Santa Barbara Orchid Estate?

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by help

i saw that thanks

Don't thank me when you don't mean it.

Thank me when you start seeing what I'm talking about.

[Call_Me_Bob]

i read everything, but im new and worried. but i do see leaf growth. and, i am truly thankful

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by help

i read everything, but im new and worried. but i do see leaf growth. and, i am truly thankful

Good.

Now worry less, and be more observant.

Buy yourself a Zygopetalum mackayi or a Masdevallia infracta as a reward for being patient.

[Call_Me_Bob]

never tried either of those. they seem very intimidating to me. the laelia is my first plant other than a phal. but i have others now

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by help

never tried either of those. they seem very intimidating to me. the laelia is my first plant other than a phal. but i have others now

You'll do fine. Learn. That's all you can do.

Even people with extensive experience mess up for some reason or another. No one's perfect. Get perfection out of your head, it's not reality.

Situations will usually not be perfect.

Zygopetalum mackayi is more challenging than L. anceps, but it's not the hardest orchid you can grow.

You're allowing your mind to wander too much. Get a more challenging plant that's not that difficult to grow to keep your mind off of distractions.

As for the Phals, look at pictures of them in the wild and research their habitats extensively. Use your head, and ask yourself how your cultural techniques and growing environment is the same or different from what you see or read about.

Phals are not quite the beginner's orchids that they've been marketed to be (in my opinion). I generally don't like recommending Phals to people who've never grown an orchid in their life.

So you've jacked up and killed a few Phals...

Who hasn't?

[Call_Me_Bob]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

You'll do fine. Learn. That's all you can do.

Even people with extensive experience mess up for some reason or another. No one's perfect. Get perfection out of your head, it's not reality.

Situations will usually not be perfect.

Zygopetalum mackayi is more challenging than L. anceps, but it's not the hardest orchid you can grow. You're allowing your mind to wander too much. Get a more challenging plant that's not that difficult to grow to keep your mind off of distractions.

As for the Phals, look at pictures of them in the wild and research their habitats extensively. Use your head, and ask yourself how your cultural techniques and growing environment is the same or different from what you see or read about.

Phals are not quite the beginner's orchids that they've been marketed to be (in my opinion). I generally don't like recommending Phals to people who've never grown an orchid in their life.

i agree with your thought of phals. i have done lots of research and have done pretty well with them. thats why i thought it would be a okay idea to try something else

i like to take it slow. plus i am at a lack of money right now. i just ordered from 3 different places adn will be getting a lot of new 'chids. i will be getting a phal. I-Hsin sunflower, reed stem epidendrum, and a den keiki epidendrum keiki, and some cactus thing, from someone here on the forum ( i guess that would be 'ordered" )

[SP2340]

I won't buy from them again. They charged me $25 for a maxillaria tenuifolia and when it showed up it only had five pseudobulbs. I do like their selection but I don't like getting raped on prices.