Hello!

[Mikefallen13]

Hey guys!
I'm new to the forum but not the hobby! I got my first paph when I was 8 years old and have had the orchid bug ever since. I've grown basically every commonly kept orchid species but paphs and phrags are far and away my favorites. I lost my entire collection to an unknown pest several years back which forced me out of the hobby, so I'm just now getting back after visiting a local orchid show with my mom which re-ignited my interest. I currently only have about 10 slippers but I'm sure that number will grow quickly as I slowly replace some of my old favorites. I'm currently growing my slippers under lights and have some NOID phals and some other misc orchids in the living room windows, I hope to one day have a greenhouse again but it's just not feasible at the moment. Besides orchids, I have a bog garden with sarracenia pitcher plants and several aquariums (both fresh and saltwater) that I have fun messing with. I'm happy to be here and will probably have some questions since I'm still trying to dial in my setup. I look forward to learn and share my experiences with this awesome community!

Thanks!
Mike

 

[gonewild]

Welcome Mike!

Out of curiosity what geographic area are you in?
And approximately what decade were you 8 years old in?

 

[Mikefallen13]

Right now I'm living just outside of Pittsburgh, PA (hopefully moving back to NC in a couple years, I can't handle this cold weather) and I'm 19 years old.

 

[MaryPientka]

Hello from Saratoga Springs, New York!

 

[Heather]

Welcome Mike! I felt super silly this morning when I sent that email to you and forgot to sign my name. Duh! sorry about that!

 

[Mikefallen13]

No problem! Thanks again for your help

 

[Hien]

welcome, there is nothing worse than getting bugs on your collection, and their population explode to the point it kill all the plants .
This happened to me last year, I bought an oncidium intergeneric with slightly brown spots on the leaves from the Dearborn orchid show (thinking back , I should not buy any plant with such sign, or should at least quarantine any new plants for couple months) now so many valuable plants damaged .
-now I wash all the new plants more than once
-use botani wipe on all the leaves
-I am thinking that from now on I should even repot all new plants coming into the collection , and spray organic insecticide on all of them wether or not they have sign of pests or not

 

[Mikefallen13]

Yep, I'm now going to be very cautious with any new additions. I've been repotting all new orchids (unless they are in spike/bloom, in which case I'll just let them finish out the bloom cycle) and then they spend a week on a quarantine rack before they will go into my main grow rack.

 

[NYEric]

Welcome from NYC. You have to be able to maintain your collection.

 

[Linus_Cello]

Welcome! I grew up in Pittsburgh. You are fortunate that the local fish club meets at Phipps. If you are still around the burgh next winter you may want to come to the Paph Forum in DC in February. There is quite a Pittsburgh contingent (Demetria Marsh, Barbara Tisherman).

 

[abax]

Welcome to ST from KY. Glad to have a young man to
balance us oldies.

 

[SlipperFan]

Welcome, Mike. Once the orchid bug bites a human, it's all over! Your collection will surely grow quickly here, as we are all great enablers.

 

[17andgrowing]

Welcome from South Jersey

 

[orchidman77]

Welcome from another youngin'! (I'm 22). Good luck with your slippers - and did you mention you just purchased an adductum flask too? At least we're young enough to wait a decade for flowers...

David

 

[Heather]

Welcome, Mike. Once the orchid bug bites a human, it's all over! Your collection will surely grow quickly here, as we are all great enablers.

I was initially going to say that you have good timing, joining right before the auction starts, but I didn't want to sound pushy....that said, glad you are finding some things of interest!

 

[Mikefallen13]

I'm always down for getting new plants lol, especially when the proceeds are used to keep an awesome community going! Hopefully once my collection gets going again I'll be able to donate plants to the auction in the future.

 

[Heather]

Thanks Mike!

 

[phraggy]

A very big welcome from the UK Mike.

Ed