NoIDea Phals - Orchid Board

wisdomseeker · #1 09-04-2019, 03:24 PM

I have been growing a few "rescue" NOID Phalaenopsis for awhile in a wardian case, under artificial lighting. They have flowered twice during the year (late winter/early spring -and- late summer/early fall) > currently in bloom now. I've never really been that intrigued with Phalaenopsis, but these are starting to 'grow on me'.

(NOID)

(NOID)

(P. equestris?)

(NOID)

(Doritis pulcherrima?)

Mountaineer370 · #2 09-04-2019, 09:05 PM

NoIDea Phals -- I like that little bit of wordplay! I also learned something -- the meaning of "wardian case." Of course, many here have mentioned terrariums or vivariums, but "wardian case" is a term is was not previously familiar with.

You've got a nice variety of Phals there, shapes, sizes, and colors. They all seem to be thriving for you!

P.S. I was having trouble at first making a reply here. I don't know if it's due to the size of your photos or what, but this thread appears as really, really wide on my desktop monitor. I have to scroll my screen back and forth to read all of it. When I hit "reply," there was no text box in which to type, but I finally figured out to scroll way over to the right for the text box to appear where I could type my reply. I only mention that in case anyone else is having the same trouble I had.

wisdomseeker · #3 09-04-2019, 10:41 PM

Maybe "non-traditional" wardian case would have been a better choice of words... or better yet: an orchid growing enclosure. No glass or metal used, just hardwood (and not completely enclosed - front is completely open). But it definitely does the job of being a protective container for housing and growing plants.

Adjusted photos - hopefully somewhat better?

Mountaineer370 · #4 09-05-2019, 09:15 AM

Yes, everything in your post looks normal-sized now!

DeaC · #5 09-05-2019, 11:33 AM

Would like to see your enclosure. Phals look very happy!

wisdomseeker · #6 09-05-2019, 06:40 PM

Snapped some 'very rushed' pictures (have been busy doing the final button-downs on the house for the 'big blow' - Dorian). They should provide you with a general idea of the enclosure. Inside walls (and bottom) of enclosure is sealed with black epoxy (kind of waterproofs the inside if I decide to mount/mist orchids on the walls, instead of having the few 'odds & ends' Tillies I have in there right now).

Cubby hole underneath used for small grow-outs (don't like to waste space, or light photons

)

Light fixture (DIY using small 5700k Cree cobs supplemented with deep red, blue and green diodes)

Hygrometers (using 2 digital: one inside the enclosure, one outside the enclosure near the light fixture, and an analog one near the bottom outside of the enclosure)

Using a small fan inside for air circulation (fan is near the top and pointed toward the left wall of the enclosure - deflects air flow off wall and gently circulates throughout enclosure)

Blooms

DeaC · #7 09-06-2019, 12:00 PM

Firstly, safe passage to you and others during a rough weather time. But your set-up is so beautiful and every bit as worthy to be in an orchid show as I've seen. The wood frames and houses your collection so well and the black background makes them POP! I love it.

Mountaineer370 · #8 09-06-2019, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeaC

Firstly, safe passage to you and others during a rough weather time. But your set-up is so beautiful and every bit as worthy to be in an orchid show as I've seen. The wood frames and houses your collection so well and the black background makes them POP! I love it.

Ditto! That is quite an attractive set-up you have there! And I do hope you will be spared any really bad effects from Dorian.

wisdomseeker · #9 10-16-2019, 04:50 PM

Another NoId that I acquired from a friend a few years ago, while strolling through his greenhouse (some recently de-flasked seedlings he had that were heading toward the compost pile). He thought some of the parentage might possibly be P. appendiculata, but was not absolutely sure.

I took one of the best "compost pile" seedlings home with me (it only had one very small leaf, a couple small roots, and was really scraggly). Did not think it had a chance. Potted it up in some sphagnum and gave it a whirl. As it started to grow I re-potted this plant in some small bark. It grew 4 leaves in about two years, and has remained really small sized. One leaf (the oldest one) started turning red and fell off. It began to spike after that. I moved it to another location, and unfortunately, another orchid that was mounted overhead fell off its hook, breaking off another two leaves.

Here is the plant in bloom

Starting to throw a flower spike before breaking off another leaf

neophyte · #10 10-17-2019, 12:50 AM

congratulations on the bloom and getting that tiny seedling so far! that is a fascinating bloom. and in just two years!

i want to know why there are always stragglers when you deflask though. is it because they didn't get enough nutrients in vitro and are just developmentally behind or are they genetically inferior to the larger ones? there are so many seeds from one pod - maybe some of them have some deleterious alleles?? just wondering.