It's official - I'm an addict

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by snow

you,re an adict??????????? and that,s news to us? i had you figured out a long time ago lady. and you won,t give up on you,re cacti and succulents.
Nick and Whiterabbit you,re collections grew in a very quik time. i,ve TRIED to grow orchids for somewhat 15 yrs and i just reached 100 today. many doubles as well.. i,ve learned so t much on oband my orchids don,t die as frequently as they used to.

LOL - yeah went on a binge - see everyones lovely orchids I never knew anything about lol
Have definitely slowed recently - tho lots of enablers here isn't helping

[natasha]

Originally Posted by snow

86??????????? at once? as i said 15 yrs.. i,ll have to move to Mlaysia; and probably will want to grow tulips

yup... 86 if i didn't miss my counting! probably when you move here, you'll want the euchile citrinum & cymbidiums like i do... then you move back to winnipeg and remember all the ourdoorsy vandas! most are still seedlings or cuttings - sure have lots of potting to be done. it might be a couple of years before i live in a tropical jungle but my cats love the idea of living in the jungle!

for usd3 (about rm10) here you can get
~ 3 phal seedlings (about 1.5" pot)
~ 2 cuttings of terete vanda
~ 2 pb of catts
~ 1 pb of brassia / oncs

need i say more?

[RosieC]

Wow 86 at once. I think we all need to move to Malaysia.

My collection grows much more slowly, but I'm still addicted as my hubby will tell you.

[natasha]

Originally Posted by RosieC

Wow 86 at once. I think we all need to move to Malaysia.

My collection grows much more slowly, but I'm still addicted as my hubby will tell you.

Hey rosie, before packing your bags (& chids to give me) let me tell you this. Its not easy to me to buy chids, except vandas & dendrobiums at the local nurseries. To buy other genera, I need to travel at least an hour or two, to find specialist orchid nurseries. But many nearby ones nearby only prefer to cater to big purchasers & most for exports. So much for orchid biggest producer in Malaysia huh? If I travel 4-5 hours to the capital (Kuala Lumpur), my selection would be much better. To tell you the truth, one grower even tell this to me, "people in this state aren't into chids that much. so nurseries are very limited" but there are many farms!

There are also not much online stores, and most would sell in USD. USD 100 may give only about 10 plants, while during these fairs, the same amount can give you 2-3 times more plants - smaller of course.

Other supplies also is greatly limited. Quality also questionable. Hot & wet season also won't help you much. One day my plants would be in scorching hot sun and the next can be drenched like hell. Only vandas don't suffer much in the open. the rest have to be sheltered...

At the sales booths, I even see people buy vandas cuttings by the box. Some even bring trolleys! This show was last held in 2006, so can you imagine? We shop till we drop once in a while. I was there for 5 hours on Friday by the way! If I can have lunch there, I'll spend even more time and money!

[orchidbingo]

I was orchid-free from 1982 until about a year ago when I rescued several NOID phals.
In May I purchased 2 compots and potted out 100++ seedlings. I tell myself that my rate of orchid purchases has dropped drastically since May. Now I only buy 3 or 4 each week-- large drop from the 100++

Of course if you don't count those 100++ seedlings I only have 45 orchids in my collection... and I really only have 3 orchids from Andy's and 6 orchids from Angel Street Orchids coming on Friday.

Well ok... I do have 25 orchids from Carmela's coming on Friday too.

I'm beginning to think that I might be in denial.

bingo

[greenbean]

Congratulations on moving beyond the denial stage, Hedge! You have now accepted your addiction. It is much healthier for your psyche than it is for your wallet, but hey, everything requires some sacrifice, right?!

For all you "unfortunate" addicts who's collections are growing "too fast", I have 2 options to propose: 1) pay for my college education, or 2)buy orchids for me instead!

[natasha]

yeah, i think we shouldn't count compots & flasks or count as 1 type... but note that i won't buy every week or month. what to buy when there's nothing interesting? on the other hand, i believe you guys are really lucky, since you may have something new when you want new ones. for me, i have get lucky!

by the way, i love my new hobby! its much healthier than to do nothing on my spare time

[snow]

i think i,m going to be sick.
it,s not fair!
stop teasing Natascha.

[Hedge]

Greenbean - "Congratulations on moving beyond the denial stage, Hedge! You have now accepted your addiction. It is much healthier for your psyche than it is for your wallet, but hey, everything requires some sacrifice, right?! "

Thanks for all the comments - I am seriously going to have to do something on the earning front if i want any more big orchids as I just don't have space for many more indoors and outdoors in the greenhouse it's getting too expensive to heat all winter - so I need money. Anyone have any ideas for a stay at home earner for a nearly fifty year old who has worked for an employer for 21 years?

No, Snow , I won't be giving up the cacti and succulents any time soon, they have been under my skin since I was six...... I had a spell when I didn't go to the society meetings when the kids were small, but now I am back to going to shows and nurseries. Fatal.....

[Charmkp]

Originally Posted by natasha

i need to check to rehab too... i went shopping last weekend at the local show and bring back 86! it don't help that plants are cheap here (malaysia is second biggest orchid exporter after thailand and i was born to the state that is malaysia's largest exporter! i also work and live there). and still very much can be bargained and also free stuff!!! HELP!!! thank god this is biennial event!

86 orchids all at once!!!... it took me such a long time to collect 86. Anyway, 'Happy collecting' I definately think I need to move to Malaysia.