GARLAND HANSON wrote:

What's the difference in growing orchids indoors in Florida or Italy OR
Kansas?



Completely under lights, or in a windowsill? In the window, there
will be differences. Even under lights there will be a fair amount of
difference. Humidity, ambient temperature, water quality, fertilizer
brands, etc. Across the street in the botany building they have very
expensive growth chambers that regulate all aspects of culture, just to
get some measure of reproducibility for their experiments. I doubt most
home orchid growers have absolute control over all of the factors
involved in plant growth.

All that said, I'd certainly accept advice from somebody growing in
a completely different part of the world from me, and try to integrate
it into my personal experiences. Most things translate, some things
don't. The more you know, the better, but there isn't a book in the
world that substitutes for hands on experience. That is what makes
orchid growing fun.

Orchid growing is more than a little art, and a bit of science. My
grandmother could grow and bloom phalaenopsis in dark corners of north
facing rooms, sitting in saucers of water with never a drop of
fertilizer. Green thumb. I have no other explanation than art -
science says that won't work. My thumb is several shades lighter green
than that, unfortunately.

Rob

--
Rob's Rules: http://www.msu.edu/~halgren
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a. See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to purchase
more orchids, obtain more credit
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