Have you thought about maybe a mounted Phal? You can mount it so that it hangs sideways or even upside down thus avoiding water in the crown of the plant. Use a little sphagnum moss to protect the roots when you're tying it on to the mount...a piece of cork or maybe a small plastic basket.

The one drawback with mounts is that they need to be watered or sprayed at the root zone more often than one that is potted.

We have a number of great instructional threads on how to mount a chid :goodluck:

thanks, i'll read up on those!

Politik, sorry to read about your phal. Don't feel under minded, I too (and almost if not all of us) have killed a chid (or 2 :'() due to lack of information on how to care for them.

The upside to the story is that you now know what not to do next time. Don't let this little rookie mishap stop you from growing 'chids.

I am sure you'll be successful with future orchids.

:D

Thanks for the encouragement! :bowing

I think that mounting a phal is not the best idea for a beginner in a home environment. Unless you can keep the humidity elevated and water at least daily, it will be a struggle.

Also keep in mind that phals prefer to be very warm most of the time, and that can be a costly endeavor in GB.

Read the air management link I shared originally, so you understand how not to overwater.

Have you considered paphiopedilums or cymbidiums?

Yeah, thanks, i read that link, very nicely written; in that it explained a lot in terms that my little brain could comprehend!

I'm new to orchids, so I've never heard of the two (species?) you mentioned, but will google them. I basically need to start with whatever will be easiest and most forgiving as i develope my growing skills.

Thanks for the help and suggestions.

As a UK resident I would say I have found Phals quite easy to look after here.

Although they like warmth mine have done well at the general temperature I keep my house. That's no heating and whatever it naturally is during the summer, and about 19C in Winter.

I keep them in an east facing window and they seem quite happy (lots of new leaves, roots, and re-flowering every year).

Oh and the other thing is that Phals are really easy to get hold of in the UK. They are in most garden centers and supermarkets.