Neofinetia potting

I'm wondering if this guy is potted correctly. I filled a 4" pot with about 15 packing peanuts and put some sphag and the plant on top of it. I've been pondering using a small ceramic pot with a very small ceramic pot or top of a small 330ml water bottle as a cone for under the roots. Doesn't the upsidedown pot restrict the water from running outside the bigger pot because it is blocking the flow? or is it usually put on top of something else like pebbles or such?

If anyone has a good reference to potting these guys please don't hesitate to PM me. I also like the idea of a vanda basket for this guy just not sure what the best way of potting it is?

Also do I need to mist this guy every morning?

Attached Images

 

__________________
Three wrong doesn't make a right; three left does make a right.

I use a ceramic pot, I also use the traditional Japanese method. (Google: Traditional Japanese Neofinetia falcata potting) You will find the method a short distance down the page. Basically it is a hollow ball of Spahg with more sphag over the roots. The plant sits above the rim of the pot. by almost an inch. I water 3X per week. I use the top of a beer bottle as my form.

__________________
I am diagonally parked in a parallel universe.

Do you just make the form with the beer bottle and remove it after or do you sit it in the ceramic pot with the beer bottle? How do you really wrap the sphag since it's made out of all separate strands or do you weave it into a nice little sweater first??

__________________
Three wrong doesn't make a right; three left does make a right.

I *believe* there is a thread here on OrchidTalk about how to do this. It seems like someone did it recently.

Cheers,
BD

__________________
RVO's OrchidTalk Forums - "Bringing People Together" Help support our Community: Donate or Become an OrchidTalk Subscriber today!
We could learn a lot from crayons: some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, some have weird names, and all are different colors....but they all exist very nicely in the same box. ...Hmmm? .

I just sent you a PM with the link to a website that has a pictorial description of potting neos in the japanese style.

bottle gets removed and then chilled and consumed in celebration of getting them repotted.

__________________
I am diagonally parked in a parallel universe.

I'll probably end up using an empty bottle since I'll be needing some encouragement to try this repot
Doesn't the cone (made with the bottle) get destroyed with watering or am I only supposed to water by misting it it heavily??

__________________
Three wrong doesn't make a right; three left does make a right.

No I never had a problem watering with a hose. I think last year, I stuck a couple of foam peanuts into the hollow Sphag space.

__________________
I am diagonally parked in a parallel universe.

One thing I've learned when using plastic pots is that I don't want to use packing peanuts. This makes the plants to light and can be knocked over easily during watering or a frisky cat, wind, etc. I use old broken pots for crock in that case.

__________________

Thanks all. Does it matter that the plant is kinda black where the upper roots meet the fan of leaves?

__________________
Three wrong doesn't make a right; three left does make a right.