Variation on Sphag & Bag-- attempt to save a phal

[Izzie]

Originally Posted by Pilot

Shawna? My name is Ryan.... lol

Got this plant from Logee's (logees.com)

XD darn, I keep getting you and Shawna mixed up- both Coloradans with short names and no avatar!
:X please forgive me. I'll send you cookies. (see signature)

[Izzie]

Originally Posted by WhiteRabbit

I too have used a small fish tank - put a layer of moist peat on the bottom - a layer of pebbles over that. Left the top of the tank slightly askew for more air. Worked great on a couple Oncidium types - not so great for an Aerangis which kept getting mold.

Last summer I mounted a couple of rootless Phals in an attempt to save them. Both started new roots very quickly. Unfortunately both are still limping along tho - might just be too dry here for Phals to thrive on mounts, idk ...

Wish I could save my rootless C. intermedia with mounting. Would probably hate it here though.

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by Izzie

Wish I could save my rootless C. intermedia with mounting. Would probably hate it here though.

Well Catts do like to be a bit dry I think. My two little mounted Phals are still alive, just don't seem to be thriving - tho there may be other issues involved. One is a violacea, which probably wasn't the best choice for my climate - even in summer - the overnight low temps can be in the 50s - and in winter I keep my house cool, so that may have something to do with it - idk. Both only seem to grow a few months out of the year. Maybe too cool for them

[Pilot]

Ok here they are-- the pics of my Phal Ember...



And here are the roots. They're really close to the reservoir but they're already water roots so they shouldn't skip a beat. You'll also notice I kept the moss around the plant. Whatever it takes to ease a fragile phal into its new home.



BTW.... I have been planting my phals on the side of their pots and letting them sort of fall over...over top the medium...they want to do that anyway so I figure I'll give them more room to do it. And besides...it helps me not get water in their crowns.

[Izzie]

Originally Posted by WhiteRabbit

Well Catts do like to be a bit dry I think. My two little mounted Phals are still alive, just don't seem to be thriving - tho there may be other issues involved. One is a violacea, which probably wasn't the best choice for my climate - even in summer - the overnight low temps can be in the 50s - and in winter I keep my house cool, so that may have something to do with it - idk. Both only seem to grow a few months out of the year. Maybe too cool for them

I think a mount would be too dry here....but maybe if I kept it inside...I was hoping it could go outside this summer.

[Izzie]

Originally Posted by Pilot

BTW.... I have been planting my phals on the side of their pots and letting them sort of fall over...over top the medium...they want to do that anyway so I figure I'll give them more room to do it. And besides...it helps me not get water in their crowns.

Good call- they grow like that in the wild anyways- almost upside down, with roots creeping up and around the tree.

[WhiteRabbit]

Nice save Ryan!
I will need to keep this in mind - thanks for sharing your success!

Izzie - I do water all the mounted plants daily in summer - inside or out. During especially hot dry weather, I also spray the roots and moss later in the day.
I managed to "save" a small Catt I had rotted the roots by potting it in pumice and growing passive hydro - just used a regular pot, set in a small saucer of water - it's doing great now. Hydroton is probably better, but I had the pumice, and was just a small plant and it worked fine

[Izzie]

I wonder if that would work if it was in a clay pot with hydroton?