Hey Orchid Mongers - Orchid Board

PhalGuy91 · #1 11-15-2007, 04:49 PM

Hi guys. My name is Ben, I'm 16, and live in beautiful Long Island, NY. My dad and I have been collecting and growing orchids for about three years now, and if it weren't for the lack of space in our small home, we'd probably become orchid maniacs.

I'm the phal guy, and my dad's the catt lover. I've probably killed enough orchids to be considered a murderer, but hey...gotta learn somehow, right?

I look forward to posting and reading on the forums, and talkin' to you all. Thttp://www.orchidboard.com/community/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=31#
More

ake Care!

Ross · #2 11-15-2007, 05:02 PM

Welcome Ben. My grandson is 14 and hasn't shown signs of orchidmania, so maybe you'll have to fill in? Seems like there are a few from The Long Island here on the board and I'm sure you'll meet Dorothy, she seldom escapes the chance to meet a newcomer

We look forward to posts in the future.

cb977 · #3 11-15-2007, 05:53 PM

Hi Ben and welcome to Orchidboard

It's nice to have somebody so young among the crowd. We have a number of folks who either live on the Island now or used to live there and have moved. I'm in Florida now but spent most of my life in Queens

We'd love to see

of the 'chids you and your Dad have collected

You have the right attitude about killing a few chids...ya gotta learn from your mistakes

If you have any questions, let us know

tuvoc · #4 11-15-2007, 06:02 PM

Welcome aboard, Ben. I was about your age when I started, about 45 years ago.(Gulp) When the bug bites, you never get over it! You and your dad have a lot of good times coming. Have fun, and keep us posted on your sucesses, and ---.

Kim

Dorothy · #5 11-15-2007, 08:46 PM

WELCOME! Ben and Ben's dad

Hiya neighbor - nice to see another Lawn Guyland-er on the Board

You will find lots of information here and people from around the world with tons of experience who are happy to share in their trials, tribulations and successes

Do you collect species besides hybrid phals?
What kind of catts does your dad love? Does he have any minis or compacts?

Tindomul · #6 11-16-2007, 12:51 AM

Welcome to the Orchid Board. Im in Queens, the western most part of Long Island. Glad you were able to join up.

PhalGuy91 · #7 11-16-2007, 11:03 AM

Hi Dorothy and Tindomul. As for what species we collect...oh Jesus where do I start..hmm.. Well, it all started when I was looking on alohaorchids.com for plant supplies, and then I came across the phals, and catts. We ordered about 20 that night (I know..I know..) and got almost all of them to bloom. At home, I only have a few orchids. Two are phals, which I posted in the Phal Alliance section, and two catts. One of them is two years away from blooming size, so it's still small. The other one just finished blooming, and it's at a mature age, except it has small leaves and flowers. At my dad's office at his work, he has phals, catts, oncidium, paphs, a ton of dendrobium, one masdevallia, many cymbidium, a few miltonia, and many more. (My head is getting dizzy trying to remember all those names...) They vary in size. I have a tiny, tiny sophronitella violacea at home, and at work, my dad has catts the size of trucks, and catts the size of a pencil eraser

. That sums it all up pretty much. My mom keeps telling my dad that we need to move, so when we do, we'll probably fill up a third of the house with plants. I also grow a million different things besides orchids, ranging from veggies, to fruits (Pomegranate, fig, blueberry), and from mini roses, to all sorts of bulbs (tulips, lillies, amaryllis). Inside, I have, besides orchids, bonsai trees, mounted orchids (yes, yes, that'd be considered an orchid, but bear with me), vines (the small kind), hibiscus, pineapple, gardenia, some funky looking plant which didn't come with a tag, but gives off white blooms at the top; and a small fern which is going into a terrarium I'm building. And, believe it or not, I've managed to put all but 4 of these into a tray which sits on a table next to the windowsill.

. Ok, my fingers are going numb, so, there it is. Benny's plant collection.

Lorraine · #8 11-16-2007, 11:22 AM

Welcome Ben & Bens' Dad,

Sounds like you have a green thumbs. If you can grow all the plants in Long Island indoors I think you "Phally in Trouble" will make it.

Glad to have you onboard the OrchidBoard. Lots of info here. When we lived in Philly I had no orchids but hibiscis and bouganvillia, trumpet plants, desert rose and more blooming indoors all winter. They could hardly wait to get outside when the weather changed in May. Since I'm now in Florida everybody is outside all year round and blooming whenever. My first 2 orchids 3 years ago has grown to 100+. You can never have toooo many orchids.

Have fun growing and blooming them.

PS Don't forget to post pictures for us to enjoy.

Lorraine

Undergrounder · #9 11-16-2007, 11:24 AM

Wow that's a great collection.. Do your friends think its weird you having an interest in orchids?

... I get angry when my mates call them 'flowers'. They're not 'flowers' they're orchids dammit!

PhalGuy91 · #10 11-16-2007, 09:31 PM

My friends think it's VERY weird that a guy my size (I'm fairly tall and large for my age) would like plants...so much for flowers and orchids. They think it's a sing of homosexuality...so I told them that, if that's their belief, then God must have been a homosexual when he created the color pink and all the plants and animals, right? Makes them shutup every time....hehe...