First post. Description of my grow room in Montana w/ photos!

[Zimzulu]

Hello and thanks for welcoming me to your expansive community!

First, a bit about myself (and then on to the good stuff.) I'm a 23 year old college student (3 years of my undergrad completed in neuroscience. Abandoning that and switching over to plant science or greenhouse management this Fall.) Currently I woke at a garden supply store.

I bought my first grocery store phal about four years ago. Followed by three more.... of which only one remains alive and well today. Learning curve, I suppose. Today I have around 75 scattered about, including a number of duplicate divisions/keiki's. I grow most of them under a 1,000 watt metal halide grow lamp, as I live in Montana. Lots of dendro's, catts, a few paphs, and a number of other various genera (vanda, grammatophyllum, cymbidium, etc.) I have a deep interest in collecting particularly species orchids.

Other hobbies include organic gardening, mountain biking, my 3.5 year old dog (very high energy. she is my life!), photography, reading great literature and science writing, and always striving to learn more (hence my registration on Orchidboard!)

Onto the orchids:

Err. It seems I'm not allowed to link photos yet. I'll try again after this post.

[Zimzulu]

Still nothing. I'll be patient.

[jai_star]

great to hear about your intrests in plant science your grow room sounds amazing can't wait to see the pics check me out at: jaistar83's channel - YouTube

[RosieC]

Welcome to Orchid Board

We've been noticing recently that you seem to need 5 posts before you can post a link to a photo. Even as a moderator I didn't know this, and I'm not completely certain but that's what others have reported recently. I think you can actually load pictures to the forum as an attachement before then (but again not certain). See the link in my signature for help on the various methods of adding pictures to your posts.

[dounoharm]

hi and welcome!! seems like you will have a lot to teach us!!! pitch right in and chat away, you have to make 5 posts before you can ad pics.....we would love to view your collection!

[nenella]

Yes Hi & Welcome! I too look forward to seeing your beauties!

[WhiteRabbit]

Glad you found us!

I think you should be able to attach photos to your posts using the attach button above the text box (I think it's links that are the issue). If not, post a few more times (total of five) and see how that goes.

[Zimzulu]

You need five posts to do anything, whiterabbit. I tried everything.. I'll post the pics when I make it to five.

[Zimzulu]

+1

[Zimzulu]

photo 23:
This is the low light transplant/sick plant area. The orchid (lost the tag and forgot the hybrid) on our front-right had a huge scale infestation that set it back dramatically. Had to individually dab each scale with pure neem. A Doritus orchid that couldn't stand the 700 FC light and/or 90 degree days of the last few months. Also a catt. I had growing very poorly in SH for a couple years so I transplanted to a bark/coco mix and is now doing even worse. The scariest sick plant is the dendro. on the rear right with the spots detailed in the next photo.

photo 11:
This is a closeup up the sick dendro. from last pic. The spots on this one have been growing on the cane since it first appeared. I've seen this in a couple of other dendros from the same nursery but usually it's just an old leaf that develops it and I clip it off. I propagated a clean backbulb off this dendro and it's lead growth has also developed with this spot. I sprayed them with dilute physan 20 tonight. Guessing bacterial.

photo 21:
A phal and some paphs.

photo 20:
Assorted genus in assorted culture. Note worthy is the small Stanhopea in the center. This was a gift I received from a friend a few weeks ago. Brassia-like plant in the back doing wonderfully in SH. Flowers 2-3 times a year and I have divided it into 3 plants every year I've had it.

photo 19:
Some of my dendros and an Aganax that needs a lottt more humidity (I think? Accordion leaves for years) then I can provide.

photo 18:
A nepenthes pitcher plant. I can grow sarracenia just fine but killed my last/first nepenthes. This one I repotted into fresh sphag. It sits on a few inches of hydoton in a glass vase....trying that. Any tips on these?

photo 17:
Vanda in vase culture. Gets about 4,000-7,000 FC of light.

photo 15:
Gram. orchid in full bloom. Beautiful specimen and my only blooming orchid at the moment. I've been blaming that on the orchid room getting to 90-100 during the day the past few months. Not sure, though.

photo 14:
Pendulous dendro that I just love. One question, though: its lead cane just matured and instead of blooming it's shooting out a new cane. Any tips on this?

photo 13:
My Dendro. spectabile. Possibly my favorite plant, but haven't been able to bloom it since I received it in bloom 1.5 years ago. Two huge new canes have matured and it's starting 2 more.