what got you hooked

[phalnoob]

Hello.
Well im new here and have loved chatting to you all and getting helpfull advice and suggestions so thank you. But what i wondered was what was it that originally got you hooked and is it just orchids you all keep. For me i got a phal after debating as everyone said dont it wont last......but i did and that was months back and its still in bloom!! I now have 5 phals a mini phal an oncidium and a dendrobium nobile along with more houseplants. I would love more orchid species

[wintergirl]

My son gave me an orchid for a mother's day. In doing research about orchids, I found out what interesting plants they were. I loved the fact that they didn't grow in dirt and some of them had flowers with faces. The more I read, the more I found things to like. Then I decided to retire. I thought I should have a hobby that would keep my mind active with learning new things. So what started with one is now 53. My husband counted them the other day, later I heard him outside singing a little song about 53 orchids. Something about how 53 turns into to 100 then comes the greenhouse!

[phalnoob]

Haha love it great story!!! I love how different they are too

[My Green Pets]

I started with carnivorous plants when I was little, but I don't quite remember the first time I saw an orchid. I know I got my first one from the grocery store, it was a pink Phal, and it just captivated me, but I killed it. It wasn't until years later that web sites like this one gave me the courage to try again--and this time around, thanks to all the helpful advice, I've been pretty successful

Here's the plant that flipped a switch inside me, causing me to go orchid crazy: Bulbophyllum medusae!

[Mandy2705]

Your medusae is one that has me going crazy too CambriaWhat. My dad gave me an phal that was given to him by a coworker and I abused it so bad. First I left it in the car, then I would cut off the aerial roots ( I know that's pretty gruesome ). It wasn't doing too good, then I started watching YouTube orchid videos ( which I am pretty addicted too as well ) Then phal finally came around and blooms two flowers for me after two years. The year after that my collection shot up from 3 to 80+ orchids in 6 months. I am still new but I feel I am getting the hang of these guys now The phal that started it all! It is in orchid heaven now unfortunately my newbie mistakes were too much for it.

[phalnoob]

Oh wow! Medusae is amazing i want 1 😃
Cool carnivorous plants are something iv never kept. I think theyre not in as many places where i am other than venus fly traps.

Im glad i found this forum and watched some vids. Mine seem to be doing good despite my newbie-ness! I just want more species lol but dont want to kill them if my environment isnt suitable for them

[bil]

Yeah that medusa is impressive. Phalnoob, if you look on line there wll be places that sell carniverous plants. I have just bought a couple of young nerpenthes, pitcher plants, as they have similar needs to orchids.

I also bought an adult nerp of a different species here, and as is my wont, repotted it instantly. Good job I did. They like an open substrate like orchids, but with 50% sphag, 50 % bark.
This tho was in a compacted ball of dense material with as much ability to allow air in as a lump of wood. So, good job I did.

I got started on orchids long, long ago, but never got round to keeping them as there just weren't the plants or even the info on growing.

Then recently a friend tipped me off as to how easy it was to grow phals, and I was hooked.

[phalnoob]

Very impressive!
I might have a look and get something ☺ they do look very cool, the venus flytraps i seen looked to be in just soil.
Glad you repotted then, i recently bought a zz plant and it was quite root bound so i toyed over repotting or not and i did thankfully as sooooo many roots were rotted, its doing good now.
Theres so much info available now its great i think thats what helped push me to buy a phal!and here of course 😃

[bil]

Originally Posted by phalnoob

Very impressive!
I might have a look and get something ☺ they do look very cool, the venus flytraps i seen looked to be in just soil.
Glad you repotted then, i recently bought a zz plant and it was quite root bound so i toyed over repotting or not and i did thankfully as sooooo many roots were rotted, its doing good now.
Theres so much info available now its great i think thats what helped push me to buy a phal!and here of course 😃

Read up on flytraps before you buy them. IIRC, they need a tall pot as the roots go deep.

What's a zz plant?

[phalnoob]

A zamioculcus z...... lol cant remember the other z.
Its a houseplant with dark green rubbery looking leaves. Its one of the houseplants thats very hardy, ithink its also known as an eternity plant as it lives a long time. Though in the condition those roots were in not long had i not repotted.
Yeah i will look into them more before i try them.