Classic Japanese mound for my Neos

[BGGraham1]

Hi all! I am posting these pics to show how I did my Neos. I really like the look of the classic Japanese mound technique, so I gave it a try. I'm really not into sphag, but I've kept these alive for more than a month in it, so I'm getting cocky.

I ordered the Fukiran pots, and it took about an hour to try and get the sphag sorted. I only used the longest strands I could find The pots are pretty big for what I wanted, but they were the smallest I could find that were affordable. Enough blabbing...here they are:

This is the Higashidemiyako - its a variegated leaf type.


This is the Shutennou = the blooms have a pink tinge to them

[bearded orchid]

They both look great!
I'm really in love with their miniature charm and grace. Here's a site with some more affordable fuuran pots if you are still looking: Orchids and Orchid Supplies

[BGGraham1]

Originally Posted by bearded orchid

They both look great!
I'm really in love with their miniature charm and grace. Here's a site with some more affordable fuuran pots if you are still looking: Orchids and Orchid Supplies

Thank you! I saw those, and almost ordered them, but I wanted something with the holes on the side for aeration at first, til I get this sphag thing right.

I have that site saved in my bookmarks for later.

[norris]

They both look great! I have quite a few Neos now, but only attempted repotting in the traditional Japanese method one time, it came out ok, so I will do more like that next spring. Oh, I like your pots too!

[pikkumyy]

seriously cool, i was going to do that with my two seedlings, but their roots are barely an inch long, if that,

your mounds look amazing, thanks for showing us

[otis 226]

Excellent job, Brigitte. Are these the two plants you got from Japanese orchids on ebay? You are soooo bad for giving me this enabling that I barely need! I will keep my eye peeled for shutennou. I really like the dayglow purple of its spurs.
Cheers,
Tony

[ChryssM]

Neos like air around their roots, Brigitte, so you picked good pots !!! Check out my pot with all the holes ! Not a fancy Japanese one but it works !

.

[BGGraham1]

Thanks, all! I was very careful not to pack the sphag too tightly. In fact, if you look verrrrry closely, you can see the packing peanuts I put in the bottom (and a couple within the root ball.)

[JungleMel]

Beautiful job! I love how they really look best potted up traditionally. I just can't grow them like this, I've tried a few different ways too. The Japanese fukiran growers would be horrified at how I have mine potted!

[koshki]

I'm in awe of you guys who can grow neos in sphag. For me, neos + sphag =

[Dendian]

They are lovely - but like JungleMel and Katherine above I cannot keep these things alive in spagh. They are in Japanese material though, pumice!

[plantloverlisa]

Great job Brigette, looks pretty. I too killed mine in sphag. I will have to try again.

[BGGraham1]

Originally Posted by JungleMel

Beautiful job! I love how they really look best potted up traditionally. I just can't grow them like this, I've tried a few different ways too. The Japanese fukiran growers would be horrified at how I have mine potted!

Originally Posted by koshki

I'm in awe of you guys who can grow neos in sphag. For me, neos + sphag =

Originally Posted by Dendian

They are lovely - but like JungleMel and Katherine above I cannot keep these things alive in spagh. They are in Japanese material though, pumice!

Originally Posted by plantloverlisa

Great job Brigette, looks pretty. I too killed mine in sphag. I will have to try again.

Thanks for the compliments, everyone. But I have to say, I can't say I am able to grow them in sphag....YET!!! They have only been in my possession a few weeks, so the jury is still out. I just really liked how they looked at the SBOE fair last month in these little pots, so I thought I would try it. I got them for such a good deal, compared to the $50 and up prices that you usually see them for, so if I am unsuccessful, I will know better next time.

We'll find out next summer!!

[bearded orchid]

If you're worried about the sphagum you might take up this technique for potting them traditionally. I just got mine in the mail today but I'm still waiting on my container to arrive. I'm definitely going to give this a go when I have everything
How to pot Neofinetia falcata - Japanese style!
How to repot Neofinetia - a set on Flickr

[BGGraham1]

Originally Posted by bearded orchid

If you're worried about the sphagum you might take up this technique for potting them traditionally. I just got mine in the mail today but I'm still waiting on my container to arrive. I'm definitely going to give this a go when I have everything
How to pot Neofinetia falcata - Japanese style!
How to repot Neofinetia - a set on Flickr

That's just about how I did it, but I used the packing peanuts instead of the net pot. Took forever, but I liked how it came out.

[-k-]

Looks really cool and well done... I don't grow these so I cannot comment on that but me likes me likes! Look forward to some bloomers!

[orchids4me]

Hi I think it looks great ! Just one concern I've noticed look at chryssm plant its establised but it sits just a bit higher up on the ball of sphag. I was looking at some othe the links others posted also. The roots are a bit just a tiny bit raised above the sphag ball not sunk down in it where the leaves are in the sphag. I have some babies that I have potted this same in pans with hole set up just a bit above the moss. I got a new batch and had some set in with lower leaf under moss only slightly, those died so I pulled the rest up just a tad like my older ones and they are doing well now. So keep an eye on that or maybe just raise them up a tiny bit so the roots go into the moss but you can see the top of the root ball just above the moss as the rest of the root area goes into the moss like chryssm's as it gets older and established the new roots will grow over the top area of the ball.
Good luck with them
Emmaye

[ChryssM]

Thanks, Emmaye, their roots LIKE air circulation ! An old pix from the GNYOS Show 2007, look at how high up on top of the sphag they ALL are !
.

[BGGraham1]

Originally Posted by orchids4me

Hi I think it looks great ! Just one concern I've noticed look at chryssm plant its establised but it sits just a bit higher up on the ball of sphag. I was looking at some othe the links others posted also. The roots are a bit just a tiny bit raised above the sphag ball not sunk down in it where the leaves are in the sphag. I have some babies that I have potted this same in pans with hole set up just a bit above the moss. I got a new batch and had some set in with lower leaf under moss only slightly, those died so I pulled the rest up just a tad like my older ones and they are doing well now. So keep an eye on that or maybe just raise them up a tiny bit so the roots go into the moss but you can see the top of the root ball just above the moss as the rest of the root area goes into the moss like chryssm's as it gets older and established the new roots will grow over the top area of the ball.
Good luck with them
Emmaye

Got it! Going to fix that right now!