I'm new...

[GlennGibson]

Hi everyone

My name is Glenn. I live in Southern California with my wife. Newbury Park to be exact.

Fifteen minutes from the beach between Los Angles and Santa Barbara Ca.

I found this web site by doing a search for information regarding Cymbidium Tracyanum.

I am relatively new and very inexperienced in growing orchids.

At the age of 13 my interest in orchids blossomed. I saw a small add in the back of a magazine advertising orchids. My mother explained that it was a tropical flower and that could not be grown in Maryland unless you had a greenhouse. Off to the library. To my delight I found, an organization or society for people who liked and grew orchids, the name was the National Orchid Society (????) I called a gentleman who I think was the president of the Society. He invited me to his home to see his collection. My parents took me to visit him on a Saturday afternoon. To my surprise he was growing his orchids in his living room and dining room under natural and artificial light. I was invited to attend their meetings. If I remember correctly they meet at the Smithsonian Institute in the Natural History Museum once a month, this would be about 1958 or 1960. My father drove a taxi cab part time and would drop me off so I could attend the meetings. I recall attending at least two or three. My family moved to San Antonio Texas where I graduated from School. I moved to New York City in 1966 got married in 1978 and moved to Newbury Park Ca in 1979. My interest in orchids rekindled when I was told that I could grow cymbidiums outside. I purchased my first plant from Home Depot garden department. It has bloomed very year since I purchased it about 12 years ago. I never gave it a drop of plant food until last year. A few years ago I had a client who grew cymbidiums out doors under shade cloth. She gave me two or three plants. They have bloomed every year. Last year I read an article in Better Homes and Garden magazine about miniature orchids and they gave the name of a nursery in Santa Barbara that sold them and also specialized in growing orchids outdoors in our area. Last year at this time I purchased about four plants from Santa Barbara Orchid Estates (Santa Barbara Orchid Estate Home Page) Brassolaeliocattleya Momilani Rainbow 'The Gypsy', Den. Hamana Smile, and two Zygopetalum Mackayi (Mackayi x Aussir Quest). All of them are about to bloom with double the flower count this year. In fact the 2 zygopelalum last year had three flower spikes, this year I have nine. I brought them into the living room today because the Santa Anna winds have kicked up. They have a very strong and pleasant fragrance that permeates the whole house. I currently have about 29 plants all of which grow outside. One of which has bloomed two times this year.

As I said earlier I am very inexperienced in growing orchids. I am afraid that I have very little to offer became of my inexperience. In time hopefully this will change and I’ll become a more valuable participant. I look forward to reading your comments in the different forums and sharing with you as I can.

Glenn