Michelle from Ontario

[mica28]

Hi Everyone,

I just joined today. Here's a little about how my interest in orchids came to be:

My orchid journey: I've been growing Phals for about 1.5-2 years or so. My first one was a birthday gift but it died after a year or so due to using incorrect media. I have made a lot of mistakes with my Phals but I learned from them and now they grow really well in my current set up. I thought I'd learned enough to get other types of orchids but I didn't realize the care for each type of orchid was so different (even within the same genus).

My current set-up: the Phals, Dendrobiums and 1 Oncidium all grow in a mix of bark and LECA pebbles in plastic pots with air holes. I put them on a shelving unit by a south-facing window and they get a lot of light during the day, but I don't know what kind of grow lights to buy for the fall and winter this year. I just don't want to spend a lot. The clip on one you see in the picture I got when I had all my Phals sitting on a table. The Vandas have been so picky I honestly don't even know what to do...

On a side note: Why can't newbies post images? It's harder for readers to detect what's wrong with our plants.