My first Orchid
 

Thanks for the info. I've got lots of light, too much at times, and heat
isn't an issue, since we face about 330 on the compass, we have sun all
afternoon, and with all the windows it's quite warm right now. We only have
a small window AC unit, which tries to keep the main room cooler. Thanks for
the advice, I'll keep reading posts here, and might just make a trip out
today.

Mark


"GrlIntrpted" wrote in message
t...
Hello Mark,

It all depends on what your apartment conditions are like, how hot it
gets,
what kind of light exposure you have, how you cool and heat your place and
finally, how much time you have and are willing to spend on catering to
the
orchid.

For low light, warm places and low maintenance I would suggest a
Phalaenopsis hybrid, get it from your local home improvement center
(HomeDepot, Lowes etc...).
If you have lots of light and warmth you can try your hand at a Cattleya
hybrid.

Remember, orchids are not as difficult to take care of as most people
think.
And by the time that you'll get involved in some of the more difficult
species of orchids, you will know most everything that you'll need to know
about orchids and how to grow them.

Please, by all means ask away, we're here to assist.

Mariana

"Mark Handy" wrote in message
le.rogers.com...
I'm looking to get our first orchid, but after reading some guidelines
for
care, I'm not too sure. I'm worried about air temp and humidity, since
I'm
in an apartment. Is there a type that is more tolerant, or am I going to
be
out of luck?


Mark.

My first Orchid
 

In article 7NuWa.42702$YN5.34082@sccrnsc01, "K Barrett"
writes:

Next thing you
know you'll have 700 plants and will be building another GH.

hahahahaha the same thing happens with cats.. once you get one, it's another
and another and another.. LOL

lynn

My first Orchid
 

On 05 Aug 2003 13:56:00 GMT, (LYNN32141) wrote:

In article 7NuWa.42702$YN5.34082@sccrnsc01, "K Barrett"
writes:

Next thing you
know you'll have 700 plants and will be building another GH.

hahahahaha the same thing happens with cats.. once you get one, it's another
and another and another.. LOL

lynn

Cats and Catts go together. Most orchid growers have a cat story
as well as a few cattleya stories. Glad your one more on RGO.

SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

My first Orchid
 

"LYNN32141" wrote in message
...
In article 7NuWa.42702$YN5.34082@sccrnsc01, "K Barrett"
writes:

Next thing you
know you'll have 700 plants and will be building another GH.

hahahahaha the same thing happens with cats.. once you get one, it's
another
and another and another.. LOL

lynn

Not for me Lynn. I am not planning to increase my Catt collection any time
soon. As pretty as they are, they're not as exciting as other species.
Same with Phalaenopsis and the more popular Dendrobiums. I'm hooked on
Masdevallia, Dracula, some Epidendrum (in partiuclar Epidendrum vesicatum).
I'm literally fascinated by miniatures of the Bulbophyllum family, Encyclia,
Pleurothallis, Dendrobium etc.... Other species that I absolutely adore are
Lycaste (deppei), Huntleya, Cycnoches etc....Who knows, maybe my fever is
getting worse :)....

Mariana

My first Orchid
 

Thanks Ted. I didn't know the African Violet was an orchid....

Mark


"Ted Byers" wrote in message
.. .

"Mark Handy" wrote in message
le.rogers.com...
I'm looking to get our first orchid, but after reading some guidelines
for
care, I'm not too sure. I'm worried about air temp and humidity, since
I'm
in an apartment. Is there a type that is more tolerant, or am I going to
be
out of luck?

No, you're not out of luck. Some orchids are more delicate than others,
but
there are many that are relatively tough, even in comparison with other
house plants. For example, I have been able to keep most of my orchids
happy, and yet I have yet to get a Sinningia speciosa (florist gloxinia)
or
a cyclamen that I could get to last more than a few weeks. And, I know
their general life cycle, but I have yet to bring one back after dormancy
has set in. This despite the fact I studied them in several of my books
and
on several websites, and I put the extra effort in because (blasphemy
alert)
I like the Sinningia speciosa flowers better than the flowers of many
orchid
genera (I like them almost as much as I like the flowers produced by
catts).

It is a question of picking something that should do well in your
apartment.
Are you in Toronto? (just a guess based on your email and news server) If
so, there is a good orchids society that meets on the first Sunday of each
month except during the summer. You will find a number of good vendors
there from whom you can get god advice on what will do well here.

In any event, I have had good results with cattleyas, dendrobiums and
phalaenopsis. I lost a few during the winter because I couldn't get the
humidity above 35% (I have a few too many to be able to afford getting an
aquarium that could handle them all - I'll have to make a growth chamber).

If you have a good southern exposure, you might give the catts a try. If
humidity is a problem for you, what you might do is get yourself an
aquarium, but instead of filling it with water, put a layer of coarse
gravel
in it, and put in just enough water to come to the top of the gravel, and
then put some small phals in it (one of the equestris hybrids?). If you
keep the tank covered, and the water level in the gravel up, you will be
able to maintain close to 100% relative humidity around your orchid
regardless of how dry your apartment is.

Something you might do is get a cheap plant, cheap enough you won't be
particularly upset if it dies, from Walmart or Home Depot (in bloom - if
you
see one that is out of bloom there, it is likely under enough stress that
you'd have a tough time getting it to rebloom). Alternatively, get an
African Violet and try to maintain it for six months. If you can, then
there exists a whole range of orchids you can maintain, and the African
Violet will only cost you a couple dollars.

Cheers,

Ted