New member from Brussels

[Val]

Hi everybody!

My name is Val and I'm an addict

My story began exactly 6 month ago. My wife and I had moved to Brussels and she wanted two orchids for the two front windows. I got her two big white Phalaenopsis. Several days later I bought the third orchid because it was yellow, my favorite color. (And this was the last orchid I bought for a reason.)

With the 6th or 7th orchid I bought my first book on orchid care - just in time for saving my young collection from drowning, for my wife had been watering them every other day. By the 15th orchid I started tracking my small collection, mostly for keeping track of watering and fertilizing, using a worksheet (which keeps getting more and more complex). Now I have 31 orchids - mostly NOID Phals, but also 1 Cymbidium Summer Pearl, 1 Zygopetalum Louisendorf, 1 Beallara Peggy Ruth Carpenter, 1 Miltoniopsis Herralexandre, 3 Dendrobiums, 1 NOID Cambria, 2 mini-Phals and 1 Phalaenopsis equestris. Giving them good light, teperature and humidity over the winter has been quite a challenge, but so far I've succeeded. Several Phals have rebloomed, three of them have started to grow new spikes, Beallara and Cymbidium are screaming for repotting. No casualties so far - which makes me a lucky beginner

I've been learning a lot, and loving every minute of it. I'm happy to have found OB (I've already gone through the first 200 pages in the beginners' forum). I have many questions, and will gladly share my (limited) experience.

See you around!

Val

[alsorchids]

Gee Val, at least your an addict who sounds like he reads ravenously and this 'growing obsession' seems to really effect the pleasure centers of your brain. In conclusion it certainly seems that you and the orchids are doing great! Welcome aboard and I look forward to photos and intelligent discourse. Happy New Year! AL

[Zoi2]

Hello and welcome to the OB, sounds like you've got a really nice addiction.....oops collection.
Joann

[RosieC]

Welcome to Orchid Board Val.

You've come to the right place to feed your addiction

[Jennyfleur]

Gee Whiz, all that in only 6months!! Looking forward to pictures and Welcome Aboard

[kavanaru]

Welcome to OB!!

just to help you with yor Madness... Did you know that you have a very nice orchids nursery just south of Charleroi? L'Amazone in Nalinnes...

I will post some photos next week here in OB, I will be visiting Gérard Schmidt (the owner) this afternoon...

[CTB]

Welcome aboard, looks like you are off to a good start, it's always nicer to share your addiction with other addicts. Enjoy!

[Val]

Originally Posted by kavanaru

Did you know that you have a very nice orchids nursery just south of Charleroi? L'Amazone in Nalinnes...

Thanks, kavanaru!
My Phal. equestris comes from L'Amazone in Nalinnes
I've also visited Orchids Dekor in Petit-Enghien - and bought the Zygopetalum. It was the first nursery I visited, and Patrick Clinckart was very patient and answered my 1000 questions for almost 1 hour.
Next destination: Akerne Orchids (near Anvers).

Later edit, after a visit to your Flicker page: Fredclarkeara After Dark 'SVO Black Pearl' FCC/AOS | Flickr - Photo Sharing! WOW! Exquisite flowers, excellent photographer.