# Got my first neofinetia



## ALToronto (Jun 16, 2014)

- A tiny seedling fresh out of flask. I had to beg Claudio (Cloud's Orchids) to sell it to me, he wanted to hang onto it for another six months. 

Now, I don't care one bit about the whole neo cult - the ratings, gradings or hierarchy. And I know that the sphagnum ball is more tradition than necessity for growing them. So if I simply want a healthy plant that will eventually make its way onto one of my living walls, how should I treat it? It's currently in a 50mm (2") pot growing in a thin layer of sphagnum spread over a hollow plastic cylinder 25 mm (1") in diameter.


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## Stone (Jun 16, 2014)

ALToronto said:


> - A tiny seedling fresh out of flask. I had to beg Claudio (Cloud's Orchids) to sell it to me, he wanted to hang onto it for another six months.
> 
> Now, I don't care one bit about the whole neo cult - the ratings, gradings or hierarchy. And I know that the sphagnum ball is more tradition than necessity for growing them. So if I simply want a healthy plant that will eventually make its way onto one of my living walls, how should I treat it? It's currently in a 50mm (2") pot growing in a thin layer of sphagnum spread over a hollow plastic cylinder 25 mm (1") in diameter.



I don't get the whole shag ball thing. I think they look silly grown like that. I guess its a Japanese thing. Just grow it in bark. Or if you want to wall it, attach to a piece of cork then slap it on to your wall when you are ready. They don't like to dry out for long but they don't like it wet either. Mine survive 5 to 40C


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## orchideya (Jun 16, 2014)

I have one neo - 'Shojo' for a few years, started with tiny one fan- 4 leaves plant, now it has 4 growths and bloomed couple times already.
I have experimented with all types of pots and mediums for it and found out that my neo does not like bark in any pot and does not like sphagnum with plastic pot combination.

Bark experiment resulted in total root growth stalling - tips became dead and sphagnum in plastic pot rotted bunch of roots.

It does like sphagnum with clay pot or sphagnum with net pot. I am now growing it in the clay pot with slits and straight sphagnum. I let sphagnum go dry completely between waterings.
It will look beautiful on your wall and create nice fragrant aura around when in bloom.
Good luck with your seedling.


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## NYEric (Jun 16, 2014)

Good luck. I'm not messing with any Neo's for a few years.


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## Justin (Jun 16, 2014)

i am new to Neo's, but i have been told the roots need to be bone dry in between waterings. 

I would guess seedlings need to be kept slightly moist though. good luck!


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## Clark (Jun 16, 2014)

These don't take up much space.
You need at least five more.


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## SlipperFan (Jun 16, 2014)

I don't grow mine in sphagnum. Mine are all in coco-fiber in clay pots. You can see them here:


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## rangiku (Jun 16, 2014)

Clark said:


> These don't take up much space.
> You need at least five more.


I like the way you think, Clark. :evil:

Grow mine traditionally mounded or potted in a clay pot or net pot in sphagnum. A Neofinetia richardsonia is a clear plastic pot with fine bark, perlite and charcoal.

Be careful, they will win over your heart and are relatively easy to care for.


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## abax (Jun 17, 2014)

clay pot and long-fibered coco that's not packed down too much.


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## Erythrone (Jun 17, 2014)

My Neofs are all on sphagnum moss


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## ALToronto (Jun 17, 2014)

Thanks folks! I plan to wait until it has 4-5 fans, and then move it to a dry spot on a wall. Can't wait for flowers.


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## SlipperFan (Jun 17, 2014)

abax said:


> clay pot and long-fibered coco that's not packed down too much.


Exactly!


ALToronto said:


> Thanks folks! I plan to wait until it has 4-5 fans, and then move it to a dry spot on a wall. Can't wait for flowers.


Dry spot? Mine like lots of water in the warm months; not so much when it's cool at night.


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## KyushuCalanthe (Jun 18, 2014)

I think I'd grow these in sphagnum even if I didn't use the traditional Japanese method because of the natural drying of the moss which this orchid enjoys. It grows well as an epiphyte (of course), so it should do OK on your wall. If you keep it cooler and drier in winter it should flower as well.


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## cnycharles (Jun 18, 2014)

Also have had good success with sphagnum and clay pots, and I had a mounted one on bark until I moved and it was a casualty


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Ozpaph (Jun 20, 2014)

fine bark in a mesh pot for mine.


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