Mame-ba

[charlesf6]

Do you think that I have to/should redo my Neo ( this is how it came from Hausermanns ) in this Japanese historic style?



Also when I went to inspect it this morning I noticed this new growth,




young roots?

My Neofinetia falcata didn't come with one of those fancier names ____.....either!

[MattWoelfsen]

Hausermann's provides the no identification, generic species Neofinetia falcata. Your plant is a great starter plant and it is very healthy looking. The potting media it is in, is suitable for this plant. Judging from the wires, you grow this plant by hanging it? The growth coming out of the side of the plant are roots. Flower inflorescence grows a little higher up the stem. If you grow larger Vanda, Neofinetia are miniature Vanda. I would not change the way your plant is growing and in the pot it is growing. If this style works for you, it is fine. If you were to re-pot it, I would make the second growth that is inclined horizontally, upright and parallel to the other growth. Sometimes re-potting stimulates further root growth. Once you get a proliferation of roots, flowers would be on their way.

[charlesf6]

Thanks.

Yes I have it growing hanging in a southern window.

Should I worry about the horizontal growth and try to reinforce it upright? It has some new roots (seen in Pic 2) climbing into pot though. (I have it prodded upright with a skewer for this photogragh.)

[MattWoelfsen]

Originally Posted by charlesf6

Thanks.

Yes I have it growing hanging in a southern window.

Should I worry about the horizontal growth and try to reinforce it upright? It has some new roots (seen in Pic 2) climbing into pot though. (I have it prodded upright with a skewer for this photogragh.)

Only for an aesthetics point of view. If both growths are upright, you can turn each side towards the light. With the growth horizontal only the top side is exposed.

This is the time of year to repot, just as roots are starting to grow. Use the same size substrate that the plant is in--if you don't change to sphagnum moss. If you change to sphagnum moss, get at least 3A New Zealand Sphagnum Moss. Soak the plant in water before you remove from pot. And carefully remove the potting media.

Make a small ball of sphagnum moss, then drape the roots evenly around the root ball. Cover with a layer of sphagnum moss and then insert the entire ball in a 3" net pot or a Neofinetia pot.

Before inserting create a hollow under neath the root ball with your finger, into the base of the plant. Or start with a small inverted net pot and build your root ball around it. Insert the entire mass into the larger net pot. This seems a lot of bother, but it does ensure a good growing environment of your Neo.

[charlesf6]

Since you've told me that my Neo was a great starter plant, I have been searching for the ones you have mentioned in this post and they are either out of stock, n/a, or very expensive and rare it seems.

I have found a couple up for auction like this tamakongou but it looks kinda rough (dark green blothches on it's leaves and cracked roots?) here.

Neofinetiafalcata/bean leaf(japaneseorchid)-TAMAKONGOU 玉金剛 | eBay

[Pattywack]

Matt, thanks! Yep I enjoyed the thread here where Pilot and Ginger were making Neo pots. I've made a couple so far so the Black Pearl was a must try, lol. I couldn't decide if I wanted a white pot with black pearls or a black pot with white pearls. This was what I ended up with, used a Limoncello glass as my mold. It actually is fun and I need to make some more. I have a net pot inverted inside so not much room for roots, but no roots that long yet anyway.

---------- Post added at 04:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:40 PM ----------

Charles, your Neofinetia is nice! It looks healthy and good size. The Tamakongo you are looking at is from Seed Engei's eBay listing and it looks good to me though I'm very inexperienced with Neofinetia. The dark coloring on the leaves is called "inking" I believe. Some Neos develope this coloring with higher light levels.

I didn't notice the cracked roots, it happens and if the plant is healthy it should be fine. They grow lots of roots. I recently received a Neofinetia Setsuzan from their eBay listing with several broken roots. The roots appear to have been broken for quite awhile, still green up when wet. They are really long roots so when I repot, soon I may snip these broken ends off. This plant has tons of roots. Seed Engei has beautiful, healthy Neofinetia. That Tamakongo is nice.

I'm sure Matt will be along soon to reassure you, lol. He's the expert here.

---------- Post added at 05:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:53 PM ----------

Charles, here is a picture of the Neofinetia Setsuzan roots. They are uberthick and many have broken and gone on growing, still alive.

I wonder if Matt would recommend cutting these or not? Anyway the plant is healthy as a horse.

[MattWoelfsen]

After several years of growing Furan, I am not confident to call myself an "expert". But thank you for thinking I am, Patty! I like to share what I experienced as others have also shared their knowledge.

Charles, that Tamakongou listed on eBay is a very healthy plant from a reliable source, japaneseorchids, aka Seed Engei. If you can win this one--and not pay too much for it, you will have a very sturdy plant. And, I dare say, you might get a little Furan bug! So be ware. LOL?

Another good reason to do kokedai style growth, is the roots are covered by the moss. I do not trim healthy roots, they get wound up into the moss ball and hidden. In the Spring, the ends of these roots will emerge into colorful root tips. The Tamakongou you are looking at has green root tips. Some other Neos have Ruby tips, or mud brown tips, etc.--all part of the appeal of this plant.

Other Furan growers may trim roots because they are being groomed for show, if that is the purpose, fine. The criteria is to present the plant in the most symmetrically round ball, centered in the pot. Some times too long roots get in the way, so they are trimmed.

Patty, I'm glad you found the thread on making your own pots. Ginger made a very special pot for me, celebrating the bleak days of baseball before the Chicago Cubs won last year's World Series. When I show and tell my Furan at orchid groups, I use this pot to show them a show ready plant.

[Pattywack]

Matt, your experience and willingness to share your knowledge with those of us just getting started is reason enough to consider you the resident expert. I appreciate any and all information you have provided. There isn't much information readily available as you know.

I think when I repot any of my plants with lots of roots I will leave the roots alone and fit them into the moss ball.

The Tamakongo on eBay is a nice plant, I would bid if I were looking for one. Charles may be the latest neonut here! Yeah!

The Cubs pot Ginger made for you is awesome, I'm sure it is special to you. Ginger has made some beautiful pots!

[charlesf6]

Alright how do I get Ginger to make me a pot?

[MattWoelfsen]

Originally Posted by charlesf6

Alright how do I get Ginger to make me a pot?

Unfortunately, Ginger doesn't make pots any more.