Tips and Words of Wisdom for Newbies

[bwester]

Figured I start this for everyone to add in advice they have learned the hard way.

1. Never repot or attempt to rewire ANYTHING while drinking.
2. If its to good to be true, then is isnt what the seller says it is

 

[Marco]

otherwise you'll be repotting your wires

 

[Heather]

If you're unsure how often to water, grow in clear pots. Not only can you keep track of root growth, you can also see condensation.

 

[bwester]

When wiring a GH, put the exhaust fan and an outlet for a back up heater on a SEPARATE 20 amp breaker.

 

[charlie c]

When wiring a GH, put the exhaust fan and an outlet for a back up heater on a SEPARATE 20 amp breaker.

If using GFI (Ground Fault Interrupter) breakers, don't put all your fans on one circuit. If one fan fails and opens the breaker, you lose all the fans.

charlie c

 

[NYEric]

Oh this one is too good to be true!
1. Don't assume a new plant, from any vendor, doesn't have a disease or pests.
2. Don't assume the water you drink or wash with is good enough for your plants because it's good enough for you.
3. [Near Blooming Size] !!!!!! Sure.
4. Be patient.

 

[li'l frog]

Repot all new plants -- enjoy the bloom for however long, but get it out of the pot. The person who grew it from flask has it in sphagnum. The guy who got it wholesale to grow it to blooming size put the plug into Pro-mix; and the guy who finished it put it into bark in a nice new pot. If you are watering for the apparant media, you are probably watering wrong. Repotting soon lets you get the plant into what you grow in, and lets you see the root system, and check for any friends who may be living in there, too.

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

Survival rate is inversely proportional to the price you paid. Also applies to tropical fish. Eric

 

[Marco]

Survival rate is inversely proportional to the price you paid. Also applies to tropical fish. Eric

......with exception to neos oke:

 

[Equestris]

Don't let your collection grow too quickly when you are new. Yes, you will want one of everything you see, and you will be looking for bargains and give aways. But my advice is to acquire a few healthy plants of different types, and to learn the ropes in growing those. It won't be long before your tastes will evolve and you want to be able to indulge those new interests and not have a bunch of plants you are now uninterested in to deal with. My experience, anyway.

 

[streetmorrisart]

Kind of along the lines of the last fine suggestion:

Do a ton of looking before buying and find plants you're REALLY excited about (not just excited that they're inexpensive), then read as much as you can about them to figure out which you personally have the best chance of growing well in your specific conditions. The ones you were most intent on learning about (even if they’re reputedly a little tricky, within reason) probably have as good of a chance of growing well for you than the ones everyone tells you are best for beginners. Bottom line, if you go to an orchid show for the first time and fall in love with a paph, don’t let people push you toward a phal or a Sharry Baby instead. You probably won’t care about it as much.

(Disclaimer: None of my NOID phals I purchased on clearance years ago will die, not that I really want them to. The faithful, low maintenance guys grow on you too!)

 

[bwester]

There are alot of illegal plants out there and likewise, alot of government agents willing to waste thousands of taxdollars for your 20 buck plant.

 

[TutoPeru]

Buy mature plants. They are more expensive, but they are normally well established and are most likely to survive our inexperience.

I bought a good number of seedlings when I started with orchids. I managed not to kill them but it is a long road to take them into bloom.... and as someone else said on a previous posting: You need PATIENCE!!

 

[Jon in SW Ohio]

ASK QUESTIONS!!!!

There are no stupid questions, just a lot of inquisitive idiots...(kidding of course )

Ask as many people as many questions as you can think of. If you grow orchids you probably love talking about orchids. I've yet to meet a grower who wasn't completely thrilled to answer even the most simple question.

 

[bwester]

dirt does not an orchid grow

 

[TADD]

Do research! Tons of reading! Get an orchid mentor.

 

[Renegayde]

where do you buy a orchid mentor?

 

[TADD]

I have volunteered/ worked at a local orchid grower for over three years now. I have learned so much it is amazing, I repot, divide, mount, clean, spray, water, thousands and thousands of orchids. In fact today I started began repotting the lycastes. Just finished all of the paphs, and after the lycastes it is on to the phrags....

 

[Marco]

dont sit on your paphs....

 

[Heather]

dont sit on your paphs....

I came here to say exactly that, but you beat me to it.