Angel,
Thanks for your informative replies. I really enjoyed reading them.
Joanna

"Fam. Castrodad-Borrero" wrote in message
...

Angel,
Welcome!

Thanks!!!


A few questions for you about orchids in Puerto Rico: (I am just
curious,
and trying to think of questions that might give us a better sense of
Puerto
Rico's orchid growing. Feel free to answer any of them you like, no need
to
answer all, since I am just brainstorming questions here)

I'll do my best.

Given that Puerto Rico is a self-governing Commonwealth of the United
States, can you just order orchids from any vendors in the US without it
being considered "importing" or are there any restrictions or paperwork?

As far as I understand, if it's from the United States we can just order
with no paperwork or special permits. This is possible because, while we
are
self governed and all, federal law still applies where locals don't. We do
have our own Dept. of Agriculture, for example, but since it receives
funds
from the federal (as well as local) goverment, it has to abide to certain
extent to federal law too.

Now, the only experience I had buying orchids from stateside, was trough
Ebay and I had no problems at all. In fact They arrived in perfect
condition
which is, to say the least much more than I expected.

Do you happen to know how many vendors or commercial growers of orchids
there are in Puerto Rico -- or do you have a URL that you would
recommend
for an orchid grower in Puerto Rico?

I do know a few that have plant stands at a few malls around the San Juan
metro area, and I have the numbers of a few others but none have a web
address. I really don't know if any are equiped to handle mail shipments
abroad.
How available are orchids in local
retail? Is orchid growing/collecting a fairly common hobby among people
you
know there? Do you have a local/regional orchid society?

In order, Not really. Some supermarkets are starting to carry a few Dends,
Phals and some Vandas, but the variety is not very much and they don't
change the genre of the plant they offer too much. If you see one type of
Dends, you'll see new plants of the same type for some time there. Second,
not really either. Orchid growing/ collecting was deemed too expensive/
time
consuming/ hard (and darn it some times it really is...LOL) by most
people.
Although it is catching on fast. Third, Yes we do. The Puertorrican Orchid
Society. I think... They do have a big show coming up in March if I recall
correctly.

Since Puerto Rico is a tropical island, do you grow the orchids
outdoors?

Most of my orchids are outdoors. Some in a balcony where they either get
good morning or afternoon sun, almost no high noon. Others are hanging on
the bers of my bedroom window (almost all houses here in any big city have
bars outside, might as well put them to good use), great view every
morning
Since my house is facing slightly southeast, my northwest (back) side
growing area is well protected by the overhangs of the roof. Great,
indirect, bright sunlight all day. And others reside in pots under
plantain
(large banannas) plants that give them great shade miday and bright light
otherwise.
Also, are there any wild orchids that are native to Puerto Rico? If so,
are
they protected species? are there restrictions on picking them or
exporting
them?

Again, in order. Yes. 2-Most are protected 3- For the protected ones you
can
even go to jail. There is one so darn tiny, it grows under the leaves or
other plants. If you don't have good eye and know EXACTLY what to look
for,
you're out of luck. Oh and take a magnifiying glass to appreciate it. It
grown only on an area of just a couple of square miles. It's in El Yunque
rain forrest.

Is there anything about the weather or any other conditions in Puerto
Rico
that you would change if you could to make your orchid growing
experience
there even better, or is it pretty much ideal?

Pretty much ideal current temps here are about 85-90 degrees during the
day,
70-sometings during the night. Cooler in the mountains, where they are
reaching a low of 53-65 deg. Now, if someone can't grow an orchid here,
they
might as well give it up altogether. LOL

Ok, can't think of other questions at this time (close to 1 am here, so
I
really ought to call it a day)

Look forward to any answers to these questions or any other info you can
think of that might interest those of us who have never been to Puerto
Rico
and thus do not know what orchid growing there is like.

Now those tips will have to wait for later. It's just 9:40am here, but I
got
off work at 6am and I look like a bobble-head doll because I'm dead tired.
Although... I get home around 7am, PERFECT time to water the plants. ;-)

Anything else just shoot. Take care!!

Angel