I'm another one with a "strict limit" though right now I'm over it thanks to divisions this summer. The target is 60 but I rationalize that if it's small it doesn't count as a whole plant! I think I'll always love the catts best, but I want to have some other things going. Four years ago I started with phrags from a gift plant, and now I have three; I was very picky becuase they are so big. Two years ago I added a bulbophyllum, then three more; the last one was one too many, though it's been blooming. I've gotten better at the research part, so I have fewer of those big disappointments, and that makes it easier to branch out in a planned way. Last year it was a psychopsis; the jury is still out on that. Like Kevin I've learned to stay away from the cool growers however beautiful (that includes Chinese cyms, my most recent big disapointment). I'm a windowsill grower and it's warm year round except for a few tricky weeks in the fall. At the same time I've refined my cattleya collection to focus on the ones that I really love and get rid of the so-so. Some things change, some things stay the same--that's what works for me. Margo

I am so going to have nightmares about my fiance mowing down my cyms! He isn't a plant lover, but he doen't complain about my little pots of starting lily bulbs (for the outside) OR especially my orchid invasion that accompanied me when I moved in. One time he said "Are you going to buy many more plants honey?" and THAT was enough to warrant my meanest look of death (I have to be stern or he may progress to the "mower" stage! lol!). And yes, I'm buying more. Oh - I lost all my 8 Phals in a freak hail storm (That happens in Calgary). I have one Phal I bought last year. It looks great, but won't grow leaves and won't flower, so I'm getting sick of it. It better be growing roots at least. I'll switch to phosphorous, repot and cool it this fall and see what happens. I just bought my first paph, so I'm axious to see If I can get THAT to give me a bud. I am really obsessing over it, which I sure the paph can detect, and that's why it's hiding it's babies from me :(

I don't completely disagree, with you Orrin but I am completely underwhelmed by the description of the light situation for the paphs and suspect that even the paph that is not in decline hasn't done anything in the way of recovery or advancement from when it was first brought 'home'. In fact the location that is used for the Catts sounds ideal for the paphs(!) and IMO moving it to still less light is entirely the wrong response to its decline. What is a 'root problem' but a failure of the roots to do the job they are intended to? Without the energy from light running the various metabolic processes everything fails roots first. The cure is not to repot or root prune or water less or any of the usual palliatives it is to get more light energy into the plant so it can repair the roots and get on with things. I have looked over the supplied information source in the past and it is excellent but I lament the tendecy to look all over for trouble and employ all manner of potting materials and watering schemes while never mentioning the importance of good light. A great many of us are keeping orchids in light that wouldn't keep the buds on an African Violet. How do I know? Because many of the same people growing phals and paphs tried growing AV's in the same spot years before and when they wouldn't behave they went over to orchids. In the present case plenty of light is available but with the heavy glazing on the glass and the generally low angle of winter sun (even in FL) it does no harm to be generous to even paphs. Try it. Tell me if they do worse or better for being given an hour or two of actual SUN in the morning. H

Hi lwowk/Larissa: My pair of 27w CFL's are about 2 ft away from the paphiopedilum x maudiae. The back-of-the-box info says a 27w CFL (=100w incandescent) has 1750 lumens. Note that I flower phalaenopsis equestris and amabilis, and Amesiella monticola under identical light set up. And these generally require more light than paphiopedilums which generally live on the forest floor. 55w CFL would be very bright by contrast. I would experiment and see how plant responds with growth, leaf color, etc. The only downside is that paphiopedilums are slow - and it could take weeks for an inciting event to express itself in plant growth. But if it burns, it should happen within 1-2 days. Play it by sight/ear. My 2 new growths that came out in August are still growing, slowly. Your plant is new(?) and probably spending its energy acclimating to your environment than into keiki growth - so don't worry. Plus it's winter. Do watch watering in winter. SCALES: I use Q-tip with 70% ethanol, checking 1-2 times a week. Persistence is the key. My Q-tipping rate eventually overtakes their multiplication rate and they disappear. Scales are cunning and hide in the most unlikely places. I have no experience using Neem or Safers on paphiopedilum. Check the link. Good luck, alvin