I agree with 78Terp's comment about the roots.

Other than that, I would say that the most helpful thing is understanding (a) that I can't grow everything in my conditions and (b) I need to learn how to grow 1 or 2 examples of a genus, and do that well, before buying a bunch more.

When buying I stick to alliances (Cattleya, for example) that I can generally grow well. I do branch out into other genera, but try to do so in a small way until I feel I've "gotten the hang of things". I have only a very few Paphiopedilum, Coelogyne, and Dendrobium because I don't feel I've succeeded yet with the few plants I have in these genera.

Sometimes I'm fortunate enough to have someone share with me a division of a genus I don't grow; I always treat that as a learning experience.
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