New member & new to Forum

MelissaSE · #1 07-03-2010, 06:44 PM

Hi all, I'm a new member of AOS and fairly new to growing orchids. I got my first one about 2 yrs. ago, a gift from a co-worker. I was convinced I'd kill it, but starting looking up cultural info on the internet and wow! It grew!

I now have about 25 orchids (hmmm... guess I never saw the part of the label that said "may be habit-forming"). At this time, my only growing area is in my large southeast kitchen window. Most of my plants are phals, with a few paphs, 1 mini-cattleya hybrid, 1 Miltoniopsis, and 1 Macodes.
I am still doing a LOT of learning. I live about 1 1/4 hours away from Carter & Holmes Orchids and try to go to as many of their seminars as I can. I also learn a lot from the plants themselves - they do speak, if we listen. I did some repotting this week, and heard a few plants telling me that I'm watering too often...
I'm looking forward to learning even more from y'all!

trdyl · #2 07-04-2010, 06:09 AM

Hello Melissa. Welcome to the Forum!

Marci in SoFL · #3 07-04-2010, 07:05 AM

Welcome to the Forum, Melissa! You are right - orchids are definitely addictive. I've been hooked for years - and love it. Happy growing!

MelissaSE · #4 07-06-2010, 12:33 AM

Thanks for the welcome... I hope to NOT find any 12-step programs that would reverse my orchid addiction!

trdyl · #5 07-07-2010, 03:04 PM

You'll not find any here. I've been a hobby grower for 33 years now and I don't know of any cure for the addiction. And really don't care to find one.

davet · #6 07-07-2010, 07:29 PM

As a member of the AOS membership committee, I welcome you to the AOS and this forum. I myself have been growing orchids for nearly 40 years. And have been an AOS member since I was a kid. That's great that you live close to Carter and Holmes. Gene Crocker is a good friend of mine. Great and knowledgeable man. Any questions, we're all here to help.