How did you get started in this hobby? - Orchid Board

nikkik · #1 10-24-2013, 09:51 AM

I think it is so interesting to see such a wide variety of orchid growers on this board. We all come from such different walks of life with one common interest...ORCHIDS. So how did you get started growing orchids and what kept your interest in them?

For me, it started with an oncidium from TJs. I was never a "plant person", but in an attempt to make our first place a home, I wanted a centerpiece for our table, but I don't really like artificial plants, so I bought a cheap orchid. I never thought this would be a gateway to an addiction without a cure!! This orchid sat on the table and my husband would drench the pot with water, when I would notice the orchid drowning in its pot, I would dump it out, but I never watered it. It was a team effort too much water or no water at all!! This pattern went on for six months, until, to our surprise, it rebloomed!!

And then my interest peaked. I started looking up orchids and a wonderful world opened up to me. I loved that there were so many species and if you add hybrids your choices are endless!! I like that I can be creative in my potting techniques, the bonus to me was there was no dirt involved!! I also love that orchids don't just bloom, you have to earn your blooms, I like that challenge and that's what keeps me interested.

I still don't consider myself a "plant person", in fact the only other plants in my house are a couple of air plants and a blood orange tree, but I do consider myself an "orchid person". Ten years ago, I never would have believed you if you told me I would have over 100 orchids. My list keep getting bigger, as I realize that my house is equipped to grow cool, intermediate and warm growers. Lol!!

Thanks for reading this long winded post! I can't wait to read about your start into the world of orchid growing!

Paphluvr · #2 10-24-2013, 10:08 AM

A friend of mine owned a tobacco shop in a mini-mall and one day someone had orchids in the window of a shop across the way. I asked my friend who the flowers belonged to. He told me they belonged to the owner of another shop in the mall, and took me down to meet him.

The owner invited me to visit his greenhouse and while there, showed me how to re-pot. I didn't know while he was doing the re-potting that he was re-potting divisions to give me. He gave me three plants to try and I've been growing orchids ever since (40+ years).

TOMMYMIAMI · #3 10-24-2013, 11:32 AM

Loooong time ago, back in Czech Republic, I took summer job in nursery. They had greenhouse with orchids, and I was fascinated by them. I got from them my very first orchid, green Cymbidium.And that was it, I was hooked, but we really did not have many chances back than in Czech, plus orchids were extremely expensive;-) So when I moved to Florida 11 years ago, to the zone I can grow outside year round - you can imagine the rest:-)))

RandomGemini · #4 10-24-2013, 11:33 AM

I blame my daughter. She saved a beautiful white orchid from rotting to death at a home store last winter and started collecting orchids. When we realized that she was graduating high school and would soon be heading off to college and that she might not be able to take a dozen orchids to the dorms, I decided I would figure out how to keep her plants alive, so she purchased my "experimental orchid" for me for my birthday.

I wasn't sure about this whole orchid thing, until I saw mini phals... then I was hooked.

sbrofio · #5 10-24-2013, 03:41 PM

I've always been surrounded by plants: I lived in a small village (5000 people) and had a garden where play and have fun. We got mediterranean climate (about 13/14°C wet minimum winter, 45/46°C maximum summer very dry), so I spent all my childhood outside. I start growing cactus when I was 6, because my uncle had a collection and gave me some little plants. First orchid was a purple phalaenopsis when I was 9, but too much dry and the phal dried quickly. at 10 I found a pic of the Schombocattleya Bordighera in a book...my friends, THAT's been love at first sight!!!!! I bought it (2 plants!) last year, after 20 years!!!! In the while, I moved to a big city: lost the garden and good climate, but earnt in easy-access to orchid resources and, of course, forums!!

Ordphien · #6 10-24-2013, 05:39 PM

I was always into plants. But never gave orchids much thought.

One day.... during my teenage years. I don't remember when...
My neighbor gave me an orchid.

She worked at Trader Joe's and apparently they just threw out their unsold orchids that stopped flowering.

She gave me "the liveliest one in the bin". Which meant two desiccated roots and two leathery leaves. And a tag, that said phal amabilis
I was very skeptical.
I googled basic care. Determined there was too much information and that it was complicated.
I find the most basic care sheet possible and followed it.
I bought one of those nice glazed orchid pots, a bag of orchid mix, set it in my kitchen window, and watered once a week.
It just sat there for a long while. Then it grew leaves! And roots! And when winter came it bloomed! Seeing those flowers pop up made me realise, it was rewarding, and beautiful, and remarkably easy. It's bloomed every year since.
That confidence led to me purchasing 4 more phals for the house. All of which bloom regularly for me.
Which of course led me to here, and purchasing other kinds of orchids. It's year one with most of them, and I'm learning alot.
Like... I'm a chronic under waterer. And oncidiums hate me. But cattleyas love me...

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nikkik · #7 10-24-2013, 06:22 PM

I love reading all of your stories! And it's true that there is definitely a place for big box store orchids, as it seems that's how a lot of us got here! Lol!!!

---------- Post added at 06:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:19 PM ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paphluvr

The owner invited me to visit his greenhouse and while there, showed me how to re-pot. I didn't know while he was doing the re-potting that he was re-potting divisions to give me. He gave me three plants to try and I've been growing orchids ever since (40+ years).

What a great surprise that must have been! I love your story, as I can never get enough of hearing about the kind acts of others!

Joseia · #8 10-25-2013, 07:20 PM

Great stories! My sister-in-law gave my wife a noid phal as a birthday gift September of 2012, and that was all it took to get me hooked. I've always enjoyed taking care of houseplants, but orchids were new. Up to 18 orchids now, and every time my wife comments on the growing collection, I tell her it's her own sister's fault!

nikkik · #9 10-25-2013, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joseia

Up to 18 orchids now, and every time my wife comments on the growing collection, I tell her it's her own sister's fault!

I love this!!! How nice to be able to blame your addiction on the in-laws!!

dounoharm · #10 10-26-2013, 09:56 AM

I always loved plants and gardening...I went to horticultural school because of that, and loved the art of growing in the school greenhouse were a few sad cattleyas, and one phal...no one seemed to know or care about them. I brought the phal home to my homemade greenhouse of the time and put it on an old red handm ade clay brick I had laying there, and forgot it for a few weeks...then I got around to messing with it, and dang, the thing had rooted to the brick! roots all over it!!! I thought that was real neat and did a little reading on the subject of orchids and was therafter hooked....love my orchids! that was about 40 years ago....