On 2013-10-11 16:32:16 +0000, Bob Hobden said:

"Roger Tonkin" wrote


says...

Bob Hobden said:

"Sacha" wrote

, Spider said:

On 06/10/2013 17:15, Sacha wrote:
Is it possible for these Phals to develop from the base of the plant,
right beside the already established leaves which have sprouted,
flowered and died back? It looks to me like a whole new plantlet but
for all I know, it could just be new leaves. It seems to be sending out
new roots, too. What do I do now?!




I've never known it happen, Sacha. Could you post a photograph, Please?

Sorry Spider, I forgot all about this photo. You can see the new young
leaves coming through, though one looks as if it's been chomped
already. I can't get a shot of the roots but it does look like a
separate plant.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9369440...4693/lightbox/


As I suspected it looks like the original crown has been damaged (water
on it over night?) so it's just growing a new one.

They're in the house, in our bathroom but yes, it's possible someone
watered them while we were away and didn't know about keeping the crown
dry. If I splash any water onto them, I dry the leaves. But thanks to
you and to Spider for the help and interest. I'll get a larger pot from
Orchid World and pot on in spring. I'm so pleased that one orchid is
currently showing off some gorgeous white flowers and another is
growing a stem full of buds. I can't quite get over the speed at which
the new flowering stems grow!

It's the flowering period that amases me. I have a
phel - what's it, that started to flower in mid-July,
opening 8 flowers over then next few weeks.

Now almost 3 months later, there are more flowe buds
developing on the stem (at least 3), whilst the first
flower to open looks as fresh as the day it opened.


It's to do with the temperature especially at night. The professional
competition growers use that fact to grow more and more flower on the
same spike, how they keep the original flowers from deteriorating over
the months is an amazing bit of plant keeping. I've seen pictures of
huge spikes of flowers but can't find any on the web.

If you haven't done so already, you'd enjoy a visit to the Eric Young
Orchid Nursery in Jersey, Bob. If you haven't been there, I'd grab a
long week end when you can! I haven't been there for quite a while but
last time we went, they showed every stage of the growing and
propagation. I hope they still do. And of course, theirs have won
competitions all over the world. Transporting them to e.g. USA for
Shows is a minor miracle in itself! Istr my father telling me that one
of the Rothschilds was very 'in' to orchids but would that have been at
Exbury? I've never associated it with orchids but my ignorance on this
is profound!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon