Definitely Stage 4 except I don't bring anything in the house even in bloom. I want blooms in the g/h and don't like having to run plant lights in the house during cloudy times.

I do have an Ebay account but it is for buying, not selling, I don't want the hassle.

Brooke

Interesting. I guess I'm somewhere around 2.5, though I'd be well into 3 of 4 if I had the space. I think I'm going to be in a quality-not-quantity mindset until I can afford more space. That said, I have someone working on a space plan for me so that I can grow and display more orchids without it looking like I live in a greenhouse/jungle.

Tyler

Yes, 3.5 here as well, except my plant room is in the basement where I can splash water around to my heart's content without ruining anything.

Somewhere between #4 and #5. My greenhouse is filling up, but so far I just give away extras and don't sell any.

I think there should be a stage #8 too:
"Getting a second larger greenhouse"

Stage 4, heading to Stage 8 (per daveh_sf)

Stages 5-7 are, to me, do not apply to all orchid growers (aka, not all orchid growers will go through it) No matter how many plants I have, I do not want the hassle, just like Brooke said

Olya

I skipped large chunks of stage two (who cares if the plant light matches the decor) and stage three (it's a plant and junk room; I never even tried to get a bed in there, and I don't want to summer my plants outdoors).

So I guess I'm at stage 3.9. I would be at stage four, except instead of a greenhouse, I have a grow room with shelves and various growlights, a humidifier, fan, and a bathroom across the hall for water access. I splash a lot of water around - I'm a klutz - but the carpet was already trashed from the room's previous life as an artist's studio and craft room. A few plants in bloom are moved into the house to decorate.

I used to sell non-orchid plant divisions on ebay. It was a pain in the rear. I doubt I'll do it again. Maybe Craigs list someday, but that's a pain too.

Stage 3 w/ spillover into the living room for a few cooler-growing orchids. And no summer outside this year. DH, who is affectionately supportive of my madness, truly cannot abide the look of the outside lathe house. One of the only things in our long relationship that's affected him like this. I just can't put up the lathe house again, knowing how he feels, and there's no alternative yet, except....

He'd buy me a small GH as fast as he could get to Costco, :) but this smart guy can't comprehend that, even for summers only, we'd need to level the yard, run electric lines, install sensors & back-up systems, maybe get a building permit.

Many orchid folks long for a GH, but it sounds like a nightmare to me, and it's silly for 68-orchids-heading-for-50. :) This summer, the 'chids will be "safe" in the house, as Howard brought up awhile back.

Good discussion. Whitecat8

i am at stage 3 - 4 if you substitute the sunroom for the greenhouse. the other stages don't apply to me because i have a hard time even with the thought of parting with any of my orchids even though i keep on telling myself to downsize because it is becoming too much on the one hand and making lists of orchids I would like to have on the other. i guess i am just confused. good thread.
sue

I'm at whatever stage it is when you convince yourself that $165 for a Phal. bellina is acceptable :)

I'm a stage 3. If I had the financial resources, I would be at stage 4 by now.

Is there a stage eleventeen? Where you sleep outside in the summer so you can be next to the plants?
...not that I'm admitting to anything....

7, no regrets.

In the last year I purchased 500 cloned 'Plugs' from Carmela for $1.00 each and 500 Kawamoto clones (Twice as big) for $2.00 each. Even though I mounted a couple of each cross for personal pleasure, the main group is growing to be sold when in bloom. Every Saturday morning a throng of 'Garage Sale Shoppers' mills up and down my street, I plan to set up a little table. Then there is EBay and Craigs List along with the Society plant table and the Society silent auction. A nice floofy Cat should sell for $10 and up when in bloom so I hope to finally make some money from my addiction. I just hope the suckers don't all go into bloom at the same time leaving me to look at green plants for 44 weeks and having too many to sell for 8. They are now crowded in 2 1/2" pots but will need more space when they begin to spread their wings. Actually quite exiting.

Like a drug user moving up into dealing!

Nick

Nick, if you take some really good flower pictures you can sell them out of bloom just as well. Since they are clones, the flower picture from one can represent them all, and they are certainly easier to pack out of bloom.

I've discovered that I'm at a hard-core stage 3. While I haven't bought a greenhouse, I did tear out a bedroom wall to put in a new west window where there wasn't one before. That bedroom already had a south window, which isn't as excessive as you might think since I'm in the often gloomy Pacific Northwest. Meanwhile, a living room East window is starting to take in some boarders....

Definitely stage 8 now. Over the top, into space.

