Bad habits and what have you learned this year?????

[cbuchman]

Some lesson’s learned for me….
1. Do not over pot. When in doubt use a smaller pot.
2. Trader Joe’s is a great source for inexpensive orchids. Look carefully through all the Phals and you can find the Miltonia, Zygo., Oncidium, etc. at bargain prices.
3. Check each newly acquired plant for bugs and decomposing medium. Repot as needed (see item 1).
4. When summering outdoors (as I do), watch for too much rain such that the pots don’t dry out for weeks on end, and water in the crowns after every rain. I lost about 12 orchids from the rainy summer of 2011 – they just completely rotted out. I’m nursing about 8 or so back to health and it is a slow process.
5. Feed your orchids and you will be rewarded

[silken]

This is a fun thread!
Some of my bad habits and what I learned are:
1. I keep buying more plants, even tho I know I have too many and am out of space, which cannot expand. My hubby says more is fine until it is a chore and not fun any more-good philosophy. But we spend a lot of our summers at the lake and I sit there worrying about my chids!
2. I used to over water and lost many, especially Catts to root rot. I think I have that under control now.
3. I used to add sphag to the bark with my Cattleyas and now know that it doesn't work for me. Pure bark and less watering has made a huge improvement.
4. I am impatient and its hard to wait for those seedlings to bloom so I shouldn't buy so many young plants. Often its the only type available tho.
5. I used to give my Paphs and Phrags tap water and when I switched to rain water it was the best thing. All my orchids now get rain water most of the time.
6. Never, never believe that just because you know someone and the plant looks clean when they give it to you or you buy it, that it is free of pests. I have been burned several times like this with scale and I now know, the plant MUST be isolated as scale can take a long time to re-appear if the plant was cleaned up just prior to me acquiring it. Cody-this isn't you I am referring to!
7. I have learned the value of using seaweed on my orchids. I really think I am seeing some improved root growth and plant vigor after using it for a few months!
8. And lastly, I should quit inspecting my in bud plants so much as I have managed to snap off a few buds because of it!

[james mickelso]

One thing I learned long ago is that photographing in natural light isn't always the bestlight. It depends on a lot of things. Shooting in the shadows with nothing but skylight makes everything take on the blue color of the open sky. Shading the lens with your hand or something will give you good color and eliminate flair from your image. Bouncing color into an image can create better color or change the color that is there. Many things make a great image. Learning a few simple tricks can make you a great flower photographer. (of course I never follow my own advice and just shoot from the hip).

[cythaenopsis]

Originally Posted by cbuchman

2. Trader Joe’s is a great source for inexpensive orchids. Look carefully through all the Phals and you can find the Miltonia, Zygo., Oncidium, etc. at bargain prices.

Absolutely! I was just there yesterday and surprised to find excellent varieties outside of the super common phalaenopsis, at unbeatable prices ($12.99). Definitely worth calling up some in your local area to see what they have in stock.

[Orchidreamer]

I learned DO NOT buy orchids that you can't grow properly in your environment. In the past I was too ambitious and I bought certain orchids that weren't suited for my growing conditions, simply because I fell in love with them. And they died. Waste of $, time, not to mention the heartaches I have to go through.

[Paul Mc]

AMEN!!!!!!! I used to buy so many only to find I couldn't fife them the culture they needed! Did I stop? Yes, with the ones I learned the hard way from. But I do my due diligence now before I buy!

The OB is awesome! Ive learned do much here, and picked up GOOD habits here, lol...
L

[sthh]

Bad habit, must learn to let the plant grow at plant's pace, and stop smothering them with attention, and feed and water them to death.

[fixthepain]

Don't believe everything you read on the internet. I read just about everywhere that when you re-pot, you should put the orchid in a pot that large enough that it has room to grow for 2 or 3 more years. As a result, I had a hard time getting my re-potted orchids to take root because they kept wobbling or tipping over, even when staked. Orchids love to be root bound. 'So what' if it leaps over the side of the pot?! It's happy, it's got a good root system, and it's blooming, right?! But when the time comes that your orchid is outside of the pot more than it's inside of the pot, and about to get up on it's own feet and walk away, then perhaps a new pot is in order. But only plant it in a pot that it barely fits inside of and won't float and wobble around every time you water it. PACK the bark down around the edges tightly with a stick so the bark chips intertwine with each other making the plant is secure and it probably won't need staking! I was always afraid I'd wreck the roots during the packing process, but the orchids seem to like that 'secure' feeling, and are doing well! Thanks for the great tips & advice from Clint Larsen at Orchid Dynasty in Utah!