introducing myself
 

:hello New member from western Pa. I have phals that were all purchased from big box stores so are not named hybrids. I grow them on heat mats and under T5 lights. They are put outside in summer.I know I will learn much useful info from this forum. My first orchid was a gift 3 years ago and is still hanging in there. I watch lots of youtube videos on orchid care with conflicting advice so it is confusing. Currently have 10 full size and 2 mini phals. I grow mostly in bark with a little sphagnum mixed in and also top-dress with the moss. Gardening is my passion but have a couple disabilities now that don't allow me to do much outside work. I am getting back into growing house plants to keep my thumb green ! :D

Hello and welcome to the board! I too started my obsession with a gift orchid, still growing! You will find a lot of helpful information available here, many threads on phals. Sounds like you are making your plants happy! After you have made 5 posts you can post pictures of your plants. Simply reply to a few posts and you’ll have your 5. We all enjoy pictures!

here goes :greenthumb:

Hi again, Even! I think there are lots of us that started out with big-box phals. Nice to have you here.

Welcome to the OB!

You'll find differences of opinion here just as you did on YouTube. A part of that is differing growing conditions such as humidity and planting medium. Still, you'll also find a lot of "old wives' tales" which reality contradicts. The trick is in separating fact from fiction.

:welcomeflowers: From another member who got started in orchids a few years ago thanks to a gift of a phal. They are addicting!

Welcome to the board.

Welcome to orchidboard! :welcomeflowers:

Like most people I also started with some big box store Phals. And then it morphed into an uncontrolable obsession.

Yes, there is lots of contradictory information out there. Some is just plain wrong, but a lot of it true, but so much depends on your cultural conditions and care habits! There are some basic, general advice which should help most novice growers keep their first plants alive. Then, as you get experience with orchids, you experiment and see what works best for you, which leads to tons of conflicting advice when you ask people for an opinion! That's why, when you ask questions here, try to give as much detail as you can, and you usually get answers that should more or less work for your situation.

Welcome to the Orchid Board!