green thumb trying orchids

[funstarfish]

I have grown things ever since i could walk. I grow indoor plants and keep an outdoor garden every spring and summer. I have a couple bonsai trees, lots of flowering houseplants, things growing everywhere. now its time to try my hand at orchids.
A friend brought over a Phal sp. the other day and now i must have more. I want to pick species that i desire. any recommendations on plants that can tolerate indoor conditions and may be terrestrial? i have much to learn on this plant and its care, but i think my hort experience in the past will help me identify needs and problems early on. thanks all and i hope to learn and share tons of info. thanks all

Starfish

[jerrymeola]

Phals are the most common indoor plant, although, they are not terrestrial.

Paphiopedilum (Lady Slippers) are closer to terrestrial and do well indoors. Check out the photo gallery for a variety of colors.

The most common true terrestrial is Ludesia discolor the jewel orchid.

Many of the Phiaus are low light and could be grown indoors without much supplemental light, but they can get large.

Everything can be grown indoors with supplemental lighting. It all depends on how hooked you get.

[evagentry]

Hello, and welcome, the magic phrase there is " it all depends on how hooked you get"!

[made4engineering]

Sobralia, Arundia, Pleione, Spiranthes, Bletia.... There are TONS of terrestrial orchids out there. I suggest searching the internet for them...

[fred]

hi Starfish
welcome to the forum
hehehe when you do get hooked there will be no room for the garden lol
hehehe orchids rule

[digitalgate]

man , i think you are going to burn a lot of money on them.

[pikevi]

Welcome to the forum, funstarfish.

[funstarfish]

so here are the 2 orchids. the white and purple spotted is a phal species i'd assume, and im just not sure about the other. neither was labeled, but the owner said his wife told him they were all phal species in the shop? eventually i want to grow all sorts of orchids though. i think given everything on hand i could create maybe 2 different micro climates in my house.

i already am aware at how hooked im going to get. I have been growing lots of things in coco lately and am trying to locate coco chips now to try out orchids in coco. i appreciate all the advice so far. i plan on thoroughly perusing these forums in the future.

again, ill be doing some research, but you guys speak of supplemental lighting... what are people using? we talking flouros like CFLs? and T5s or more like halides and HPS lighting? i have done indoor veggies once or twice and had reef aquariums so i have lights around... again, ill be researching it all. this is just fairly brand new to me. these types of forums are the best.

thanks again all, and i look forward to becoming part of this community.

[BunnytheOrchid]

Hi funstarfish! I hope you finds lots of good info here. The American Orchid Society website has a few culture sheets on orchids that might help you decide which ones are best to grow in your environment and you'd like the most.

American Orchid Society

Also, as for supplemental lighting, depending on your conditions and the orchids you have, you will not require supplemental lighting. Especially for phals, if that is what you have right now. They do not require strong light and many hours of it. Others on this forum will be able to help you more with lighting (I don't use anything but the good ol'sun ), but I can recommend you look at your natural lighting conditions and the species you have/want, and go from there. Good luck!!

[digitalgate]

i am using T5 moving to HPS plus MH. How much light you need? It depend on your budget.

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by digitalgate

How much light you need? It depend on your budget.

I'm afraid I disagree digitalgate. It depends on your plants, what the plants need. Many varieties of orchids can be grown in the home without any additional lighting. Ligting systems are not necessary for everyone.

[funstarfish]

i have most lighting around from other things, so it doesn't depend on the budget at all. thanks for the help all, these 2 plants i think are fine in the house for now.

[digitalgate]

you right, it depend on the context what we talking about. If he is going to growing
high light orchids then electricity bill will be his deciding factor, he he , he..

With the oil at $106 a barrel, i am going to cut my electricity bill as well. Putting more
plant outdoor (in the rain.. URghhh...)