Hello from Norfolk, Virginia!
 

Hello everyone!

I'm new here and a new orchid grower! I am a student of Marine Biology at Old Dominion University. My love affair with orchids started as a child. My mother was from the Philippines and Orchids were one of her favorites so we had many around the house growing up. After she passed, my dad donated her orchids to the Orchid Conservatory at ODU. This spurred me to buy my first (a yellow phal) a couple years later while visiting a friend in Florida. I brought it home to Virginia cradling it in my arms on the plane ride haha. I have had her for 3 or 4 years, and since then she has given me a keiki! I also bought 2 more (pink) phals along the years.

I'm up to 4 phals but am looking to expand my collection! Any advice you can provide a novice grower like me would be much appreciated!

Happy growing!
Natalie

Welcome to the Orchid Board! We look forward to hearing about your plants.

:hello Welcome to Orchid Board. You'll soon have a lot more orchids and different types if you hang around here for awhile :) Read posts from the different orchid genus categories on the board here and this is a link to AOS culture tips for many different types of orchids. AOS Culture Sheets It's good to know what you can provide good conditions for and then you can expand your horizons.

Welcome to Orchid Board :welcome:

Welcome from a fellow Tidewater resident!

Welcome to OrchidBoard :)

:welcomeflowers:

Welcome! I used to live near Hampton Blvd. and Little Creek Rd. (Years ago before the ODU orchid collection).

Welcome to the board. Tell us what other kinds of orchids are you may be interested in other then Phals.

Thank you all for the warm welcome!

Silken, great tips thank you!

Orchidgirl83, do you know of any reputable nurseries in the area? I was thinking I would visit Smithfield orchid and nature co. They don't have a website so I thought I'd just go for it. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! I found several in the Richmond and Northern VA area but I'd like to buy from someone in my community, or as close as I can get.

Chris17, if you're ever in the area again, you must stop by ODU and check out the conservatory, it's breathtaking!

Cntry, I would love to get my hands on some sympodials I love the way the pseudobulbs grow horizontally! And I'm really after some fragrant orchids- I've read oncidiums and brassavolas have a lovely fragrance and of course being that I am an avid baker my dream is to have any type of vanilla orchid! Paphs are also just lovely! Basically, if it's an orchid- I want it!

I look forward to learning a lot from you all, and again, thanks so much for the welcome- I feel at home already.