When it comes to orchids, Varady is a growing legend
When his orchid collection reached 400 and it took 16 hours a week to water the plants, Chris Varady knew he had a problem.
“It was destroying the house. We had algae growing on the windows. It was horrible,” Varady says from the mountain home where his obsession took root.
Varady used to be a cactus collector. He made the about face from prickly succulents to precious orchids on the suggestion of his wife, Conchita Orpia. Orchids were the star plants from her native Philippines.
Two years ago, Varady built a 96square-foot greenhouse and moved tray after tray of orchids out of the house. At the same time, he and his wife started C&C Orchids. They sell orchids, and special fertilizer, mostly as he says, to feed their obsession.
“I buy about two new orchids a week,” he says, noting the most he has paid is $350 for one plant.
Growing in a greenhouse has uncomplicated his life. Watering takes three to four hours a week, and maintaining humidity at about 70 per cent is easier in the controlled space. Temperature is maintained at 21 C in the daytime and 15 C at night. Heat is supplied by a heater hooked up to the natural gas line. This avoids the potential disaster of a power failure shutting down electric heaters.
In the tiny greenhouse, the orchids hang from rafters, grow on bark in baskets, line benches and populate the floor. There’s just enough room for two people to poke around.
It’s probably a good thing the greenhouse is the size of a kid’s playhouse. As it is, the orchids can’t be abandoned for long vacations.
“I haven’t found anyone I can trust to look after them,” Varady says.
On the springlike day I visit, a clutch of orchids are showing their beautiful profiles, dendrobiums, cattleyas, and phalaenopsis are scattered here and there, gently swaying in the breeze made by a fan. Some bloom on delicate, wiry stems, others on thick stalks, and the little mini orchids rise above attractive, speckled leaves.
The blooms come just in time for the annual orchid show and sale at the Royal Botanical Gardens tomorrow and Sunday. C&C Orchids are vendors at the show and will have a wide range of orchids for sale, priced from $15 to $150.
The show, with free seminars, vendors and displays is an excellent place to learn about and get addicted to orchids.
“I always tell people the best thing to do is learn as much as you can about the type or orchid you are buying,” Varady says.
Like every collector I’ve interviewed, Varady is captivated by the knowledge needed to grow a wide range of orchids. Some in his collection might need water just once in three months during the winter, others have to be kept cool and wet all the time. The mini orchids that are popular choices for condo living need cool temperatures and grow well in terrariums.
“Minis also need really clean water, not tap water, but distilled water.”
Hamilton tap water however is a good choice for many orchids because of its orchid friendly pH level. Varady’s routine is to use rain water mixed with a very diluted fertilizer.
Though he’s been growing orchids for 15 years, Varady’s love of plants goes back to childhood days in his grandfather’s garden near the old Centre Mall. There, among vegetables, fruit and nut trees and flowers, the passion started.
“If you come by the house in the spring, you’ll see about 3,000 bulbs in the front yard.”
The orchid-obsessed Varady can be reached at cvarady@cogeco.ca, The orchid show at the RBG opens Saturday at noon, admission information at osrbg.ca.