Hello From San Antonio, Tx

[LLW]

I just joined this forum and have already learned lots new things. This is great. I have had Phals for 20+ years. I started with one and added a few more over the years. Several years ago I started adding a few others. Now I have 4 Catts, a Cymbidium, 2 Dendrobiums, an Ondontonia and a Phaiocalanthe in addition to lot of Phals. (I DO NOT have a partridge in a pear tree however)

I am slowly learning how to care for each of these different types of orchids and trying to convince my husband that we REALLY need the back patio converted to a garden (orchid?) room.

Thanks for the terrific information and I expect I will be posting many questions in the future. LLW

[mayres]

Welcome and we shall look forward to you sharing a few pics and some of what you have learned too! Phals for over 20 years eh?! Wow! You must have a few really nice/large ones by now? mike

[LLW]

I may have had Phals for 20 years, but in many ways I am still a novice. The Phals just seem to love my office window and one window in my home. I tried to move a few once and it did not work well, so I guess what I have had is just dumb luck to begin with. Now I am trying to learn. OK so I'm also a little slow getting around to things.

Yes a couple of my older Phals are what I think of as big for Phals. What is really wonderful and amazing to me is that the older they get, it seems the more spikes they have each time they bloom. I had one a few years ago that was my greatest accomplishment, it had three spikes at once with a total of twenty-five flowers open at once. Unfortunately I did not get a picture of this amazing sight, but I did have a lot of visitors to my office because all the people in my building kept bringing people by to see the orchids.

[atcrosby]

Welcome to the forum...

May I ask how old your oldest Phal is ? These plants are very long-lived and I am curious what your experiences have been on lifespan.

Also, the office window in your home, does it face east by chance? I have had my Phals in the east side of the house for the past two months and it's amazing how well they are doing there compared to the west side.

Looking forward to learning from you!

Tom

[desertgal]

Hi and welcome to the forum. I look forward to hearing about your success with phals as this seems to be the one I am drawn to. I live in the desert and my house is never very cool so I am carrying them outside each night this month so that they will get their cool down period necessary for spiking. Early each morning they come back in to their regular place in the sun. I also have noid dens, oncidiums, several intergenerics and my first paph.
Katie

[LLW]

Oh my! What a nice welcome! My oldest Phal at the moment is about 19 years old. The only way I can remember that is that I remember that I still have at least one Phal left from before my daughter was born and she is 18 now.

The window at my office faced the east before I moved offices and that is the one the Phals just loved. The office window I have now faces north and I think I am going to have to give them some extra light. They don't seem as happy. The window in my house faces southwest, but is partially shaded by a tree and the Phals I have at home seem to be happy.

[atcrosby]

North is not too well received by Phals. I have discovered East is best. The window with the tree shade appears to be a good one as well.

19 years !! Wow. Have you had any Keiki's of that one yet or is it just old faithful with flower spikes? How many spikes does it put out each year. Would love to see a pic of it.

Tom

[LLW]

I can see that the north window is really not a hit with my Phals so I am adding some light to their day when I am at work and they seem to be perking up. The 19 year old has given me a couple of kikis over the years and is a pretty reliable bloomer. It usually gives me 2 or 3 spikes.

If it blooms soon I will attempt to make pictures. I will warn you however that my whole family makes fun of my lack of photography skills. They just don't understand that I am still just trying to get a really good shot of my thumb.
LLW

[Promotiona]

Hi
Please, give me link to any AD software - wanna to download!!!

Thanks.