Your Orchid phases...

[bil]

Phase one. Decades ago got interested, especially in wild orchids, but didn't keep orchids as 'they are too difficult to keep'.

Phase two, made a friend a while back on face book, and he mentioned that he kept orchids. Chatted with him, and he explained how comparatively simple it was (he grew phals.) So, I followed his instructions, big pots with just fir bark, and the plants did well after I sorted out problems with light levels. We are very hot and bright here, summer temps at 40 C, (that's 110F more or less) are commonplace, so it turned out to be very hard to find an ideal situation.

Phase 3 mucho reading and study, and decided to try high light orchids, since high light was the 'problem'. Catts, a couple of Vandas, a couple of Den nobiles, a yellow oncidium, and a grab bag of hard dens headed for the compost heap of a garden centre. I figured that in there there must be some that did alright. To my surprise, almost all of them progressed well.

Phase 4 the disease is well advanced, and I'm building a decent greenhouse with an RO supply.......

Phase 5 ?????????

[Subrosa]

I started with the shotgun approach and picked up orchids from several groups. I found that with the exception of a noid hybrid (probably in the Sharry Baby series) Oncidiums are not my strong suit. However deciduous Dendrobiums do very well for me, as do Stanhopeas and their relatives. The jury is still out on Oxyglossums and Disas. Terrestrials in general have my interest now, and my Calanthe, Stenoglottis and Ophrys are all starting to wake up. Still waiting on the Pleione to make an appearance, and lastly for my Aussie terrestrials to arrive

[hanzy08]

I got obsessed with phals first when a friend of mine gave me a dying orchid and I got it to thrive then all of a sudden I had 8 phals I just grabbed them every time i was in that grocery store and then they started selling other types of orchids which I also grabbed. I think these were my impulse buys but I still want to keep them because I like them. Shortly after that I discovered trader's joes and then online. I don't go through every genera I noticed. I just buy whatever appeals to me but vandas and cattleyas will always be my top favorites.

[Dillon123]

Phase 1: Phal species. especially the waxy flowers
Phase 2: Vanda species just love their shapes and colors
phase 3: Cattleyas, mostly bifoliate
Phase 4: Catasetums: Their uniqueness and shape just grabs you still learning about their dormancy rest

[tropterrarium]

California natives: about 10 years ago.
Across the board botanicals in terrarium: about 6-8 years ago.
Oberonia & GH: about 3 years ago.
Next phase, when the Oberonia book goes to press in about 10-15 years.

[ramonypony]

I haven't even kept track of all my phases. Just thinking about trying to remember them all gives me a headache. xD

I know that I'm still in a zygo phase and have been for a long time. I only have one, the same one you mentioned, Zglm Rhein Moonlight. It's incredibly tough and loves to bloom. I had potted it to it's satisfaction and it was doing so great for several months. Then my cat knocked it off the shelf my first day of college and it stayed on the floor all day. The leaves were bruised and broken and the pot was busted open. I repotted (overpotted) it and killed most of it's lovely roots. Rerepotted back to old pot size and used less moss. Now it's got two new growths and three spikes. I don't think it's possible to kill this thing.

lotis, I've been looking for a zygo like you have in your avatar, a green one. Do you have that plant? May I ask where you got it? Zygos are scarce on ebay and I haven't been able to find an online nursery that has them.

[ula]

Phase One.
It all started about three years ago...there was this Phal fad going around and I had received a couple of them as gifts. I asked around what to do in order to rebloom my lovely gifts, and I was told, that stress is the way to go. Happily, I dumped all of my Phals in the cold, dark garage in the Fall just to learn about mesophyll cell collapse...One of my miniature Phals did not survive this "culturing approach" becoming my first victim. After this incident, I turned to more reliable information sources and figured out how to successfully grow and rebloom Phalaenopsis.

