Tropicals & Tender Perennials: At what point are you an addict?, 0 by dyzzypyxxy

dyzzypyxxy wrote:
You're going to hate hearing this - I'm buying Spathoglottis plicata at Home Depot for $8 apiece for big clumps in gallon pots in bloom. Trouble is, they're all purple flowers and I'm looking for the yellow ones.

Yeah, phals are pretty easy to kill, I think. I've come close with two of mine, but I now have a 'system'. When they start going limp I give them my best shot at re-potting then I hide them out in the garden where they will either sink or swim. So far the two I've done this with have survived after a month or so of abandonment. I'm thinking when they shrivel up and wilt they're telling me to leave them alone.

The only good thing about phals, (except their nice, long lasting flowers) is that they're so darn cheap. I got two for $10 apiece at IKEA on Labor Day weekend, one of them tried to die, but the other bloomed for 3 months straight and is now putting out new buds on the same flower stem. Turns out they were potted with a big lump of moss packed under the roots that was all soggy. Once I took care of that, they've done great!

My kids bought me two Phaius as gifts, and paid a small fortune for a couple of pretty small starts that I'm really doubting will bloom until next year. Best bargain I got was at our local Master Gardener plant sale in October - a huge Brassavola (maybe nodosa - it's in spike now so I'll find out soon) and a big pot of Epidendrum for $10 each. My favs are the Brassavolas, they're easy and bloom often.