Phaleanopsis Join Angel x Sogo Yukidian and Harlequin Dtps Oriental Beauty

[glenyorl1]

Hi group I have been having so much problems growing phals and out of my experiments I think I found the best location and watering methods. Upon the advice of the senior members I repotted all my phals into a mixture of bark and sphagnum. I do not coddle my plants so it was a challenge finding the best spot in my landscape to grow my plants.

I had 3 locations (all shaded). The first location was under my palms but it got watered 2x per week by my sprinklers, they all died and leaves shriveled. The second location was under a gazebo watered every 10 days, the plants did not thrive but they did not die

I found the best location is against my fence under a fan palm with dappled light from a bamboo. However, I grow my vandas in front of them and they are watered daily. In essence they are misted every day for 5 minutes because the overspray from my sprinklers do not "water" the plants. In fact it increases the humidity and the roots go crazy!

Attached are pics of my Phal Join Angel x Sogo Yukidian. The second is a recent purchase of a harlequin Oriental Beauty. I removed all moss and mixed bark in with the mix and planted them in a basket

I really like the harlequins they are my new favorite phal, but a classic big white is still beautiful

[catttan]

All 3 are lovely - I just love the floral arrangement of the white phal.

[k_andreev]

I cross this thread because you white Phal catch my eyes.good growing and lately welcome to the Forum Glenn

[cdayinflorida]

very pretty

[opaline]

The inflorescense of the big white is superb infacts looks meticulously trained like bonsai. Superb plant and glad you managed to exploit a good grow area fit for phals. Suprising how many factors do conflict when we think we are somewhat controlling the enviro. Your final method of success touches slightly on the big commercial growers tactics using sprayers misters to saturate atmosphere not plant directly this why they succeed with sphag media in pot and little rot, the roots just sucking it all up from the air humidity.

Took me ages to sus it out and now just hang/mount/suspend phals butt naked like a vanda with wire. Might try a vanda vase???possibly????

Bravo!!!!!!!!!!!! to the harlequins amidst the bamboo. Great setting! Lovely colour schemes.!!!!

I wonder how many growers respond to those leaves appearing so light apple green in photo. Epsom salts- not enough Magnesium? Pottasium? or Calcium?. Too much bright exposure? Could just be photo ofcourse but what do you aim for Glenn. Phals have been quite a long experiment for me. Light apple green or darker green.? My phals species and hybrids grow mounted no moss with tillandsia companions which turn scarlet red when sun is good in the rosette - morning sun dawn till 2pm ish. These phals are apple green roots dangling freely like vandas and spike freely suits species better. Afternoon southwest sun exposure turns phals leaves a reddish tone but to harsh summer peak, plants tatty but spike even so thick stems and thick roots which need some moss to hold moisture due to position.. Ironically my friends in north east direction - no sun - very dark glossy green getting perfect winter 'rest'/'brumation' cooler day and even colder night and dryish can spike 2 at a time more than once per year. She collects the big whites like yours with varying centres.

Lovely plants but a real pain in the butt sometimes. Only still here cos im stubborn. I find threads on phal cultivation in home garden situ quite interesting, a love hate thing i think.

[glenyorl1]

Hi Matt and thank you. It was an effort finding the right location and watering regime for the phals. I have lost many but like you I am determined to grow the darn things through trial and effort. I think they have found their happy spot. I liken the phals to a vanda in terms of watering, they love to be moist but cannot stand to have their roots sitting in water. Hence, your method of suspension works and I have even thought of doing it myself, thats why I got baskets and clay pots. I barely packed moss and bark in each container, in fact there are a lot of open spaces or gaps in my pots because I want the roots to breathe. I believe the roots will find their "zone". If they want more moisture they will stay in the container and if they want to out they will climb out

My big white was not trained it has Sogo in it and I was expecting a higher bloom count but it formed a naturally shingled effect. I love quality whites!

In terms of lighting on the Dtps. I just bought these clones 2 weeks ago with 1 flower open so I cannot take credit or blame for the color of the leaves. However, it has Doritis in it and it exhibits strong Doritis patterns in its leave and plant structure. In my experience with Doritis, it needs brighter light and less water. Maybe the grower/nursery treated it with brighter light? I placed it on the north side of my bamboo, if it suffers I will move it back with the phals. Its funny you should mention magnesium. I am experimenting with epson salts too, but I am not too familiar with its use

Also bear in mind that I grow my plants outdoors exposed to the environment. I am fortunate to live close to the ocean, but I am enough inland that none of my plants get salty air, but I get lots of breeze. Its great for circulation and keeping down blackspot and mold

I have attached a photo of my bamboo, I grow my vandas on it and grow the phals behind it under a fan palm. The photo was taken at 10am so you will notice the phals get a lot of morning light but as it travels towards the west it gets nice and shady. Thank you for taking such an interest in culture, everyone will have a different perspective but this works for me

[glenyorl1]

Thank you for the compliment Kitty....I'm still trying. You guys are great!!

[Cjcorner]

Great pictures! I love how you have your vanda plants hanging and cannot wait to see them in bloom.

[opaline]

its a good job Cathy (cdayinflorida) doesnt live nextdoor as your neighbour. She stuff those vandas up her jumper and in her shopping bag and do a runner leaving the bamboo battered. Actually probably run off with bamboo aswell to make open woven vanda baskets..

.actually it was cathys recommendations that got me to try the epsom salts. At the moment I add literally a pinch to each x3 750ml rain/tap water spray bottle at beginning of every month as a care approach/ precautionary measure. When i state x3, this refers to the total number of full 750ml spray bottles i use evry day. Didnt have any leaves with pale green/ yellowing appearance so cant comment constructively. For a while 'new root growth green tip turn dead tip dieback' has haunted me, being the other major experiment/ process of elimination that has demanded closer observation.

Exhausted endless theories ensuring fair control/ compatability/ comparison, avoiding bias and financial driven decisions/shortcuts/ influence.
Inadequate humidity = check.
Salt burn = check
fertilizer mis use =check
other toxicity = check
.............you get the picture and was left with no other probable cause until i read thru some research papers on magnesium calcium potassium defieciency and noted 'dead' 'necrotic' root tips as a symptom for lacking K,Ca, mg. All this was triggered by a comment/ opinion made by a 'not so frequent visitor' member here re. npk and k needed to be higher = a door opens!!!!!!!!! I reached the conclusion that this seemed to be applicable to my lil mystery and a short story about growing tomatoes summed it up as roots/ vegetation, flower and fruiting are all significat and important for higher cropping yields. Orchid wise very similar with all grow stages playing significant roles, its just the tomato is picked and prepared, the orchid - titavated and poshed up against lighting and background to strike-a-pose! 301010 was no longer welcome and so happens not been of any visually recognisable benefit.

Recognising growth enviro contributing factors is one thing BUT the possible conflicts are another and a logical equation 2+2=4 becomes a tangled mess of 1+1 = 3??54 to an untrained eye. Water type/source and fertilizer product type produces a chemistry sometimes unfavourable to orchids triggering a slow decline to death.