How has your collecting/growing changed?

[czayta]

I have been growing and collecting orchids for a little over a year. For the longest time I had 1 orchid, a NoID Phalaenopsis that my grandparents had given me for my birthday (they got it from an Orchid show in Florida).

I took care of that plant, forgot about it for a while, watered it when I remembered too (luckily it was a Phal lol) and then eventually took an interest in orchids when that plant was still alive after all my neglect. My collection exploded recently. December 2013-March 2014 is when I realized I really liked orchids. I collected a lot more NoId Phals from Trader Joes, Department stores, orchid shows, and then realized I wanted to expand my horizons.

I bought a Vandas Robert Delight and a Burrageara Nelly Isler from a beautiful orchid greenhouse near me. I joined the Orchid Society in my town and attended their annual show/sale. I attended a club picnic and acquired a huge Dendrobium nobile and small keiki's from a Dendrobium kingianum.

In April I hand pollinated one of my Phals and began researching flasking and growing orchids.

In June I purchased some seedlings from flasks with two co-workers, Cntry, and IDaniels from this forum to try growing.

In August I will attempt to sow the seeds, green pod method. I'm obsessed with orchids now and very excited! ^^

[lotis146]

Czayta,

I went down the same track, almost exactly, plant from grandpa, somehow survived, and this year I'm hooked! LOL.

I've on many accounts spun through big box stores to see what Orchids they have available but most recently I've been leaning away from this practice and selection of plants not because they're not beautiful but I too would prefer to save my space, time, and money for other plants. Plus I'm a nerd about having IDs!! Whenever I have looked for a particular Orchid, or the parents of something I have or am looking at, I ALWAYS find something that I would be VERY happy to have. So I'm able to control my desires to get a plant just cuz it's cheap.


RandomGemini,

I hear you 100% on the mini Catts. I splurged one night a bit ago and got a bunch from Sunset Valley orchids; one of them came into bloom a couple of weeks ago, I posted pics under Cattleya Alliance. I've also gotten several from Jewell Orchids on ebay, one of them came in bud (opened the day after I took it out of the box) and is now starting to brown. My first Catt is compact - Jewel Box 'Dark Waters' - and I don't think I would go any bigger than it. I'm anxiously awaiting to see more blooms from the rest of my mini group but I believe most of them probably won't do so until next year. I'm excited too because several of my minis are blue varieties!! Yeah!!

[RandomGemini]

Originally Posted by lotis146

RandomGemini,

I hear you 100% on the mini Catts. I splurged one night a bit ago and got a bunch from Sunset Valley orchids; one of them came into bloom a couple of weeks ago, I posted pics under Cattleya Alliance. I've also gotten several from Jewell Orchids on ebay, one of them came in bud (opened the day after I took it out of the box) and is now starting to brown. My first Catt is compact - Jewel Box 'Dark Waters' - and I don't think I would go any bigger than it. I'm anxiously awaiting to see more blooms from the rest of my mini group but I believe most of them probably won't do so until next year. I'm excited too because several of my minis are blue varieties!! Yeah!!

Could you PM me a link to those threads? I'd love to see which ones you purchased and talk to you about them!

[Orchid Whisperer]

I've been growing orchids since about 1982. I have always had orchids since then, but after keeping a small collection through graduate school, children, etc. for many years, got serious about growing plants well during the last 5 or so years.

I don't do rescue plants, except to rescue one for a friend & return it. I try to branch out & grow genera I have not grown before (but when a plant shows it doesn't like the care I can provide, I try to recognize when it is time to change culture or give the plant away). I have many plants now that were divisions received from friends online or at my OS; I try to give as well a receive.

I also aim to buy more quality than quantity. I enjoy buying a $15 to $25 seedling of a great plant that may take a few years to reach blooming size. I also enjoy finding the occasional rare or special, hard-to-find plant; I'm bidding on a hybrid right now that I have been looking for at least for the past 5+ years!

Oh, and I'm also starting to grow some Cattleya types from seed now. My first "self" of a hybrid will be going into a compot soon. My first attempt at a new hybrid is seed in a pod now, hope it will be ready to flask this winter.

[lotis146]

Good luck with your propagation efforts! I've pollinated about 7-8 of my Phals and only two took. One pod is about 6 weeks old, while the other - a mini - I believe is forming a pod from a week ago. I also pollinated two of my mini Catts several days ago and I'm not certain but I think just one of them took. Interesting cuz i crossed them with each other but only one took.

[braxtonds]

I love reading people's evolution through orchid collecting and similarities to my recently rekindled addiction. I've always loved seeing orchids at shows but thought they'd be too hard to keep. For my 16th birthday I received my first one 13 years ago, a NoID kaleidoscope phal, which I still have.

Through the years I've tried keeping various other types alive and failed miserably. I then 'discovered' the discount racks at Lowe's and Home Depot and decided to try my hand at far too many. That year my entire collection of Phals became infested with mealy bugs. I tried everything for almost 2 years without results. Finally, heartbroken I tossed every single one except my original orchid. I noticed that none of my cattleyas were affected by the bugs so I concentrated on that type.

That was last year, after a proven great year I decided I wanted to learn all that I can about orchids. I joined a local society and began researching everything I could online. I wanted to try my hand at various genera of the 'easier' types of orchids. Only 1-2 of each paphs, oncidium, vanda, dendrobium, masdevallia in addition to all my cattleyas. I found they would all love my environment once I learned their needs.

