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lol

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Hi guys.  I've been trying to branch out in respect to the types of plants I cultivate.  I'm trying to fill out my chamber with plants less expensive than nepenthes
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.  So I managed to buy these
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....IT&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....IT&rd=1

So, how can I best grow these along with my highland and lowland nepenthes (all grown in the same setup)?  What sort of potting mix and temps and humidity will these things need to flower?  Also, it would be really helpful if you could tell me where I can buy a cheap, easy couple of orchids with lots of either white or red flowers.  I don't care about rarity or anything, just looks and ease of flowering.  Thanks a lot guys.
 
Hello LOL Well the first one you chose there looks to be more of a cool gorwer with Odontoglossum as one of the parents, but the Miltonia parents like it on the warm side. The other parent of cochlidoa likes it in between. I would assume around 80's to 90's max Propably survive hotter, but with plenty of water. I would assume the leaves are thin on this one. They usualy don't like the heat, but should do fine inside. All the parents of that plant aslo don't require to much light as well. They were all on the low side. So if you grow under lights this one should do fine for you. I would plant it in LFS and clay or plastic. Plastic stays wet longer. Use a bamboo scewer and insert it down in the moss it if comes out damp do not water. When its dry, but not BONE dry water it with copious ammounts of water. The cattleya I would plant in a clay pot with an orchid mix bought from Lowes or HD. They work fine for me. Basicly do the same thing water when its dry do not sit any of these in water unless its for ten min to water it and then submerge almost the entire pot in water for about ten min to soak the bark and LFS. Then let it drain. Now most Cattleya like around 4000 FC of light. I know I grow mine in more light than that. I have heard of people flowering them under 4 floresant tubes pretty close to the plant. The biggest thing I have found for Catts not flowering is lack of light. So if it keeps growing and growing but not flowering thats probably why. Or to much fertalizer. As far as the wite and red flowers go how big of a plant are you looking for and flower size? I have a Dendrobium that puts out white flowers and farely easy to grow. Its in flower now and will take a good bit of sun. This plant was in full sun for a few hours a day this summer and they like to dry out before watering again. I have a plant that puts out alot of little red flowers once a year, but You wouldnt want it now something went wrong with the plant and its recovering. I will have some Red Cattleya hybreds coming in too that will have red flower, but probably only once a year. There are some orchids that flower readily, but you will have to search for them. Those plants you bought may bloom alot, but I would suspect they will only bloom once a year as many orchids do. Now we need to know a little more info to narrow down the search for your red and white flowers since that seach criteria is a little two broad. he he. There is alot of white and red flowers. Also need to know things like the condition planned to keep them in and the size of plant you want. Also flower size. There are some with flowers the size on mm accross to some that get as big as 7 inches accross. Many are about an inch to 3 accross. You also have cool to warm to hot growers. PM me and we can figure something out for you!!!
 
There's lots of info about orchids on the net.  Here's a site that you can start with:  www.orchidlady.com.  Also if you live near a library, there might be some books about orchid growing there.  And there might be an orchid club that meets near where you live.

Watch out, though.  Orchids can be as addictive as Nepenthes.  Hope you're independently wealthy.
 
Thanks a lot. Well, I don't think I'll have to worry about an addiction
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.  I only plant to buy 6 at the most, just to add variety and fill out my chamber.  The only reason I moved to orchids is that I noticed there are some good ones, less expensive than nepenthes.  I'm not made of money you know
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.  So, I'm just looking for the easier ones and the cheaper ones.  In that range I am looking for plants that make lots of medium size, white or red flowers.  Maybe some other colors too.  It would be cool if they flowered more than ounce per year.  Thanks for the help.

Oh, and my conditions...

73F- 85F temps
30%-60% humidity
I will be putting these in hanging plastic pots, so water will drain freely. Can I use strait sphagnum moss for this?
I have lots of artificial light, and mucho sunlight from the window in winter.
 
Well the Sphag would depend on the species. If its a Cattleyya alliance, or a Vanda alliance you will not get away with sphag. Although I don;t think you will do good with a Vanda alliance. They take very strong light many dirrect sun all day!! Are you able to give a 15 to 20 degree temp drop in the winter?? If so Look for Phalanopsis. They don;t thake very strong light and the flowers last a long time. Then many will reflower on the old spike producing another spray of flowers. May want to try a Psycopsis. They are not exactly a red or white flower, but they have red in it. It producses one flower on the spike at a time, but after the flower dies it produces another. Many flowers from one spike almost non stop. When the plant gets big enough you can have multiple spikes with miltiple flowers sequentially being produced. They are easy to rot though so they are not for the begineer, but you might have luck with them. They are also a little pricey a seedling will run you $25 at carter and holmes. I'm also not sure how much light they reguire to flower either. Hmm There are plants that flower more readily but your going to have to look for them. Most orchids only flower once a year. And many require a temp drop to flower so your going to have to check on that too. It think there is a red and white Oncidium. I think it may be called sweet fragrence or something like that. I hear they grow like weeds and are easy to flower. Colminara wild cat is easy to flower, and the flowers on it have red white and yellow in them. You may want to look into Plurathalids and bulbos. They are strange flowered plants many of them some stink, but I think they will do good in the setup your describing. You can get some that do not stink. Just be careful some have very TINY flowers. I don't know the price range of those. Go to this website and check out some of the species. http://www.orchidspecies.com/ It tells the temp and light ranges and has pictures of the flower and if they are fragrent. Also does size of the plant matter?
 
