How do you keep/have all those Orchids!?

[cbuchman]

Lotis146, Tolumnias are good with a lot of light Just move them into higher light slowly so they don't burn. You can also hang your Tolumnias to make even more space, They like the extra air movement (remember, they need to dry out fast!).

Acclimate your Phals too. Maybe place them a little distance from the window. Watch them closely for red leaves or sunburn in case it is too much sun. Usually East is good as the morning sun isn't too strong. If you find it is too much sun, use a sheer curtain

[RandomGemini]

What kind of light do Tolumnias need? I have a southeast facing window that is looking for something to occupy it and I would love to try these.

[Leafmite]

I have two other passiflora. I just bought a purple possum last fall and have another labled as a maypop. This one was started from seed and in the fifteen or more years I have grown it, it has never bloomed...and it grows so huge!
Sorry to hear you don't have yours but I understand. I have yet to taste passionfruit as they are never sold here. The 'maypop' just produces plenty of fragrant flowers so I am hoping to finally try the fruit someday.

[Vanda lover]

Originally Posted by RandomGemini

What kind of light do Tolumnias need? I have a southeast facing window that is looking for something to occupy it and I would love to try these.

A Southeast window should be fine for tolumnia.

---------- Post added at 03:17 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:15 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Leafmite

I have two other passiflora. I just bought a purple possum last fall and have another labled as a maypop. This one was started from seed and in the fifteen or more years I have grown it, it has never bloomed...and it grows so huge!
Sorry to hear you don't have yours but I understand. I have yet to taste passionfruit as they are never sold here. The 'maypop' just produces plenty of fragrant flowers so I am hoping to finally try the fruit someday.

I grew the one I had from seed. At 2 years old it produce 3 fruits and at 3 years it produce 4. They were delicious, but they just take up too much space that I need for my cyms.

[Subrosa]

Originally Posted by lotis146

Wow, I would love to have a greenhouse. At the moment I'm just don't think that a real greenhouse is feasible for me. I spend my time between MI & IL. I think if I were to have Orchids in both places I could only have Orchids that can stand dryer conditions in one place. I'm afraid they'd get neglected and not watered more than once a week in one place. But I guess that's where I could use more moss as a medium. That would be awesome.

I'm already starting to see how time could be an issue because I always want to stare at them or mess with them! My soon to be home-office has my large birds in there and I plan to put Orchids, maybe one of those small zip up greenhouses for non-flowering plants but I worry that the Cockatoo will get out and destroy it! (He's like that.) I see that the more you get the more it comes together for you. Having non-flowering plants makes you want blooms bad but I don't want to just ditch them when they don't flower! So now I see the function of one of those little zip-up plastic things. Then I can put all the flowering ones around!!!

So you've made me count now...currently 9, 3 on the way, and possibly a micro-mini 4th. I too want to get several minis as I figure I could fit 3 or 4 on my kitchen windowsill. However it is east facing and get direct light for some hours in the morning. Is that okay for Tolumnia equitant & Phal? Most mine are east facing now but away from the window so the angle is different than if I put these minis right up against the window.

I think I'll probably wind up with 20 by summer then I'll be able to hold off buying because I'll have my outdoor landscaping project in action.

Bet on your Cockatoo tearing them up! My Caique was out of his cage and I left the room for about 15 min. Came back in and 6 different plants had chunks out of them, one is probably terminal.

[RandomGemini]

Oh, hadn't seen that part about the birds. I would put the orchids in a room where your birds are not when they are unsupervised. They are very attracted to these plants.

All though, with a cockatoo, how much spare time do you really have? They're much worse attention hounds than my dogs... and also amazing creatures. I hope you'll post some pics in the pet talk section!

[Daethen]

I am right in the heart of where the polar vortex decided to vacation this winter. I put up a small greenhouse last fall. Got a cheap kit from Harbor Freight and then double walled it with 4x8 sheets of glass. Didn't take all that much energy to heat it. Used an electric heater. Lots of shelves inside and some lights to compensate for dark days and into the evening. I have about 100 orchids (many of them very young plants) in there and some other house plants. They are in heaven!! And when it was 30 below zero, I was in heaven in there as well. It was getting up to 100 in there in Jan. when the sun was out.

[lotis146]

Originally Posted by RandomGemini

Oh, hadn't seen that part about the birds. I would put the orchids in a room where your birds are not when they are unsupervised. They are very attracted to these plants.

All though, with a cockatoo, how much spare time do you really have? They're much worse attention hounds than my dogs... and also amazing creatures. I hope you'll post some pics in the pet talk section!

The birds are out on a stand with me when I'm home so they can be out when I'm messing with the plants, except when I'm using clippers. Something about them and scissors drives my 'Too crazy. Funny how it would just seem the best to have a conservatory with my birds free-flying in it, oh so tropically...I'd have to replace plants ALL THE TIME! But if I did have a green house it would be cool to have a stand for them in there to bring them with me. Some day maybe...

Originally Posted by Subrosa

Bet on your Cockatoo tearing them up! My Caique was out of his cage and I left the room for about 15 min. Came back in and 6 different plants had chunks out of them, one is probably terminal.

I feel your pain! He's gotten a few of the flowers when I turned my back before. They're like kids, if it's interesting it's in his beak! I'd have to put some kind of cage around the greenhouse to keep him away, but that'd probably just attract him even more! Lol.

I'll post pictures when I get a chance.

And Carrie,
Thanks for that advice! So glad I've got that extra spot!

[jeremyinsf]

I have about 245 right now, in a few different areas. All my Masdevallia's are outdoors on a covered porch and it is easy to take care of them very quickly. I have a bedroom dedicated to plants that is the "light rack room", and a lot of Paphs live there, on shelves, which in turn have plants sitting in nursery trays so I can take them to the bathroom for watering. There are about 15 plants that grow... in the shower. Then a set in my front bay windows, where most of the Psychopsis and Phrags grow.

I tend to water 'sections' at a time, and work my way around. I have too many plants and am currently culling when and where I can, mostly of the duplicates or where someone really wants something I have. I will still have -enough- when all is said and done.

[Ferns Daddy]

I'm up to 200 orchids,I'm running out of room for them but I seem to find a little more space by moving more of my larger tropical plants to the basement, I'm retired so I have time to spend caring for my orchids and other plants, some times I over spend on them but it keeps me happy and out of trouble.