Suggestions Please From You Neo-fans!

[MattWoelfsen]

After reading this thread and looking at all the different varieties and accessories, I'm thinking of getting a couple of these plants and seeing how compatible these are to my environment. A little bit about me, I live in Fort Wayne, IN. I have over 30 phalaenopsis living on the east side of my house. They are all doing well, lots of flowers and new growth. On the west side of my house I have a master bath with a glass brick wall and a jacuzzi. The orchids live in the jacuzzi! Growing very well in this environment are cattleyas, oncidiums, and eight phaphiopedeliums. These phaps are an experiment to see if they could grow here. In my southern facing, high ceiling home office are four mule-ear oncidiums. They thrive in this environment, producing tall spikes (3-4 feet) and numerous flowers in January. I have two cymbidiums sitting in my foyer, very cool temperature environment. These have beautiful leaves, but the spikes get to bud stage and blast. I'm still trying to figure that out. This is our environment.

Thanks to you all, I have found New World Orchids. They have numerous Neofinetia falcatas, and after spending lots of time on their website looking at pictures, etc. I have narrowed my list to Fu Ran, Kinrokaku, Kofou Fukurin, and Momohime. Are these good choices for a new Neo grower?

On this website the price is quoted as, for example US$15, but on the next column labelled "Growth" numbers are listed: "2, 3, 4". I am assuming that I would have two "growths" and this would be $30, right? I'm thinking that Neos are grown as a community? By that I mean, when I buy a phalaenopsis compot, I get 2-3 seedlings and when they have grown large enough, I separate them. But Neos, you keep them together?

I'm fascinated with the mounding style potting for these plants. Is that a plant cultural requirement or a human oriented esthetic? I see that New World Orchids sells several kinds of New Zealand spaghnum moss, one size seems chopped, then there is a 'normal' length, and then there is a 'long' length. Should I get all three sizes, chopped for the roots, normal, to wrap around root ball and long to anchor into the pot?

Thank you for any input or advice.