FWIW: I can bloom neo crosses and ascos under my artificial lights, always had issue with true vandas though. As much as anything because of the growth habit (tall, tall tall...) and the inability to get good quality light to all parts of the plant. I'm trying a vanda amesiana and a Paki cross (both very small vandas) currently, seems to be doing OK but not thriving. Come on spring! I got several small vanda type crosses and species from C&H this spring that were potted in cypress bark, still are potted in bark, although I've transferred a few to mesh baskets with phal type bark. They seem to be doing pretty well, a small Darwinara cross has bloomed a couple of times since spring. I grow them either mounted, bare-root in baskets or potted in medium sized bark in mesh baskets currently, all are under artificial lights currently. Mounts and bare-root are my oldest and seem to be my best bloomers, but that could be age. Just had to throw my 2 cents into the ring on this part... Personally, I keep my vanda types in pretty close light to my mini-catts, maybe a little more when possible. But then I struggle to obtain maximum light at times, even in the summer (trees) on an east patio. Bob

I take it back again. I do have something else blooming besides the Pleuro. alata. Aerangis kirkii sent up another spike underneath the leaves, and I didn't even see it until lo and behold, one bud bloomed. You can't see it from the top, but if you look from the side, suddenly there it is. This kirkii is crazy. Single blooms have been popping up on and off all summer. And now a hidden spike underneath, a more visible spike on the side, and what looks like the beginnings of a spike off the other side. The obvious spike is coming up from the spot where it has been blooming its one flower at a time, previously. I guess we'll have to wait til next year to decide if this is normal behavior for this one. It's rather interesting, keeps you on your toes, and gives me a reason to pay close attention to it (which I obviously haven't been lately, if a spike could start blooming out of nowhere.)

Phal pal, great about the aerangis, i love those. hhmm why dont i have any? guess I'm too busy buying weird stuff.lol is it the first time you've bloomed it? Havent checked my phals yet, but its still warm here they probably wont start spiking till we get into the 60's at night later in Dec Calvin, you have an Iwanagara blooming? which one? mine only bloom in the spring. Gonna try to get some pics but need to find out how to post littlem, which sobralia do you have? had it bloomed before you got it? or was it a seedling? bloom time depends on the species. Typically I grow them mostlyt all the same way. The secret to the amount of light is the size/shape of their leaves. big broad leaves are usually an indicator of lower light, while very thin tougher leaves mean more sun, Sobralia macrophylla bigger/broader leaves/short stems-lower light, Sobralia callosa narrower smaller leaves short stems bright light. Though its not all that cut and dry. Some like Sobralia macrantha, decora, xantholeuca and some others can be grown in shade giving taller stems or grown in full sun much shorter stems. I am growing divisions of different species different ways to see which, if any, they prefer. For the most part though, I grow mine is sphagnum moss with dynamite fertilizer 13-13-13 mixed right into it. During warmer months they get watered daily, here from March/April till Nov. Cooler temps I water less. Roots are huge on most andI have had many a sobralia either break a pot or pust the plant out, but still try not to over pot. They like lots of humidity. But still, if you know which one you have, i can help you better. Gary, What prt of Palm Beach County are you? I'm in Ft Lauderdale, east, So probably a bit warmer then you in the winter. You have a pretty big palate of choices as far as orchids are concerned as yard plants. Phals, Catts, Nobile-type Dens, Soft cane dens, Sobralias, Neobenthamias, Arundinas, hech, even some of the warmer Cymbidiums they bloom twice a year for us here. Let me know what types interest you John

Well, I resisted reading this thread as long as possible because my collection is supposed to be getting smaller. The current reframing - it's getting more refined. Like that? Not-so-clever rationalization for adding more plants BUT, they're different and almost all are lots smaller than previous ones. Blooming: - Bl. Richard Mueller, just purchased - Dendrobium ceraula (gonzalesii) - still blooming from 8/07, when it arrived - Dendrobium Mini-Snowflake (Den. aberrans x Den. johnsoniae), just purchased - Dendrobium moniliforme, Scented Moon - first moniliforme to rebloom under my care! - Doriopsisium Little Emma (Pixie Star 'Starry Night' x delicosa 'Tinkerbell'), blooming from purchase - Dtps. Kenneth Schubert 'Blue Angel' (Doritis pulcherrima x Phal. violacea), everblooming - Oncidium Twinkle 'White Cap' (Onc. cheirophorum x Onc. ornithorhynchum), 1st time reblooming under my care - Oncidium Twinkle 'Red Fantasy,' 1st reblooming under my care - Paph Estella (fairrieanum x godefroyae leucochilum 'Cabernet Splash'), 1st reblooming under my care - Sl. Marriottiana (flava) (L. flava 'Clone 1' x Soph. coccinea flavum), just purchased In spike/sheath/bud: - Aerangis fastuosa - 1st Ang. in spike for 1st time under my care! - Baptistonia echinata, just purchased - Brassavola nodosa, var. grandiflora, 1st time in spike under my care - Chiloschista pygmeas - in the middle of sequential blooming for the first time under my care - Dendrobium aberrans, 1st time under my care, after skipping the last time - Dendrobium atroviolaceum ('Pygmy' x sib.), 1st time under my care - Dendrobium Himezakura 'Sanokku' (Den. Oberon x Den. Cassiope), 1st time, etc. - Dinema polybulbon, just purchased - Dtps. Sogo Gotris (Phal. Be Tris x Dtps. Sogo Manager), 1st time, etc. - Dtps. Sogo Melinda 'Caribbean Sunset' (Dtps. Autumn Leaves x Phil. Sogo Lit-Angel) - Masdevallia Celtic Frost (Angel Frost 'Orange Parfait' HCC/AOS x glandulosa 'Nemo') - 1st & only Masde spiking for 1st time under my care! - Phal. Baldans Kaleidoscope, peloric, budding from original spike when purchased in early Sept. - Phal. Cameo, aka Phal. Windsong's Sonnet 'Pine Ridge Peloric' (Zuma Poem x equestris) - Phal. Center Stage 'Pine Ridge Cockleshell' AM/AOS - Phal. Guadalupe Pineda (amboinensis 'Pisang Ambon' x bellina 'Whitey'), 1st time, etc. - Phal. I-Hsin Salmon 'Joy No. 3' (Princess Midas X Kuntrarti Rarashati) - Phal. javanica (KF#1 X KF#2), 1st time, etc. - Phal. parishii, 1st time, 2 spikes - Phal. Penang Girl âChing Reuyâ (Phal. violacea x Phal. venosa), 1st time, and I've had this sucker since 6/05. Thrilling! - Phal. schilleriana-stuartiana (schilleriana (2N from the Phillippines) x stuartiana 'Miami Beach'), just purchased - Phal. Summer Beach (Ken Peterson x Mama Cass) - Phal. Tetra Bell (bellina 'Star of Borneo' x tetraspis 'Snow White') - Phal NOID, white - Phal NOID, yellow, 2 spikes - Polystachya piersii - Psychopsis Mendenhall 'Hildos' FCC/AOS (Butterfly x papilio) I didn't realize this many are spiking/blooming for the first time under my care. Exciting! Congrats to everyone - Whitecat8