Early May will see the arrival of a special order, large Grammatophyllum speciosum from Kawamoto. It is now growing in a 22"to 24" diameter 20" high barrel of sorts and will be shipped to me bare root. I have found a 45 gallon tub, 30" diameter, 22" high which will have numerous 2" holes drilled all over the sides and bottom. It will need 2 to 3 bags of large and medium bark to pot it and I have built a special stand for it where it can sit in unobstructed sun from sunrise to sunset.

Here is a site demonstrating the logistical challenge of a mature plant.
://www.orchidspecies.com/grammspeciosum.htm

It will sit outside during the warm part of the year but will have to come inside during the winter. Once it gets big it may not fit into the door of the greenhouse but I'll deal with that little problem then. May build a mini green house around it where it sits. Also will have it sitting low enough to the ground so the roots can reach into the soil, apparently they do that thus permanently fixing it's location.

Between that, the monster D speciosum and my 150 lbs Sulcata tortoise, my lucky heirs will have their hands full after I check out.

Ah, the joys of a rampant, unrestricted addiction. A 13 year old kid just made the news because he has become the youngest ever to climb Mount Everest. He has been on top of 5 (I think) of the tallest peaks of 5 continents and plans to conquer the remaining 2 as soon as possible. Need to introduce him to orchids, sounds like the kind of person we need to advance the hobby.

Nick

I am a 3.5 - we (I) want to put up a greenhouse but we are moving into a subdivision with a home owners association (read: yard Nazis). I am already depressed I cannot have chickens (manure, not eggs). But I am doing better since I realized there are horses not even half a block away around the corner.

I want to live in the house and bring my ever-growing collection with me for a few years before I start a greenhouse/sunroom, etc since I need to landscape and put in a patio first. I have reached the point that I really do not purchase more orchids, but for some reason, my houseplants and orchids are growing so big, I have to worry about where to put all the divisions. (Maybe I should do #5).

There should be another number in there for becoming angry when someone says "you have to many orchids". I think I am in denial or I am so addicted that its interferring with life LOL. I am trying to seek out other plant-aholics and its tough since I cannot make friends with people who love plants as much as me - which is why I am on this forum so much, you guys understand me.

eukofios...your self control is inspiring.

None of them. I've been growing orchids for so long that it is now just 'lifestyle' rather than an addiction stage.

eukofios - I know what you mean. I am in the same boat, now it's no more bulbs, then in a few weeks it will be some annuals, later some Oriental lillies..it never ends.

One funny story, I purchased some Oriental lillies from HD a few years ago (nice day to be outside - so I got a few just to plant them since they smelled nice).

Anyway, my parents saw my car at HD and called and said you better not buy anything, after I just got them in the car.

Well, I left them in the trunk on their sides parked in the shade and waited until they fell asleep and planted them in the middle of the night. The next day my mom said "wow overnight some lillies started to bloom."
I realized two things: 1. my parents are not quite observant and 2. I am sick mentally.

I am now past #7, maintaining another person's collection in return for more greenhouse space.

OK, I confess. The main reason I installed a rain barrel was to have rainwater for the orchids. Although it is also for other garden plants.

Also, I timed my mail order orchids so they would come when I was the only one at home, so I wouldn't get caught.

"Where did that come from?"
"Where did what come from?"
"That plant, there."
"What plant?"
"That one, there."
"You haven't noticed that? It's been there a while..."
"No it hasn't. I haven't seen it before."
"You just haven't noticed it."
"Are you sure?"
"What's for supper - I'm starving!"

Bradarmi, your lily story is hilarious.

eukofios, When did you tap into my kitchen conversations? :)

I need to place a supply order with OFE next week while Mrs Stitz is outta town.....

--Stitz--

SBOE has a bargain opportunity table where they sell divisions for $7.50. This 7.50 table is well known in SOCAL. Any and all plants I brought home from SBOE were always, without exception, purchased at the 7.50 table. This includes a load of awarded D speciosums several years ago where the total bill exceeded $1,000.

"Look honey, some real bargains from the 7.50 table."

We are all nuts.

Nick

Only the desperate would bother with Den. speciosum. I cut 'Doug' in half with an old blunt saw sometime in 2008. Both halves bloomed spring 2009 and i sold half for $40.

Why the desperate? Because I've got various seedlings over the years and i'm waiting, waiting for them to bloom.

I have a few that i delasked about 15-16 years ago and i'm waiting,waiting. Maybe i'll cark it before they bloom.

So, that is why i'm not besotted with Den. speciosum. Space hogs and slow from seed.

