A bit of a change...

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hchan

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A little while ago, I mentioned that I wanted to make some bids for the Australian auction but couldn't any more because of a change in circumstances... Well it's pretty much a done deal now, so I can talk about it!

I will be relocating to Los Angeles for work for two years or so, probably within the next month. Mixed feelings from a orchid point of view. Good news is that I will have lots of paphs to choose from, a lot more. In fact just more orchids in general! Bad news is the orchids I have now probably won't survive my time away and also two years isn't really a lot of time to grow much of anything... I haven't decided what my orchid strategy will be once I'm in LA, I'm thinking of getting a small number of blooming size plants that I can enjoy while I'm there and then just selling them when I leave. What do you guys think??
 
Tough one to deal with. When you're on the go internationally you always have to think in shorter blocks of time. I'd focus on stuff you really like and have room for. LA isn't a place you'll have much room unless your rich!

Personally, after I cannot make it here in Japan any longer, I think I'm headed for a tropical place that isn't break neck expensive and just live out my last years on a small plot of land. Grow food and orchids and ferns and coffee and...

Or so goes the dream.
 
Probably not the time to invest in sanderianum flasks! Good for you, that's a big change! What are you doing with your current plants?

I must say that my small collection of Neos is keeping me quite sated. Haven't felt too much like re-establishing the giant paph collection since I moved out to Cali 2 years ago. I like the small fragrant ones and they bloom reliably every year with little care. There's a person on eBay who has pretty nice plants and they are generally not too pricey. I certainly wouldn't want to invest too money in the plants.
 
Hope you find a good home for your existng plants. I'd just pick a select group to try here, otherwise the addiction could overwhelm you!
 
Thank you everyone for your suggestions :)

KyushuCalanthe said:
Tough one to deal with. When you're on the go internationally you always have to think in shorter blocks of time. I'd focus on stuff you really like and have room for. LA isn't a place you'll have much room unless your rich!

Personally, after I cannot make it here in Japan any longer, I think I'm headed for a tropical place that isn't break neck expensive and just live out my last years on a small plot of land. Grow food and orchids and ferns and coffee and...

Or so goes the dream.
Click to expand...

:D Oh, I'm certainly not rich and I won't have a lot of room. I'm probably going to go for a one bedroom apartment with a good aspect for growing orchids.

Come to Australia! Though with the way the Aussie dollar is going at the moment, it's probably not that cheap anymore. I think you'd like our climate though :) I'd love to retire and grow orchids & ferns!! Apparently I'm still too young to retire. :mad:


Heather said:
Probably not the time to invest in sanderianum flasks! Good for you, that's a big change! What are you doing with your current plants?

I must say that my small collection of Neos is keeping me quite sated. Haven't felt too much like re-establishing the giant paph collection since I moved out to Cali 2 years ago. I like the small fragrant ones and they bloom reliably every year with little care. There's a person on eBay who has pretty nice plants and they are generally not too pricey. I certainly wouldn't want to invest too money in the plants.
Click to expand...

Yup, no sanderianum flasks for me! Everything will need to be in bud or in bloom. Even NBS wouldn't be enough. My current plants will go to my mother for safe-keeping. She's not a great one with plants (sorry Mum...). She puts ferns into dark rooms with about 5 footcandles of light and expect them to grow. I really don't like their chances, but oh well I don't have anyone else to give them to.

I've also been thinking of Neos, as well as oriental Cymbs and of course some Paphs. Once I'm over there I'll have to ask for some good local sources. I know Santa Barbara Orchids is close by.

Really, what I really need to do is to housesit for an orchid person. I'm also good with general gardening and also with aquariums! :D But that's not going to happen is it haha.
 
hchan said:
Come to Australia! Though with the way the Aussie dollar is going at the moment, it's probably not that cheap anymore. I think you'd like our climate though :) I'd love to retire and grow orchids & ferns!! Apparently I'm still too young to retire. :mad:
Click to expand...

I would indeed enjoy the climate, but not the cost of things. I'm thinking somewhere I can live on the cheap. Getting tired of "developed nations" and cold temperatures.

You're never too young to retire. I've been retired my whole life :rollhappy:
 
KyushuCalanthe said:
I would indeed enjoy the climate, but not the cost of things. I'm thinking somewhere I can live on the cheap. Getting tired of "developed nations" and cold temperatures.

You're never too young to retire. I've been retired my whole life :rollhappy:
Click to expand...

Peru is cheap and an orchid paradise. I'm not ready to retire but I'm moving back there soon.
 
KyushuCalanthe said:
I would indeed enjoy the climate, but not the cost of things. I'm thinking somewhere I can live on the cheap. Getting tired of "developed nations" and cold temperatures.

You're never too young to retire. I've been retired my whole life :rollhappy:
Click to expand...

We'll always have Tajikistan....
 
mormodes said:
We'll always have Tajikistan....
Click to expand...

Too cold...but the mountains sound nice. Peru looks better.

My only criteria for a country are: not too many guns going off (opps! there goes the USA), none are pointed at me, it is warm year round with lots of natural resources (esp. forests and mountains), ample food or ability to grow it, and enough work to keep an aging foreigner alive 3-4 more decades.

I'm not asking much...
 
KyushuCalanthe said:
...My only criteria for a country are: not too many guns going off (opps! there goes the USA), none are pointed at me, it is warm year round with lots of natural resources (esp. forests and mountains), ample food or ability to grow it, and enough work to keep an aging foreigner alive 3-4 more decades.

I'm not asking much...
Click to expand...



when you find it, please let me know too.
sounds dreamy....
 
KyushuCalanthe said:
Too cold...but the mountains sound nice. Peru looks better.

My only criteria for a country are: not too many guns going off (opps! there goes the USA), none are pointed at me,
Click to expand...

Not too many guns in Peru. Most people can't afford the ammunition and usually only shoot at something they intend to eat. Most police officers in rural areas have a gun in their holster but little or no ammunition...they don't need it.

it is warm year round
Click to expand...

How warm?

with lots of natural resources (esp. forests and mountains),
Click to expand...

Peru probably is the wealthiest country with regards to natural resources.


ample food or ability to grow it,
Click to expand...

Most of the Peruvian population live off of their home gardens.

and enough work to keep an aging foreigner alive 3-4 more decades.
Click to expand...

If you can work for 3-4 more decades you are not aging!

I'm not asking much...
Click to expand...

Not too much, just enough! :clap:
Click to expand...
 
Everything is moving along, I'll be arriving in LA on 20th May! So what are some good orchid nurseries in the LA area? I only know Santa Barbara Orchid Estate. Which orchid societies cover the LA area?
 
Thanks Tom :D

Any tips from anyone please? I looked at Cal Orchids, but they don't seem to have any Paphs.
 
Andy's Orchids is south of LA. They've cut way back on slippers but have tons of weird small stuff appropriate for apartment growing. I believe Terry Root and OZ are in southern Ca, but I don't think they are generally accessible.

I grew up in LA, but other than going back periodically to visit family, I haven't paid much attention to the orchid scene there in 20 years.

If you are in LA proper then it's crowded apartment living, but LA city itself is small, so most likely you would be in one of the adjacent suburb cities (not readily distinguishable from LA proper). Generally when people think of LA they mean "southern CA, south of Bakersfield and north of Orange Co. You may look at renting a house instead and put up a small green house.

There should be tons of orchid opportunities from Santa Barbara south to San Diego. I used to know lots of people grew cymbidiums outside year round, and virtually every garden center sold some orchids.

You should have no problems making orchid friends in LA.
 

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