Yes, I agree with orchid126 on all counts-- branching doesn't divert nutrients. I also agree the phals that branch are the most beautiful. Whether the spikes branch will depend on the phal's heredity, and also to some extent on the plant's maturity. An immature phal may not spike, even if it has the heredity that favors it. It's not clear whether you mean the flowers on the branch just died normally, or really did blast. "Blasting" is not a term used to describe the normal senescence and death of a flower. It's a term used to describe a flower bud that dies before developing properly. There are a lot of reasons for blasting to occur, including chills, drafts, etc. etc.

Hi Jack, That 'Snows of Mauna Kea F2' in the pic actually belongs to a mate who is kindly allowing me to play around with it. It took a couple of days to catch up with him, so sorry about the delay in getting back to you. That plant in the pic is the one that I'm currently having the flowering problems with. The pic of the whole plant was taken a few months ago, but here is a pic taken a couple of days ago showing the flowers not doing their thing: This pic is taken in the evening with not much light so it is a bit grainy, but you can see the pair of flowers in the middle (about half way up the spike now) - the sepals have opened but the petals remain firmly closed and when I dissect the flowers, the anthers are closed and do not contain any pollen. So, unfortunately no pollen as yet, but the plants are now getting the twice daily misting as per HDD's suggestion and there are another twelve or so flowers to go, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that there may be some pollen yet to come. I've asked my mate about the possibility of a pup swap and he'd be very happy to do that. Thanks a lot for your suggestion. The pups are still very small - still under the water in the leaf bases - so they will probably be ready in several months. I'll keep you posted. Cheers, Paul

Yes, Lars, freezing is a big problem. I live almost exactly five miles from the Atlantic Ocean and this is Zone 9A. We usually have two to three hard freezes every year. However. Winters of 2016 and 2017 we had no hard freeze! First time in the 15+ years I had lived in my house that I did not start spring with my yard looking like cooked spinach! Both springs were great and I had plants with growth - not just coming back from the roots as is the norm with tropicals here. I had blooms on plants that require prior year growth to bloom - shell ginger, for example. Never usually see it blooming in Jax except right at Jax Beach (where it doesn't get as cold). In those two years, my number of brom plants has exploded and so when the freeze came 'round, I was shoving plants onto the porch, into the garage, under blankets, under towels, under hedges, under big shrubs, you name it! I lost the vriesea above, as well as an Aechmea 'Black Chantinii'. Both completely gone. No hope of even a pup. They were TOAST. I can tell when you might get a pup - and I know to leave well enough alone - but there was NO hope. I had two Aechmea 'Malva' that barely squeaked by. [Both look horrible[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/fireball-vs-super-fireball-vs-superball-vs-sunball-dsvw-vd~5335316?n=7), but one is offering me a pup and the other is alive and will eventually pup, too (I hope). I love neos most, as well I should, because they are the easiest in my zone... although the others types do slip in. Carol

adardich, I see lots has happened since I last checked in, and all sounds very encouraging. It appears to me that you have some very sound advice from other sources, and that should make you feel very good. It does me. When you are new at something, its always encouraging to hear the same good suggestions from multiple sources. I was all prepared to be dealing with a serious problem of root rot, and I think we have dodged the bullet here. I do have the same concern as getgoing, about you saying your older exposed roots are mushy. If they are old, and stained brown or black, with wrinkles, but still firm when you squeeze them between your fingers, and not falling apart, they are probably ok, and just natural "old" roots. Which IS nothing to be concerned about. If they in fact are soft and mushy when you squeeze them, and drain ugly dark liquid, that is something to be concerned about, and we can talk more. If your roots are truly healthy, I'm on board with your two supporters of not repotting til spring, or at least after the plant blooms. I would, however fix that problem of the plant wobbling around in the pot, because that will destroy the new growing root tips, and cause you more heartache down the road. Use a couple of your rhizome clips and clamp the plant in the pot firmly. You may have to add some fresh mix to the pot to give the clips something to push against rather than roots. Also, do not be afraid to take that plastic liner out of your ceramic container. I take mine out each time I water the plant, and let it drip dry before I replace it in the container and put it back on the shelf. That gives you a chance to get a good look at the roots, and to pour any water that has collected in the container. (I think I remember now that you said your ceramic container had drain holes in it...that is unusual, and very good). You simply do not want your roots sitting in water.....ever! The advice from here is clamp mama down securely, put her back in her growing space, and enjoy. It was a fun adventure, with a surprisingly good outcome. I had fun, and if there were others lurking about, I hope you learned a few good orchid culture tips along the way. Thanks all, for the help, and you adardich for supplying the patient, and take good care of the new baby. Bill.