Looking at where you live - if you are looking for one of the easiest Orchids to bloom, pick a FALL- flowering Cattleya ( C, Blc, Bc, Lc...).
Grow them outside over the Summer, watch them put on growth, water and fertilize while outside with the rest of your stuff and enjoy the Orchid putting on a show in the Fall.
If not in bloom when you purchase the plant, the Vendor can tell you when it blooms!

Looking at pictures from everyone's collection has made me more brave and even the posts of those no longer with us has given me comfort..It is ok to kill plants, just not on purpose! So last night I went shopping on EBay and now I have some questions..All of the plants that I got are small size and all of them are two for ones. Can/ should I put the 'sisters together in one pot/basket or will they get large and be happier in their own universe? I got
Renanopsis Lena Rowold x Ascda Yip Sum Wah
S Kagawara Christie Low
S Vanda Dr. Anek x Sanderiana
S Opsistylis Suree 'See's' AM/AOS
S Oncidium Rodriguezia

I am not familiar with any of these types of plants and see that several of them are in the Vanda family..why are they separated ?
Thanks for enlightening me and holding my hand while I venture out there!

I have to google some of the names, but it is a good idea to pot them up separately.

Has anyone had experience with Dendrobium aggregatum? I have googled it, but wanted to hear any real life experiences.....? Thanks

I have Den aggregatum, but since I don't follow the non-watering and then soak routine as in here
http://forum.theorchidsource.c...
my Den. aggregatum flowers only every couple of years and when it does, it also seems to flower later in the season ( mostly in Summer) than others report.
My mounted plant is hanging in bright sunshine in the greenhouse during the indoor season and I direct a bit of a water spray every day over it, which is not exactly what one is supposed to do, but the plant looks good!

I'm now doing the "no-water-till-roots-emerge-and-then-it-spikes" to my catasetum. Works like a charm. I've got 2 spikes now. You guys should try that for your aggregatums!!

Thanks, Ursula.....and I will try that method. I love no watering! LOL.... Is this plant a mini?

Janice, no. Dendrobium aggregatum is not a mini. Just looking at it, the individual mature pbulb + leaf on my plant measures about 8 - 9 inches and the plant makes a good size clump.

About the non-watering thing - I always try to picture a plant in its native habitat. I could imagine that even in a total dry spell, in most places in the world might be some morning dew other similar faint amounts of moisture around? Our environment would have a hard time duplicating that. So that's where I get a bit cautious withholding water absolutely and totally. But that's perhaps chicken-me.

I have had great luck with Den. kingianum and my catasetum but it was a disaster with Vanda coerulea even though it lives in cold desert conditions in winter. I lost a bunch of leaves (although there's a new growth forming, too) and have recently put it in a warm sunny window (but sunny only occasionally in spring). So all in all keep an eye on your plant in case it doesn't like the lack of water. This is the stuff that makes it hard to go on an overnight! I'm always watching certain plants that I'm experimenting with and it's impossible to impart to someone who stops by to water!

I am done growing anything not in a pot with medium. Don't want to be watering daily, plus don't like the way they look hanging on wood. I know that is how they grow naturally, but this isn't quite the jungle , YET!!! LOL

When a pseudobulb looks a little crinkled, does it always mean it needs more water?

Has anyone had any experience growing Lycaste? Is it difficult?

About the pseudobulb, can you post a pic, Janice? I have a handful of Lycastes. They tend to be a bit big so I have to adore them (which I do, so I buy them). I keep them cool in winter. They don't seem terribly hard to grow and some lose their leaves (deciduous) before they put up blooms (be forewarned). I have one that is almost without leaves and is starting 2 new either growths or flowers.

Thanks for the Lycastes info, Kathy..I will be sure to check if it is deciduous or not before buying...
Re: pseudobulb...just a general question...seen many online with crinkled look to them. Wondering is it natural or water deficit?

Sometimes a pseudobulb dries up. But I worry more when the leaves are wrinkling up. That means one of 2 things: you need to water more or the roots are rotting. I would worry a bit less about the pseudobulb but you may want to check the roots to be sure nothing bad is happening. (I pray they are not in wet sphagnum!) What is the plant?

Kathy, Spaghnum moss can only be seen in the trash barrel at my house. LOL.
Re Pbulb wrinkling - I think I saw it on a Bllra.

Phew! If it gets worse check the roots. Just pop those guys out and repot if they're fine.

I received a box with 3 orchids today from an eBay seller. Two of the orchids were huge and all 3 had spikes. They all did have some black spots on the leaves, but from what I have read this is normal for some from getting too much sun. They do not look like the spots are soft or are rot. I will post some photos once my home computer gets over it's problems. Two of them look like they really need repotted. They are in square pots now. Is it OK to repot them when they are in spike or should I wait until they are finished blooming? Since they have been in square pots, should they be repotted to square pots or can I put them in a round one? Poor things having me for a mother. I hope they make it.

Susan

Does anyone on this forum use the Semi-Hydroponic method to grow their orchids? I have some of the clay pellets and was thinking since I need to repott the 2 orchids, maybe this would be a good time to change them to that method. I wonder how hard it would be on these well established plants to change?

Thanks,
Susan

Although it's not recommended, I have on occasion repotted a plant immediately upon receiving it when it's spiking but only because it was in sphagnum. If you think they need repotting because there are aerial roots, think again. Here is a good video for you to watch and decide. http://www.aos.org/AM/Template...
BTW there is a link on the right side box to the whole series of instructional AOS videos. As far as semi-hydro, most of my plants grow in clay pellets and sponge rock but since it drains fast you will need to water them more often. I spray exposed roots daily so you need to decide what you are willing to do.