new "chids correctly suited to my conditions

[Mike]

Hola
This is my first post so hey.This is my story.Last year i bought a small yellow phal (Mystic golden leopard).It got bud blast because of the cold (at -37 who would have guessed huh)Because it was packed in the thai method (lots of sphag) all the roots rotted off by my zealous overwatering.I bet the treatment didnt help either.After a bit of research i stopped watering so much and moved it bit back from my west window.i watered only when the sphag was almost crunchy. it went on like this for about 6 months and i kinda forgot about it apart from watering.then in june i bought a white phal.i reppoted it and chopped the dead roots right when i got it.Big mistake.all the flowers dropped off apart from a flower and a fat bud. needless to say it looked silly with 2 flowers.Anyways i got on some forums and got some good help.I only find that the ones with a lot of traffic move too fast and you dont get answers. i have been researching orchids and their culture everyday for a few hours since june.now im really hooked and want to make a large order from a lady in ottawa (i live in canada)i want some plants that suit my conditions well. im in a second story appartment where its always hot and humid even in winter.An elderly lady downstars heats like crazy.i would love to get a few new phals.i would like phal violacea sumatra,phal bellina (violacea borneo)and phal gigantea.Im ordering a sharry baby for sure.i also love dend unicum for its smell (oranges).i really crack for paphs with long sepals like eugene conroy.i really love the insigne too.i want a few cats too.love the schilleriana.i would love some zygopetalums.i know im going crazy but hey.they will be put on a west window with evening sun.i also will be installing 2 four foot shop lights which will equal to four fluorescent tubes.i wanted to know what you guys would suggest for my conditions.thanks

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Welcome Mike! Sounds like you are about to really get into orchids! Best of luck.

Cheers!
BD

[Diane]

Glad to have you here.

Wow, you want a little of everthing. Great, that is what most of us want. But some of the plants you are talking about can take a lot more care than others. And the light, temperature and watering needs are also quite different. I'd start with the phals and see how you do. If they look good after a couple of months, I'd try an inexpensive paph, something with maud in it. If it survives well for a few months, then get the fancy ones. Next I'd go for the zygo. If you are keeping all those guys happy, then try out a catt or two. I'd leave the dend for last as it needs the highest light and fast draining media (so more care) Although I freely admit I am not a dendrobium person!

Remember that you will kill a few - - we all have. But post all the questions you want. There are a lot of very friendly, very experienced growers here.

[orchid-man]

Glad to have you here.

Wow, you want a little of everthing. Great, that is what most of us want. But some of the plants you are talking about can take a lot more care than others. And the light, temperature and watering needs are also quite different. I'd start with the phals and see how you do. If they look good after a couple of months, I'd try an inexpensive paph, something with maud in it. If it survives well for a few months, then get the fancy ones. Next I'd go for the zygo. If you are keeping all those guys happy, then try out a catt or two. I'd leave the dend for last as it needs the highest light and fast draining media (so more care) Although I freely admit I am not a dendrobium person!

Remember that you will kill a few - - we all have. But post all the questions you want. There are a lot of very friendly, very experienced growers here.

[bench72]

Hi Mike, and welcome to the forum!

Wow, you want a little of everthing. Great, that is what most of us want.

Actually, some of us want A LOT OF EVERYTHING

now, sounds like you're getting the whole set up sorted out... lights, heat... the only other thing might be to get something that would 'move' the air around... I guess a fan... this is especially important in winter-time when you can't open the windows...

Diane's method of sticking with same light and watering needs and progressing from there is a great way to get on the orchid fever wagon!

So, good luck and when the tykes start to flower... hopefully you'll share with us the piccies!

[Mike]

yeah i forgot to mention i bought a small fan.ill clip it to the shelf.the great thing with the shop light is that i can put the ziggies,cats ect in the center and the paphs and phals to the sides where theres less light.any easy plants you guys think would do well?

[Piper]

Hi Mike, and welcome!

I want to ask about your conditions...I can imagine how a downstairs neighbor cranking the thermostat in the winter could make your place toasty. But humid? No way. Winter heat is as dry as it gets. I'm in MA, and here I have to run humidifiers around the clock to get the humidity up to 40% and that's close to the humidifier! That's not humid by orchid standards, and you're much further north.

With winter humidifiers and pebble trays you'll do fine with Phals, Paphs, Catts, Dends, and Oncs. But don't consider your environment humid, or you'll take on Vandas et all and dessicate them in a heartbeat.

If your light exposure is to the west, I'd question your ability to grow Catts and many Dends. They want more light and would need a southern exposure that far north. For your Oncs, Phals and Paphs, you could pretty much go full on light, in a southern window, let alone a western one.

Diane is right. Don't go too crazy too fast. There's always time for that. You can't just run out and buy all the pretty plants. Well, you can, but they'll up and die on you in a heartbeat and you won't know why and you'll get really bummed out.

Choose ones suited to your conditions and get them to bloom and rebloom. Then branch out.

Keep us posted!
Julie

[orchid-man]

Hi Mike
been thinking about what plants would suite you there,and I think that Odontocidiums ,Colmanara and may be some Wilsonaras as they dont need the light levels of the Oncidiums and Dendrobiums.They all come in a great range of colors and plant sizes as well as flower and spike size,and whats more they are fast growers and can just about be in constant flower

[bench72]

oh... and if you already have the plants... if one spot doesn't work well, move them around the house... you will find that each room has it's own micro-climate that may be better suited...

sounds like you've got all the necessary equipment to get on your way to good orchid growing so good luck with it Mike and keep us posted on your progress!

[Piper]

There, now, Mike - we've lectured you to death! Good luck and let us know how you progress!

Julie