Everyone starts as a newbie then with experience and understanding of the individual orchid gets more clarity then you slowly go to become a beginner, then very familiar with it that can easily adjust stuff to conform to its cultural needs, so you feel you become a more advanced grower.
But it is a continuous learning curve, and agree with everyone.. I have killed my share of orchids foremost for lack of understanding of the cultural needs then my impatience. I did not even know what those alliances meant. Sometimes as a newbie you would tend to compare the flowering phase of other tropical plants and seem to demand immediate gratification with orchids. That is not the case with orchids, unless you really buy them in full bloom already. But actually growing them and reblooming them will take all your patience and understanding.
I'd say you become beyond a newbie when you are now much more ready to handle the responsibility of growing orchids and along the way collecting new ones and learning more about them. With thousands of orchids out there, so much to learn and choose from. Also when you buy the plant, you get beyond just the physical appearance of the blooms, you now look at how the entire plant grows, looking closely at the leaves and the roots, the media, asking the specific questions related to its culture, making the necessary preparation for your growing area, adjusting properly watering habits, choosing the more appropriate orchid that will thrive in your locale.
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