Since you live in San Diego, I would suggest going to a meeting of the San Diego Orchid Society, which meets on the first Tuesdays of each month at Casa Del Prado in Balboa Park. Visit its website at: www.sdorchids.com. I notice they have a class for beginners. In addition, talk with the orchid society members and find out from them what’s easy to grow and how to grow them. You might also be able to get leads from them about where to get inexpensive plants. By the way, do you have a place you can grow plants outdoors, like a yard or balcony? If so, you can grow certain varieties of orchids there as well. I envy you because you might be able to grow Miltoniopsis, which needs cool temps at night. Alas, my climate is too warm. Actually, the plants grow where I live, but they don’t bloom. In addition, you can grow lots of varieties of Nepenthes outdoors also. If you haven’t already visited www.nepenthesaroundthehouse.com, you might take a look at it.
 
Thanks a lot guys, been a big help
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. As the last orchid I plan on buying for a while, I want to buy a very large vanda. It's beautiful, and I'll show you after I get it in 2 hours
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. If I want to grow a vanda, would you suggest that I put it really close to my 125 watt compact fluorescent bulb for light? Does it really need a big temp drop? I suppose I can put it in the window at night for that. As far as the roots go, this one has big long roots. Can I just put it in a really small pot of loosly packed sphagnum, since most of the root mass will be sticking outside the pot? Witht the 3 orchids I'll have, I'll try to do my best
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.
 
Most Vandas like a lot of light.  I've seen some growing in baskets without any medium at all.  The baskets are hung up high, and the roots can hang down 3 feet or more.
 
Lost the freakin bid. Never freakin mind.
 
  • #10
LOL You would never flower a Vanda under compact fluorescent. Well, I shouldn't say never, but its highly unlikely. Those bugars love full sun all day long. Either grow them in a basket with no media or you an put very large charcoal chunks or wine corks. They like to be watered every day, and since there is no media they dry out before night fall. The biggest issue though I don't think your going to flower a Species vanda or most primary hybreds without full sun. For the price of those baby's you need a GH to kive them all the light they can take. Provided your not in an area where they can live outdoors all year long.
 
  • #11
On a side note, lol, be cautious with that seller. I purchased a Nepenthes from them in September, and still to this day - no plant, no refund, no email communication. Judging by thier feedback, they have done this more than a few times.
 
  • #12
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]On a side note, lol, be cautious with that seller. I purchased a Nepenthes from them in September, and still to this day - no plant, no refund, no email communication. Judging by thier feedback, they have done this more than a few times.

Seriously?
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  • #13
Sadly, yes.
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Looks like they've had 18 negative feedback comments on their account just in the last month. Looks like the majority of people get their item okay, but I dunno....I just wouldn't completely trust them.
 
  • #14
I have bought a few neps from them..
The first one came very quickly, I just purchased the last 2 well a few weeks ago..
I have had no problem communicating with them at all.

From what they told me, the way their shipping works has changed.. to much typing I am just going to paste the messages I got from them.

[b said:
Quote[/b] ]> >Recently the U.S. Department of Agriculture has changed how import
>permits
> >are applied for. They have to be applied for within the U.S. and
cannot
>be
> >obtained in Canada. We are currently creating a transfer station in
> >Minnesota, which should have obtained a permit, and a shipment of
plants
> >within the next week (although permits can take a maximum of ten
business
> >days, it will be unlikely that it will take that long).
> >Your plants will be sent then from there.
> >Sincerely,
> >Alden
> >Boer Green

And from today.

[b said:
Quote[/b] ]Hello.
The USDA released a new permit recently, that had to be applied for by
someone in the U.S. which meant relocating some of our staff. Nothing
was
able to ship without it.
We should have it tomorrow, and then the plants will be shipped to a
transfer station in Minnesota.
In the future we will have the plants arrive to Minnesota first before
listing (we use to be able to ship straight from Canada before) and it
will
be listed under the userid (farmerbrowns).
I will notify you of when the plants leave the transfer station in
Minnesota.
Sincerely,
Alden
Boer Green
 
  • #15
Ok now I am going to hyjak your thread. ;)

I have been thinking of branching out as well. I am hoping someone can suggest a few good starter orchids. I don't have no fancy grow chamber or anything like that.

I can provide a nice spot by the patio door during the winter, and from what i can tell good-great outdoor conditions during the summer.

The patio spot gets full morning sun until about 11am. Bright indirect light the rest of the day.
Temps 70ish during the day 65ish at night.
So far this winter I am keeping the humidity up near 60%.

Something alittle flashy would be nice, but I'll let you guys help point me towards some good newb orchids.
 
  • #16
the easiest orchid i have is an unindentified Oncidium hybrid i picked up at home depot. its a tank. the mini Cattleya hybrids and Phals have been pretty tough.
 
  • #17
Yes, those various Onc hybrids have flashy blooms and are famously easy.  Not for me, but for everyone else on the planet.  I think Phals are easy, but mine seem dependent on their few months outside every summer.  If you give them a few months outside under a tree in the summer, you'll probably do well with them too.  Since Onc hybrids and Phal hybrids are sold by everyone from orchid dealers to grocery stores to Home Depot, they're easy to find and, with patience, you can often find them for 1/2 price or less after they've finished blooming. I don't keep hybrids and, of my non-flashy species, I find Encyclias to be very reliable bloomers.
 
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