Orchid Eccentricities and the Beginner - Orchid Board

Jehannette · #1 (**permalink**) 12-03-2008, 04:49 PM

A new story entry has been added:

Orchid Eccentricities and the Beginner

Quote:

am not an orchid expert by any stretch of the imagination. I can honestly say that I am passionate about growing them, but not an expert by any stretch of the imagination. I am good enough to get someone who is a complete neophyte started, and that is about it. But part of that mad orchid passion involves getting folks started. Let me explain.

I have several possibly eccentric behaviors attached to my orchid fascination. The first one is, I love to rescue orchids from the clearance sections of Home Depot, Lowes, and Wal-mart. Perhaps you have seen them there, lonely and pathetic. This stems from a Charley Brown-esque compassion for the underdog plant, (And the fact that I am limited by my pocketbook). There are good and bad facets to this, as I am thrilled when I finally get to see what color the orchid I have bought will be, and have been blessed with spectacular foliage and blooms from these orphans (Only one has never bloomed - a ya). I have also been saddened to be turned away by garden department managers who wouldn't reduce prices on a flat of orchids that are obviously on their way out, and in sore need of nursing.

The other behavior is, standing in the orchid section of the store, soaking in the beautiful flowers, and striking up conversations with other folks who wander over to do the same. You can tell the ones who have no luck with orchids, with their furtive vaguely embarrassed but envious glances. I have this thing where I like to encourage and coach those folks through the basics of taking one home and trying again. I live in Central Florida, so this isn

Jehannette · #2 (**permalink**) 12-03-2008, 04:51 PM

Hey Marty, I will add some pictures to this tonight, but I don't have em at the computer that I wrote this on.

THanks!

greenbean · #3 (**permalink**) 12-04-2008, 01:15 AM

Right on! I love rescuing orchids from the evil, heartless BB stores! (no offense to anyone who works at one!

) It's perfect for the orchid grower with a tight bugdet and a little patience! What you said about meeting fellow orchid addicts is great too. I met a lady at the local Lowe's who offered me a summer job in her greenhouse when I get home from college!

She saw me looking at the orchids on display and we just started talking. I can hardly wait!

Jehannette · #4 (**permalink**) 12-04-2008, 10:47 AM

Glad you liked it!

Aceetobe · #5 (**permalink**) 12-04-2008, 02:57 PM

Another strategy for the pocketbook deprived is to purchase a compot or flask. They are years away from being ready, but once they are established you can trade a ton with your OS members. You can get to the point in 2-3 years where orchid purchases are not necessary anymore, and you can accumulate simply by trading.

mlw · #6 (**permalink**) 12-18-2008, 07:37 PM

Thanks Jehannette--This is helpful and familiar. There seem to be quite a few of us who take home the left overs at big box stores and sometimes get lucky w/them. I wonder if this merits a thread or running discussion of methods, when to take them and when not, and what's really a bargain. Sometimes if there's no tag they won't (or don't have authority to) give you a break even on a clearly dying orchid.

Your cultivation sounds a lot like mine a bit further southwest I'm guessing. I've had better luck w/the dendrobiums since I added the moss on top as you describe, though I have to water or at least mist more often to keep the roots on top from drying out too much. I do find that I have to move mine around as the seasons change--we face east and west, and the tree I usually hang them in wasn't enough shade in August and I got burned spots not only on the Phals, but also the dendrobiums! The Oncidiums handled it ok, which is good since I can't move them as easily since they are growing in a hollow log. I tried under ever tree and hanging from everywhere I could reach to water but finally brought them in under the eaves of the house to avoid the strong sun, and then would try to put them back in the tree when it rained.

Mine aren't as gorgeous as some you see here--a few spikes at a time, but they don't take inordinate amounts of time and work which I just don't have many weeks. We'll see--I've only been back at this about a year now.

dabblin-n-orchids · #7 (**permalink**) 01-19-2009, 01:08 AM

I'm new to the forum and I too feel i am on a one man mission to save dying and neglected orchids from stores such as lowes etc. thus i have a ragtag collection of unnamed undoubtedly rejected hybrids. My favorite is a phal that, after much "research" (aka looking through orchid books and catalogs), I believe to be Ahmbo Buddha, but who knows

when I bought it it had one sad little leaf with a few patches of rot, but with a whole lotta TLC and a liberal dose of luck I resuscitated it and to my delight IT BLOOMED then a few months later the spike branched and it's about to bloom again! the foliage still hasn't fully recovered and tends to be long narrow and drooping but I have confidence in it.
I recently acquired an Encyclia rufa whose pseudobulbs were badly shriveled (they have since plumped up) This may sound dumb but the leaves have black irregularly shaped pits mostly on the bottom of the leaves but there are a few on the top. That's viral damage isn't it? if so is there anything I can do about it? I have isolated it and thoroughly checked it for pests and parasites. but I was wondering if there was anything else I could do?

greenbean · #8 (**permalink**) 01-19-2009, 01:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aceetobe

Another strategy for the pocketbook deprived is to purchase a compot or flask. They are years away from being ready, but once they are established you can trade a ton with your OS members. You can get to the point in 2-3 years where orchid purchases are not necessary anymore, and you can accumulate simply by trading.

That is great advice! I hadn't thought of that. When I hear the word "flask" I cringe at how little space I have, but compots don't have nearly as many plants. That might be an option for me. Then I'd just need to find people to trade with. I really only know one local orchid grower and the nearest OS meetings are 2 hours away in the noisy, crowded city of Seattle (What can I say, I'm a country boy.)

Hmmm, time to start networking!

lostonthebeach · #9 (**permalink**) 01-19-2009, 08:49 PM

A fun article. I enjoyed reading it. Thanks!

CoolPhrog · #10 (**permalink**) 01-19-2009, 09:45 PM

I agree with everything you said! I only wish that I had started that way...then I wouldn't slaughtered so many of the poor little things!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenbean

Right on! I love rescuing orchids from the evil, heartless BB stores! (no offense to anyone who works at one!

) It's perfect for the orchid grower with a tight bugdet and a little patience! What you said about meeting fellow orchid addicts is great too. I met a lady at the local Lowe's who offered me a summer job in her greenhouse when I get home from college!

She saw me looking at the orchids on display and we just started talking. I can hardly wait!

This is really very cool, greenbean! Good for you!!!!