Wow, Ken! That's a beautiful phal. But, I don't need another addiction. I do have 1 phal., though. I bought it on clearance this spring, when the blooms were fading, and kept it outside in the shade all summer. Before I bought it in a few weeks ago, I dunked it in BATS. It's now sitting in front of my large sunny window in my unused living room/plant room. In the past, I've had to throw mine out due to mealy bugs infestation that I couldn't get rid of. I've since learned a little more about pest management and enjoyed rereading the featured article written by Paulgrow, as a reminder. I'm keeping an eye and out on this thread, in hopes that I can learn more about caring for these beautiful plants.

Yep, though I thought it was just me, my Phal. seem to attract mealy bugs and occasionally scale. I have hundreds (many) Cattleya alliance plants and they never seem to be bothered with these pests.

I grow my Phals indoors year round, so it does not get attacked by the nasties, plus it is too hot and dry outdoors here during the warmer months. One thing I really learned with these Phals, got to give those roots very good airflow. They are always happiest here during late Fall to early Spring, but got to give a greater interval in watering during cold months. In summer, I can do once a week watering, but not during the cool months, need more interval. I have been trying a different media, so I do not need to repot often, which oftentimes is needed when the bark medium decays. Cannot have them mounted either, it will be too drying for them. So I was glad to be able to use hygrolon, made them into baggies, a good compromise

Anyone grows Paphiopedilums?? I am not so good with these either. But I have two with mottled leaves , so it is not so boring waiting for the chance of a bloom. I think my area is too dry, but thankfully the mottled ones seems more enduring. Sometimes I just go wait and see..wait and see..

Ken because they are so readily available at the BB and Grocery store so cheap is why I buy them. When I buy them I think of them as buying a long flowering bouquet. If you paid a big price for cut flowers for indoor decor I would pay more and would have a shorter time of flowers.

I have a discount grocery store that sell them for 3.00 - 5.00. Last year HD had them 2 for 5.00. It was a new shipment so they had a lot that had buds that had not opened and two flowering stalks per plant. I had flowers until April with those plants.

I have a friend who does that buying Phals and tossing them out later, and I keep reminding her, if you do not want the plant later, just give it to me..but she won't, I think she is too ashamed later on..told her, I do not mind, since it will help me test somethings to revive it.

There is absolutely nothing wrong saving big $$ buying Phal. I would do the same.

My circumstances are so different than everyone else. Though I am a hobbyist grower, I do have a tropical plant business. I can't compete with the big box/grocery stores and thus it would be ludicrous for me to purchase "ordinary" Phal., grow those seedlings for a year or two, and then try to make any sort of profit. What little profit I do make goes right back into buying supplies and plants.

Ken I know it is your business I would not do it if I was growing them for business either. Sometime Lowes sale them after flower for 1.00. I will buy them for the dollar because the pots sometime are so pretty and the pot would cost a lot more if I just purchased a pot.

So my not for business goal is to have the flowers for winter indoor. It also impresses my guest through the holidays. They think I have a green thumb and can grow anything With all the live plants around that I grow very easy the Orchids are like the cherry on top of a sundae.

This is my favorite colors that I look for every year.


and this one with the white because my living room is all white.

I too love the Phal. flowers (of course, I love just about all orchid flowers ). It is doubly nice to have something in bloom during the winter/early spring months. I have a few other varieties that bloom during that time, so I will usually have several flower-forms in bloom. It is often difficult to ever see my flowers bloom. As soon as they come into sheath/stem/bud, they usually sell. I am more apt to seeing winter/early spring bloomers because I cannot ship January/February due to cold weather here and my buyers location. In fact, during December and often March, I cannot ship to the northern tier of states.