Orchid Patience

[mauraec]

I said near blooming, but i have then from compotes to blooming. Waiting 5-6 years in hopes of a bud is just brutal!

I just can't do that yet - I'm too immediate-gratification-oriented!

[kspalding]

I picked other. I dont care if they are seedlings or full bloom. Its not just the growing of them its the re-growing and growing and growing......

[Carolla]

I picked other too - I like to get them at all stages and I like to get some that are cheap, even if they need rescue. I enjoy blooming plants or plants in spike, I think its fun to get a seedling that I don't know what it will do. I haven't tried compots or flasks yet, just haven't run across one that seems readily available. Availability is a big issue - I tend to buy what I see that catches my fancy for one reason or another. I have a slight preference for plants in flower so that I can see what I'm getting. Now that I know more about it them, I may pick on basis of genera that grows well for me or that is unusual. I guess I'm either indecisive or eclectic! I just like orchids. As long as something is growing well, blooming or coming into bloom, waiting for the others doesn't bother me. Seeing them die makes me sad though.

[kspalding]

Thanks Ice, now I have that song in my head, lol.

[oile]

I waited twelve years to get flowering of a Paph. rothschildianum, has flowered a blight destroyed me the flower, but I saved the plant, now will wait another two years for the new stem, but are happy anyway, I saved the plant, oile

[catttan]

I waited twelve years to get flowering of a Paph. rothschildianum, has flowered a blight destroyed me the flower, but I saved the plant, now will wait another two years for the new stem, but are happy anyway, I saved the plant, oile

12 years........now that's patience .I've waited ,ore than 5 years for mine to bloom in the lowlands and may have to wait until there's some drastic and dramatic change in the climate, which may not be too far off , judging from all the recent pronouncements from environmentalists , Of course there's an easier way ..... send the Paph to lodge with my friend in the highlands.

[Whitefaceowl]

I am learning a LOT of patience....and to NOT worry when things dont happen when I think they should. What do I know? I am new.
I have had 2 orchids that were potted together both phals. They were VERY crowded this fall after the blooms FINALLY quit...bloomed months...guess they like what I do whatever that is.
But I am afraid the smaller and different colored orchid misses his buddy? Can they? I dunno.
So I been watching as the bigger one spiked immediately. But the smaller one has taken 3 months after re-potting to even begin a spike. How do I tell a spike from a root?...
I love them and talk to the two of them each day. I put them back side by side in my southern window on a ledge where they liked to be...maybe should get rid of bowl under them on plastic pot? they keep losing the bottom leaf...grow new ones but seems like leaf numbers are the same...............sigh I just dunno what they want....worrier

[Yug]

Seedlings take a long time to wait for them to bloom, but sometimes that is all that is available in the types I prefer. I like NBS since they have a chance to adjust to my conditions. I would absolutely hate to get a rare beautiful (and expensive) orchid, and just have it die because it is not compatible with my conditions.

[Whitefaceowl]

What is a NBS? sorry VERY new...all I know so far are phals or Moth Orchids of which I have 2 a white and a yellow with red viens...just JUSST got 4 small Rock Orchids and will learn these next...How long you been doing Orchids?

[Yug]

NBS = near blooming size