On Tue, 18 Feb 2003 23:25:59 -0500, Tessmann
wrote:
Any help, advise, etc. will be appreciated.
We all love Rob's Rules and Yes Hal, Orchids are not a hobby they
are an Addiction.
I saw this in another posting and thought it was funny. After looking
at his site, I decided it might become an addiction.
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
Hal Tessmann
Books:
Visit your local Library. I am sure there are several books
there. One likely author candidate is Rebecca Northern, I don't
have the proper titles but she wrote one on Miniature's and
another on Orchids as House Plants. But there should be others.
As a cheap Buy - Sunset, Ortho and others have a books labeled
something like Orchids for Beginners. OR just ORCHIDS.
Look thru them. Does the use of language and the photos help or
confuse you? Some times an author knows his/her subject too well
and skips the "obvious," which is just the step the beginner
needed to learn.
Plants:
Mini-Cattleya grow in less light than full size Catts. There
are Dendrobiums, Epidendrums, Encyclia, Oncidiums, Slippers -
called Paphiopedilums and Phragmipediums. Shop where you can
find plants in bloom. IF THIS is an orchid house - ask what they
need and how do I care for them? Can I grow under xyz.. And tell
them your conditions. How much are you willing to do to
accommodate these plants? Do you want to grow in your living
space or create a 'plant room,' do you have a greenhouse?
All considerations when we talk about what they need.
The biggest difference is the amount of light. Some need more
than others. Many like "intermediate" temperatures... what you
want to live with. They like a shift to cooler temp. at night, so
do most of us. Water - Less is always better than more. More
orchids and plants in general are drowned than dried out.
If you fertilize (weekly weakly or is that weakly weekly)
Remember to FLUSH the pot at least monthly. That is to say water
so heavily that you would wash out any residue build up with in
the pot. Also remember to DRAIN - Do not let the pots stand in
water.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php