grower will put them in a bag or box with the ag certificate on it. Just make sure you don't open the bag or box for any reason or the plant will end up in the dumpster at the airport.

[meliana]

Welcome!

As a fellow Massachusetts dweller I feel your climate-control pain. My suggestion would be to check out some local orchid nurseries and resources, for instance, I know there is an orchid specialist up in New Hampshire although I can't recall the name, and I'm sure there are more if you google or visit the Massachusetts Orchid Society links.

The transit home for your new plants would certainly be easier, and the staff may be able to share some tips with you about growing in this area.

[WeirdGuySeattle]

who hasn't impulsively bought some orchids and had them shipped in terrible cold weather? I am not one to say slow down - but it can be costly learning by going through a bunch of plants. I'd get a couple different kind and find out which ones you work best with. Weirdly enough, Masdevallias work best for me - I have no idea why - I have a bunch of paphs that push up one leaf a year (or less) and never a flower or grow another fan (doesn't mean I don't buy more when I see them on sale .)

if you set up a high humidity orchidarium, definitely get a couple small fans blowing in that sucker and make sure the case has ventilation. You should be able to see through the glass an hour or two after misting (no water beading on the walls).

Walking in to a few local greenhouses (in Mass or in HI) might be a good way to think about Orchids. Most like what most people find as comfortable temperatures / comfortable humidity / brightish light. Your Orchidarium should be where you wished you were small enough to go in there where you would feel like you were in a mildly warm and humid / bright greenhouse with a light warmish breeze going past.

Too dry / too hot / too humid / too cold / too stuffy - these plants suffer, slow their growth or have other bad reactions.

But depending on what you end up buying, your plants might have some more exacting requirements. I like William Cullina's book on Orchids - its entertaining, gives you some basic info on a lot of different plants and is a good read while you wait for plants to arrive in the mail or a plant to start growing new leaves or something. Good luck

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