Amami variety - Orchid Board

isurus79 · #1 10-05-2009, 12:56 AM

Neofinetia falcata 10-4-2009 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Neofinetia falcata 10-4-2009 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Neofinetia falcata 10-4-2009 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

So this is the first and only pure Neo that I have and I finally got it to bloom! I bought it mounted on a stick and my conditions are just too dry for it, so it didn't really grow for a year or two. I took the whole thing and tossed it in some spag and this year I got new, non-stunted growths and a modest bloom. I had forgotten how AMAZING these guys smell!!! This orchid definitely has the best scent of any orchid.

As for the pics, they aren't great because I used natural light and even around sunset, the glare coming off of the pure white flowers was tough to deal with. I think I just have to play with the settings on my camera to overcome this. Any advice from the Neo experts is definitely welcome!

DelawareJim · #2 10-05-2009, 08:53 AM

Congratulations Steve! That's a beautiful flower.

Cheers.
Jim

LinhT · #3 10-05-2009, 10:48 AM

Nice photos, Steve. I've always wondered how people in Hawaii grow them. Do your winter temps get low enough for them to rest? Or do you keep them growing year round?

Grandma M · #4 10-05-2009, 12:15 PM

That is a beauty. Well grown.

Tracy, do you give yours a winter rest? How long and at what temps?

Marilyn

isurus79 · #5 10-05-2009, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LinhT

Nice photos, Steve. I've always wondered how people in Hawaii grow them. Do your winter temps get low enough for them to rest? Or do you keep them growing year round?

I actually didn't know that they are supposed to get a winter rest, so no, I don't rest them! The coldest my house will ever see is maybe 58 degrees. That will only happen a few nights over the whole winter too.

LinhT · #6 10-05-2009, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grandma M

That is a beauty. Well grown.

Tracy, do you give yours a winter rest? How long and at what temps?

Marilyn

Yes, all of mine get a winter rest. I keep the room in mid to low 60's F during the day and high 40's to mid 50's F at night. When I did this under T5's I used Halloween and Valentine's Day for my markers. This winter I'm leaving them on the window sill so I will cut down on watering, keeping them cool and dry when the root tips close up and there's no more active growth. When the days start to get longer and I see new growth next Spring, I'll start watering more.

Don Perusse · #7 10-09-2009, 03:39 PM

Tracy - You don't cut water completely do you? I know I have a Den. that I just splash now 'n' then so they bloom in the spring. I assume like once or twice a week so they don't dry completely?????

Don

LinhT · #8 10-09-2009, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don Perusse

Tracy - You don't cut water completely do you? I know I have a Den. that I just splash now 'n' then so they bloom in the spring. I assume like once or twice a week so they don't dry completely?????

Don

Hi Don

They still need some water. Basically, if you can give them the low winter temps, then you want to let the moss mound dry out completely before doing any thorough watering. The culture info I've read from the Baker sheets and Japanese orchid vendors I've talked to say this...

Keep them cool and dry.
Mist occasionally and water when it's a bright sunny day. No fertilizer when there is NO active growth. This refers to plants grown in the moss mound. If it's another medium, I don't know the specifics.