They're making a run for it!! Yikes

[Nanook 2010]

Channeling my Austin Powers

[MattWoelfsen]

Lorna, thanks for the update. Your plant looks very healthy. My Phalaenopsis is also doing well in this same pot. I find the pot really easy to water since you can water through the spikes. It drains water very effectively, so crown rot is minimized. I am hoping to get some more of these pots. I wish you did business in the USA.

[lornaheath]

Oh Mister Matty I wish I could trade in the USA as well Sir.

I am busy here writing up the newest Orchid Pots, just about to be launched. They are the Babies!!

Look at these cuties!!

I am sooo excited.

Lorna
x x x

[RosieC]

Looking good Lorna!

I really like my two of these pots. For me they have worked best in the greenhouse. I use them for S/H style growing rather than quite how they were intended, but it works great, I pour water into the plant at the top and it flows through and out over the lip at the bottom, then when I stop a natural reservoir forms in the tray.

I've moved the plants into the house now, and have to water more carefully, but still working great.

[lornaheath]

Morning Rosie, You're a Star!!

We could have some pikkies when they start flowering and there's roots escaping too.

Thanks Hun. Good to see you.

Lorna
x x x

[RosieC]

I have flowers on one of mine now, but the roots aren't escaping yet Don't think I've taken photos so will have to try and get some.

[lornaheath]

I have 25 Orchids right now Rosie and there's One Flower on One stem on One plant. I thought they all went to sleep naturally until the spring??

I am really surprised you have flowers.

I was just envisaging a mass of spikes all growing together and then flowering next spring?

I hope it works like that in real life. Yikes!

[RosieC]

Mine seem to just do what they want. The one I mentioned is a Brassada and I find these oncidium alliance ones flower late summer/auturm for me, after the summer growths have matured. My Masdavallia flower best in the cool of the winter and not so well in summer.

I currently have 6 phals in flower but two are dropping their flowers and there are no new spikes on other phals just now. In my temps the spike will probably initiate in the spring again as I keep it too cool for them in the winter. They need a temp drop to start spikes, but for me they go somewhat dormant because of the temps.

[lornaheath]

OK Miss Rosie. How can I drop the temps for mine for the winter?

This is a real conundrum because I have ONE window in my flat. I have 3 fold up tables in front of that window with all 25 Orchids on them. They and ME all live together and there's no way I'm gonna be cold this winter, not even for them!!

They'll just have to grin and bear it won't they?

A case of What Will Be Will Be eh?

Lornie
x x x

[RosieC]

You only need a small drop (mine is too much really).

What sort of temps to you keep your flat. I only heat to 19.5C/67F morning and evening and if I'm home in the day, which seems comfortable to me though lots of people I talk to on OB seem to think sounds cold, while my family think it's on the warm side... can't win

At night and in the middle of the day when I'm out it's on a lower stat set to 15C/59F, however it's only in the really cold weather in winter that it's likely to drop that far as the house is well insulated.

I find I don't need much heat at night, wrapped up in the duvet I get too warm if the temps don't drop. That night drop is enough for the phals to spike.

From reading other's comments here Phals really need/like warmer conditions than I give them. The drop to initiate spiking is a relative thing, they need to drop a few degrees, rather than needing a particular low temp. So if you start warmer you don't need to go as low.