Orchids Anyone?

POLYRADICION

Member
Jan 6, 2003
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HEY,

Just wondering what some people's thoughts are on orchids. I'm thirteen years old, and am thinking of starting an orchid society in my area (Massachusetts). Just wanted to get some people's thoughts on this. If you want to see some orchids, here are a few sites: The AOS, Petite Plaisance (great pictures). Here is a website where i have uploaded some of my own pics of orchids that I own: Kaputnik A link to my orchid photos

Thanks,

 

Placer14

Platinum Member
Sep 17, 2001
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Orchids are pretty cool. My dad's a botnist and has a lot of experience with them. They're gorgeous plants, but I personally don't get any satisfaction out of them other than how they look. So a society would be a little boring to me. But hey, to each his own.

Good luck. BTW, i'm sure there are already Orchid Societies establish in your area, just earch online and maybe you can start a charter in your area. :)
 

POLYRADICION

Member
Jan 6, 2003
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Maybe, thanks. I looked at first, but the closest society to my area is a few hours away. Long drive. Anyway, thanks
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Go for it, dude.

It's nice to see young people interested in things like this. More power to you.

Orchids are beautiful plants.. but they're very hard to take care of..

I like to consider myself an amateur botanist.. but my primary interest is in Confiers.

Don't know why, but I just love needled trees.. watching them grow.
 

xuanman

Golden Member
Oct 5, 2002
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aside from looking nice, a lot of them smell great too, they can really freshen up a room
 

MrBond

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Feb 5, 2000
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My parents used to be really into orchids. We had a greenhouse attached to the house and everything. My dad grew a ton of them.

They were also in an orchid club, in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. That was the closest one to them, and it was 1.5hrs away. They were the youngest people in the club (at about 40-43 yrs old), the rest of the club members were late 50's on up. Some of the people were weird, but others were really great people. We still are very good friends with a husband and wife my parent's met in the club.

My Dad's since stopped growing orchids, and we've converted the greenhouse to a sunroom. It's a ton of work for not a whole lot of reward, especially when you don't sell the plants.
 

POLYRADICION

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Jan 6, 2003
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I think im gonna go for it. for the people that think that they are hard to take care of, i say nonsense. Its a myth. as long as you water them, and maintain the temp not toooo cold, and not tooo hot (and i mean around room temp is great) they'll do great. I currently grow about 25 orchids, and they're doing great. Yes, there are orchids that require special care, but ones that you can get at supermarkets are easy. Orchids can cost from $5 - $5,000!!! I try to get people interested in orchids when i can. For anyone out there who wants to give it a try, i suggest getting a white phalaenopsis, or a purple dendrobium. If anyone has anymore questions feel free to PM me or email me at any time. I'll do my best to help. There is a thing we orchid lovers call "orchid fever." Get your first orchid, and when it blooms, you'll see what i mean. ;)

Thanks,

Kaputnik
 

Placer14

Platinum Member
Sep 17, 2001
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Originally posted by: POLYRADICION
I think im gonna go for it. for the people that think that they are hard to take care of, i say nonsense. Its a myth. as long as you water them, and maintain the temp not toooo cold, and not tooo hot (and i mean around room temp is great) they'll do great. I currently grow about 25 orchids, and they're doing great. Yes, there are orchids that require special care, but ones that you can get at supermarkets are easy. Orchids can cost from $5 - $5,000!!! I try to get people interested in orchids when i can. For anyone out there who wants to give it a try, i suggest getting a white phalaenopsis, or a purple dendrobium. If anyone has anymore questions feel free to PM me or email me at any time. I'll do my best to help. There is a thing we orchid lovers call "orchid fever." Get your first orchid, and when it blooms, you'll see what i mean. ;)

Thanks,

Kaputnik

Those two orchids you cited were pretty much the bread and water of orchid. And probably the easiest to take care of. If you're looking for more a challenge, I could talk to my dad about a rare variety that was imported from the middle east that is not much bitter than 1 inch in any direction and it's flower spikes are just under a 2 cms and each spike has roughly 30-50 flowers on it. It's really quite impressive, but doesn't thrive very well in the tropical weather we get here. :)

And try not to bump your post every 6 minutes. I'd say every 1 hour or so is enough. :)
 

DeviousTrap

Diamond Member
Jul 19, 2002
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Those are some nice plants in your pictures. In reality how hard are those plants to take care of?
 