Phase Two aka Temporal Extension.
Then came my first show...I went absolutely crazy and bought indiscriminately all across the more popular (lucky for me) genera. By the next show I would have had the research done, shopping list ready, but I succumbed to the powerful drive of possessing anything pretty I lied my eyes on...
This phase for me is an ongoing flux of thinking about orchids, reading about orchids, looking at orchid photos, overwatering my orchids, suffering "purchase withdrawal symptoms" until the temperatures are right. Every spike I see poking out sends shivers down my spine ... I would not consider spending $30 on a top for myself, but buying kelp fertilizer for the same amount doesn't even provoke a twitch of my eyelid. I've started devising financial strategies for spending more on orchids without my husband finding out about it ...
Do you guys think I have a different strain of the disease, or I simply haven't gotten to my next stage yet?

[My Green Pets]

Love this thread!

Phase one: Adolescent me is fascinated by Phals at the grocery store florist. I kill several in succession. I give up on orchids for 20 years.

Phase two: I am given a Phal. Now the internet exists and I can find good information online. Phal survives. I am hooked again for the first time.

Phase three (current): I try the shotgun approach as mentioned earlier. I have about 30 orchids and they are mostly from different genera. I have more Paphs than any other group but the Oncidiums are close behind. I love the Paphs for their intriguing flowers and pretty leaves, and I love the Oncids for their fragrant sprays of many flowers and their attractive pseudobulbs, as well as the fact that there is always something happening with them.

Looking forward to Phase 4 - I see a greenhouse in the future...

[lotis146]

Originally Posted by ramonypony

I haven't even kept track of all my phases. Just thinking about trying to remember them all gives me a headache. xD

I know that I'm still in a zygo phase and have been for a long time. I only have one, the same one you mentioned, Zglm Rhein Moonlight. It's incredibly tough and loves to bloom. I had potted it to it's satisfaction and it was doing so great for several months. Then my cat knocked it off the shelf my first day of college and it stayed on the floor all day. The leaves were bruised and broken and the pot was busted open. I repotted (overpotted) it and killed most of it's lovely roots. Rerepotted back to old pot size and used less moss. Now it's got two new growths and three spikes. I don't think it's possible to kill this thing.

lotis, I've been looking for a zygo like you have in your avatar, a green one. Do you have that plant? May I ask where you got it? Zygos are scarce on ebay and I haven't been able to find an online nursery that has them.

Hey Ramonypony,

Part of my draw to them is the fact that they're not so easy to find and especially not beyond the basic hybrids. Here's the thread I created for the plant that is my avatar: Neopabstopetalum

It didn't have a hybrid name, just the cross written on the tag.

Another green one, very similar, that I have - also no "official" hybrid name - is of the genus Alantuckerara. It is bigger than the Neopabstopetalum, MUCH BIGGER. and it's very prone to lots of black spotting and streaking on the leaves. Neo is much more compact and while I haven't had it as long it doesn't have spots on the leaves.


They are difficult to find on ebay, honestly part of my success has been checking ebay OFTEN and searching Zygopetalum, Zygoneria, Zygonesia, Zygonisia, Zygotoria, and so on. I also recommend checking out Seattle Orchids as that is where I got my Alantuckerara, Ianclarkara, & Zygonisia Cynosure 'Alba'. Or check out Kalapana.

The plant your asking about - the Neopabstopetalum - I got from Lucky Girl Orchids on Ebay.

Another way to go is to search for Orchid sellers and contact them about when they may be or if they may be getting Zygo hybrids. You might also be able to ask them to look for plants for you. People here and elsewhere have advised me that prior to Orchid Shows you could research the participating vendors; if they deal with Zygos they may be able to bring some to the show for you.

Oh and I almost forgot, contact Porter's Orchids in Michigan. His website, last I knew, is not up to date but you could tell him what you're looking for and take it from there.

And hey, if you find some special ones do let me know. And I'll do the same.

---------- Post added at 02:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:09 PM ----------

And thanks everybody for sharing the phases you've gone through in Orchid growing. It's interesting and yet not at all surprising to see that it's really common to go through different phases, after all there are thousands of different hybrids.

