A comedy of errors or How not to buy a Phal
I ended up buying a new Phal at Wally world. I didn't intention to buy it. But while trying to take a look at the roots in the clear pot, which was jammed into the cheap plastic decorative pot so tight that it didn't move, I literally pulled it out of the pot. Being raised by strict older parents and being of an age where even now I still feel my "fetching up", I felt obliged to purchase it. That's what I get for being nosey.
It was literally crammed into a pot with. 90% of its good roots in the top 1/5 of the pot. Brought it home. I sprayed it down with Garden Safe Fungicide 3 before bring it into the house proper. Just in case there were any tiny livestock hitching a ride on it. I how I felt ending up with this Phal I wasn't sure if the bloody thing would tolerate the Neem Oil but I wasn't bring freeloader into the house. I pulled it out of its pot (again) and saw that the bottom half had soggy bark sitting in it. I soaked what media still left on the roots off. It, of course, had the obligatory moss plug in the center. I couldn't get it back into the clear pot even if I wanted because of the way the roots grew. It's presently stuffed, or should I say wedged, in a 5" regular clay pot bare rooted. The only reason I didn't pot it is I cannot get any media around the ring of roots at the top (even after soaking) in the 5" pot. Some 5.5 inch clear slotted pots will hopefully be here on Monday (hopefully).
It has one and a half flower spikes. I'm not exactly sure if that's a branch on the poor excuse for a half spike. I fully expect it to blast it's flowers and buds anyways but decided to wait to cut the spikes until the new pot shows. Photo are it after trimming roots and other mayhem I inflicted.
