Hello from Oakland

[OrquideAlex]

Hi everyone, I'm Alex and I've owned my first paph for a year now and picked up my second one a few days ago at the Pacific Orchid Expo. I'm excited to have found this group, even though I'm going through the pains of discovering what I've been doing wrong in the past year and figuring out how to correct for it.

I fell for slipper orchids when I was studying plant taxonomy as an undergraduate, but wouldn't be for a decade before I purchased my first. It might be a hybrid with a P. henryanum, but I'll post more on that in the taxonomy section. My latest paph is a P. primulinum "alba", a sequential multifloral, but I'm concerned that my apartment might be a little too cool for it. I've been learning a bunch the past few days already, so I'm planning on picking up more paphs as I learn more about them here.

 

[Justin]

welcome!!!

you can definitely grow primulinum in an apartment. just make sure it gets adequate light and water...

 

[OrquideAlex]

Thanks!

Even if it's in the 50s all winter (sometimes even the day)? Yeah, my apartment runs cold.

Lighting I'm working on. I only recently discovered that north facing windows are too low, and that's all I have. I jury-rigged some fixtures with daylight CFLs for now, but I'm looking into LEDs as a permanent, elegant, and efficient solution.

 

[SlipperFan]

Welcome to Slippertalk, Alex. There are a number of cooler-growing Paphs that should do well in your conditions. Adding light is a good thing.

 

[OrquideAlex]

One of the reasons why I bought my first one, but I'm unsure how my new multifloral is tolerant of the cold temperatures.

 

[abax]

Welcome to ST, Alex. Like the rest of us, you have to learn the hard way
most of the time. Everyone's growing conditions are different and one
has to learn in her/his particular area how to cultivate orchids.

 

[Paph_LdyMacBeth]

Welcome Alex!
I have a feeling your collection with grow rapidly with our "help". :evil:

 

[Justin]

they may struggle a little in the cold winter like that, but will kick into growth and make up for it during the summer. so i think it should be fine. that's good you are adding lights. instead of LEDs try some t5 fluorescents. they could give off a little bit more heatin the winter.

 

[mormodes]

You might be able to find a fellow named Jacob who I think might be a member of the Oakland society who made the greatest grow area in his apartment. We are trying to get him to come to speak at the Diablo View OS - but that won't be till Fall and you should be able to find him before that. Chris is coming to talk (next month I think - argh my brain's a mess) but you should be able to find her before that too. She posts here and I'm sure she'll chime in. She's doing Paph Dr. for us. Oakland society meets at Lake Merrit on the 3rd Monday. Merrit charges for parking until 7PM so don't go there until after that. Google the page, Orchid Society of California is its real name. Diablo View is way out in Concord but we are the second Thursday of the month. dvos.org And of course San Francisco first Tuesday of the month. If you aren't opposed to a drive the Peninsula society gets good speakers too - 4th Friday. There's a synopsis of Jacob's brief grow space talk here: http://www.diabloviewos.org/NewsLetter/2013/May2013.pdf

 

[MorandiWine]

Welcome to ST Alex. I might have talked to you at the POE last week.....I was working at the Paphiness booth with the LED lights. If you have questions about lighting please feel free to ask, myself and everyone else on the forum is here to help.

Tyler

 

[Ozpaph]

Welcome.
primulinum should be OK around 50F if not against the glass. Humidity and light.

 

[Trithor]

Welcome from South Africa, why is your apartment so cold?

 

[OrquideAlex]

Thanks everyone for the welcomes. I’m glad to hear the assurances that my multifloral will be okay.

You might be able to find a fellow named Jacob who I think might be a member of the Oakland society who made the greatest grow area in his apartment. We are trying to get him to come to speak at the Diablo View OS - but that won't be till Fall and you should be able to find him before that. Chris is coming to talk (next month I think - argh my brain's a mess) but you should be able to find her before that too. She posts here and I'm sure she'll chime in. She's doing Paph Dr. for us. Oakland society meets at Lake Merrit on the 3rd Monday. Merrit charges for parking until 7PM so don't go there until after that. Google the page, Orchid Society of California is its real name. Diablo View is way out in Concord but we are the second Thursday of the month. dvos.org And of course San Francisco first Tuesday of the month. If you aren't opposed to a drive the Peninsula society gets good speakers too - 4th Friday. There's a synopsis of Jacob's brief grow space talk here: http://www.diabloviewos.org/NewsLetter/2013/May2013.pdf

The link suggests that Jacob’s setup isn’t in an apartment, but it's still interesting. My apartment pretty much functions like his cool temperature greenhouse, except with less light. I may attend the meeting at Lake Merritt this month, especially since I live close to there.

