What lured you to Orchids

[jvasel]

Hello everyone. I'm new to this board and was kind of curious. What made all of you decide at one point, "Ya know, I'm gonna get some Orchids" I'm sure for most of you, this was a snowball effect type of hobby. So, what started the snowball for you?

For me, I had been getting into plant hunting and flower collecting. I eventually saw the 2002 movie Adaptation that features Polyrhizza Lindenii (Ghost orchid) as an almost character. This brought my attention to Orchids. Now, I have a Ghost on the way, should be here in a few days. So, what started it all for you?

[Ellen]

Many, many years ago I inherited a few floofy catt orphans from a colleague who retired and left his orchid collection behind. I put them in my office and they bloomed like crazy with virtually no care. I loved that, plus the fact that they didn't grow in dirt. I hate digging and dealing with *dirt*, so epiphytes are the ideal plants for me. I gradually added more orchids to my collection, but had to get rid of a lot of plants when I moved to the west coast. I got by just fine for years with a few phals and onciciums that I brought with me, but when I discovered that Trader Joe's sold orchids I suffered a relapse and my collection has since blossomed to several hundred (not all from TJ's!!). I am not only an orchid addict, I am also an enabler as you will see if you check out my website (on the "Buy, Sell, Trade" section of this forum). I look forward to hearing about how others have gotten into orchid growing.

[Orchid_lady]

What got me interested in orchids was their beauty.

[greg_s]

The first thing that hooked me was the form of a blooming phal.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

As a late teenager, I went with my father to a company that sold greenhouses and orchids too. I went thru their largish greenhouse with colorful orchids coming at you from all directions. Felt like being in a jungle. Orchiditis is contageous and can be caught by being surrounded by enough of the plants in bloom. Cynthia, Prescott, AZ

[Nantay]

I bought my first orchid in a supermarket,then rescued a couple from Walmart's care.After that I was hooked. I really must stay away from places that sell orchids,as I am running out of space,and what will I do when the ones I have continue growing?

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Hi Nantay. Until I get my permanent greenhouse in, I will be expanding to the basement under lights for the low light stuff, then going all high light in my temporary and much too small GH. Also, I divide every plant when it reaches dividable stage, and use very small pots. Where there is a will, there is a way. Cynthia, Prescott, AZ

[janet_a]

it's all my office manager's fault. in the middle of 2001, she went from ordering cut flowers for the reception desks to ordering potted phals. we'd get new ones every 6 weeks, and the out of bloom ones got stashed in her office. she'd give them to ppl who asked, otherwise they'd get tossed. i got two, a big floppy white and a lavender, both NOID's. it's been downhill ever since.

the good thing about it though was that these plants were free NOID's. i experimented with them, i fooled around with them, poked at them, tried different kinds of watering and bug sprays and repotting on them, all without the "ohmygod i'm going to kill it!" angst. they weren't gifts, with all the emotional baggage that entails; they didn't cost me anything, they weren't rare or in any way special. if they lived, they lived. if they died, they died. no biggie. i think this is the best way to start with these plants.

(i still have them both; the white has to be totally abused before it blooms, however. neither one spiked this spring, so i figured i'd just bring them back into the office as foliage plants. they read my mind, and are now both in short spike. )

[MrSarge]

I think the flowers caught my attention. And the sign that read 50% off all potted plants only to find out when I got home and checked my receipt that orchids must not be considered potted plants.

So I paid full price and the flowers fell off a few weeks after getting it home, however, I kept working with it and I think some flowers could be trying to make an appearance in the next few months.

[mayres]

My mother received a white phal from my sister and I would go over to her place approximately 1-2 times per week and it seemed that every time I went over that plant was more beautiful than the time before! Weeks soon turned into months - over three months later it is STILL blooming gorgeous! Yowser! Now "this" is something I think I could get interested in, I tell myself! Now how do you stop??? :-)

[janet_a]

Originally Posted by mayres

Now how do you stop??? :-)

-sigh- THAT is the question.....

[nephthyswa]

I think there's a sort of mystery and awe surrounding orchids, they are so beautiful and varied. So I decided that when I was retired I would become an orchid collector, and even breed new hybrids and get loads of really rare orchids. Then I saw some on sale and couldn't resist the lure of a beautiful phal. I'm now besotted with it and can't wait to get another... and another...

[atcrosby]

Two years ago, I was traveling for work and ended up in Lubbock Texas for the summer. The hotel room was drab and someone very special to me had an Oncidium delivered to my room. It was just too pretty and it brought much joy to my stay in that town.

Two years later, the plant has never flowered so I embarked on a research effort to understand why it wasn't blooming and what I can do to push it. Lo and behold, I just kept reading web sites and finally decided that they are fairly simple to care for.

I was at Lowes and saw this $5.00 Cattleya and decided why not? I bought a new pot, medium and brought it home. It seems to have thrived and is doing great in my bedroom with new growth everywhere. I have since learned that I have a 5-7 year wait before it blooms but i can be patient.

The plants are beautiful and very interesting. I enjoy the history of the plants and how they have adapted to many parts of the world. I am still amazed by the complexity of the plant. Perhaps that is what draws me to orchids.

Tom