New member, new to orchids, first post, confessional

[nofickenway]

Originally Posted by Cactuseed

Thanks for admitting it is shoplifting - HD can throw the plant in the trash if they want; after all It belongs to them. Shame on the board for encouraging this - they love to crap on L's & HD
Better to research and find an orchid you are interested in and support any one of many orchid nurseries online or in your neighborhood. Should HD not sell orchids or maybe they should give them to us for free?
Welcome to the board

Ok, well, thanks for the welcome?
I went back today and bought one of the two plants that I took a keiki from...along with four others. The one I did not buy was dead by all signs.

---------- Post added at 12:18 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:05 AM ----------

So here are my HD refugee phals...I took as many as I could at 1/2 price and ended up getting six for $40.

Took all out of their rancid pots, trimmed rotted roots, washed and dipped in neem oil solution, put in my orchid room in a tray of sphagnum until tomorrow. Will then repot. I did repot just one, as it was the only one that was relatively healthy.

Altogether, I got three keikis and six mature plants...how many will make it? Who knows....but I am certain I will learn from the whole experience...the board will not allow a pic from photobucket or I would include it, sorry !

I am new, but I have to say how impressed I was in these phals' resilience...I can only imagine that they have been there close to a year and grew quite a few aerials after having been choked off in the pot -with, it seems, the worst off plants shooting out keikis...

---------- Post added at 12:22 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:18 AM ----------

Originally Posted by Call_Me_Bob

Welcome to the forum! While rescuing plants like that, it can be really frustrating (and even $5 is expensive for an almost dead plant!) especially for someone just starting out! I definitely would recommend saving the money and using it to get some healthy plants from a quality nursery!

No doubt this is sound and accurate advice...I just could not pass up the opportunity...even if just one or 2 make it I'll be happy...I do also have 2 happy healthy plants and ordered 2 more ... Thanks for the welcome!

---------- Post added at 12:24 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:22 AM ----------

Originally Posted by SHag42

Hello,
And welcome to the board and the great wide world of orchids. I too can not stand to pass up a pitiful orchid. And have been able to rescue some of them thanks to all the wonderful help I found on here.
I am not sure why it is but my home depot is the same way. They do not reduce there orchids and just dump them in trash. Such a waste. Lowes on the other hand are pretty good about putting them at half price and this is where I have picked up a lot of mine. Another good option is Walmart after Valentines Day. I bought some there last year for $2.50 each and about 2/3 are still alive but it is slow going. Good luck with your orchids and be aware that it is a very addictive hobby. They are smart and will jump in your buggy when you are not looking.

SHag

Thanks for the tip! I am much like you and Rosie C - can't NOT try to save these poor phals...

[Call_Me_Bob]

#1 rule of orchid growing

-Plants don't like to be alone! If you order one, you must order at least two others as traveling companions. If you grow six, you must get twelve more, so the other six get lonely.

[Optimist]

Hi NFW. I am a newbie at orchids for at least a year, more or less. I welcome you to the board, but also, think that you will have a learning curve like the rest of us. The state you live in is going to be important to the topic. If you are in the costal Northwest, like Seattle, the Deep South, or any of the very humid, Florida like states, you will not have as much trouble as living in a non-humid, very dry, overly cold or other wise hard-on orchids type state. The choice you make in orchids will need to be dependent on what kind of care you can give them. Being a newbie, I can say that getting into salvaging nearly dead orchids is for more knowledgeable orchid keepers. I am of the firm belief that newbies should buy healthy and thriving plants even at a price twice the cost. I don't know, you may be successful, but as for myself, I have thrown away half the Phals that I "rescue" and the remaining are not what you would call in good shape. So even when I save money on them, the money ends up in the trash can. In fact, in my conditions, I now tend to get oncidium and cattelay alliance orchids and they do much better. (I bought my first Cimbidium recently to see if I was any good at its culture).

I also think that terrariums are not for beginners. I tried it myself as posts earlier this year will attest. What has worked best for me is loose potting material and plenty of air flow through the roots. You don't get that in a terrarium without fans and other mechanical gadgets. Basically, a cool air humidifier, a humidity gauge, and some shade cloth or curtains should be all you need. Most orchids also need much more light than can be found in a basement unless you plan on hanging fluorescents.

As for the Keikies, I hope they had at least 3 roots on them, otherwise they were too young to be removed from their mother.

I wish you well.

[nofickenway]

No doubt I will have some failures along the way, but noone is perfect. I live in Nebraska, so the winters are typically very cold and dry. I do have one mature, healthy phal (the first one) that I put in a glass-sided lamp holder - my makeshift terrarium - from Hobby Lobby - It has a mostly open air top and I drilled a number of holes in the base. I keep a saucer with small river rocks and water underneath the pot (an orchid pot with a permanent saucer bottom and holes all around). I lost several buds to blast iniitally but I do have 2 blooms that are doing great and have been around one and two weeks, respectively). The area this phal is in gets filtered sunlight from a north facing window and plenty of air circulation being that it is close to the front door - i know drafts are bad, but the terrarium, I would think, buffers current ok. Further, the orchid - so far - seems really happy. Once I figure out how to get photos on I will share.

As for the rest of the phals, I have in a basement room with a ultrasonic humidifier and a oscillating fan heater with a thermostat - i literally just set this room up yesterday so I have not gotten the whole rhythm down but plan to have my nighttime temps about 65 and daytim at 75. Although its in a basement room, the room has three fairly large south-facing widows with mini blinds so I can scatter some light.

I am sure to have to make adjustments but for now, I have a base plan anyway.

All of the keikis have at least three roots - one has rather short (but thick) roots where the other two have roots around 3" with one having a huge root about 8" long.

As to Bob's comment - my wife already thinks I am half-nuts with how we went from one orchid to seven so fast.

[Call_Me_Bob]

Originally Posted by nofickenway

As to Bob's comment - my wife already thinks I am half-nuts with how we went from one orchid to seven so fast.

Just wait until 7 turns into 100 and your money disappears before it even hits your wallet.

[nofickenway]

Will get some more pics tomorrow when the lighting is better

[Optimist]

Originally Posted by nofickenway

No doubt I will have some failures along the way, but noone is perfect. I live in Nebraska, so the winters are typically very cold and dry.

I just moved to NM after living in omaha and council bluffs for 15 years. The area is good for orchids. A lot of misty misourii river weather. Frankly Id grow oncs and cooler growers there. They have a good orchid society there. their annual show is March 29 - 30. Lauritzen gardens.

[Call_Me_Bob]

Those don't look half bad! The way you described it, I was picturing plants that were pretty close to dead. These look decently healthy!

[Tabbyblack13]

Welcome and good luck. Nursing sick orchids takes a lot of practices but I find that is good to do just incase one of your prize orchids get sick.

I like rescuing orchids from Lowes but since I have such little room I'm getting picky.


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[My Green Pets]

They look good! Chop off all those old spikes, let'em grow leaves and roots all spring and summer, and next fall you should have a spike-o-rama!