Love Those Phals

[czygyny]

Hello. I live in the hinterlands of northern California and have been growing orchids since the 70s. My first orchid came from Rod McClellen's store in San Louis Obispo on a jr. college field trip to all the big growers in so cal. I paid a handsome price of $25 way back then and the white phal made it all the way back on a school bus and bloomed for many years after.

Lately I've really added to my collection due to the explosion of Phal clones available at markets everywhere for great low prices with great new colors and markings.

I've found that some are so vigorous that they practically can't be killed, like my 'Baldan's Kaleidoscope Golden Treasure' which is in an 8" pot and has produced as many as 25 or more blossoms at a time...or so tender that trying to get any growth or rebloom is practically impossible, like the interspecies minis.

It's been a challenge to learn how to make them all happy, with some successes and some failures.

I do have a single specimens from other genera like Miltonia, Oncidium and Paphiopedilum, but I just don't find them as interesting as the Phalaeonopsis.

I figured maybe I can find out on this forum what to do about the difficult ones to make them thrive.

[WhiteRabbit]

Glad you found us!

[RosieC]

Welcome to Orchid Board

I think you are right some of these hybrids so clones are sometimes so vigorous they just keep going whatever you do to them. Interesting I've also had trouble getting mini hybrids going, but I put that down to them being sold in compacted moss in this country where the larger ones are sold in bark

[tucker85]

Welcome to Orchid Board!

[kindrag23]

Welcome welcome glad you found us!
@RosieC the minis I got in big box stores were in moss as well.

[bellini girl]

[czygyny]

Thanks everyone.

After the phal drops its last bloom I just pry off all the moss and repot in bark. Remember, they are making it easy for them to mass produce, not for you to have ease in growing.

[slc]

Welcome! I'm new to orchid growing, so I'm just concentrating on keeping them alive at this point. I haven't had 'em long enough to know if they're going to be finicky or not. It's good to know there are folks here who can offer useful information when problems arise. Good luck with your minis. I hope you find the info you need.