Thinking of getting an orchid

Question:

Tony, Home Depot carries a bulb for plants that runs about $7.00 each. I’ve used them and like them for low light plants(Plals. in particular). I think they are made by GE and they have an orange sleeve on them. Someone else on this site reccommended them some time ago. Bob

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – of wisdom: I would like to build a special enclosure for them most of the time like an acrylic box or something for them to grow in with a MH light or something. I know orchids need to be well ventilated so would a few fans in the sides work. If anyone has any info about anyone doing anything like this could you please share it with me. <snip BTW the reaason I need this enclosure is because of the low level of light in my house. There are trees all over my property and hardly any light gets in. Low (or even no) light shouldn’t really be a problem if you install good quality grow lights. I grow all my orchids in my basement under regular florescent fixtures (el cheapos from Home Depot) with very good quality daylight bulbs in them. Does the daylight bulb come with the florescent fixture or I have to buy them separately, if so what is the daylight bulb called, what’s its name etc…. I am novice and want to build a shelf with light for my orchids but don’t know what light I need, they all look the same to me in the light store . Thanks alot. They are suspended from the ceiling tiles in the normal fashion and create a very evenly bright light. My benches sit directly under them. I hang my few vandas directly from the fixture so they are just under the light. My paphs, phals and one or two other oddball orchids I keep around here sit up on the benches, directly underneath the bulbs but roughly 3-to-4 feet below them. All or most of my leafy tropicals and potted citrus trees sit clustered throughout the space and around the orchid benches on the floor, creating a nice little microclimate. All seem to enjoy the evenly bright light, which is on a cycle of 12 hours on/12 hours off, all winter long. In the summer, every plant in this place goes ***outside*** (because I need a break!) in various locations around my yard, according to the conditions each individual plant likes. This setup has worked really well for me for about 3 years that I’ve been growing orchids. ‘Course, I’m mostly growing the hardy guys that get by on lower light levels, so your mileage may vary. But I don’t think you have to go all out and get into serious debt or start building things right away just because you want to grow orchids. The right plant in the right place works wonderfully. Even my vandas (which people have warned me are miserably hard to grow) have grown well and even rewarded me with blooms by hanging them just inches from the ceiling fixture during winter and then putting them out in the yard for the summer. It’s probably not the optimal way to grow orchids, but it works…for me! Hope this helps… * * * * * Karen C. Southern CT / USDA Zone 6 Spammers be damned! I can’t be emailed from this account… "Gardeners know all the best dirt!"

Response:

We are Orchid. You will be assimilated. Your uniqueness will be added to our own. Resistance is futile. Hold still while I inject you with pollinia nanoprobes….. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi. My name is Patrick Kelly and I have been looking for a new hobby recently. I have been considering a few things and orchids are one of them. I would like to build a special enclosure for them most of the time like an acrylic box or something for them to grow in with a MH light or something. I know orchids need to be well ventilated so would a few fans in the sides work. If anyone has any info about anyone doing anything like this could you please share it with me. Thank you. BTW the reaason I need this enclosure is because of the low level of light in my house. There are trees all over my property and hardly any light gets in. Also has anyone ever tried using aeroponics to grow orchids. If you know of any good beginner sites out there please share. Thank you.

Response:

I hope you took note Patrick – YOU WERE WARNED. Orchids are not a gentle hobby. THEY ARE A FEVER, AN ADDICTION. Welcome, the gods need new blood. SuE – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi. My name is Patrick Kelly and I have been looking for a new hobby recently. I have been considering a few things and orchids are one of them. I would like to build a special enclosure for them most of the time like an acrylic box or something for them to grow in with a MH light or something. I know orchids need to be well ventilated so would a few fans in the sides work. If anyone has any info about anyone doing anything like this could you please share it with me. Thank you. BTW the reaason I need this enclosure is because of the low level of light in my house. There are trees all over my property and hardly any light gets in. Also has anyone ever tried using aeroponics to grow orchids. If you know of any good beginner sites out there please share. Thank you.

Response:

I would like to build a special enclosure for them most of the time like an acrylic box or something for them to grow in with a MH light or something. I know orchids need to be well ventilated so would a few fans in the sides work. If anyone has any info about anyone doing anything like this could you please share it with me.

Anyone ever tried the Phototron for orchids?

Response:

We all tried to tell Patrick last week it is an ADICTION – and very infectious. Very easy to transmit to other unsuspecting parties. But aint it fun. SuE – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Last fall, I took pity on a reject in the clearance isle at Lowes… went to book store and read quickly the requirements of an orchid… had an old 55 gallon fish takk stand that had groow lights mounted already… Trip to the local Walmart for a bag of pea gravel, filled plastic tray with gravel and water. and placed orchid on top… and waited…. Working on my THIRD stand this week with 2 shelves and lights on each. this will give me 6 sets of flourecent lights now, on 6 shelves… and 65 plants… its VICE…

Response:

