Ghost orchids, I found a way

[nvrbdun]

So after years of failing to grow ghost orchids, I found a way that works for me.

The first thing to consider is the size of the plant. Smaller ( 1 inch roots ) don't do as well right out of the flask. The last 2 flasks I got had 5 or 6 plants with roots at least 3 inches long, they do the best. The other smaller ones I placed on a bed of spanish moss on my lania out of direct sunlight. I was only able to keep 2 of the smaller ones from that bed of spanish moss (after about 1 1/2 months).

When you mount the orchid it must be with new growth down. The new growth will attach to your mount and grow much faster than if mounted new growth up. Once attached they will grow about 3/4 to 1 inch per month. I tie the roots down on the mount with dental tape. It is flat and seems to hold well without cutting into the roots. I have never had luck with cork mounts ( seems to dry out to fast ) . Cypress is working well. You need a hard wood to last over time. They will grow on almost anything as long as it will last over time. I have seen them grow well on upside down clay pots. When mine outgrew the original wood I screwed the original onto a larger piece of wood.

I have mine outdoors facing NE. They get good morning sun and indirect bright sun the rest of the day. I cover with spanish moss ( Maybe 35 - 40% ) This seems to dapple the early sun and keep moisture around the plants longer. I use collected rain water only. If not able you could use distilled bottled. My fertilizer is Orca ( Premium Liquid Mycorrhizae ). 5 drops per quart of rainwater in a spray bottle ( once a week ) On days with no rain They get watered 3 - 4 time a day. Don't just mist them, water them. They are hung vertically so water runs off quick. They can go for awhile without water and do okay. Mine seem to thrive with more. U.F. has their orchids on a timer for misting - 30 minutes every 3 hours, cut back to 10 minutes every 3 hours in the winter.

I am on the west coast of Florida, 1 hour south of Tampa.

	Mistking Looking for a misting system? Look no further. Automated misting systems from MistKing are used by multitude of plant enthusiasts and are perfect for Orchids. Systems feature run dry pumps, ZipDrip valve, adjustable black nozzles, per second control! Automatically mist one growing shelf or a greenhouse full of Orchids. See MistKing testimonials