One guy at the local orchid society is a speciosum/cymbidium nut. There is no place in the backyard not covered in shadecloth and the front yard is going the same way, Cymbidiums under shadecloth. Cymbidiums have less chance of "walking" so that is why they are the overflow Genera.

But, rather than stages, there seems to be a sticking point, something like a golf handicap. People start off as Novice growers in an orchid society, graduate to Open Class Benching and then struggle to improve. There are very few of those Super growers who win Champion ribbons at the major shows. Maybe half a dozen good average growers in most orchid Societies and then those Open Class growers who struggle.

WOW! Right now I am a 1.5, but in my mind I am like a 6! I have rented about 13 books on orchids! I have also recently bought two orchids and I'm already looking at another three that I want! Hmmm..... I am not sure my mom will approve of me turning the living room into a jungle! But there is my room......

I think for a newbie I'm about a 7 all ready, started with my first one from Lowe's death table for $0.50 and it lived and grew,how cool is that I gave it a new life,one would work in my office north facing window,I saw one at the garden center I really liked the was number 2 then I was up north a garden was closing out there orchid room and I picked up a Colmanara cheap now I have 3, no big deal then it was 4,5.6,7,8 and today number nine came in, I'm now taking over part of my basement as a growing room for orchids I'm going to stay with Phals I like the small size ones, but who know what next spring will bring when I can stat to buy more

Bear

Stage 3 may be my permanent spot, although the orchids now stay indoors year-round.

And then there's the little matter of how MANY orchids. :) I got up to 120+, dropped down to about 30, and now am in the forties.

I'd like to stay under 40, but geesh! I've gotten a duplicate plant for a couple of faves that are hard to find, just in case one of them tanks. And there are some new Phal primaries and hybrids out there that are practically keeping me up nights, wanting them!

Hilarious discussion!

I'm happily hanging out around stage two.

I think there is a vertical progression from 1 to 7 but there is also a horizontal progression. Once a person has mastered the art of growing these things and has invested in one/two/three greenhouses with RO/DI water, MSU fertilizer, humidifier, heater, cooler etc etc comes the issue of WHAT to grow.

I can look at my backyard which is completely devoted to orchid culture, no dirt plants, decorative bushes, lawns which need to be stimulated to grow so they can be cut etc, and I can see the progression of the hobby. In the background lurk a bunch of space occupying Cymbidiums which I really don't appreciate any more. I have, however, 3 daughters and a daughter in law who steal them when they bloom and decorate their homes with them so I don't get rid of them. Then there are a bunch of catts, species and hybrids, Oncidiums, Encyclias, Vandas etc which grow outside and also get relatively little attention, tap water, regular fertilizer etc. Natural selection reigns supreme, the survivors get huge, others go to orchid heaven unsung, hardly noticed. At least when in bloom, they go to orchid shows and meetings.

Then there is a corner devoted to my passion with quality Dendrobium speciosums. Numerous awarded ones and at least a dozen quality beautiful bloomers which are in glorious bloom right now. These guys are tough and require little care, they also get rather large. Because of their size I will not get any more. Now we finally are inside the 2 greenhouses, warm and cold. My real interests today are inside there.

On the warm side there is a growing collection of Bulbophyllums, 275 heading for 300. Eclectic Phaelies, Dendrobiums Gongoras etc,etc. New additions are carefully screened.except for Bulbos, any Bulbo not present is added.

And then there is the cold house where the cloud forest plants reside. A collection of 120 odd Dracula with only 3 or 4 species missing to complete the collection. A large number of Pleurothallis, Masdevallias and Maxillarias which are easy to care for. Then there are the Lepanthes and other mini-minis which are challenging.

This represents my horizontal evolution. After I figured out how to grow them and made the decision NOT to get into selling them, the evolution is which group of plants to collect and grow. I have successfully grown Disas but stopped as they are too much trouble. One of my compatriots on the other hand got totally enamored with Disas and has a bunch of them. Another one has a wonderful collection of Cattleyas. He goes to vendors from South America and plunks down hundreds of dollars for superior clones. He must have 20 different clones of some of his favorite species.

I don't see any further evolution of this. It has become a treasure hunt for rare plants which are seldom seen at regular orchid shows. The San Francisco spring show with the Asian and South American vendors on the other hand is an irresistible magnet.

I think the next phase has to be to push off some of Cymbidiums etc I purchased 17 years ago and really have no interest in. Maybe I'll tell my daughters that if they want to enjoy them in bloom, look after them the rest of the year. Need to lighten the load.

Nick

Some of the last stages of orchid growing career are I suppose....
Become an orchid judge.
Open an orchid nursery.
Become a famous orchid hybridist.
Become the President of a large orchid society.
Lol.
All jokes aside maybe among the recent posters seeking help for their half dead Phalaenopsis perhaps there are people who will attain exalted status in orchid growing.

