Neofinetia falcata (Amami Island)

[Merlyn]

These are last years' pix, I somehow lost the thread I KNOW I put up here ! In 2 more months I should be adding new pix to this thread !
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[Paul Mc]

OMG!!!!! You are amazing!

BTW, I read that you had a mentor. So, I have asked my society if there was a mentor program. I want to grow like you do!!!! LOL... I really hope I can get a mentor!

[Merlyn]

Don't tell him I call him that !! I've learned a lot from him and still am ! He's picked up a thing or two from me !! Mentor, for lack of a better word, perhaps guru or just very good friend and co-partner in the inner core of 5 totally active OS members and including the outer core totaling less than ten !!!!!! This in an OS with a total of 300+ members !!!!! I AM talking about the away show group. We DO have a lot more volunteers for the local events.

Sorry, I got off subject there ! It really wasn't amazing from my POV except that the Neo lived through the extremes ! I was very hit or miss and winging it it my novice days as an orchidoholic !!! I've had almost exactly 6 years to the month to figure out my Neo by trial and error, it seems ! I got brave last year and put it outside in filtered bright sun in the spring and what you see is the result of that ! Plus the repot in January of last year into that ceramic pot with all the holes and mounding the sphag up was, I'm sure, part of the result !

[Paul Mc]

Wow! Here, we appear to have about 5 or so really knowledgable growers, including the lady who heads the MO Botanical orchids. But we have about 80 or do members. Well, I need a mentor since although I'm not new to them there is sooooo much I still don't know about them. And I read and study them like crazy, lol...

Any who, off topic. You're Neo is absolutely AMAZING!!! I'm bowing with complete jealousy, I mean envy!!! ROFL....

[Merlyn]

Thanks, Paul ! My mentor is 10 years my senior and has been growing chids for, a guesstimate here, more than 30 years ! I found that by just helping repot, potup, water, feed, clean, divide, stake, and everything else around his 2000+ chids taught me more than most of the books I already read ! PLUS I asked a LOT of what might have seemed like dumb questions ALL THE TIME !!! Still do, but on a much more specific basis !!!

[WhiteRabbit]

Beautiful!

[DelawareJim]

Great plant Chryss! Congratulations.

Cheers.
Jim

[Merlyn]

Thanks, Sonya & Jim !!!

Hey, Jim, I bet you're going to the Longwood / SEPOS show !!! I'll be there for the set-up and take down and maybe the Saturday in between !!! I NEVER get tired of that place !

[Pelepel]

I'm so jealous, Merlyn! Beautiful form, flowers, and great potting! The extra bonus is the fragrance. That is what drew me in...that and the way they, forms, different styles.

When I went to the Pacific Orchid Expo in San Fran this year I got to meet the girl that runs Seed Engei. Very sweet and I was literally, in heaven with Neo overload! Had to pick up a few.

[camille1585]

Beautiful!!! Another beautifully grown plant. I love Neos, but the only thing I do well is kill them. I wish I had a mentor like yours, when I see my sorry looking collection, I despair ever getting such great looking plants....