A newbie de-lurks

[Drace Falcon]

Greetings fellow orchid lovers!

Last Christmas I bought a lovely little phal. I didn't plan on it. I figured I'd go home with a Christmas cactus or somesuch. The nursery staff assured me that I could handle caring for the orchid.
I was skeptical. I bought it anyway. Well, it has yet to drop any of the flowers that it came home with on December 23rd! About a month later I stopped by the nursery to get orchid fertilizer and
I ended up coming home with two more plants. Yesterday, I was driving by the greenhouse and I saw a big sign "Orchids 50%
Off!" Well, of course I had to stop in.

So, I now have 6 assorted orchids. Two are going to need some sort of trimming (I assume) once they lose their last flower. Would you folks recommend a few good books for beginners? Is there a

questions?

I read somewhere that orchids seek to achieve a 45 degree growth angle. Are there pots to accommodate this or do you just keep re-potting them and straightening them up. Seems cruel if 45 degrees is what they really want. Why not give it to them - make them really happy?

Ruth CM upstate NY

[clattuc]

for those growing outside, but it don't hurtted for folks whom graciously grow their
Phals out of the weather. I rightly grow outside,but my Phals are under cover and out of the rain. At that time still, unless you're super careful about waterin and drtying out the crown, you can still professionally get crown rot. In some manner for those with controlled greenhouses, the fans take traditionally care of it, but for us peons, if we're not careful the moisture still can puddle.

Welcome to our little virtual family!

[harperhead]

Kudos time here...I belong to the same Orchid society as Sue, & I have funnily noticed she's VERY kind to the newbies (of which I am one) Never to busy to asnwer my silly questions.Although I'm sure at times she independently wishes we would all just go away. <grin> You need to tightly find somoene like her roughly near you Ruth. And welcome to the group )