New to Neo questions (air roots, rock mounts, watering, light)

[DelawareJim]

The yellowing could be a symptom of overwatering.

I almost lost a Tamakongo to root rot from overwatering. You should let the moss dry between waterings.

I personally let my moss get crispy dry between waterings; a bit drier than Kip suggests, but I know that I tend to water with a heavy hand. Matter of fact, I converted all my orchids to either semi-hydroponic or potted traditionally in straight LECA because of my tendancy to overwater.

Cheers.
Jim

[websherpa]

Originally Posted by DelawareJim

The yellowing could be a symptom of overwatering.

Cheers.
Jim

Thank you all. The larger neo was already yellow when I purchased it and got more sun than the smaller one (which was greener). I think they have yellowed a little more since. SInce I re-mounted them only recently, I was able to inspect the roots and while some were rotted away, the majority looked healthy and growing.

I am backing away on both water (which I do hesitantly) and light to see if they green up a bit. Once I get a better idea of the location conditions and their growing habits, I will be more confident in their "happiness". Definitely all three (two neos and one sideris) are growing, so something must be right.

Wayne

[websherpa]

I’m re-visiting my own thread 10 years later to do an update of sorts. (When I read these types of threads, I often think ...”I wonder what happened in the end here.”

I really liked the rock mounted Neos, and in hindsight those were small but healthy Neos, but in the end they died, and I was never sure why. Overwatering or a fertilizer issue I think. Quite a shame. Lost the Sideris as well, none re-bloomed. Started with Phalenopsis and worked my way up to these beautifully delicate Orchids. Maybe they died of a broken heart leaving Beautiful British Columbia.

I had forgotten how beautiful the granite rock mounts looked and I’ll have to see if I retained those rocks (I think not, I think they went into a pond. My outdoor thumb is much greener.

I subsequently replaced the Neos a couple years later on another trip to BC from Youngs Plants. Those were rock mounted on lava. In all quite an expensive proposition as his Neos ever increased in cost. I lost those too, surely to overwatering this time even though I tried a few things - but ultimately they were in an orchidarium with mist (and a fan) but the culture wasn’t optimal.

So I had been back at the end of this summer to Young’s plants for a third try. But he had sold off all of the stock that I could afford and ended up taking home a not so healthy Neo that cost me $200. (Compare that to two other Neos I purchased by mail order for $25 each which were of a most common variety, but considerably healthier.)

So with a little more knowledge and use of very airy orchid bark, moss, perlite mix, I am trying again. (Rolling my eyes, but ever hopeful.)

The cheaper Neos are doing well. The expensive one not dieting, but not growing.

After killing a few Phals over the years though, I have managed to master their husbandry a bit better and have started to get re-booms and continual growth.

Wish me luck. ;-)

[s.kallima]

Good luck with your project indeed! You know that you can get Neos in Toronto (if you are still there, from reading you older posts) for more reasonable price than Young's plants.
I was just at his place last week talking with him about Neos, and the plants he showed me were, according to him, divisions of mother plants (as opposed to mericlones produced by the thousands mostly sold everywhere else). I wanted to trust him... so I got one plant that was NOT cheap... Ogonden (one of the ancient yellow flowering Neos). But he had a couple of small divisions of Higashidemiako for $350, when you can find mericlones of the same size for $50...
Anyway.. just to say that I would stay away from Young's plants until you figure out a good routine to grow Neofinetias.

[camille1585]

Thanks for the update on your Neos! It is always nice to hear what happened afterwards, even if it isn’t all positive.

Excess water is probably the greatest enemy of Neos. That’s why even the ones potted in the traditional fashion in sphagnum have hollow mounds, to allow quick and even drying out of the sphagnum. The first time I tried Neos, 7-8 years ago, I lost them all to overwatering, even though I watered them just like my other orchids, which were happy with my watering habits. Whatever the potting medium, it’s always a good idea to let them dry out between waterings, especially in the winter! They’re hardy little plants, and are far, far more tolerant of dryness than wetness. In the winter I wait to water until they are completely dry, then wait another day or 2 for good measure.