Ula I don't think you have a different strain necessarily - but what do I know as I suffer from a similar affliction - but perhaps you're waiting for your "rock bottom"? When you look up and you're no longer excited in having "whatever" orchid but you're much more sure of what characteristics you prefer then you're at least close to bottom (and about to head back up ). So I think I'd go with you not being in the "next phase" yet. The minimal space you have left becomes very valuable - never mind the increasing space in your wallet! - and when you see a plant flower and think oh that's cool and move on, that'll change the way you do things for sure.

It wasn't hard for me not to go overboard at my first show this year. There were lots of beautiful plants but only a few that say hey I belong in your home! Luckily there weren't more society's selling their display plants (then I would have been in more trouble).

Cambriawhat, I would like to see a GH in my future one day. I think one day when I move to a bigger place I will yet again go into another phase, no doubt there are cymbidiums in my future. I long for summer in ways that only gardeners (aside from other Orchidists) could understand. I'm anxious not only to have some of my space back but also to set them decoratively and see how awesome they do out there again!!!!!!

Another phase for me will come next year when my flasks I sent off to the lab mature. By then I'll have a space set up in my basement.

[Dcchase]

Phase one:
7-8'years ago, Box store Phals. Some as gifts some as impulse buys. Most died. None re-bloomed. I lost interest but still managed to keep a couple alive with my many houseplants.

Phase 2: a couple of years later
Got hooked on Bonsai and purchased 5-6 over a few months time. Somehow this jump started my interest in Orchids again. I discovered First Rays online. My sister and I went nuts buying every pretty flower we liked. Only knowing what the flower looked like, not the plant. With no idea what kind of care they needed. Many died or did not thrive. Also read on Ray's about semi - hydroponic and thought this was the way. Converted everything to SH. Not everyone liked SH! Was not the panacea for me.
Found J&L Orchids, went to a show there. Met Carri from Orchidphile. I purchased my first, but not last Miltoniopsis from J&L and Phal. Sogo Lawrence from Carri. I killed both of these. Next year purchased another Milt. From J&L killed this one too and lost heart again for about 5 yrs

Phase 3: still in this phase
Found Repotme and ordered their mediums as a last ditch effort. Repotted the 6 surviving orchids to get rid of bugs. If this didn't work it was into the compost heap. Luckily for me it worked. I then read, researched, researched and read, joined online forums bought many books asked many question of growers in my area. Wanted to know what I could grow and what I couldn't and how to do it well!
Made a promise to myself NOT to by even beautiful orchids that I knew would not thrive for me. These are not houseplants or garden plants and old habits die hard. I think I finally understand what works for me and my environment. Invested in enough T5 lighting so most plants I wanted would have enough light.
Wanted to try the Phal. Sogo Lawrence again. I was again able to get one from Orchidphile. Discovered NZ sphag. moss and how to successfully repot and water with it! This moss works really well for most of my 35+ new and old orchids in Southeastern, CT.
I have recently become obsessed with species and hybrid Phals, like Phal Samera, Phal bellina, and Phal Dragon Tree Eagle. I love the ones with beautiful, fragrant flowers and the harder to come by the better! Also delved into my first Phal compot with success! Right now I have 4 Phals that are re-blooming for the first time after more than 5 years and other Phals, Oncidiums, Paphs. 1 Phrag, and 1 Zygo Advance Australia that are either blooming or in spike. Except for the Paphs. And Oncidiums,these are all first time re-blooms for me! The biggest change for me is PATIENCE! Orchids do everything slowly it seems. I killed many with just "messing" them to death. I get much enjoyment from watching the orchids grow leaves, begin spikes, (they are all so different) grow and flower. I used to only want to buy orchids in spike. But now it doesn't matter so much as I enjoy each orchids full growth cycle. The flowering being the culmination to this wonderful process!
And for those looking for Zygos. Try emailing Carri Raven at Orchidphile@optimum.net. Carri often has them.


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