Need some neo-help

[Erce]

yes please chat about this, i just got a custom orchidarium and i like to know this to

[cathieo]

Hi Becca,
I do let them get crunchy dry in the winter, only giving them a decent spritz of unfertilized water once a week. Strictly speaking you don't have to rest them, but the concensus seems to be that you get better flowering that way. Everything I know about Neos I learned from Jason Fischer at Orchids Ltd. Now that I'm retired, I go out to the nursery about once a week and help pot and organize their Neo collection. They treat them the same way. In the winter, if they're rested, Neos don't really use their roots, but in March they start exploding with active root tips and new growth of roots and fans. My temps at the south window range from 80° (days) to as low as 50° (nights). Is that of any help?

[Becca]

Thanks Cathie! Wow I'm jealous you get to help with the Neos at Orchids Ltd! That would be a dream come true!

Yes you advice helps tremendously. I was worried about stressing the neo's out from staying dry too long in my intermediate temps (days in the upper 60's not & sure of night temps) for this time of the year). I have a new hybrid I bought from Satomi off of ebay and it dries out really fast and the leaves have been turning yellow and falling off one or two at a time, mostly from the bottom up. It's been doing this over a slow period of time but I figured it was due to lack of water so I've still been watering the neo's by wetting the moss mound about once a week or when they are crispy dry for a day or so. I don't want to high jack this thread so when I get froggy I'll start a new post. Thanks for the quick response Cathie! I bet Tracy is glad there are other Neo experts for me to bug and ask questions

[cathieo]

Good luck, Becca. I don't have an answer re the leaf drop. How do the roots look? That should be your clue re water. Do they "green up" after you water like with your other orchids?

Tracy really knows her stuff, doesn't she? She's an "infosponge." We just made lunch plans for next week. It seems we always have a good time even though I'm old enough to be her mother.

[Becca]

Yep the roots do green up....they look fine to me. It's potted the traditional method, and it came that way early last year but gave it fresh moss while I was at it with the others. I figured since it was a hybrid (Neo. falcata x Darwrana Charm) that maybe it is wanting a different growing culture with light, temps, humidity or watering. OR it is just trying to be a pain in my you know what. I figured if it commits suicide then it is it's own fault....as long as it just isn't one of my other Neo's!

[cathieo]

Oh, I didn't realize it was a Neo cross. I have that cross also and it's blooming beautifully now. The one I have is really a nice, deep purple and I love it. Anyway, I don't rest my Neo/vanda crosses at all. They stay in the orchidarium, except in summer when I put them outside, and they are watered and fertilized year-round, although I do keep them dryer in the winter. Mine blooms twice/year and one of those bloom times is always winter, so I wouldn't want to dry it out too much. Sorry, I misunderstood. I guess I slant their care more to the needs of the vanda parent even though it's mostly Neo. So then, re the falling lower leaves, if the plant seems healthy, I'd chalk it up to the vanda influence.

[camille1585]

Erce, if you do order some from New World Orchids, wait until summer. Glenn usually comes to the UK every year for a show, and if you pre-order plants he can bring them with him and mail them to you from the UK. But there is a minimum order amount of $100 I think. The advantage is that you don't have to deal with CITES and Phyto documents, making things much cheaper! You should probably check with him to make sure he still plans on being in the UK this summer! That's how I got my Neos, which is pretty much the only way to get Neos (other that the basic species) in Europe.

Mine are happily growing on a windowsill, potted the traditional japanese way in sphag. Still no blooms, but I think it may be because they're not getting enough light where I've been keeping them.

[LinhT]

Originally Posted by Becca

I bet Tracy is glad there are other Neo experts for me to bug and ask questions

It's no bother, my dear I have not posted any info on this thread yet because I wanted to make a video with my digital camera to put on here so you (and any others who are wondering) can actually see how dry the moss mounds get in my growing area. I will get to this....eventually.

[Becca]

Thanks Tracy! I've definitely more of a hands on and visual learner! When you read a care sheet on how to care for something, it can be interpreted different ways depending on how your brain thinks...lol.

[LinhT]

Originally Posted by Becca

Thanks Tracy! I've definitely more of a hands on and visual learner! When you read a care sheet on how to care for something, it can be interpreted different ways depending on how your brain thinks...lol.

Becca, I'm having trouble uploading the video on OB so I'll have to put it in my flickr account instead. I should have it up this weekend sometime. You might have to sign in to your flickr account in order to see it on my page. Sorry I can't get it on to here!