Please make up my mind!

[Izzie]

:/ a mount may not keep the phal humid enough in my area.

[Izzie]

Originally Posted by Izzie

IDEA: I just found some plastic liners that fit perfectly (gasp!) in the clay pots- only thing, is that when they rest on the top (caught by the rim), there is about 3/4" left vacant at the bottom of the clay pot. I'm planning on cutting holes and slots in the liner, could I put bigger holes (almost make it like a net pot) in the bottom so roots could venture below it into that vacant space?

Any input on this?
I'm sorry to keep harping. D: I'm bound and determined to my best by these guys.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

What's the purpose of the liners?

[Izzie]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

What's the purpose of the liners?

So I can lift them out of the pot and check on the roots.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Why not just use the clear plastic pots instead?

Got plenty of slots. Dries out fairly quick compared to opaque plastic pots. You can see what's happening. Allows roots to photosynthesize. They're inexpensive.

[Izzie]

:X because I have a mother that would not be fond of seeing just the plastic pots- in her words, it would be 'tacky'- hence, having them in a cache pot or being brave and planting them directly into the slotted clay pot.

Plus, I'm owned by a delightful feline that is prone to prowling amongst the plants, and they're less apt to tip over when in heavy pots.

[Izzie]

I should just be brave shouldn't I.
And plant the Catt in the clay pot. Poor thing's probably exhausted with me trying to make up my mind.

[Tropicgirl]

Originally Posted by Izzie

I should just be brave shouldn't I.
And plant the Catt in the clay pot. Poor thing's probably exhausted with me trying to make up my mind.

I would plant the Catt in just the clay pot, no liner. It would probably be difficult -once the roots start growing out the bottom-to not break them moving the liner in and out of the clay pot. Plus, I've never had much luck with Catts in plastic pots.
Have you decided what you're going to do with the phal? I would love to see it mounted but if it's too dry where you are that probably won't work well.
Lucky you have a cat that doesn't have a taste for your orchids! My little buggers would leave me nothing but roots if they could get a hold of ANY of my plants! Two of my paphs could testify to that. They still have the scars to prove it, too!

[Izzie]

Originally Posted by Tropicgirl

I would plant the Catt in just the clay pot, no liner. It would probably be difficult -once the roots start growing out the bottom-to not break them moving the liner in and out of the clay pot. Plus, I've never had much luck with Catts in plastic pots.
Have you decided what you're going to do with the phal? I would love to see it mounted but if it's too dry where you are that probably won't work well.
Lucky you have a cat that doesn't have a taste for your orchids! My little buggers would leave me nothing but roots if they could get a hold of ANY of my plants! Two of my paphs could testify to that. They still have the scars to prove it, too!

The only plants the kitties have ever bothered are the airplane plants. Stops as soon as I spray it with Bitter Apple and put a pot of cat grass next to it.

It's the dog that's the idiot and eats every toxic plant he can find. Luckily the orchids are ok.

Bwah. I'll repot into the clay and just get some extra good practice at watering talent.

My house is very dry in the summer with the AC. I just don't think I could keep the phal happy on the mount.
As I said, I have a vanda basket that I was thinking of lining with plastic mesh, but Philip brings up a good point about why that my not work.

[gnathaniel]

Hi Izzie, high humidity for Phalaenopsis is a bit overblown as a cultural issue. Not that it's not important, just that it's not essential for many species and hybrids. As far as I recall, Phals utilize CAM (Crassulacean Acid Metabolism), a widely-evolved plant trait (named after Crassulaceae, jade plants, sedums, etc., in which it was first observed) that allows them to photosynthesize under fairly xeric conditions without excessive water loss (someone please chime in if I've got that wrong). Of course, different species have different requirements roughly corresponding to their native habitats and some are more or less tolerant of deviation from their 'preferences,' but stuartiana and its relative schilleriana don't seem too finicky if overall culture is sound.

I'd say your idea to use a basket filled with moss or CHC/moss mix is a good one. Charcoal and styrofoam are good additives to consider as well for aeration and longevity of the mix. I've got a number of Phals growing this way and they all have nice happy roots. I tend to be an underwaterer and when humidity is low the roots do shrivel when they extend too far beyond the basket, but then usually branch laterally into the moss and all over the basket. When it outgrows the basket or the basket starts to rot, just put the whole thing in a bigger basket and wire it in place. You can also rinse out old moss and stuff more into the crevices when it's time to 'repot.'

If you do mount (which I bet would also work fine for you), put a nice pad of sphagnum under the roots--they'll grow where they want and can obtain moisture freely from the moss while maintaining good aeration. Moss is easily added or removed from mounts if you need to fine-tune moisture levels. In fact, I'd venture that mounting is often a better way than potted to grow Phals when humidity is somewhat low, because it's easier to keep roots constantly moist without rotting them. When some of my mounts dry out too much in the winter I just 'tent' them in a big freezer bag to maintain higher local humidity. Not pretty, but it works (good for vacations, too)! Hope this helps!

--Nat