Phal. amboinensis

[patticake]

My Phal on arrival & after re-pot

[brookn]

How did your roots look on yours? I repotted mine last Friday, and the roots were a little brown, I am glad I repotted when I did. Yours is so cute in it's little pot.

[patticake]

My roots weren't too bad- a few were brown, but I trimmed them.
I have a new root growing now, as seen in picture #1 and a new leaf ( very small, yet) coming from the top ( of pic. #2)!

[articuno75]

Okay, what on earth are you doing to make this baby grow? Mine is making me go bananas by not doing anything.

[Rocinante]

You're not alone there, Jenny, mine is not doing anything either...

[patticake]

I'm growing this one under lights. T-12 grow lights. about 8" from the lights. I'm watering every day.(I have to because the lights are kind of drying and we have zippo humidity here) It's in Schultz's mix. My other one that's mounted, I water every day but that's near a window. That one's not doing a thing. At least it's not dying! When I water, I sometimes use worm tea, and sometimes just a pinch of Better-grow orchid fertilizer. Usually plain old tap water. I water both plants with the same stuff each time, so it's the light or the growing medium that's making a difference.

[tizzycat]

Congratulation Patti, that looks the picture of health.

Patience everyone, my phals seem to be doing nothing, then suprise me by taking off with avengeance.

[articuno75]

Gotta be the lights.

[patticake]

May 16th- Her new leaf is growing! The new root is finding it's way into the mix, also! My other one that I bought from Larry's Orchids and mounted, hasn't done a thing. That one is in natural light.

[Sharyn]

Congrats Patti. Mine's not doing anything yet. Send me some of your warmer weather!

[patticake]

It's supposed to be in the 30's in the next few nights! I think it likes my grow lights. The one in natural light isn't doing any thing either. Days are going to be in the 50's- We had a few nice days, but the growlight's in the basement, so I don't think that's what's doing it!

[articuno75]

I'm tellin' ya, it has to be the lights

[brookn]

I think you are right Jenny, mine is under the octopus light on my desk, and it's got fluorescent lights in it. I scoped two of the lights over the plants. My little ambi is getting no real natural light, just fluorescent. I would say about 12+ hours a day.

[patticake]

Brookn- How is yours doing? Do you have a lot of new growth?

[brookn]

I just posted pics a couple days ago. Here you go:

[FLaCo]

Patti, yuo sure got lots of leaves with yours...congrats on your new growth. Mine just had one.

[mayres]

I'm jealous. It hasn't been warm enough here - mine looks just like the day I took it out of the box.

[sandra]

And mine looks like it got trapped in the garbage disposal.

[mayres]

LOL -
That image made me laugh even though it isn't really funny!

[made4engineering]

Mine is now a mirror image of yours brookn. Its newest leaf started out penny sized. I suppose I need to steal someone's camera and take a pic.

[patticake]

Aaron- A pic. would be great, but borrow the camera!
Mike,- I laughed too. It WASN'T funny, but the image...
Sandra, you're too funny sometimes!
FlaCo- I only have the one new leaf, too! brookn's is the one going crazy!
brookn- NICE Plant!

[Rocinante]

Good news! I finally have a new leaf developing after weeks of inactivity...

[patticake]

Yay, John!! Everyone has to be happy! These little guys are doing great!

[brookn]

Thanks Patti, it's big, and getting bigger, but no new leaf the booger. It's happy as a clam in it's spot, and almost as big as my Mini Mark 'Holm' that it is sitting next to. The temp in the living room is 72 F right now with 70% humidity in the house ( I broke down and bought a hygrometer/thermometer). I am seriously threatening the orchids that I am going to turn on the air conditioner. I just keep removing more clothes, it's like living in a terrarium.

[Sharyn]

Originally Posted by mayres

I'm jealous. It hasn't been warm enough here - mine looks just like the day I took it out of the box.

Mine too. Nothing good to report - nothing bad. It's 49F outside right now and I'm wearing wool socks. We may have frost tonight. Go figure - it's end of May and the furnace is still running. No wonder my baby won't grow. Still waiting for warm weather.

