Much of the FAQ page is incomplete or misinformation, and reflects poorly on a 2005 herbalism forum. For instance "Valerian root is the strongest of all herbal relaxants" This is not so, California Poppy is generally more sedating than Valerian, even more so if combined with other sedative herbs. I'd be happy to comment on other FAQ innaccuracies in a longer post and offer my opinion on suitable amendments. All forum members should feel free to offer their opinions also. John

Make sure it isn't too bright. Phals (Phaelenopsis) are quite keen on a bit of shade, and do not like direct light. Somewhere with good bright light but no direct sun, except maybe some in the morning, would be best. Feel the leaves...do they get hot? What shade of green are they? Water from above by pouring water through the pot for 30 seconds. Then do the same again 5 minutes later. Alternatively, submerge the pot in water for ten minutes. However, if you do this, make sure you flush through the pot once a month to prevent salt build-up. You can mist if you want, but with the humidity you have in that room I wouldn't bother. Misting can also cause crown rot if water settles on the crown too much. I think mounting is when you grow an orchid attached to something like a piece of wood rather than in a pot. Orchids do not naturally grow in the ground, but usually attached to trees. Make sure you have good air movement in the room where you keep orchids. No air movement can be very bad for orchids. A small fan is good to set up, not pointing directly at the orchid, or open the windows as often as you can. Loads of fertilizers out there. Get a balanced 10-10-10 if you like, and fertilize at a much lower strength. I have an orchid fertilizer that I use at half strength each week rather than full strength every 2 weeks. And to cap it all off........post us a pic of your new orchid. Being able to see them is the best bit :D

Dear Chemo: The pretty purple looks a LOT like "Dusky Challenger" - one of the most popular irises around. The pink is nice too although I don't know the name. Those irises were all from a few rhizomes I purchased locally...it was one variety that was bred locally. The one I 'bought' was the pink one, and then the dark one just appeared one season. I always kind of thought maybe it was not stable or something, and that the rhizome had reverted back to something 'original'. I guess that must not be the case though, according to the FAQ here. Someday while I'm in town, I may try and catch the woman who hybridized it, and see if she knows its parentage....just for fun. Sue

Its called blossom drop. Check the FAQ's at the top of the page or do a search at the bottom. You will find a wealth of info on it. Its normal with high or low temps ...