You need to further define just where you plan to grow your orchids: on a shelf in the house, outside, in a greenhouse, in a terrarium, ???? Each has different needs.
the conditions you need to meet are:
1. light
2. water
3. humidity
4. temperature
5. feeding
6. planting mix
7. air circulation
8. pests and diseases

Hi, smittee. I don't think you need to get gadgets ahead of time, really. If you've grown plants at all, dirt or houseplants, you have most of what you may need.

Use your money to buy orchids with, is IMO. If you just have to have a gadget, get one of those eye-dropper things for measuring out medicine from Walgreen's. Works a treat for measuring weak doses of fertilizer.

If something you really need is missing, you'll notice it, and get it then.

In the meantime, books are good. Read all you can, but mostly you have to learn by doing it.

Hope this helps.

Happy new year, and happy growing.

Here is a link that might be useful: Canadian Orchid Congress culture notes

If you don't have adequate light, buy lights. No substitute for giving the plans the light they need. Nothing else can compensate.

I've often thought of what kind of "kit" I'd get for any friend starting out with orchids, especially in a greenhouse. Number one on the tool list would be fingernails! Of which I rarely have.

Good tweezers, pair of good poultry shears, the sturdiest cuticle scissors you can find, good disinfecting product/method, notebook and pencil if you keep track of your orchids' doings, small watering can, sealed bags of different kinds of potting media, lots of bamboo skewers (like for kebabs) in different sizes, lots of twist ties (preferably in the 8"-12" range), lots of green bamboo stakes and/or metal stakes, supply of new or disinfected plastic and clay pots, sprays for fungus and bug control.

Other items (lights, fans, humidity units, heating, cooling) depend on your growing area and conditions.

Experiment, experiment! If a plant is unhappy in one area, try a different area, or media, or pot, or watering/feeding schedule.

I have more gadgets in the GH than I do in my kitchen! LOL!

Sharon

I took a quick look in my orchid shoebox in the laundry rm. All of the following are NECESSARY to EFFECTIVELY grow orchids the way that I WANT. Items not covered in previous posts:

curved hemostats (2 sizes) are great for nabbing both animate (pests--esp bush snails, centipedes, insects!) and inanimate "things" (seeds, "trash", etc) that don't belong deep in leaves

hand held magnifying glass

super glue for mounting

labels

string of various types

cotton tipped applicators

small, "model" sized paintbrushes

old toothbrush

flashlight

rubber bands

old pill vials for captured pests to ID later

--Stitz--

A good #2 pencil for writing on labels.
A few spray bottles, one for fertilizer, one for insecticide, one for plain water.

Without consideration for repeats...

Ruler
Scissors
tweezers, hemostats
pump sprayer/s
string, fishing line, twist ties
wire cutters/needle nose pliers
sphag moss
lava rock
styrofoam peanuts
metal or wood stakes
saucers/drip trays
Q-tips
drill or soldering iron (for making holes in pots)
trays, buckets, racks, hoses, lights, humidifiers...oh my!
-MB

:) Well, on seeing all these excellent replies, I can see I overlooked a lot of things I do just have to have. They've covered most of it, but I'd like to add a few more things to that medicine dropper ...

Trifocals with 500 magnification, and lots of bright light to work in are definitely needed if you're over 50, well say over 60. Forget the lights for plants here, this is light to see by. I've been thinking about that magnifying glass Stitz mentioned, but haven't popped for it yet, since I'm sure it would have hidden itself somewhere any time I needed it.

Your own personal sink so you can have all the water you need without bumping into people or waiting for them to move out of your way when you're in a hurry. And space to leave stuff spread around in. Untouched by anyone else!!!

Burning holes in plastic pots with a soldering iron is a really useful task. Orchids do appreciate the extra holes, as Mr. B says. However, I only found out I needed that this summer.

A propane torch makes quick work of sterilizing tools. You do have to find a place for it where little hands can't find it, and you may have to persuade someone you won't be using to set fire to anything, honest, etc etc. But it's indispensable. (And haven't burned myself yet)

A broom and dustpan of your very own-- you'll be using it often to clean up messes nearly everywhere. And a big thirsty dog towel for when the bucket handle breaks or the water can jumps out of your hand.

LOL. Even the messes are fun, smittee.


WOW ALL YALLS RESPONSE IS AWESOME. I feel
So special and excited. I took a cleaned tidy cat bucket , put a picture of an Orchid
On the lid and marked it ÂORCHID FIRSTAIDÂ and I am filling it with items from your list.
SOMEHOW I MISS-LEAD yall. I DO NOT have a light table What I as trying to
Say is that I would be WILLING to buy or set up on if I need too, for orchids HAPPINESS!

SSMITTEE