Orchid Growth
 

Nice To meet you Everyone,
I'm Eric, from Texas, I purchased my first orchid, a phal seedling, it
has 2 leaves, looks healthy.
I was just wondering, when it might start to grow a new leaf.
I have it under the conditions recommended, room humidiifier, shaded
west window, lots of air circulation, I've had it for a week, so I've
only watered it once.
Can anyone help me out?
Eric!

This is just general info. Each plant is different: Under good conditions
you can expect a baby phal to add one new leaf about every three months.
Each new leaf should be noticeably larger than the previous one. Once it is
an adult it should grow three new leaves and one flower spike a year as it
continues that seasonal leaf growth cycle. Old leaves will die off slowly.
It should reach an average of 4 to 6 leaves and then older leaves may start
to die off, but not necessarily. Leaves should not be dying off faster than
they are being replaced by new ones. This indicates a problem. Also if you
notice that new leaves are smaller than older ones this indicates a problem
too; usually insufficient water or nutrients. A watched Phal never grows.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Nice To meet you Everyone,
I'm Eric, from Texas, I purchased my first orchid, a phal seedling, it
has 2 leaves, looks healthy.
I was just wondering, when it might start to grow a new leaf.
I have it under the conditions recommended, room humidiifier, shaded
west window, lots of air circulation, I've had it for a week, so I've
only watered it once.
Can anyone help me out?
Eric!

My advice, Eric, is to get rid of it as soon as possible! Destroy it,
or give it to someone you hate. I got my first orchid from a friend 2.5
yrs ago, and have been trying all kinds of things to get it to bloom
since then. I now have 9 of them! I've tried a lot of things, and
finally got the first one I got to spike! I was jumping up and down
like a little kid (I'm 57, but usually don't admit to it). Orchids are
devious and sneaky and slowly, but inexhorabaly, take over your home
and your life. I've even come here for advice on how to get some of the
others to bloom. There're worse than cocaine, almost as expensive, and
they don't even have 12 Step groups to help you kick the habit!
Ok, so maybe I exaggerate a bit., but they certainly have a way of
getting to you!

On 26 Jan 2005 19:47:25 -0800, "salgud"
wrote:

My advice, Eric, is to get rid of it as soon as possible! Destroy it,
or give it to someone you hate. I got my first orchid from a friend 2.5
yrs ago, and have been trying all kinds of things to get it to bloom
since then. I now have 9 of them! I've tried a lot of things, and
finally got the first one I got to spike! I was jumping up and down
like a little kid (I'm 57, but usually don't admit to it). Orchids are
devious and sneaky and slowly, but inexhorabaly, take over your home
and your life. I've even come here for advice on how to get some of the
others to bloom. There're worse than cocaine, almost as expensive, and
they don't even have 12 Step groups to help you kick the habit!
Ok, so maybe I exaggerate a bit., but they certainly have a way of
getting to you!

Your doing well. 2.5 years and only 9 plants. I did not got 2.5
months with only 9 plants. At the end of 6 months I had 50
plants. I don't think you need the 12 step program.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

Dave,

I double-checked how many plants I had after 2.5 years, and guess what, I
also had 9 orchids exactly at that time. So you and I seem to have similar
acquisition rate.

On the other hand mine speeded up considerably after that, so that now 3.75
years into this addiction I have 32 orchids, 20 of which were acquired in
the year 2004. What I am saying is, Dave, watch out! If you think that your
hobby is out of control already, you've seen nothing yet. The worst is yet
to come.

In my case, in hindsight, I think the worst accelerant of my acquisition
rate was finding out about Al's Orchid Greenhouse. After all, I can't
possibly go visit Al's and just get one orchid per visit, now can I?

Joanna

"salgud" wrote in message
oups.com...
My advice, Eric, is to get rid of it as soon as possible! Destroy it,
or give it to someone you hate. I got my first orchid from a friend 2.5
yrs ago, and have been trying all kinds of things to get it to bloom
since then. I now have 9 of them! I've tried a lot of things, and
finally got the first one I got to spike! I was jumping up and down
like a little kid (I'm 57, but usually don't admit to it). Orchids are
devious and sneaky and slowly, but inexhorabaly, take over your home
and your life. I've even come here for advice on how to get some of the
others to bloom. There're worse than cocaine, almost as expensive, and
they don't even have 12 Step groups to help you kick the habit!
Ok, so maybe I exaggerate a bit., but they certainly have a way of
getting to you!

What kind of sick people are you here? I post admitting to a serious
problem with my orchid addiction, and you post a location (Al's) to get
me further hooked! If I was an alcoholic, would you refer me to the
best place to get discount booze?

I once hired a salesman who told me he belonged to Joggers Anonymous. If the
urge to jog appeared, they called another member, who would sit with them
and drink Scotch until the feeling passed........

There are no such people in the orchid growing world. We are all enablers,
snaring everyone we can get!

DK

salgud wrote:
What kind of sick people are you here? I post admitting to a serious
problem with my orchid addiction, and you post a location (Al's) to get
me further hooked! If I was an alcoholic, would you refer me to the
best place to get discount booze?


Well, that depends. Do they sell orchids there too? ;-)

ROFL

"Steve" wrote in message
...
salgud wrote:
What kind of sick people are you here? I post admitting to a serious
problem with my orchid addiction, and you post a location (Al's) to get
me further hooked! If I was an alcoholic, would you refer me to the
best place to get discount booze?


Well, that depends. Do they sell orchids there too? ;-)