Are phals hard to grow?

[tucker85]

When we buy phals they are often in tiny plastic pots with almost no drainage and tightly packed sphagnum moss. It's confunsing for the new grower because in the home environment that type of culture will almost never be successful. In fact it's almost the complete opposite of how to grow phals. I found that the more I try to get air to the roots, the better my phals grow. For me that means a loose medium with lots of spaces for air to get in and pots with lots of slots or holes for drainage and air. The plastic pots with the raised bottom like the air cones and some others are particularly good I think. I also let the medium dry out almost completely between waterings but never stay dry for long. Good luck.