An Introduction to the Forum - Orchid Board

rtbaum · #1 03-12-2017, 06:56 PM

I am somewhat a noob to Phal culture. My wife works at an assisted care facility. It seems that relatives will bring their loved ones orchids to brighten up their rooms. Once they have flowered, they are discarded. My wife intercepts them and brings them home to my care. I have learned enough that I immediately remove them from the "pots of death", repot them in proper media, and watch them recover over humidity tray. I've lost a few, but most have recovered nicely. It seems that my south window receives just the right amount of filtered light for them to flourish. I know south windows are bad, but in my case the heavy tree cover allows them at most 2 hours of sun. I have somewhere in the vicinity of 20 fairly healthy phals now.

I now enter a new phase in my life. My brother is facing stage 4 lymphoma and I have relocated to Davenport Iowa to help him. In an attempt to brighten up his environment, I brought 4 of my plants down with me. They are now in his room....again in a south window and are showing some stress from the relocation. The one that was in bloom, has suffered bud blast. I'm not terribly concerned, as I am confident that is a temporary setback.

Now it gets interesting, my brother is/has been a long time herp-freak. The animals have been relocated to home where they can properly cared for..and I have access to many uninhabited tanks. Everything from 12"x12" to 36"x36" exoterras to 110 gal long tanks. I am thinking that I will rehab the orchids in one or more tanks. I have access to his old lighting fixtures, misters, foggers. I will likely need to pick up a few computer fans and I should be good to go. I feel like a kid in candy-land.

Any advice going forward? I do plan on removing them from pots and mounting them on slabs or old decor from the herps.

estación seca · #2 03-12-2017, 07:19 PM

That's so wonderful of you, to take care of your brother.

Hybrid Phals don't need to be in those tanks. I wouldn't think it worth all the extra trouble. Save the tanks for things that don't grow well in a standard home setting - later.

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rtbaum · #3 03-12-2017, 07:49 PM

It is a little dry in this house, I feel that they would appreciate increased humidity and certainly they gotta get out of the sun, I feel that my best option is under artificial light and what the heck...I can get some experience at terrarium growing for some micros....I am currently reading through that particular sub-forum, I as far back as page 20, I'm kind of liking Tindomul's and Marty's setups

estación seca · #4 03-12-2017, 07:52 PM

Well, since every spot is different... just jump in. They were destined for the great ash heap of history, anyway. jkofferdahl grows a lot of mounted Phals. Look up his messages and you can see how he does it.

jkofferdahl · #5 03-12-2017, 08:03 PM

That you've taken time from your own life to care for your brother speaks worlds of you. I don't know of many people who would make such a personal sacrifice.

You could mount the Phals and set up terrarium grow areas, but as ES pointed out, in the case of Phals it's overkill. If ever there's been an orchid custom-designed to grow in less-than-ideal in-home conditions then it's a Phalaenopsis hybrid. In the case of Phals, the time and expense of setting them up wouldn't provide enough extra for them. I have a number of mounted Phals growing in my kitchen window, by the way, so even if you choose not to use the tanks for them you could still consider mounting them.

Which, of course, isn't to say that the tanks are useless. As ES implied, there are a lot of really cool, interesting, and exciting orchids that would be a lot of fun to grow in them. I have a 2.5 x 3.5 foot area set up for miniatures; while it's not in a tank or enlosure, the room it is in is highly humidified. I'd personally love to get my hands on a big tank like yours!

rtbaum · #6 03-12-2017, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkofferdahl

That you've taken time from your own life to care for your brother speaks worlds of you. I don't know of many people who would make such a personal sacrifice.

You could mount the Phals and set up terrarium grow areas, but as ES pointed out, in the case of Phals it's overkill. If ever there's been an orchid custom-designed to grow in less-than-ideal in-home conditions then it's a Phalaenopsis hybrid. In the case of Phals, the time and expense of setting them up wouldn't provide enough extra for them. I have a number of mounted Phals growing in my kitchen window, by the way, so even if you choose not to use the tanks for them you could still consider mounting them.

Which, of course, isn't to say that the tanks are useless. As ES implied, there are a lot of really cool, interesting, and exciting orchids that would be a lot of fun to grow in them. I have a 2.5 x 3.5 foot area set up for miniatures; while it's not in a tank or enlosure, the room it is in is highly humidified. I'd personally love to get my hands on a big tank like yours!

While I entertain the idea of having an orchidarium that size, the thought of transporting it and getting it in the house gives me pause....damn thing weighs about 90#. I'm not sure my wife and I could do it. He does have a nice corner exoterra and a couple 24x24's that hold sme appeal. I do plan on growing micro's, though. That bug has bit hard. I am fortunate in that Orchids, Limited is 20 minute drive.

I am in trouble though, big orchid show in Davenport this weekend

estación seca · #7 03-12-2017, 09:10 PM

Remember the only two ways to move them once installed:

- empty completely

- set it, right from the start, on two very sturdy boards, or a piece of very strong plywood, extending well past the terrarium on two sides, strong enough to support the whole thing when two or more people lift the boards or plywood.

The plywood is much less likely to lead to disaster.

rtbaum · #8 03-12-2017, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by estación seca

Remember the only two ways to move them once installed:

- empty completely

- set it, right from the start, on two very sturdy boards, or a piece of very strong plywood, extending well past the terrarium on two sides, strong enough to support the whole thing when two or more people lift the boards or plywood.

The plywood is much less likely to lead to disaster.

Excellent advice, Thank you

You got me thinking...I could build a platform in the bed of back of my Mazda CX-5 to enable sliding the big boy, mounted on plywood, in and out and carry it that way. Once home, we would be able to carry it inside and set it up in its permanent location.