A re-introduction!
 

:hello

Hey all, it's been quite a while since I've been active here, so I figured I'd do a re-introduction of sorts.

My name is Cody, and I've been growing orchids indoors under lights off and (mostly) on for over 10 years here in the cold Canadian prairies. I've always had a fascination with science and plants, and when I was 12 or so I saw a white Phalaenopsis at a local greenhouse and began the slow decent into learning everything I could about orchids.

My first major set-up was something akin to a coffee table inside the closet of my bedroom, with lights above and below so I could make the most out of the space I had. I slowly expanded my collection and growing space, but after fighting a spider might infestation, I eventually lost the entirety of my collection.

After moving with my parents I shortly restarted my collection in the same manner as before. Eventually I moved out and life kinda got in the way, and I had a small collection that I treated more so as a chore than a hobby. Skipping over a lot of moves and life changes, we find myself living where I currently am, a three bedroom basement suit close to my local university. At the time of moving in August of 2018, I had just a handful of orchids that I kept in three small plastic domes under lights.

I've always had issues with depression, and in early 2019, I began reminiscing about how my orchid closet was a place of solace to me. After talking a bit about it, my boyfriend bought me a subscription to the AOS Orchids magazine. From there I began rebuilding my collection into what it is today! I began with a metal shelving unit, and from there started to grow my collection under lights.

Just recently I bought a second metal stand, effectively doubling my growing space, but I have a few things to do before I can fully use it. But here's how it looks today!
https://i.imgur.com/z1uUriY.jpg

Each metal stand will house two levels of lights, each lit by two Sunblaster LED ballasts. The one on the left is the one I started with back last year. The black netting is designed to keep my cats out when I'm not home, as I found the room too small to properly regulate temperatures with the door closed.

https://i.imgur.com/HjdOnOt.jpg
It's a little sparse right now, as I've moved some of what was crammed in there onto the new stand to test things out.

https://i.imgur.com/uQBRSXt.jpg
This upper level is where I started. It originally had two 3' ballasts and one 4' one, but when I replaced the T5HO bulbs with the LED tubes that Sunblaster sells, plants quickly turned purple, so I moved the 4' ballast to the new stand.

https://i.imgur.com/XHMFR3b.jpg
I quickly ran out of room so I began growing underneath. In a manic burst at near 10 pm one night I rushed over to Home Depot to buy twine and this netting to keep my cats out so I could leave the door open. There's more height to this level, so I've placed my taller plants here. It also had three 4' ballasts with T5HOs, but those were replaced with the LED tubes and one ballast was also taken to the new stand. (that's one of the troublemakers behind, Troye)

https://i.imgur.com/Zywnzvr.jpg
This is the top of the new stand I just recently purchased with more of my orchids and some houseplants on it.

https://i.imgur.com/DFo1BR2.jpg
An SVO hybrid that came with some dried sheaths started to fill out a new sheath on its newest growth, so I'm excited to see what it looks like, as this will be its first flowering.

https://i.imgur.com/QMyf0Dm.jpg
I'm over the moon to see buds filling this sheath out. This is also from SVO, and it is (C. Love Knot var. coerulea x C. mossiae var. coerulea). It arrived with one empty sheath and a new growth that ended up growing an empty sheath as well. Both sat there not doing much for months. After seeing people posting pictures of their C. mossiae all over the internet, I got kinda frustrated with it. I ended up increasing the time the lights were on by half an hour, and within a week or so I noticed both sheaths begging to fill out. I guess that sucker C. mossiae really is a spring blooming plant dependent on photoperiod changes.

https://i.imgur.com/BHVre3z.jpg
Finally is a little unnamed Phalaenopsis hybrid. This and its siblings are special to me, as they are the result of a pod I set waaay back in 2012. A local member of my orchid society flasked the seeds for me, and I received one flask in return. That thing moved around with me for years, staying sealed up and outliving a few other collection losses. Eventually I freed them, and they've all grown up. This is the third one now that has initiated an inflorescence, with two others having flowered prior. Eventually I'll get around to registering it :biggrin:.

And so that brings us to today! I realised I've been a member here for nearly ten years, so I figured I could start contributing again, especially now that I have some stuff that's going to bloom. Also, don't worry about the empty space, as I have an order from Cloud's on the way and I'm also waiting for confirmation from Paramount for an order I placed there as well.

Looking good.
I find orchids are a really relaxing hobby that helps with my depression too.
There was a time I could not walk properly for over a year, got very depressing being stuck at home all the time, everyone I talked to said, get plenty of fresh air, don't sit at home all day long and stick to a routine, generally good advice unless you give that advice to someone who is physically unable to do any of those things.
Then that advice becomes even more depressing.
That is how my collection grew rapidly as they were providing me with a routine and were brightening up the space around me.

I am always more interested by the setups than the plants when I see others - yours looks very organised but what you are doing I could never have done at uni.

Was renting back then and houses were built to go mouldy even with just normal living conditions. Hated the cheaply built walls every house seemed to have that would go mouldy from just breathing on them.

Orchids would have been a big no no. Even the aquarium in the kitchen led to kitchen having to be repainted.

I can see you are using twice the lighting I am. Just curious how you heat the space.

I have recently worked out it is costing me 150 euros per year to light and heat my orchid collection which is a limiting factor by now. Can't justify getting any more unless they can grow in our climate all year round or are very very small :biggrin:

Welcome back, Cody.

Yes, a Welcome back Cody! Wow, your current collection is looking great! And your "cat protection" netting is quite innovative. My daughter used to have a "plant/sitting room" that had to remain with door open, but with a way to keep a very mischievous terrier out (he was a plant lover, but in the wrong way). I finally for her birthday one year installed a sliding screen door for her.. she said it was one of her favorite gifts ever. Score one for the momma!

I'm glad you re-found something that helps keep the depression at bay or at least hushed. Sometimes we need to travel a new path for awhile, before realizing we needed things from an old path even though not necessarily all.

And kudos to boyfriend for reawakening your orchidness life. Two points for him!

---------- Post added at 11:12 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:11 AM ----------

PS They sell a boot tray on Gardner's Supply that fits those shelves to a T. ;)

I am currently using a small radiator that sits in the corner on a timer. It's set to turn on around the same time as the lights and shuts off a little later after the lights go off.

It's kinda weird living in the basement suite, as I often find it colder in the summer than it is in the winter. I've been hoping that doesn't confuse my plants as I have longer "days" in the summer for them than I do in winter.

Welcome back Cody, it's great to have you back! I enjoyed reading about your closet collection back when you started.

Yes! I remember the closet setup now that you mention it!

Hello Cody! I remember you well!:)
Welcome back.

Great to hear from you again!
I am looking forward to seeing the bloom of your Cattleya. :)

Welcome back, Cody! You were missed.