My Neofinetia collection

[Bud]

You have an amazing collection. I specifically love the Oborozuki: simple lines, color, textures and the form is perfect.
You also have your Neos potted in the traditional Japanese samurai style including the pot itself.
Your plants are happy and healthy with no blemish on the leaves or roots. Your media is fresh and well executed into a perfect mold.

[Leafmite]

Wonderful pictures! Really enjoyed seeing them! Thank you for sharing!

[LinhT]

Thanks! I'm glad you neo fans are enjoying the photos. I hope some of the newbies find the info helpful in deciding how you want to start, expand/ build your neo collection.

I will post some photos on Tues of the different types of tsuke and root colors. I'll also try to explain what the tsuke is to those who don't know or missed an earlier thread on it posted by Hakumin.

I have a few more variegated varieties coming up. After that, we'll move on to the "beanies".

[FairyInTheFlowers]

YAAY!!!! I feel that this thread will soon be worthy of being a sticky!!! I am prepared to learn and soak up the information!

[Neodex]

This is an excellent thread and not only for newbies. I for one have become more interested
in variegated neos, from the subtle to the bold, and you have some that are not often seen.

You have beautiful plants. Your Fugaku is great and as these are usually one of the less expensive of the shima types, I was wondering
whether this is an easy grower (often the faster growers are less expensive). I've only just got mine so I'm yet to find out. Your Kinkounishiki
is spectacular with it's bold variegation. I also find the two-tone green types interesting as well and Misukage is one that "hovers" on my wish list, so it's nice to see your Mumeibotangei.

The changing variegation patterns as these plants grow is fun to observe.
I'm also curious about the biological mechanism of variegation in the stripe varieties and can only guess that it is of the chimaeric
type in which the chloroplasts carry mutations that block chlorophyll synthesis?

Please keep them coming,

Cheers,
Tim

[LinhT]

Originally Posted by Neodex

This is an excellent thread and not only for newbies. I for one have become more interested
in variegated neos, from the subtle to the bold, and you have some that are not often seen.

You have beautiful plants. Your Fugaku is great and as these are usually one of the less expensive of the shima types, I was wondering
whether this is an easy grower (often the faster growers are less expensive). I've only just got mine so I'm yet to find out. Your Kinkounishiki
is spectacular with it's bold variegation. I also find the two-tone green types interesting as well and Misukage is one that "hovers" on my wish list, so it's nice to see your Mumeibotangei.

The changing variegation patterns as these plants grow is fun to observe.
I'm also curious about the biological mechanism of variegation in the stripe varieties and can only guess that it is of the chimaeric
type in which the chloroplasts carry mutations that block chlorophyll synthesis?

Please keep them coming,

Cheers,
Tim

Hey Tim, so sorry for the VERY late reply. I re opened my facebook account a few months ago and got lost catching up on everybody's timelines. My Fugaku always puts out a ton of roots every season but is slow as far as starting new fans. However, I was told by my grower that Fugaku is a fast and robust grower so perhaps I'm not giving it optimal conditions.

I'm interested in the science behind the changing variegation also but don't know much about how it works. I was told that it's possible the Japanese growers use radiation to induce variegation on some plants. Who knows...

I'll try to get more photos of other varieties to continue this thread later. Thanks all, for looking!

[dougbraz]

Love your flowers. I am trying ONE to see how it goes. It is in sphagnum in a pot, on some pebbles kept moist for humidity and inside a small (betta fish) aquarium to increase the moisture and hopefully the temperature - winter here in Brazil.
Im am sooo tempted to try the sphagnum ball potting as per your pix, but am wary of killing the plant or something.
Supposedly, n falcata are relatively easy to keep, right? I was told just keep moist and with good humidity. Is the "traditional" way of potting relatively easy and stress free (for me - not the plant...)??

[raindance168]

Anyone have tips on watering schedule and feeding? I seem to have trouble figuring out how much to water without making the roots rot and not lose new growths. As a result of haphazard watering, none of my plants have bloomed in 2+ years I've started growing neos. I did some reading earlier today and discovered that I probably neglected them a tiny bit too much the first winter I had them, didn't water enough during the following summer, watered them too much this past winter, and neglected them too long earlier this summer. Luckily I haven't lost any plants this summer, but I'm keeping an eye on them right now. I did lose a few this past winter, probably from over-watering.

Also, what do you guys do with your neos when you're away from home? Sometimes I need to leave them at school when I go home for the weekend. The longest I'm usually away from them is a week.

Any tips from people using s/h would be interesting, too.

[GardenTheater]

Thanks for the grat pictures and information.

When I leave for a week, I put all my orchids in one place with very low light (less than Phal light) and group by how often to water. My neighbor stops by to feed the cats and water the orchids. I just skip fertilizing that week.

[richardblair]

Wow Tracy, those neos are beautiful. the kansetsu is breathtaking with the variegation and the magenta spike. It's been awhile since I've been on. My collection has grown. Not only with neo hybrids but now more so with species. Do u grow hokage or kouen? I've recently upped the light and they are now producing a color change. How strong of a light do u give yours? Best, richard