Revelation
 

Today, I had a revelation. After reading an email from an orchid friend who offered me to order through paramount orchids this week and to share the shipping, I realised something.

Even though paramount orchids has a fantastic list of hybrids and species, from angreacum to zygopetalum, I couldn't make my mind on which one I wanted next, and for only one reason:

I don't know what i can grow.

Because I live in an appartment and the temperature is quite difficult to control, the isn't really a difference between day and night temps. In the day, it gets up to 25 because of the sun, and in the night, i try to let it cool and the temps drops to 21 celcius.

Also, the humidity is quite low but I haven't measured it precisely. I think it's close to 40%, and that's why i need to use an humidity tray. I've been looking for a good humidifier but I have trouble finding THE one...

Because the windows are small and limited in number, my only east exposure is in the kitchen and the two east exposures I have are in y bedroom and in the living room. No south or north windows where I live. The light isn't very strong and doesn't get in very lon during the day so I set up an exo-terra sun-glo 5.0 right in front of them.

Please, tell me that I can grow something in this evil appartment! I'd be willing to give them better conditions, like fluorescents for more light, or an humidifier to help them a bit. The temperatures, I can't control, but I could track!

Please, help me! I want more orchids!

You can grow plenty of intermediate growing orchids.

If you're growing in the kitchen you won't have too many issues with humidity. You will have an issue with it in your bedroom and living room unless you buy a humidifier in someplace like Walgreens.

For lights I can recommend the use of compact florescent lights. They don't consume a lot of electricity and the output can be very strong. Tropical pet stores carry the light fixtures complete with ballast and stuff if you're not handy with building these things. In my opinion they're much more reliable and much more attractive than the shop lights that use standard florescent tubes.

With the use of compact florescent lights you're not limited to just shade growers.

I'm looking at the list of plants they have. And in my opinion, realistically speaking, you can grow any one of these.

At this point it's really up to:

1. How much space you have.

2. How much effort you're willing to put forth.

3. Your skill level.

4. And how much you know about the plant you want to grow.

There are definitely plants that need lots of water, go dormant, or need a cut back in water in the list of plants. If you're not familiar with species or hybrids that go dormant or need a cut back in water according to the season you might want to find out which ones they are and not buy them yet.

I can point out one plant you might not want to get right away, because it needs a lot of water but the roots don't like to be kept soggy and need lots of air...Steer clear of Acacallis cyanea or hybrids involving this plant (Zygonisia might be a hybrid that is the exception to the rule). These are not plants for beginners.

Here're a group of orchids that are small in which many of the species are fairly easy to grow. There aren't any tricks to growing them. They should be simple...no fuss about water, no dormancy periods, no need to make a drastic cut back in water according to the seasons. Try...

Aerangis

They're fragrant too! :)

more more more
 

I'm reading about them right now and they appear more and more interresting. This could be a great first mounting experience! Aerangis biloba or citrata will be my choice. They look pretty much the same except for the flowers, for which I prefer the biloba.

If I decide to push my budget a bit, I might be able to get another one..:biggrin:

By telling you I like fast growers, plants that grow kinda big, lots of roots, and that I'd like to try an orchid with pseudobulbs, what plant could you advice me? I just love vegetative growth!


Also, the friend of mine with who I'm going to order on paramount orchids has many paphs and bulbophyllum to sell. Could any specie included in these two genus grow in my conditions? This is his website, YaLi I hope it helps. Thank you the King, i really appreciate your help and I think I just recieved my most useful orchid lesson. I truly appreciate

The Bulbos may not flower for you. Paphs can be slow growing. If you really like the Paphs, you can do it.

In my opinion my suggestions for large, fast growing, with lots of foliage and lots of roots are:

Aspasia
Brassia
Cirrhaea
Embreea
Gongora
Odontoglossum
Oncidium
Paphinia
Stanhopea
Zygopetalum

These are medium sized growers, that grow fast, have lots of roots, and have lots of leaves that will do well for you as well:

Barkeria
Pescatorea

However...

The easiest ones from the above list for a newbie to grow are:

Barkeria
Zygopetalum

The next easier ones are:

Embreea
Gongora
Paphinia
Pescatorea
Stanhopea

If you like miniatures that put on a show stopping amount of flowers that are easy, medium fast growing, with lots of roots, try:

Sarcochilus

Keep in mind when I say large...I mean the ones in the Stanhopea tribe get LARGE.

For example, Stanhopea grandifora has leaves that are about a couple feet in length. Each flower is about 6" to 8" across.

I'm not sure if I'd agree those species are "easy for newbies". Especially if he has low humidity. ;)

I'd suggest any oncidium (not odontoglossum or miltoniopsis) hybrids on Paramount's website. Just my :twocents:

evil scooter
 

My vehicule broke this afternoon, so I might put this on hold for a week..:((

I've grown plants from both the genus Barkeria and Zygopetalum outdoors. I still own a Zygo NOID. Been with me for 5-6 years. I had Barkeria spectabilis for about 4 years (died to extreme neglect).

Both plants endured temperature extremes. The humidity in the inland areas of Los Angeles County (about 25 miles from the coast) is not high.

The Zygo is in terrible shape due to extreme neglect and even cultural mistakes. It is trying to bounce back. I expect it to look good a couple years from now.

I have pics of both plants in my album when they were looking good. The flowers in the pics are the ones I had bloomed out. Barkeria spectabilis was purchased from Andy's Orchids when it was not blooming sized. I bought the Zygo NOID when there was only one spike and with no more than 5 pseudobulbs.

These plants are flippin' tough as nails!

(Not quite like the Vanda that Isurus was talking about in the craziest orchid stories thread, but close.)

Although...if you're talking about the Stanhopeas and the Pescatorea, yeah, you're right Jorch...they like higher humidity than 40%.

The ones in the Oncidium family aren't for newbies either, but I kinda left them out of the list for being easy.

You may want to consider Colmanara, if Paramount carries them. They get about 18-24 in tall and will throw a flower spike 24-30+ in. They are very easy to grow. I have them in an east window at 40% humidity and they grow like weeds.

Bill

I would also suggest avoiding mounted orchids in such an environment, unless you're willing to water them a couple of times a day.