Hey Chris, I guess it depends on where you look, this was at HD in Manhattan for $9.99 (w/ a 1/2 dozen buds about to open). Last Thanksgiving I bought 4 of them at that price & used 'em for my Thanskgiving table's centerpiec. Was just lovely when they were ALL in bloom (3 white w/ purple & 1 all yellow blooms). Will try to take more pix when they open.

Thank you Bob. I like the "crunchy" reference. It kind of fits in with the way I check on all my plants. Not meaning that I wait for them to get that way, it's just if you look for them to tell you what they need, they will, right? The limp leaf - I slid the whole thing out of the pot yesterday, and the moss was pretty dry all the way down, so I watered it really well, not in the pot but through the moss, let it sit till there was no more water dripping, then slid it back into the pot, and this afternoon when I got home from work, it has plumped up, not a lot, but noticeably more than it has since I brought it home. I donâÂÂt have wrinkles and the signs are good! Jane, this is also kudos to your advice, about the roots. I also have a different spot for it, and just need to move some stuff to make room. I understand the temperature needs, and IâÂÂm working on it. The one thing I wonâÂÂt have a problem doing, when the time comes, is getting the nighttime difference. New England is awesome at day/night swings! I know I could go find a nice, identified, healthy orchid hand-picked for my conditions. But there is something satisfying in bringing this neglected plant home and watching it respond! This is really nice watching it respond, and learning from people who know orchids.

I'd like to add my bit: after finding those big fat mealies kept on recurring every so often on two blooming phals-- the ravishing Queen Beer and a Fire Cracker, where they just love messing around with the flowers on both I took them outside and poured Safer's thru both pots. Haven't seen any since. Maybe I finally got the last hiding mealie or maybe the drench worked, but something worked. It's been over a month and no mealies on those two. However, those stupid critters spontaneously generate. Found a few nestled in the bottom-most leaf of a phal downstairs just a few days ago-- across the house from the blooming phals, and a different floor. Hasn't been anywhere near the blooming phals all summer. The only thing you can be sure about them is they hide exceptionally well.

Sean, a belated welcome, A couple of my earlier messages to you haven't posted here. You have my sympathy and empathy with your orchid loss, especially because it was a thoughtful and special gift for your GF, and she's loved it so. You've gone to great lengths to save this plant. Not many folks would have done that. Kudos to you. Dunno if this will help ease the loss for the two of you, but the beloved Phal could have been doomed before you got it because of the no drainage factor. The only retailers who raise orchids to last beyond that one (unnatural) flowering are the smaller commercial orchid growers, and some of those mistreat their plants, so you end up with poor quality too. You're in good company: virtually every orchid hobbyist lost at least a few of their first orchids. After you and your GF have had a chance to talk, & if you decide to get another orchid, I have two suggestions that will increase chances the new orchid will thrive and bloom again (no guarantees, unfortunately - we're talking orchids. :)). First, as Jane said, get Ortho's All About Orchids by Elvin McDonald; Meredith Books, 1999. It's a paperback, and Amazon's got them new for $2.79! Then there's shipping from their vendor, but the book was about $20 @ Home Depot a couple of years ago. The Ortho book's only 96 pages long and has guided tons of folks to success. After the two of you have skimmed through the book... Second suggestion - order a Phal from a grower who sells online. Picking out the new Phal together could help brighten your moods. There are lots of good growers who sell online, and folks here will suggest solid growers, if you decide to go that route. We can also tell you which Phals might be easier than others. One drawback is a new plant may not arrive in spike (have a "stem" maybe long enough to have buds on it already), or in bloom (flowers open). That's because the orchid's environment hasn't been messed with to force it to bloom way out of its natural cycle, like orchids you find in stores, even garden centers. This process could have compromised your orchid's health, too. But, you're in luck - this is the time of year lots of Phals are in spike. I live in Minneapolis, MN and see you're in SE Nebraska. We're geographically challenged in the orchid world. There may be small commercial growers kinda near you or your GF's school, but none that sell online as far as I know. Also, the only show around here where you can buy orchids is in conjunction with the St. Paul Winter Carnival in January, and only a few vendors attend. It's the absolute worst time to buy an orchid cuz of its exposure to cold temps. People in Chicago, S CA, FL, and farther up the E coast live in paradise re: lots of good growers and big shows throughout the year. I'll be thinking about you two. Please let us know how it's going. Whitecat8 Here is a link that might be useful: Ortho's All About Orchids, Amazon.com