Welcome Ruth,

Be careful orchids are very addictive. It sounds like you are already an
orchid addict, so am I :-) -- and if you are looking for the equivalent of
the AA program for orchids, this is definitely not it, since most of us here
agree that Rob Halgren's rules are very reasonable (search the archives for
them if you have not already seen them here, Rob always puts them at the end
of his posts). Feel free to ask questions, this group is very civilized
about treating newbies seriously -- that's one of the things I like most
about it.

In answer to your 45% question, I had not heard any such rule before, and I
would be suspicious of any such specific angle claim. It is true however
that orchids tend to lean in the pots toward the light. You might consider
tilting the pot a bit if that's feasible. Most times that I have observed a
professional repotting orchids, they did in fact straighten them out. I
wouldn't consider that cruel though, orchids are very forgiving of the
faults of us humans, and they are also very determined to follow their own
ways no matter what we do to them -- thus for example trying to force aerial
roots into the potting medium is generally a loosing battle, but it does not
stop many florists from doing just that (personally I love aerial roots
going in whatever direction they please). Oh and another thing, staking the
orchid spike/inflorescence might be considered us trying to impose on the
orchid how to grow too, but very often if one does not stake the spike there
is a greater danger that the spike will accidentally break during watering
for example plus often an orchid with a well staked spike just aesthetically
looks much better to us humans. I am not very talented at staking properly,
and so one of my orchids that has a very strong mind of its own is just
plotting to bore a hole in the window with its spike sometime in the near
future unless I correct the situation soon.

Best,
Joanna

"RPM1" wrote in message
...
Greetings fellow orchid lovers!

Last Christmas I bought a lovely little phal. I didn't plan on it. I
figured I'd go home with a Christmas cactus or somesuch. The
nursery staff assured me that I could handle caring for the orchid.
I was skeptical. I bought it anyway. Well, it has yet to drop any
of the flowers that it came home with on December 23rd! About
a month later I stopped by the nursery to get orchid fertilizer and
I ended up coming home with two more plants. Yesterday, I
was driving by the greenhouse and I saw a big sign "Orchids 50%
Off!" Well, of course I had to stop in.

So, I now have 6 assorted orchids. Two are going to need some
sort of trimming (I assume) once they lose their last flower. Would
you folks recommend a few good books for beginners? Is there a
newsgroup FAQ link so I don't pester y'all with typical newbie
questions?

I read somewhere that orchids seek to achieve a 45 degree growth
angle. Are there pots to accommodate this or do you just keep
re-potting them and straightening them up. Seems cruel if 45
degrees is what they really want. Why not give it to them - make
them really happy?

Ruth CM
upstate NY