Viruses or thrips?

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by Roberta

I(Hint... join a society, one learns alot)

I prefer to keep a no-profile or low profile. However though, I am a member of AOS - American Orchid Society. But even if I haven't learned a lot from a society ----- we can (and have) learn/learned a lot from books, and the internet (sharing of information) and also from experience.

Originally Posted by Shadeflower

well spider mites freak me out more than viruses.

Totally!!! One nice cymbidium got attacked by spider mites. I was using pyrethrum solution to control the numbers. And I am just about to break out the azamax. I have never used it before, and I hear it will leave a bit of not-so-nice aroma for a while heheheh. Just deciding to go all-out on them, because they went all-out on my cymbidium.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by SouthPark

I prefer to keep a no-profile or low profile. However though, I am a member of AOS - American Orchid Society. But even if I haven't learned a lot from a society ----- we can (and have) learn/learned a lot from books, and the internet (sharing of information) and also from experience.

Some areas don't have local societies. but where one is available, they are a great opportunity to meet and share information with other hobbyists who are growing under conditions similar to yours. I am a member of the American Orchid Society but have learned very little from most of the publications, which address growing under conditions very different from mine. They only recently made available a book that really addresses growing of a variety of orchids under a variety of conditions. (I have reviewed that book elsewhere on OB). But sharing real-world information with people that you can talk to is extremely valuable. You gain the benefit of the experiences of other people, sometimes acquired over a long period of time, so that you don't have to make all of the mistakes yourself - learn from those of others, there are plenty of new ones to make...

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Some areas don't have local societies. but where one is available, they are a great opportunity to meet and share information with other hobbyists who are growing under conditions similar to yours.

There certainly are benefits that are gained from being involved with a local society. Although, perhaps (possibly) one possible issue ----- is we don't know the backgrounds of all society members - just as we don't know the backgrounds of all members on the internet.

There have been at least one known case in Australia, where some unfortunate member of an orchid society ----- I think it might have been down in Brisbane, where her entire collection ----- which happened to be locked in a lockable green/bush-house ----- went missing. Absolutely disgusting. So there can also be benefits in keeping a low profile ----- or no-profile as well.

With the existence of internet and orchid forums ----- the situation is much different from the 'old' days, where getting information might have been more challenging, or would take much more time and effort. Not as easy or convenient as in these more advanced times. So I think that a combination of internet and experience and a good orchid forum is excellent for orchid growers of many sorts.

It's definitely not necessary to be a part of a society. I joined AOS because it has some nice articles to read about orchids and orchid personalities - history etc, and sometimes nice videos, or webinars ----- where we can look at nice orchids. But ----- true --- a society (local or remote) does provide some nice benefits.

[UPDATE] --- just found a link about what I was discussing before, about orchids going missing ---- click here.

Now - that link is not where I learned about the incident. I think I saw society members in a forum or something talking about it - when it first happened. I didn't even know that it even went on the news like this.