Does the daylight bulb come with the florescent fixture or I have to buy them separately, if so what is the daylight bulb called, what’s its name etc…. I am novice and want to build a shelf with light for my orchids but don’t know what light I need, they all look the same to me in the light store . Thanks alot. They are suspended from the – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – ceiling tiles in the normal fashion and create a very evenly bright light. My benches sit directly under them. I hang my few vandas directly from the fixture so they are just under the light. My paphs, phals and one or two other oddball orchids I keep around here sit up on the benches, directly underneath the bulbs but roughly 3-to-4 feet below them. All or most of my leafy tropicals and potted citrus trees sit clustered throughout the space and around the orchid benches on the floor, creating a nice little microclimate. All seem to enjoy the evenly bright light, which is on a cycle of 12 hours on/12 hours off, all winter long. In the summer, every plant in this place goes ***outside*** (because I need a break!) in various locations around my yard, according to the conditions each individual plant likes. This setup has worked really well for me for about 3 years that I’ve been growing orchids. ‘Course, I’m mostly growing the hardy guys that get by on lower light levels, so your mileage may vary. But I don’t think you have to go all out and get into serious debt or start building things right away just because you want to grow orchids. The right plant in the right place works wonderfully. Even my vandas (which people have warned me are miserably hard to grow) have grown well and even rewarded me with blooms by hanging them just inches from the ceiling fixture during winter and then putting them out in the yard for the summer. It’s probably not the optimal way to grow orchids, but it works…for me! Hope this helps… * * * * * Karen C. Southern CT / USDA Zone 6 Spammers be damned! I can’t be emailed from this account… "Gardeners know all the best dirt!"

Response:

You said it right, Sue! I think I finally transmitted it to my next door neighbor today. She works for a florist, and I showed her a particular Den today; she said "I didn’t know Dendrobiums could look like that!" Heheheh. Got her! Diana

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – We all tried to tell Patrick last week it is an ADICTION – and very infectious. Very easy to transmit to other unsuspecting parties. But aint it fun. SuE Last fall, I took pity on a reject in the clearance isle at Lowes… went to book store and read quickly the requirements of an orchid… had an old 55 gallon fish takk stand that had groow lights mounted already… Trip to the local Walmart for a bag of pea gravel, filled plastic tray with gravel and water. and placed orchid on top… and waited…. Working on my THIRD stand this week with 2 shelves and lights on each. this will give me 6 sets of flourecent lights now, on 6 shelves… and 65 plants… its VICE…

Response:

Hi. My name is Patrick Kelly and I have been looking for a new hobby recently. I have been considering a few things and orchids are one of them. I would like to build a special enclosure for them most of the time like an acrylic box or something for them to grow in with a MH light or something. I know orchids need to be well ventilated so would a few fans in the sides work. If anyone has any info about anyone doing anything like this could you please share it with me. Thank you. BTW the reaason I need this enclosure is because of the low level of light in my house. There are trees all over my property and hardly any light gets in. Also has anyone ever tried using aeroponics to grow orchids. If you know of any good beginner sites out there please share. Thank you.

Response:

Patrick, DON’T DO IT!! It will be a monkey on your back forever! OK, now that the obligatory Surgeon General’s warning is out of the way…. Welcome to the group, and to the hobby. If you have the guts to learn, learn, and learn more – for the rest of your life, that is – you’ll thoroughly enjoy orchids. If you’re squeamish about killing plants, stay away. Lesson 1: READ BEFORE YOU BUY. Lots of sites (including mine) have lots of good basic culture info, which should lead you to hours of google searches and the library or book store. Lesson 2: BUY SOMETHING SUITED TO YOUR GROWING CONDITIONS. Most newbies buy something they like the looks of and then come crying when they can’t grow it. If you really analyze your conditions and compare the data with what the plants need, buying only those that match up well, you’ll be a lot better off. Lesson 3: ASK LOTS OF QUESTIONS HERE, AND RESEARCH THE ARCHIVES VIA GOOGLE Those of us that frequent this group want to help, and most want to keep learning, too. Lesson 4: INVEST IN PLASTICS MANUFACTURERS If you really need to build tight enclosures, I can pretty much guarantee that you’ll need that "owner’s discount" to buy more and more and more….. — Ray Barkalow < First Rays Orchids http://www.firstrays.com Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info!

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi. My name is Patrick Kelly and I have been looking for a new hobby recently. I have been considering a few things and orchids are one of them. I would like to build a special enclosure for them most of the time like an acrylic box or something for them to grow in with a MH light or something. I know orchids need to be well ventilated so would a few fans in the sides work. If anyone has any info about anyone doing anything like this could you please share it with me. Thank you. BTW the reaason I need this enclosure is because of the low level of light in my house. There are trees all over my property and hardly any light gets in. Also has anyone ever tried using aeroponics to grow orchids. If you know of any good beginner sites out there please share. Thank you.

Response:

I’m truly sorry that you are in need of this news group.;-) You still have a chance of escape if you do it now.<g Seriously – what better addiction could one have… Good luck! Kathy K.

Response:

Run, Patrick, run! Get out now, before the orchid Gods have you in their clutches! Don’t look back, as you may turn to a pillar of dyna grow as you try to leave! In your sleep, dendrobiums and catts and encyclias and bulbophilums and other strangely named beings will wind into your hair and invade your dreams! LOL Diana

Response:

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