After 40 years of orchid growing, my only regret is that i was not more of a tecko. Maybe my orchids would have been better if i had worried more about the PH and TDS of the fertiliser water.

My happy event in 2012 was the giving away of my last Cymbidium. Yay!!

There are still vestiges of a back garden. Have to keep the dragon woman happy!

You have inspired me, I will make it a belated New Year resolution to give away or sell all of my Cymbidiums. There are a few pendulous ones I enjoy but the rest date back to the previous century and are outdated and not really appreciated. The 2 societies I belong to that have auctions and are always hounding me for plants have just scored some big, space occupying items. They easily take up 10% to 20% of the available bench space in my backyard and the reward just isn't there.

Let me then add level 8 to the evolution of the orchid hobbyist: Finally realizing that more is not necessarily better and ruthlessly adjust to the realities of the day by downsizing when appropriate.

Nick

I am holding pretty firmly at a 3. I am renting my home so there are obivous restrictions to progressing through these stages for me.

"holding pretty firmly at 3" Lol. Holding pretty firmly at lost count (But nil Cymbidiums) here.

At an orchid meeting last night, stories were swapped as to what got us into orchids. One guy related that he conversed with a senior grower and told him that his hobby had now grown to 40 plants and asked for advice. Here is the advice he said he received:

"Throw them all away as soon as possible. This is not a hobby, it's in incurable addiction, save yourself before it's too late." It already was too late, he now has over 1,000 plants.

Nick

Despite having 70 orchids, they will continue to live inside the house during the winter and summer outside for the foreseeable future. Since I renting my home, there will be no greenhouse for me. The space restrictions have me holding Firmly at stage 3. Hopefully, the space restrictions will help me keep my collection numbers under control. Yea...

When you have space restrictions you have to avoid growing monsters like this.
{{gwi:141441}}
I see that you have listened to the siren call of a very desirable Angraecum and given no regard to how big it gets...

I am step 3.5(seriously considering building a green house).

Last year in August i bought my first orchid (Yellow ladies slipper). Now within a period of 6 month i have around 30 orchid.

And these days one of my weekend activity includes orchid hunting in local nurseries.

Nice speciosum, Arthur. I know it's a mere shadow of what it could be as you cut it in half and otherwise limited it's size. I have a grandiflorum which I bought in 1996. I used to take it to shows and get great reviews, trophies etc. No more, can't lift it anymore. I mounted it on a root stump and now sat the whole thing in a 24" pot which is half full of large bark. Now the roots have a choice of remaining bare-root on the stump or going into the bark.

It measures 8' x 6' x 5' has close to 50 spikes and is quite a display. It no longer is with the orchids but occupies a corner of the patio where it will remain for the duration. I'll never move it again, don't know what will happen to it after I kick off. Then there is a 150 lbs Sulcata tortoise roaming the backyard who is in an identical position, no one in my family or acquaintance wants it after I'm gone. The only other little problem are 2 x 200 gallon aquariums, one in the living room, the other in my bedroom.

My kids are going to have a major job of downsizing and getting all of these out of control hobbies in check. Oh well, their problem.

Think I'll take an extra vitamin, Nick

By the way, I have a question for you Arthur. How big will these speciosums get in nature? I know they get big enough on trees so that they break the branches during a storm and end up on the forest floor. What's the largest you have seen in nature? We had a hillii in Santa Barbara that was housed on a palate and was moved around with a fork lift. What's the largest yo have seen in cultivation?

Arthur - In my defense, the angraecum was in need of a home. I could not let it just be homeless. By the time it grows up, I should have more space. Plus, they are GORGEOUS! I can make space. Just this once though...

"just this once though" Lol. "30 in a few months" Danger sign
Nick, ages ago i was walking through a rainforest in Queensland after a storm and there was fallen speciosum everywhere, part of nature i guess. Similar sort of thing in the patches of temperate rain forest near here where you might Dockrillia linguiformis and Sarcochilus falcatus on the ground.
The speciosum in the pic. above has been in the family about 40 years and after flowering in 2012 has been divided into four sections.
There are some remaining plants in the National Parks near here but only a few know where they are. Growers in some of the native orchid societies have some superb clones but you have to lucky to catch a show to see them.
As for how large a plant could get , i suppose the only limit is the size of a rockery that you can provide.

You could ask an AOS Judging panel to visit your orchid.

This post was edited by arthurm on Fri, Mar 22, 13 at 1:15