[patticake]

Update 7/19/08- The newest leaf is the one top-left. It's grown several new roots. She lost one of her small bottom leaves a few weeks back. I think she's a winter bloomer, so I'll keep my fingers crossed for this year, maybe?

[Christina]

What type of Shultz Mix do you have these in, theyre are so healthy! Are they in the Exotic Shultz Orchid Mix?

Because I just bought that and wasn't sure whether or not to repot in that mix or something else.

[articuno75]

AAAhhhh! JEALOUS AND GREEN WITH ENVY HERE!!!!

I'm going to pull my hair out and scream in a pillow now.....

[brookn]

Patti, my Baker's culture sheets call for blooms from Jan. to June. Ahhhh! That's too long to wait! hee hee.

[patticake]

Christina, The mix is Schultz Exotic Potting mix. I add a little chopped sphag to the mix to help with moisture retention for Phals, etc. They seem happy with this.

Jenny, Don't pull out your hair! It's very pretty! My Phal is in my basement where the temps are pretty stable. I'll bet when the summer winds down, yours will perk up!

brookn, You're right!! That IS far too long to wait!

[psyc1210]

Patti, we want an update on your ambo!!!!....or at least I know I do, lol

[patticake]

Jan. 2009 Update This guy is good at growing leaves, but that's about it. Only the most bottom leaf is an original. The smaller baby leaves died off as new leaves grew. A spike would be nice... I'm thinking of re-potting, since it's getting a "neck". We'll see.

[Rocinante]

To me it looks good like it is, Patti.

[articuno75]

It looks great! Maybe it will bloom soon for ya.

[patticake]

Thanks, John and Jenny! I keep hoping...

[Sharyn]

Patti: Mine is doing the same thing - grows a new leaf, drops a bottom leaf. Also getting a "neck." I'm going to leave mine alone as it was already repotted in April. Hopefully, some warmer weather will bring some reward. Your ambo looks great.

[patticake]

It will be a happy day when these little buggers finally bloom!!

[patticake]

Well, mine still hasn't bloomed, but it's gotten bigger! It's in the same pot as in the first post. I need to re-pot again, I think.

[amersault]

that looks really healthy, Patti! i don't think you need to repot, though - looks happy as it is!

[dtje2000]

Wow, I just caught on that this thread is over a year old...

Was this a project orchid? I think I saw a thread out there briefly with that sort of subject, but I lost sight of it before I could jump on the bandwagon... will have to be sharper and faster next time!

Is anyone's blooming yet? I'm dying of curiousity because it's a species phal...

[tizzycat]

What a beautiful plant Patti.

[trinigirl]

It's looking really nice and healthy! Hoping for some blooms soon.

[patticake]

Originally Posted by dtje2000

Wow, I just caught on that this thread is over a year old...

Was this a project orchid? I think I saw a thread out there briefly with that sort of subject, but I lost sight of it before I could jump on the bandwagon... will have to be sharper and faster next time!

Is anyone's blooming yet? I'm dying of curiousity because it's a species phal...

We've had members bloom these, but I don't think from this actual project. Brooke has bloomed this plant, and it's really pretty!

[dtje2000]

Well, I'll be watching for a photo! I have a fondness for species plants...

[mayres]

Yowser! That is twice the size of mine! You are doing something right!
What light, media, temps?

[patticake]

Originally Posted by mayres

Yowser! That is twice the size of mine! You are doing something right!
What light, media, temps?

It's on my gro-cart with T-12 lights. It's growing in Schultz orchid mix with a little chopped sphag mixed in. The temps in the basement range from mid 60's to mid 70's- which isn't ideal for phals, but I don't have anywhere else for it, upstairs!

[tizzycat]

Ideal or not Patti, it looks as though it's loving it.

[mayres]

Wow! I was expecting you to say warmer temps than that.......and maybe more light too......we are not that far apart in conditions but YOUR plant is definately growing much more than mine. Good job! Look forward to seeing the flowers soon - looks like it could spike any time?

[mehitabel]

Just compared the new with the original pictures. That's a *lot* of growth in one year!

I love it that the new set of leaves are so much bigger than the last set. I call that TF for "taller and fatter"-- the surest sign of health.

Got my ambo in April, so now I know what to shoot for in one year