Back to the topic: I find that each time I repot it's with the purpose of keeping the plants dryer and dryer, I am a heavy-handed waterer. From plastic to clay, from 100% bark to net pot inverted with bark and lava rock. I have fine tuned by media composition to only need to be watered either once or twice a week depending on the plant's needs.

Spending time learning orchids has only fueled my love for them. However, I have decided to be much more picky with what I keep in my collection and what I can give back to my club. Why does space need to be such a factor? Can't we all just live in a giant greenhouse? It would make my life so much easier

[Optimist]

Since joining OB I have become more confident and adaptable. I also find I really want to share my knowledge with new people. I read a lot more about orchids, moving from popular care books to scientific literature.

[lotis146]

Originally Posted by braxtonds

I love reading people's evolution through orchid collecting and similarities to my recently rekindled addiction. I've always loved seeing orchids at shows but thought they'd be too hard to keep. For my 16th birthday I received my first one 13 years ago, a NoID kaleidoscope phal, which I still have.

Through the years I've tried keeping various other types alive and failed miserably. I then 'discovered' the discount racks at Lowe's and Home Depot and decided to try my hand at far too many. That year my entire collection of Phals became infested with mealy bugs. I tried everything for almost 2 years without results. Finally, heartbroken I tossed every single one except my original orchid. I noticed that none of my cattleyas were affected by the bugs so I concentrated on that type.

That was last year, after a proven great year I decided I wanted to learn all that I can about orchids. I joined a local society and began researching everything I could online. I wanted to try my hand at various genera of the 'easier' types of orchids. Only 1-2 of each paphs, oncidium, vanda, dendrobium, masdevallia in addition to all my cattleyas. I found they would all love my environment once I learned their needs.

Back to the topic: I find that each time I repot it's with the purpose of keeping the plants dryer and dryer, I am a heavy-handed waterer. From plastic to clay, from 100% bark to net pot inverted with bark and lava rock. I have fine tuned by media composition to only need to be watered either once or twice a week depending on the plant's needs.

Spending time learning orchids has only fueled my love for them. However, I have decided to be much more picky with what I keep in my collection and what I can give back to my club. Why does space need to be such a factor? Can't we all just live in a giant greenhouse? It would make my life so much easier

Ha ha! Too true but I've got some gnats driving my boyfriend crazy and he blames them all on the Orchids, even if most of them are outside...for now...and he's right. I've got some glue pads but they're only helping so much. Good job keeping that Phal alive for SOOOO many years, impressive, and sorry to hear about the Mealy infestation, that is a huge fear of mine.

It's kind of crazy how quickly I've turned away now from the the discount racks. I'm a bit obsessed with knowing the names of them although my 2nd Orchid - and most sentimental - is a NoID. I think once I really started collecting others I had to stop the "rescues" because now I want it to really count when I get a new one.

A mistake I think I've made - don't get me wrong I love them and aren't complaining - is getting too many too fast. It's a cool challenge no doubt but one that I have to grasp. On the other hand this has actually made me less paranoid and obsessive because when it comes to "Orchid time" I have to use it wisely. I struggle to find exactly what media works for me and my watering mostly with my mini Catts, and because earlier this year I bought a BIG bag of coconut coir; I DO NOT like this stuff THAT MUCH. While it retains moisture but leaves a little more room for air than moss (I think), it's so light and chunky I find it hard to stabilize my plants in the pot. Getting a handle on what works best for your individual environment is in a sense a big deal.

Good luck with your new plants. While I may have gone a little buck wild a bit early I am not so regretful. So far I'm really digging my Zygos & Oncidiums (just wish more Oncids I want were more compact). Got one recently - oh gosh addiction coming through, it was impulsive - on Ebay cuz good price, won the auction, plant arrived great shape, AND I discovered a spike growing in a leaf bract. HA HA YES!!

Originally Posted by Optimist

Since joining OB I have become more confident and adaptable. I also find I really want to share my knowledge with new people. I read a lot more about orchids, moving from popular care books to scientific literature.

I have to agree with you. Sometimes I want to say don't get me started on Orchids unless you really want to hear about them! There's so so much to learn. I too want/need to learn more about more technical things like terminology and natural habitats.

Thanks for sharing!

[braxtonds]

Plant stability has become an issue when I repot, especially once I started adding in net pots and lava rock to the bottom on the clay pots. Almost every plant now gets a rhizome clip to keep it in place. Even if it is stable without one I've found that even slight 'wiggling' will cause the plant to not send out roots, or it will take a long time to do so. The clip makes everything nice and secure, I like to shake the pot alittle afterwards to see if the clip holds. Since implementing clips on almost every pot I've noticed a much faster recover time after repotting.

[lotis146]

Originally Posted by braxtonds

Plant stability has become an issue when I repot, especially once I started adding in net pots and lava rock to the bottom on the clay pots. Almost every plant now gets a rhizome clip to keep it in place. Even if it is stable without one I've found that even slight 'wiggling' will cause the plant to not send out roots, or it will take a long time to do so. The clip makes everything nice and secure, I like to shake the pot alittle afterwards to see if the clip holds. Since implementing clips on almost every pot I've noticed a much faster recover time after repotting.

Wow, so this movement in the pot you think actually stunts their growth in a way? This is a problem of mine for sure. I really like fine bark mix with perlite because I seem to have better luck with it. HOWEVER when it comes to watering I hate it. This media floats thus making it a terrible candidate for soaking but even drenching it sometimes overflows the pot.