My phal experiment a year later

[Vanda lover]

Don't they rot? We're always told that orchids need good drainage.

[merkity]

so far so good - though i have tons of super long ariel roots, likely a side effect of the constant water in their pot. i do let them dry out every so often. one of myh mini's has the craziest spike this year. I will post it later on (assuming i can get the plants out of the tank still) - that purple one that i posted before just kept going and going - it got too long for the tank so i shaped it down and it nearly did a 360. didn't branch at all.

[dendro king]

they are healthy! good job!

[merkity]

here are some pics of my "little" experiment...
I have been neglecting them for the past few months - and boy did they go wild...

the first shot is everything still in the terrarium
next is everything on the table
and finally most of it back on, two are moving out to the side now..

[merkity]

here is the pic of my purple mini that has a super long spike....

[merkity]

so i can tell you that phal roots stick to glass quite well...had to peel several of them to get the tank emptied. I have one that grew roots into the next container and out the bottom... and the next pic is i think a white one that is just crazy with roots... note to self - do not neglect to move them once a week. that white one grew a root through a plastic part of the tank. i had to cut the root in order to get it out.

i now have plans, to my husbands dismay....i was thinking of repotting in a manner so that i can hang the happy plants from the ceiling. i also saw the post about potting the plants as wide as their leaves...i might try that as well.