what got you hooked

[phalnoob]

Haha love it! Thats me already......hmmm do i have wine with dinner or buy a new orchid.
Im now after looking at some online places thinkin i should try save n do a good wee (or big) order 😂 whats happening to me!!!!

[ThePinkCucumber]

Oh! If you ever go to an orchid show - stay away from the bargain bin! I go nuts when I see the bargain bin!!
And you have to be honest with yourself - if there is a shop that has orchids, or you go to a show, don't tell yourself you're there only to have a look. That is a lie. We shouldn't lie to ourselves

[phalnoob]

Haha yeah the 'only looking' never is true!
Bargain bin.............i must go to a show!

[Biohazard156]

My obsession started a few months after I acquired an orchid from my grandmothers house after she sadly passed away. It was in bloom and was so pretty!

That was August 2013, I kept it alive amazingly and in the April of 2014 it started to make a new spike which I couldn't believe. I then found out it was a Phalaenopsis as my friend told me. The June of that year I was in home base and saw another Phial I liked and a weird spidery orchid which I needed.

From there and finding out I wasn't instantly killing them like I do with other house plants (spider plants come here to die!) it very rapidly escalated and now I have close to 50 I think? I lose count! All different species and hybrids, all grown on my windowsills!

You should definitely try some different ones!

[Trollsvans]

Oh yeah, your fever has barely begun, but it's gaining on you.

In my earlier period of total obsession I managed to cram 150+ plants into my flat.
Luckily, this time around, I have a wife to help me keep it to a more sensible number... so far.

[phalnoob]

Sorry about your grandmother biohazard, thats great you now have loads, i have mine on the windowsills too, so good to know you have many species as i wasnt sure if our uk weather was suitable for some. I got my first spider plant not long ago it was very sad looking and i thought it wouldnt last but so far so good lol its loads of new growth! Hope my orchids thrive too!
Lol trollsvans i thought my little house is turning into a garden if its not orchids its something else, but 150+!!!! You could have charged admission for a 'jungle experience' 😃

[Biohazard156]

Our climate isn't as bad as you might think for them. I'm up in Scotland and I am managing at the moment to maintain and grow/flower masdevallias, oncidiums, Cattleyas and of course Phals! Also have quite a few carnivorous plants both in and outdoors! I have a few outdoor orchids on my balcony too which seem to not mind too much!

I have ordered from a couple of European vendors and also some eBay ones. Go hunting and see what catches your eye!

[DweamGoiL]

For me, it was cute little Mini Phal from a local flower shop. I brought her home and I had her for a good 6 months until I killed her The experience made me determined to troubleshoot what went wrong and caring for her, sparked a love for Orchids. I wanted to learn to care correctly for all the housemates I had acquired before she passed.

[SimJam]

For me ... it was my mother dragging me at 5:30 am to an orchid sale .... black friday-esque type madness. She gave me a few for compensation lol

she loves orchids but doesnt have the best luck with them so last year i decided to learn everything i could to help her with them .... and ended up catching the orchid bug !!!!

Started out with 5 vandas and in a year i have somehow gained 20 more including other vanda allince, several broughtonia, 2 cattleys, 1 dendrobium, 2 phals 1 encyclia, 2 oncidium alliance.

[phalnoob]

Me too biohazard lol gives me hope our dull weather is adequate enough lol. Oh il definately check out some vendors 😂 i see trouble ahead!
I love my mini phal its amazing and soooo many little flowers it just looks amazing with its tiny leaves too.
Oh jeez i can imagine people fighting over orchids 😂 but carefully so nothings broke!