growing chids on trees

[Jkelee]

Thank PMMI, glad you like

And Ray, all my chids have done FAB because I baby them like crazy and wrap them up!! Nobody is left out in the cold, Alone!

[Vanessa]

I have a lot of Dendros in my palms and they came thru the cold snap and are still blooming. Outside the chids either sink or swim.

[Leisurely]

I would definitely include Laelia Anceps to your list if I were you. They are very tough plants, not only to cold but they don't seem to have any problems with insects and disease and would brave -1C with no problem.

Another variety that can tolerate very cold conditions for an orchid is Dendrobium nobile and it's hybrids. I recently had a plant that went through -3C and there was absolutely no damage to plant leaves, roots or buds. Since they are available in so many different colors, you could have a great display of flowers in late winter and spring. There is a picture on this forum under Dendrobium Alliance titled Cold Tolerance if you care to look.

[SP2340]

I live in Miami. I recently took a hand full of spaghnum moss and put a Cattleya on it and then tied it to a tree with fishing line. Seams happy. Good luck.

[flhiker]

Yep! I grow everything on trees. But what seems to do the best for me is Oncidiums. They grow like weeds. I did nothing for them this cold spell and they are doing fine. It got down to the upper 30's for a few hours one night here. I think they will do find as long as it dosen't get down to freezing temps. for to long of a time. good luck

[PMMI]

well, so far I've gathered some pretty neat info on recommended genus like; Cats, Laelia, Oncidium, Dendrobium, Odontoglossum, Sophronitis, Ansellia, that seem to be able to adapt well. But each of those have tenths of species from low land to as high as 3.000 meters. Now I need to address species and availability in Europe. Going through the illustrated encyclopedia of orchids, I've selected species that live above 1.000 meters and now I'm trying to find suppliers in Europe (maybe some members can direct me to trustworthy suppliers).
It seems that the proper time to "plant" them on trees is Spring (when new roots are growing), that they should be placed towards south to avoid strong northern wind, applying some moisture during establishment (from Spring through Summer) by Autumn they should should be hard enough to survive winter. I have open canopy trees like palms and some fruit trees that seem to be ok for most of the chids under consideration. I was advised to use biodegradable materials to get them firmly attached to the tree. Some of these trees are daily sprinkled during Spring and Summer since they stand in the garden with grass all around and the sprinklers are powerful enough to hit the trunk of some trees. I wonder if I plant them on these palms and they get daily water for half an hour during heat season, they'll do ok. In winter I reduce watering almost to zero, since we have lots of rain.
These is the info I've gathered so far with your help.
I'll keep you updated in this thread as I go along.
This is great.
Thanks.

[Leisurely]

Daily watering during the summer when temperatures are high should not be a problem. If you attach them directly to the tree with no moisture retaining material, the roots generally dry within a very short period.

[PMMI]

It's time for an update on my moving chids to trees venture.
The weather is now right and I've moved one Cattleya Percivaliana to a palm tree 2 weeks ago.
This was the tree.

I placed the orchid at a height that the sprinklers do not wet it directly when they do the lawn watering. I'll let the plant choose if it grows the roots towards the humid side or not.
Chosen a spot a bit protected from the predominant wind (from north) and made some room for the chid to fit properly.
Removed it from the pot but didn't remove some pieces of bark very much attached to the roots.

Plced it on the tree and wrap it around with natural string as recomended by another board member from Brasil Mr. Mauricio.

Ive secured de pseudobulbs firmly taking care not to damage the roots, in order to avoid movement of the roots with the wind.

Since I moved it I've been inspecting it every day and it seems OK. Never water it again or gave it any fertilizer cose I think the decomposition of palm tree fibers will give it enough food.

I'll update again on progression in a few weeks.
For all that helped me to accomplish this a deep thank you guys.

[orchidsamore]

I do literally thousands every year for placing in trees or on wood mounts to be portable.

I would have recommended using sphagnum around the roots. They dry much faster than you think. I have experimented with sphag and without and the plants with sphag have done much better especially in the first six months.

With sphag I do not lose a blooming season even if I mount them at the beginning of the varieties blooming season.

I also would have mounted them so the sprinklers hit them every day. I try to water mountings every day and in high heat I water twice a day.

During our rainy season which started two days ago they get water 2-4 hours a day. Only hours later they are totally dry.

Your plant will probably do well. Sphag and more frequent watering will accelerate growth. I also never stop feeding.

[PMMI]

thanks Jerry for the advice.
I was afraid to put sphag under the roots and end up with them to wet. I was advised that cats like to dry roots between watering.
Since in my zone we have an average of 50 to 60% RH during Spring and Summer for temperatures of 15ºC for minimum and 27ºC for max as an average it means an abssolut humidity of aprox. 16 gr/m3 of water wich is enough I think.
Any how I'll keep a close watch on it and will add sphag if I see signs of dry roots.