Welcome to ST Alex. I might have talked to you at the POE last week.....I was working at the Paphiness booth with the LED lights. If you have questions about lighting please feel free to ask, myself and everyone else on the forum is here to help.

I don’t think I had the chance to meet. I remember asking Dean a few questions on Saturday morning and don’t recall talking to anyone else at Paphiness, but I might be getting my booths confused. I'm developing an idea for a LED setup, but I’m also trying to balance that with my obsession over energy efficiency.

Welcome from South Africa, why is your apartment so cold?

Several factors: the San Francisco Bay Area has a cool climate for most of the year, my apartment is poorly insulated, and all my windows are north facing and don't get any direct sunlight.

 

[MorandiWine]

Alex,

Ya, I was not there on Saturday due to another commitment. Dean was more or less solo with his two kids.

If you have any LED questions let me know.

Tyler


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

 

[chrismende]

So, Mormodes was right, and here I am! The Paph you bought will definitely do OK through our cool but mild winter, showing slow new growth around now with lengthening days. You will be frustrated watching the buds develop very slowly until the weather warms up, though. Adding light will enhance your growing range a lot, and I encourage you to go LED to save energy. I ran many concurrent T5 lights for a year or so before I finally "saw the light" and rented a greenhouse instead! Power bills were above $500 and guilt thru the roof! The best thing was that I could go into my grow room and it was always warm and inviting and banished seasonal depression issues!
LEDs at that time hadn't become even remotely affordable, but now they are!

Let me welcome you, Alex, to SlipperTalk, also! You will learn a great deal here and because the group is international, you will get answers to questions often quite quickly...This is an active, helpful, broadly based group that really cares about each other. A real breath of fresh air online!

 

[mormodes]

The link suggests that Jacob’s setup isn’t in an apartment, but it's still interesting. My apartment pretty much functions like his cool temperature greenhouse, except with less light. I may attend the meeting at Lake Merritt this month, especially since I live close to there.

From what I understand he built a huge glass house in his living room. Like a huge terrarium. Bigger than the fish tank set ups you usually see.

Anyway, is the huge hydroponics store still open in Oakland? They may be a source for grow lights. Or other equipment.

 

[NYEric]

In case I didn't say it elsewhere, welcome from NYC!

 

[OrquideAlex]

So, Mormodes was right, and here I am! The Paph you bought will definitely do OK through our cool but mild winter, showing slow new growth around now with lengthening days. You will be frustrated watching the buds develop very slowly until the weather warms up, though. Adding light will enhance your growing range a lot, and I encourage you to go LED to save energy. I ran many concurrent T5 lights for a year or so before I finally "saw the light" and rented a greenhouse instead! Power bills were above $500 and guilt thru the roof! The best thing was that I could go into my grow room and it was always warm and inviting and banished seasonal depression issues!
LEDs at that time hadn't become even remotely affordable, but now they are!

Let me welcome you, Alex, to SlipperTalk, also! You will learn a great deal here and because the group is international, you will get answers to questions often quite quickly...This is an active, helpful, broadly based group that really cares about each other. A real breath of fresh air online!

Thanks for the encouragement. One thing I really appreciate so far after reading various threads is people are much more scientifically-minded than my other hobbies. It makes it much more interesting.

From what I understand he built a huge glass house in his living room. Like a huge terrarium. Bigger than the fish tank set ups you usually see.



Anyway, is the huge hydroponics store still open in Oakland? They may be a source for grow lights. Or other equipment.

Oh, I see! I thought about setting up a terrarium, but I don't want to go through that expense just yet. I think I'll get a improvement with changes in the lighting, watering and fertilizing, so that'll be it for now.

I know the store you're talking about, in Emeryville, but I've never been there. I may check it out this weekend.

 

[likespaphs]

howdy from Boston

 

[Heather]

Welcome from another in N. CA!