Growing Epiphytes on Trees - zone 9/10 Mediteranean Climate

[davidg]

That kind of experimenting is always fun, as it 'making do' with found items - I will report back on successes and failures in a year or so!

---------- Post added at 09:49 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:42 AM ----------

Great to meet you Roberta. Yes, I am very close to San Diego, I think, but with slightly cooler summers. I would agree about salt, and maybe you know - can you water with de-ionized water sold for use in irons? I was thinking of using it for watering out of season, and also as a 'rinse' if it doesn't rain for a while. It isn't 'softened' water, which is full of salt, but de-ionized, with no minerals. If it is like water used in a lab it would be perfect. Sold in 5 liter jugs for about a buck.
I will definitely look at your site. Unfortunately most Europeans grow under glass, so there is less interest in hardier varieties like the Laelia anceps hybrids you probably have. I could only find the species. I love species, but I'm not a purist, so don't mind growing hybrids too.

Thanks for the advice on mounting. My instinct would have been moss under roots, but Robert Friend makes the same point in his book, so its great to have that reinforced by you.[COLOR="Silver"]

---------- Post added at 09:59 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:50 AM ----------

Wow, that is quite a list, and a great resource for me. I see things there that growers are showing need min. 20 degrees. Could be true in a greenhouse when there is a heating failure, but not in a plant that gradually adjusted over fall and early winter. I know that when camellias were first brought from China to Europe they were believed to be 'greenhouse only' until someone tried different. . .