Thank you, Tanie and Jane! > The more difficult the more rewarding you'd feel! Yeah, that's for sure. I wish that for the next 18 years I could go "I was in labor with you for 14 months, and THIS is how you repay me!?!?!" lol > You are a great gardener! Thank you, Jane, for these kind words and others! I am totally humble-bragging about these spikes to everybody I know. :-) > You had some things going for you when you bought the plants. Good points! I would have had a much more difficult time resuscitating them in the winter. I grow under lights, but there are still environmental clues for them to slow down and be lazy. > When we lived in NYC, the most problems came up over winter. [...] They did better when grown under lights over the winter. Yeah, I had an expectation last winter (which was my first winter growing lots of plants under lights) that everything will basically stand still, but some of them did grow. Slower than in the summer, of course, but they did. Lights add a lot of goodness - especially considering that my windows are really dark. Exposure does not even matter when you are on the first floor surrounded by trees and 23-story buildings. > Phals red/purple tinting to the spikes and leaves are most likely purple/ red flowers. Oh, I thought that was just because of the good light! Some culture guides say to give Phals enough light to just turn the leaf undersides slightly purple tinged, but not much more, so that was the look I was going for. There is a comparative photo a few screens above - I experimented putting one twin closer to the lights and the other farther. Maybe the purple spike is the indication of flower color? I have no idea about that - but I did read about purple leaves being light-related. By the way, I have no clue what the flower colors are going to be, but I am DYING to know, of course, so I appreciate your mentioning this indicator. > Now its time to get some healthy ones. They will naturally spike during this period so the stores should be filled with fresh, healthy plants. Yeah, the stores here are indeed full of them - not that they are a deficit at other times... I think I narrowed down the color combo I particularly like, and now it's a matter of catching a good one. > Also, look for a local orchid club near you. I am past that stage. I joined Manhattan Orchid Society 6-7 months ago. Then completely by accident I found out the President of Staten Island OS lives in my building in Brooklyn! (How's that for a coincidence in a 12 million population city?!?!) I joined that Society as well - he and his wife drive every month, and I do not have a car, so this was really convenient. They've become good friends, actually. There is also a third OS in NYC (can you believe that!? Three in one city!), but that one meets in the Bronx, which is just too far for where I live. I've become a huge fan of an idea of plant societies and these Societies in particular (and there's another "Indoor Gardening" one that I belong to, but that one is general, not just for orchids). Just like you said, Jane, they are an absolutely indispensable source of good LOCAL growing info and cheap or even free plants. Highly recommended for anyone interested in plants. > Be aware, orchids are addictive. You might have 2 now [...] Oh, I am WELL past that also. :-) Going to these Society meetings, having access to plants raffled, auctioned, sold or simply given away, making new plant nut friends - there was no chance I would stay with just those 2 Phals. I have 3-4 Oncidium types (one with a spike with 50+ buds, going to start opening any day now), a Dendrobium, a Miltoniopsis (that is also in spike! in my care!), 2-3 Cattleyas (my most favorite flower genus!), an Aerangis, a Tolumnia, a Ludisia, a Bryobium (ugh, that thing is a major Princess!) and a couple of Paphs. So, yeah, addictive they definitely ARE! :-) That is a great picture of your orchids! Many people here are an inspiration and a lot of help, so THANK YOU!

B_girl: Take a look at the very end of your spike, you should see the makings of a very tiny plant there. It's very small and right on the end point. It should be green, or it may be green with a slight purple tint. If that has dried up and fallen, then I'm afraid all is lost. If you see this, cut the spike as long as possible. Cut on an angle to give the stem as much room to take up water as possible. If mom is healthy, growing, blooming and has medium green leaves, then put your vase close to mom so it's in the same conditions. Bright light for baby right from the get go. In two or three weeks (maybe sooner if kept warm) you will see the baby start to swell. It sits just like that for a while, then a very tiny leaf will make itself known. Change the water once a week or so, but if it gets cloudy, change it sooner and make a new cut to the end of the stem into the green. Once a little leaf comes in - then it's just wait and wait and wait...LOL. Once roots come in, start misting them a little once a day. Try not to wet the leaves. I use RO water to mist roots with. Once the roots are 2, 3 inches you can pot the baby in what ever works for you, for phals. And yes, all of my plants are kept in the greenhouse together, the phals have their own section so share the same conditions. This has worked most of the time for me. Sometimes the plantlet will abort (fall off) after a few days. I have lost a couple of small plants after potting. I've had one or two just sit there and do nothing. But this has worked for me more often than not by far. These little plants take off and grow quickly once they can root into something. After potting, in about three weeks or so, start with weak ferts. It's just a little fun thing to try. And if this one fails, try again next time. Nothing to loose, and maybe something to gain. Good Luck B_girl!! Pat.......

Thanks Windeaux, so it is. I had done a search on Vintage and came up with nothing, but just now found it by going down the list. It's listed under "Hybrid Teas - Custom Root". Thank you also for linking the thread on the discussion of "St. Helena Cemetery Very Double HT". I was going to say that it answers my original question, that is IF "Arcadia Louisiana Tea" is the same rose. Evidently Vintage doesn't think they are the same as he still lists both roses separately. Also describes their bush sizes as different. However, "Arcadia Louisiana Tea" is certainly close to the rose I have, especially if you allow for differences in climate. Plus roses can 'morph', so to speak. For instance, the Prairie Sunrise I got from Sam Kedem years ago has many more petals and tends to quarter where the specimen from Chamblees does not. All in all I'm very glad to get this much information. Thank you all so much! "St. Helena Cemetery Very Double HT" on HMF: http://www.helpmefind.com/gardening/l.php?l=2.58345&tab=36 Here is a link that might be useful: Arcadia Louisiana Tea on HMF

I was unfamiliar with the term "bud blast" until you used it. As I understand it, it refers to buds drying up without opening. I didn't find any hosta references, but in other plants the things blamed seemed to be growing conditions, insects, or fungus. Frost and drought are often mentioned as issues... certainly a period of no water could affect hosta scapes. With Aphrodite in particular, I usually get some open buds, but not all of them. And the ones that open are usually uneven, opening only part way with some petals sticking together. The problem isn't usually drying up buds, though... it is like the bud wants to open but gets kind of stuck-together. I've heard of people actually helping the buds open by gentle peeling.