I wonder the same thing, Arthur. Everyone starts with a Phal but I wonder if they move on to others.My first orchid was a dendrobium. Had no idea what it was and that plant survived despite the worst possible treatment. There was no Garden Web and since I didn't know it was an orchid, had no one to ask questions.

I actually think Phals can be tricky. I had better luck in NY than in Florida. Too much humidity here causes all sorts of problems. But Dends do quite well here and I think could be easier for most people to grow in Florida.

Jane

My first orchid was a Phalaenopsis. Unfortunately it had a small fungal spot that I did not notice immediately. I tried to save it and failed. After that I was hooked. I remember thinking "I can't imagine dedicating an entire room of my home to plants!" Oh well, I love my orchid room now!

This was my first. Bought it from a hobby grower I met at my first orchid meeting. He had a large screened in pool with enough room for 2000 plants. I walked around for 2 or 3 hours and chose the one above. At the next orchid meeting I re-introduced my self by standing up and saying, hello my name is Harvey and I'm an orcoholic. I'm fully addicted...and glad of it!

Harvey, your vanda is gorgeous! It is the stuff that my little, frigid northeast gardener heart dreams of!

I started with Phals. Got a couple as gifts 10-15 years ago, before I had kids. I loved the challenge and got a Paph and Ludisia. I had no idea what I was doing with them but was able to keep them alive and rebloom the Phal and Paph. Then we got a dog and had babies. With my husband traveling all week, every week for work, the orchids were forgotten in favor of the survival of the small humans.

3 years ago we moved into a house with a solarium (sun room) with it's very own heater, so I decided to try 1 orchid (and a meyer lemon tree). I learned very quickly that my solarium is too bright for phals in the windowsill! My phal migrated to our master bathroom where it bloomed regularly and then made a keiki. That was perplexing, so I searched around and found you guys :) For the next year I bought a few more phals to see how they did. last year with both kids in school (9 whole HOURS per week to myself!!!!), I decided what better hobby than to try to grow difficult plants? I began buying other orchids - Dens, Oncs, Catts, Vandas etc. - mostly NOIDs from Trader Joe's and a few from an orchid sale at a local estate greenhouse. Now, a year later, I have more varieties than I know what to do with and too many phals - you see a friend, who is also a florist, got wind of my orchids and started donating past-bloom phals to me that would otherwise be thrown out.

The kids are still young (4 and 7), but I like plants and I intend to stick with it. I have lost a couple phals along the way, but both came to me very sick. We'll see about the rest ;) Thanks to all of you! I still have so very much to learn!

Not difficult plants. At least I choose easy plants. For me. Pick plants that will do more than survive in the culture you can provide. There is a big menu, 30 to 40 thousand species. Requiring many different cultures. Because there is so much diversity if you pick what is right for you it is very easy. My exception is spider mites. I'm getting better at that too.

I agree that they aren't difficult, but they are very different than typical gardening. I don't find them hard at all and quite rewarding :) Plus, in my old age I'll be the crazy orchid lady which is an infinitely easier reputation than being a crazy cat lady ;)

My first purchases were cymbidiums. Phals looked too delicate, even though I eventually discovered that they were not. Then I branched out to try more challenging species. Now I am back to the stuff that isn't fussy here--cymbidiums, Dendrobium kingianum, bletilla and sobralia. But a coelogyne crept in last year. And now I have the beginning urges to cycle through some of the other groups again. uh-oh. ;)

Lovely pic you posted.

Thank you! This is a typical display built by members of grow everything societies around here. It is not a pure display because the plants are in classes to help the judges.

Only five Phalaenopsis. Just say there were twenty!

This is the paradox of the Phalaenopsis, I suspect they are "easier" to grow in places where there is more expertise with indoor culture. ie the frozen north in centrally heated homes.

I got started by having a phal given to me back in the late 90's. Kept it alive for about a year, but it did not flourish and finally went to the compost heap. Stopped smoking in January 2002 and saw a lipstick phal in a store in early January and thought it might be a good way to keep my mind off of the cigs. Bought a small light cart a few months later and have pretty much grown (50-250) 'kids since. I still prefer phals (@50% of my collection) but I do enjoy some challenges too. I've also settled down to about @100 plants, pretty much my maximum under my current indoor conditions.

I surprise people when they find out I grow orchids, I don't think I fit the normal pattern: I'm an outdoors (fishing, hunting, etc...) type guy, but have always enjoyed gardening. I'll probably grow orchids until I'm unable as I don't see myself tiring of it and think I could grow at least a couple under most living conditions.

Bob

I am not sure I will tire of growing orchids. If I am not careful, I can see myself burning out though. I really enjoy expanding my collection, which means there are more and more of these lovelies to care for. I find the watering and tending relaxing, but it is really, really time consuming. So I need to be more careful not to overload myself. There are more orchids that I want to acquire than there is time to give to them.