Neofinetia falcata (Project 6b - Spring 2008)

[gmdiaz]

One of mine is growing in coconut coir. . .and it loves it! So I am thinking lots of air circulation. . .a good watering in the morning and then drying out by evening.

The ones with the moss mounds, seem to stay quite damp for a few days. I shouldn't think that they should be kept wet or that you should let them dry out completely either. I am watering mine throughly but letting it get lightly dry before I water it again.

[Ross]

Originally Posted by gmdiaz

I am watering mine throughly but letting it get lightly dry before I water it again.

Gwen, how do you determine if the center of that blob of moss is damp, wet or whatever? This moss stuff has me really going here

[Grandma M]

Originally Posted by gmdiaz

One of mine is growing in coconut coir. . .and it loves it! So I am thinking lots of air circulation. . .a good watering in the morning and then drying out by evening.

Can someone tell me the difference between coconut coir and coconut fiber. I just got a plant in coconut fiber, long and stringy, and I don't know if I can trust it. It doesn't seem to hold any water even after I soak it.

It is a Neostylis Lou Sneary.

I planted some vanda seedlings in lava rock with just a little of the fiber to keep the lava rock in place. It sure is wierd stuff.

[stonedragonfarms]

Ross asked if I might post a few tips about what I do for my Neos...so here goes. I will do a follow-up post on this after I repot my new Neo tomorrow...

I see that there has been a lot of discussion about growing on moss in the Japanese style, as well as what sort of light & temps to give your plants; that being said, I can only tell you what works for me in the GH (though the neos that I have were grown for a long time under lights in the pre-GH days...)

First we should probably look at where Neos come from--southern Japan, Korea & China; in most of these areas, the plants occur naturally as epiphytes and are exposed to a wet summer season and a cooler drier winter season. Most are capable of taking temps down into the low 50's (F), provided that they are kept dry and that there is adequate movement of air. It is important to remember that during their season of active growth they are exposed to high humidity and frequent, in most cases, daily rain.

All that aside, I grow my Neos on mounds of moss, which I never let get fully dry in the late spring and summer months. My neos are just beginning to commence with active root growth; I repotted my plants mid March and am beginning to see a lot of vegetative growth in advance of root formation.

I would not worry too much about rotting your neos roots off if you are growing on moss; if the moss feels damp to you, just skip watering your plants for the day; when they are in active growth they are very appreciative of constant water in their root zone. I usually summer my neos outside; typically in a location that gets morning and late afternoon sun, but no direct overhead sun--the past 3 years or so I have grown them on the benches outdoors with my cymbidiums. The plants are watered and fertilized every day in the summer--they get the same fertilizer regimen that I use for my cymbids...and grow robustly as a result. I usually will move them back to the GH around mid-September and begin to cut back on the frequency of their watering, I also cease to fertilize them about this time.
I'm not sure about the light intensity per se, though to me 1500FC sounds like the lower end of where to grow them (except for variegated leaf cultivars...if the light is too high you run the risk of bleaching out the leaves on the entire plant...not good); if you are growing as the Japanese often do to appreciate the foliage, grow your plant in less light, if you are growing for flowers, be prepared to give your plant a bit more light.

I guess all of this brings me up to flowering... One of my plants blooms sporadically from about mid May until mid September; my other plant will usually bloom around mid June. There is no set culture to get your neo to bloom that I am aware of. I do believe that the plant needs to be in a period of active growth in order to initiate spiking though...just like the vandas and ascocendas, I often observe spikes forming while new leaves and roots are developing. I'm not sure if this is a hard and fast rule, but I am sure someone out there can enlighten us.

Hope this is a bit of help, to recap, I am pro growing on moss, pro for giving neos a cooler drier rest in the winter, and pro on frequent fertilizer while plants are in active growth...
More tomorrow (or Sunday...)
Adam

[stonedragonfarms]

Originally Posted by Grandma M

Can someone tell me the difference between coconut coir and coconut fiber. I just got a plant in coconut fiber, long and stringy, and I don't know if I can trust it. It doesn't seem to hold any water even after I soak it.

It is a Neostylis Lou Sneary.

I planted some vanda seedlings in lava rock with just a little of the fiber to keep the lava rock in place. It sure is wierd stuff.

Grandma: coir is a catch-all for any of the coconut husk products. Coconut fibre is long and stringy fibre found on the inside of the coconut's husk (it looks to me like brown matte horse hair)

I have a Neostylis Lou Sneary that just grows in a basket--w/o any media what so ever. I have found that this plant does not grow well for me in media; it seems to prefer having its roots out in the open air. The coir fibre is proabably just in the pot to provide some stability--as you have noticed, it does not hold hardly any water...
Adam

[Grandma M]

Quote: (it looks to me like brown matte horse hair)

Thanks Adam for your response. That is a good description for the 'stuff'. It brings back memories.

When I was about 3 years old, my Uncle and Aunt would take me to visit his parents. VERY stern, severe people, I didn't like them. Children were to be seen and not heard. I had to sit on a horse hair sofa , yes I said horse hair. With my short skirts and bare legs on that very rough, scratchy, 'stuff', I always had a rash on my legs after visiting there.

I have never seen another horse hair sofa, thank goodness. He may have even made it himself. I was made of very dark wood with no cushions. He was a grouchy little man, didn't speak English, had a very long beard, and was very tight with his money, so it is quite possible he did make it. No, he didn't remind me of Santa Claus.

Marilyn

[gmdiaz]

I believe it's mostly hollow in there. . .if you look at the bottom of that egg-cup type pot, there is a big hole for extra air circulation and drainage.

So if it's wet on the outside, it's going to be more wet on the inside.

If you wait until it's lightly dry, it shouldn't be totally dried out on the inside.

I just wouldn't want to let it get super crispy on the inside of the cavity.

I bet these can take pretty high light. I've got one that's mounted and it's right up under the lights in my Exo Tank and it's flourishing. . .no sign of it being too much light. I am not using T-5's though. So you'll have to see what you see. . .but I bet 1,500 to 2,500 fc easy.

[Ross]

Originally Posted by gmdiaz

I bet these can take pretty high light. I've got one that's mounted and it's right up under the lights in my Exo Tank and it's flourishing. . .no sign of it being too much light. I am not using T-5's though. So you'll have to see what you see. . .but I bet 1,500 to 2,500 fc easy.

Gwen, the one I have in the tank is also under t5 lights and I measure 1800 foot candles for 12-13 hours. That's a lot of light energy. I have a Brassavola nodosa that is very purple under same light. The Neo is just happy happy under that light.

[Ross]

Originally Posted by gmdiaz

I believe it's mostly hollow in there. . .if you look at the bottom of that egg-cup type pot, there is a big hole for extra air circulation and drainage.

Just checked all three of mine and they are not hollow. Just a blob of solid sphagnum. I may be repotting, at least a couple, soon as they were pretty expensive and I wouldn't want to lose them.

[gmdiaz]

That makes sense. . .don't the T-5 lights have a broader spectrum? And a more intense light?

I am currently using gro bulbs in my Exo Tank. . .wimpy wimpy wimpy.

But just so you know. . .I bought two T-5 lights yesterday and can't wait to test it with my light meter.