Orchiata is good stuff!

Jim, you are famous!!

I had two orchids in WI, but gifted them to a friend when we moved because I didn't really have the room to transport them. I lasted about a month before I had to have at least one in my house (I am trying to rehab my MIL's orchid (a Phal, NoID) but it will take some time. It was bone dry. Here is the little pretty I actually got at Walmart of all places. I repotted it immediately because the moss it was in looked gross and it seemed packed too tightly to really thrive.



I've only been working with orchids since September (I bought one in August but accidentally overwatered because I hadn't done enough research and it rotted ) but I really love them. Where are you all acquiring these beauties? I'm pretty much only encountering Phals.

Amber, welcome to the orchid forum. If you are looking for orchids and orchid information, join your local orchid club. Lots of folks buy orchids on-line but first you should get a feeling as to the genera that do well in your area and the local orchid club folks can give you that information. You also need to do an assessment of the environment you will be able to provide for them. Research first, buy later is good advise.

Jim

hawkarica said:Amber, welcome to the orchid forum. If you are looking for orchids and orchid information, join your local orchid club. Lots of folks buy orchids on-line but first you should get a feeling as to the genera that do well in your area and the local orchid club folks can give you that information. You also need to do an assessment of the environment you will be able to provide for them. Research first, buy later is good advise.

Jim

That's a good call. I can be a little shy in social situations, but having worked from home the last 4 years I could probably use a push. I'll have to see if there is one near me! If not, I will talk to a grower if possible to see their recommendations.

Good plan, Amber.

Jim

What's a "local orchid club", Jim?

I think Jim forgets that not everybody lives on a coast. We have 4 (I think)orchid societies in my tiny little county (34mi. X 32mi.). Newport Harbor is the big one that sponsors shows, but there is also Orange County, species, and cool growing societies.

On the other hand, Amber has Ursula our esteemed Moderator and Orchid Guru living quite near her geographically. Ursula has mentioned several wonderful orchid sources in her posts here.

Now, I'm re-thinking that because of course NY is a big state, and Ursula is in NJ but, at least the available sunlight, humidity and winter low temps may be similar. Amber, are you near the coast, or upstate?

The orchids you see at the big box stores, in grocery stores and Wal-Mart are usually Phals and sadly they are more or less mass-produced and potted the way yours was so that they will survive shipping out to the stores. They are (imho) meant to be disposable, i.e. kept until blooming finishes then thrown away. It's truly a shame and a waste of resources to take a plant that took 2 or 3 years to grow to blooming size, keep it for 2 months then throw it away. So, I must admit I've been wooed to the dark side and bought 'rescues' off the death rack at Lowe's more than once. I have a collection of these orphans and most of them have re-bloomed at least once for me. (Home Depot here sends their orchids back to the growers rather than mark them down, darn it)

But as Jim says, if you are beginning to want more orchids and different types, most of us buy online, at shows or (if you live near growers as Jim and I do) direct from the growers.

Another way to see many local growers, amazing orchids and feed your new addiction is to go to an orchid show in your area. I just did a quick search, and there's one on Long Island at the end of the month. Be aware that buying orchids in bloom at a show can be pretty pricey.
http://www.longislandorchidsoc...

And then, there's little ole me.

Ken, I am going to the Memphis Show this month! At the Goldsmith Garden Center as always the weekend after Mother's Day.

http://www.orchidmall.com/soci...
http://www.orchidmall.com/plan...
The Orchid Mall lists the Orchid Societies and Vendors, but you would have to go through the lists and see who is near you.
If one subscribes to Orchid Digest, the magazine of the AOS, there is always a list of what is happening regarding Orchid shows, which would be my favorite way of buying Orchids, at shows. And many Vendors have their annual Open House, around here usually in Winter.
Here is the link to the AOS, note the link to the Orchid source directory on the upper right.
http://aos.org/default.aspx?id...
that link might be easier to use than the Orchid Mall?

Ken, of course I'd recommend you as an online source for orchids but we were thinking more of local sources for Amber to look at. The goal is to get her started with the types of orchids that do well for people in New York.

You can grow almost anything in northern climes indoors, so the big issue is for you to see orchids in bloom and fall in love.

Even in my southern climate, everything must come in from October until April.

I have a new one open today, my B.David Sander X Rhynch. digbyana with two nice spikes. I think the flowers look a lot more like B. Richard Mueller but I'm not complaining. I just love this style of flower.


and an encore for C. gaskelliana var. coerulea 2 in the evening light. More white now, not so blue but my it does smell nice.

Pretty!!

I just found this first-time bloomer. I have five of these plants and this is the first to bloom. The flower is approximately 3" in diameter and though the literature says this will be a fragrant flower, I notice only the faintest of fragrance now. It opened up overnight. It is the Pot. Inspiration 'Coral'.

It's lovely, Ken. The fragrance will develop as the flower matures.