Good luck finding cheaper sources of Neos, I have trouble spending more than 30-40eur on a plant until I’m completely confident in my ability to grow them well….

[websherpa]

Originally Posted by s.kallima

You know that you can get Neos in Toronto for more reasonable price than Young's plants.
I was just at his place last week talking with him about Neos, and the plants he showed me were, according to him, divisions of mother plants (as opposed to mericlones produced by the thousands mostly sold everywhere else). I wanted to trust him... so I got one plant that was NOT cheap... Ogonden (one of the ancient yellow flowering Neos).
Anyway.. just to say that I would stay away from Young's plants until you figure out a good routine to grow Neofinetias.

lol, I find it hard to get away once I've engaged with the father as he is a talker. The one I left with I wasn't absolutely certain which one, in the end, so hopefully it will flower so that I can identify it. It doesn't have red tips (which was my very first). Its division is growing but dead slow. It is a very small specimen.

I do truly believe (or want to believe) that his species are likely divisions as I have seen some of the mother plants. (And they better be at that price.)

When I started buying from him 10 years ago, I thought the prices were high at around $30 - $100 a pop then, but now I realize it was a bargain and I feel bad I wasn't able to keep them alive more than a couple years. I was trying too much too fast.

I still haven't quite figured out how to create the perfect culture for all of my orchids. I seem to go through phases of flourish and then rapid decline. The best growth I had was when I kept them all in an Exo Terra Terrarium. (consistent lighting and higher temp and humidity.)

I had discovered TG Orchids (also out of B.C.) but they ship reasonably priced neo clones (typical variety), very healthy. Those appear to be doing well in a similar culture.

I am still near Toronto, and so would love a more local referral as I would like to purchase another Siderea Japonica (and possibly some neos for rock mounting) once I have gained some success again. I rather like the smaller more fragrant orchids.

Thank you both for your input and advice.

[MattWoelfsen]

Thank you so much for updating your Neo thread. This is remarkable—in terms of updating. Also remarkable is spending so much money on a “not so healthy” Neo.

---------- Post added at 08:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:09 PM ----------

So glad to see S.kallima posting!

[websherpa]

Originally Posted by MattWoelfsen

Thank you so much for updating your Neo thread. This is remarkable—in terms of updating. Also remarkable is spending so much money on a “not so healthy” Neo.

---------- Post added at 08:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:09 PM ----------

So glad to see S.kallima posting!

As one gets older, time seems to slip by quite a bit faster.

You had to be there, and you have to know the Korean grower. He has this way (and is so talkitive (and enthusiastic) in broken English that it's hard to fault him). I too am quite a bit of a sucker and I had my family waiting for me to skidaddle us to the airport. Not the best circumstances and my prior purchases from him were both healthier and less expensive and so this was a last minute "gotta go" impulse purchase since I live 4000k away and visit only every few years (Vancouver is my home town, but I've lived in or near Toronto for the past 35). The neo was very small, and apparently healthy (although not of flowering size), but when I got it home, there was some root rot. Plus some shock I would imagine. Sigh.

[s.kallima]

Do you know Florapeculia in Toronto? Terry has a great collection and I bought nice plants from him. He regularly imports new ones. You should email him. His website is Florapeculia.ca

Hi Matt! It's been a long time indeed that I posted... not using the forums as much nowadays, lack of time + FB groups taking most of the time avail.
My Neos have been idling for a couple of years (busy with other things) but I back full mode, and just got 11 new ones from Korea... talk about braking the bank!

[websherpa]

I'm branching out a little while I nurse my existing trio of Neos through their winter. Just ordered from TG Orchids in BC:

1 x Sedirea japonica
1 x Brassavola Little Stars
1 x Coelogyne Brachyptera

(I am a fan of fragrant orchids, so always wanted to try more.)