My neo collection

[Red Orchid]

I get what you are saying Jeremiah we all grow Neos and most of us do a good job with them. We need to trust our success with the plants and pool that knowledge we have gained with confidence. I always feel that I have to repeat the words of our "experts" for I certainly cannot know enough to just express what my experience has been with cutting a root etc. This a good thread! Thx.

[AnonYMouse]

This is where you'd start:
Fuukiran Society of America

I think it was Delaware Jim who provided the original link.

[vjo]

I am sure you are correct that it won't hurt to cut off a stray root but I just don't think I could do it! Good roots are hard to come by on some orchids, I don't have trouble with the neos but my other orchids have me well trained....Jean

[Oscarman]

We just had Terry from Flora Peculia give a talk on Neos and it was very interesting. I certainly have a greater appreciation for them now. Nice collection you have there. Thank you for sharing with us.

[LinhT]

Originally Posted by jeremiah.chua

To top it off, most people only post photos of their plants and don't really give much detailed information on their specific growing conditions and their observations in whatever conditions their plants were in. Photographs of progression, changes in growth, what conditions they were in to obtain that growth for that specific type, etc, are all important data that we, as US keepers, should have and share.

Anyway, perhaps this is just the Science major in me talking and I've always been the type to want EVERY SINGLE DETAIL POSSIBLE. Others probably don't care as much, so forgive my ramblings. But for those who think alike, I say we get together and start gathering information from our OWN personal experiences. Things we tweak for ourselves and begin to try our own experiments with these plants.
Example Scenario:
Person A receives a Neofinetia 'kogane-nishiki'. This is a yellow tiger stripe variety. At the moment, it does NOT have very bright yellow leaves yet. Person A decides to put it on an EAST facing window that gets direct morning sun and only bright (shaded) light afterwards. No lighting supplementation.
Person B receives a Neofientia 'kogane-nishiki' as well. Not necessarily from the same plant (aka not a direct divison but rather a seed clone). Person B places his/her plant in a South facing window and receives no direct morning sun and instead, gets direct afternoon sun with a % shade cloth to prevent burns.

Person A and B can document and photograph the original state in which their Neos came in. After an X amount of months pass by, Person A and B can take a photograph again to see if yellow variegation intensified. Who has stronger yellow? Maybe it didn't change? Any sort of information would help. Of course, this isn't exactly the most scientific way of doing things because there could have been other factors that could've played into these situations. Perhaps person B's shade cloth got torn down by a cat and burned his plant for a day or two? Maybe Person A forgot to water his plant for a week? Nonetheless,as hobbyists, any sort of data like this is extremely beneficial, don't you think?

I've always wanted to do this, just no one to do it with. So I only have documented the difference in my own growing conditions from year to year, just to compare. So if you really want to try this, let me know what plant you want to use as the subject plant.

[jeremiah.chua]

Originally Posted by LinhT

I've always wanted to do this, just no one to do it with. So I only have documented the difference in my own growing conditions from year to year, just to compare. So if you really want to try this, let me know what plant you want to use as the subject plant.

I'm definitely interested. Especially with one of the first few who went into the neo hobby. I would be honored really I really liked your thread of before and after pics with years that have gone by with your neos!

All we really have to do is when we show a specific neo, just list the conditions we grew them in. A before and after photo as well, to show improvements. Even if they don't overlap now, some eventually will. Soon enough, people can do a simple search and find different growth patterns with varying conditions from various people (that sentence sounds funny to me).

Example (Rough draft):
Houmeiden 1/24/13
Neofinetia falcata 'Houmeiden' / 'Bountiful Bright Palace' | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Houmeiden 3/18/13
Houmeiden 3/18/13

Houmeiden update 5/1/13
Houmeiden 5/1/13 #1
Houmeiden 5/1/13 #2
Houmeiden 5/1/13 #3


Name: Neofinetia falcata 'Houmeiden'

Growing Condition: Open East Window. bright indirect morning sun, bright indirect afternoon. Never receives direct light, only bright indirect. I do this to avoid burning white variegated leaves and to promote the white variegation to stay. I do not use humidity trays. They endure whatever San Jose, CA humidity is. Although to be quite honest, I don't think humidity is much of an issue for Neofinetias.

Media: 100% Sphagnum moss

Cold Season Water: Receives water approx once every 7-10 days. Media is allowed to dry completely for at least 1 day before being watered again.

Warm Season Water: Receives water approx once every 2-3 days. Ideally, I don't allow the media to completely dry out (although it has happened a few times, but not for too long). Ideal situation, it gets watered with the media still very slightly moist - almost dry.

Fertlizer: 20-20-20 fertlizer, once a week (or if I remember). Only when root growth is visible.
----

Perhaps there may be more to add to this list. I'm too tired to think of anything else, but hopefully this can start a movement somehow in the Neo community. Doesn't have to follow my exact layout, but somewhere along the lines would help. Let me know what y'all think.

[LinhT]

Originally Posted by jeremiah.chua

I'm definitely interested. Especially with one of the first few who went into the neo hobby. I would be honored really I really liked your thread of before and after pics with years that have gone by with your neos!

Thanks, Jeremiah. I have friends at the local orchid nursery who have specimen plants that are many times more awesome than mine. They are really the first few who went into the neo hobby

I thought you were thinking of doing some kind of "double blind, randomized, placebo controlled trial". I'll have to wait for middle of May to get my iphone to take new photos since my current camera sucks. You can certainly start a new thread and start documenting your plant info. When I am able to get some photos later I'll add to your thread with my info.

[jeremiah.chua]

Originally Posted by LinhT

Thanks, Jeremiah. I have friends at the local orchid nursery who have specimen plants that are many times more awesome than mine. They are really the first few who went into the neo hobby

I thought you were thinking of doing some kind of "double blind, randomized, placebo controlled trial". I'll have to wait for middle of May to get my iphone to take new photos since my current camera sucks. You can certainly start a new thread and start documenting your plant info. When I am able to get some photos later I'll add to your thread with my info.

Not sure how I overlooked this comment, sorry for such a late response. But yes, I will definitely try to start something up when I have more time. I was thinking of just doing a blogspot but eh... we'll see how much more free time I'll have with my life going on plus having to do orchid and pet maintenance when I DO have some free time (which is hardly ever any). So I may just do a simple thread to keep things easy on my part.

---------- Post added at 02:54 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:50 PM ----------

Went to visit Seed-Engei today at the San Jose Orchid Show.
And of course, I spent way more than I would like to but I walked away really happy. My wallet on the other hand is a whole different story...


Neofinetia Pot - Bird design

Neofinetia Pot - Bird design backside

Momoyama-nishiki

'Nishidemiyako + Manazuru

Nishidemiyako + Manazuru #2

[coffeecup]

Originally Posted by jeremiah.chua

Went to visit Seed-Engei today at the San Jose Orchid Show.
And of course, I spent way more than I would like to but I walked away really happy. My wallet on the other hand is a whole different story...


Neofinetia Pot - Bird design

Neofinetia Pot - Bird design backside

Momoyama-nishiki

'Nishidemiyako + Manazuru

Nishidemiyako + Manazuru #2

Great buys! You left pretty quickly after I ran into you! Maybe we can chat next time. I was also able to get a Momoyama during the last show in SoCal. Great addition!

[Pilot]

You made the right choices in getting these plants as they are gorgeous!!!