Moonbeam

Elite Member
Nov 24, 1999
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Hayabusarider lives back your way and has an orchid or two if my memory serves me well. If he sees this thread he'll probably check in.
 

toant103

Lifer
Jul 21, 2001
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Originally posted by: POLYRADICION
HEY,

Just wondering what some people's thoughts are on orchids. I'm thirteen years old, and am thinking of starting an orchid society in my area (Massachusetts). Just wanted to get some people's thoughts on this. If you want to see some orchids, here are a few sites: The AOS, Petite Plaisance (great pictures). Here is a website where i have uploaded some of my own pics of orchids that I own: Kaputnik A link to my orchid photos

Thanks,

aren't they picky about temp and water?
 

Novgrod

Golden Member
Mar 3, 2001
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if anybody is interested, i have some 1600x1200 pictures of orchids from the lincoln park greenhouse (chicago).
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
Originally posted by: POLYRADICION
I think im gonna go for it. for the people that think that they are hard to take care of, i say nonsense. Its a myth. as long as you water them, and maintain the temp not toooo cold, and not tooo hot (and i mean around room temp is great) they'll do great. I currently grow about 25 orchids, and they're doing great. Yes, there are orchids that require special care, but ones that you can get at supermarkets are easy. Orchids can cost from $5 - $5,000!!! I try to get people interested in orchids when i can. For anyone out there who wants to give it a try, i suggest getting a white phalaenopsis, or a purple dendrobium. If anyone has anymore questions feel free to PM me or email me at any time. I'll do my best to help. There is a thing we orchid lovers call "orchid fever." Get your first orchid, and when it blooms, you'll see what i mean. ;)

Thanks,

Kaputnik

I have never grown them myself, but I know a few people that have.. and it seems hard to keep them alive here in Oregon, barring a dedicated room for them.

They're picky compared to my trees that sit happily outside all year ;)

Very nice looking plants, by the way.

Most of my trees are much too young to produce flowers or cones.. I do have one that produced one set of male cones on one branch last year, though. Hopefully it will produce some female cones this year.

I believe it's an Austrian Pine.. I collected it from the beach, where the winds blow bad most of the year. Its crown was killed very low to the ground, and it has assumed this 5-branch star shaped pattern. It's pretty cool. I'm going to keep training it the way its growing and see how it turns out. It would be cool to have a 5-trunked tree.
 

Darein

Platinum Member
Nov 14, 2000
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I have quite a few growing around my house. While planted there on purpose they are starting to get wild, and untaimed, heh.
 

Hayabusa Rider

Admin Emeritus & Elite Member
Jan 26, 2000
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Originally posted by: POLYRADICION
HEY, Just wondering what some people's thoughts are on orchids. I'm thirteen years old, and am thinking of starting an orchid society in my area (Massachusetts). Just wanted to get some people's thoughts on this. If you want to see some orchids, here are a few sites: The AOS, Petite Plaisance (great pictures). Here is a website where i have uploaded some of my own pics of orchids that I own: Kaputnik A link to my orchid photos Thanks,

I have been raising orchids for many years now. Extremely rewarding hobby and I always have something blooming. AOS member myself. You might consider the Mass Horticultural Society too. More general, but a large and knowlegeable group, and if you can get into Boston, they have a wonderful library
 

MrsHoneybee

Senior member
Dec 29, 2002
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Originally posted by: POLYRADICION
HEY,

Just wondering what some people's thoughts are on orchids. I'm thirteen years old, and am thinking of starting an orchid society in my area (Massachusetts). Just wanted to get some people's thoughts on this. If you want to see some orchids, here are a few sites: The AOS, Petite Plaisance (great pictures). Here is a website where i have uploaded some of my own pics of orchids that I own: Kaputnik A link to my orchid photos

Thanks,


Best of luck with your orchids.