A pandemic hobby that has become an obsession

This long-running saga of the pandemic has turned many of us, locked in our homes, from unskilled to expert: A writer I know became a master at baking bread and chopping vegetables. A CEO friend whose knowledge of technology is limited to email has learned to create a website. Another friend in New York turned to filming his family at home using his iPhone and multiple apps. When there's nothing to do, you just have to find something to do. It's an aphorism to keep in mind in a time of self-isolation. Getting bored is not an option.

The lockdown taught me a thing or two about orchids.

Back home in New Jersey, I've got pots of these pretty houseplants scattered all over-in the kitchen, the living room and the home office. They're basically put there for aesthetics but also to have some form of nature breathing life inside our house.

When we came to live in Beijing, I found out how inexpensive orchids are. A potted orchid averages around 100 yuan ($14) through the online shopping platform Taobao. Something similar would have cost at least $30 in a Jersey grocery store like Stop & Shop or Home Depot. I was instantly thrilled.

I bought a couple of plants to liven up our Beijing apartment and also to re-create the feel of home. An orchid is such a graceful flower. What it lacks in sweet fragrance it makes up for with its bright colors and exquisite beauty.

Sadly, a couple of months would pass and my orchids would die on me. It's annoyed me that it's turning into an expensive hobby where I keep buying and then replacing. From YouTube, I learned to prune stems, use banana leaves as fertilizer and just use a little more water to prolong its life. Three ice cubes once a week won't cut it. I learned that US orchids and Beijing orchids are raised under different growing conditions, therefore cared for in different ways. There are, after all, pests and diseases peculiar to both regions. I learned there are at least two dozen varieties, the most common being the Phalaenopsis, and presumably the least expensive. I learned that sunlight can be sustaining and that leaving the plant on the balcony for a short time gives it renewed freshness.

From the flower shop attendant at Anzhenmen mall, I was given an amazing lead: the flower market. "Why don't you just go to a flower market if you like flowers so much," she said in Chinese. I didn't understand what she said but I understood what she meant.

My husband and I checked out one such market by the Maizidian diplomatic community. The shop is in the basement of a high-rise building near a 7-Eleven. Security asked if we were going to "flower" and pointed us in the right direction.

To my pleasant surprise, orchids at this heavenly place sell for 25 yuan per plant. A mind-blowing $3.50 each! It came in a plastic pouch, no pot. A ceramic vase sells separately for 5 to 10 yuan. I bought many and gave some to friends for Christmas. I shared some of what I learned about giving orchids a longer shelf life: water once a week, some sunlight, prune when the stems turn yellow, make sure roots do not rot by keeping them wet for long periods of time. The best pot is one that has holes in it to keep water from becoming stagnant and keep the roots dry. Repotting is best done when the bloom is off and the plant is balding with no flowers.

My orchids and I get along fine these days. I have one pot by the kitchen window, two pots by the altar table and one by the living room. I would love to have two more by the night stand, until the husband put his foot down. He said the apartment is starting to look like a funeral parlor! Funny how this little hobby has become an obsession.

Want to know more about orchids? I can give you the address of the flower market.