Very random beginner questions

[sunfire]

Why are Bulbophyllum so frequently mounted or in open slotted hanging baskets? Given their short roots and need for moisture, wouldn’t that make it more difficult to ensure they have the moisture they need unless they are in a greenhouse with near 90% humidity?

How do the growers/retailers dry out the roots on bare root orchids so well for shipping yet the leaves remain green and plump? Is there some quick dry process? My understanding is that bare root orchids are shipped dry to make sure they do not get cooked in transit so I’m not questioning why they are sent that way.

What is the best way to rehydrate the roots of a recently shipped bare root plant? Any other tips to improve recovery/growth after potting?

I probably will have more random “why is it done that way” questions in the future. Thanks.

[estación seca]

In his book on Bulbophyllums Bill Thoms says his plants in wet baskets grow many times faster than his plants on mounts, and so he abandoned mounts. He doesn't think mounted Bulbos ever get enough water. Some people just like the look of mounts and some people don't want rampant plants like Bulbos filling up the space quickly, so they grow on mounts. I found I couldn't grow Bulbos mounted because I don't have time to water every day, but they grow well in a modified semihydroponics setup, LECA on the bottom and a layer of sphagnum moss on top.

This could be duplicated with a standard pot standing in a dish of water, with moss over foam packing peanuts (the Bill Thoms method) or moss over bark or LECA.

In a very humid growing greenhouse plants can get dry at the roots yet not become too dessicated because transpiration is relatively lower than it is in a less-humid home. Growers let plants dry out before shipping.

I soak newly-arrived bare-root plants in pure (rain) water with Kelpak and Inocucor. I try to submerge most of the plant so the Inocucor organisms cover it. Some people add a very small amount of table sugar to the solution. I usually soak them 6-12 hours before potting. Others don't soak that long.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by sunfire

How do the growers/retailers dry out the roots on bare root orchids so well for shipping yet the leaves remain green and plump? Is there some quick dry process? My understanding is that bare root orchids are shipped dry to make sure they do not get cooked in transit so I’m not questioning why they are sent that way.

That orchids stay green and plump even while bare root for shipping, is a tribute to the mechanisms that epiphytic orchids have evolved for their precarious lives on the branches of trees. In nature they get watered by rain, then the sun comes out and dries them Sometimes it doesn't rain...in fact some experience a significant dry period. So they have pseudobulbs, or succulent leaves that can store water. They have a waxy cuticle on their leaves to cut down on water loss. They can close up the pores (stomata) on the undersides of their leaves, also to conserve water. So that many orchids can tolerate being dry for many days with no issues. If they are bare root they are easier to ship - no medium to fall out, less weight. For those shipped from outside the US, bare-rooting is required, to avoid importing "hitchhiking" organisms - bugs and such . Orchids that must have a bit of moisture can be imported with pure sphagnum moss. But for international shipping, any other medium is forbidden.