Tropicals & Tender Perennials: What got you started with epis?, 2 by orchidman1

orchidman1 wrote:
I have always been attracted to "growing things" and feel that I must have been a farmer in some past life. As a child, my grandmother had an oxy in her Dining Room window and I remember us having a family party on the night that it was to bloom. I was amazed at how beautiful it was and as a young man, I obtained a plant and started growing my own. I became an orchid (cattleya) hobbyist and this continued until I had to obtain a greenhouse during middle age. Six years ago, my heating system malfunctioned during a particularly cold Feb. and I lost approx. 500 orchids. I was able to salvage around twenty plants. About five years ago I found out about epies and began collecting them. They are a little more hardy and their blooms are more beautiful than orchids (my opinion). I became hooked and enlarged my present greenhouse to a total size of 12"X 44".
I presently have 106 orchids and 305 epies. Lord help me!