Mounting pot-bound dends?

[reanaosrhyt]

I've had some pretty bad luck with the dendrobiums I bought last summer--all the leaves fell off and lots of roots died (I still have no idea why, though it certainly wasn't over watering, and they were all evergreen phal-types). On one of them, the canes rotted so it was lost. On the other two something just short of miraculous occurred--as soon as I removed them from the potting mix (coarse bark) for a few days a new growth and/or roots emerged from the base of the plant. I recently mounted them on cork bark and they are doing great!

I also recently got some more dendrobiums, and considering how poorly the others did in pots, I am certainly eager to mount the new ones! My problem is...the new ones are all root bound in their pots. How do I mount these without destroying the root system?

The new ones are 3 phal types ('Hollywood', Burana 'Green Star' and a noid white), as well as a nobile and anosmum. Any big differences I need to be aware of as far as mounting goes with the last two?

thank you!

[reanaosrhyt]

84 views and no ideas? maybe I'll just have to keep those root bound ones in their pots for now...

[Tropicgirl]

Well, I've only mounted 1 phal type den so I can share how I did it. It also has lots of roots.

I used a larger piece of wood than I would normally due to the roots. I cleaned out all the old medium carefully (still broke a few roots but it has so many).
I put a small pad of sphag on the wood then positioned the plant on top of that. Added another layer of sphag to lightly cover the roots - almost all the way around the mount because they were so long.
I use fishing line to hold mine to the mounts but you can also use old pantyhose, I've heard good results with them since they tend to not cut like the fishing line does.

Hope this helps and good luck!

[Orchid126]

Soak the roots for several hours first to make them more plyable.

[reanaosrhyt]

Thank you!!!!

sounds like good ideas Tropicgirl and Orchid126!

Hopefully soaking the roots will help them out alot (the anosmum's roots are completely conformed to the shape of the pot).

Maybe I can bum some old pantyhose off my mum, as I don't own any. I just ran out and bought some sphagnum moss (the other ones I mounted before didn't like the moss idea, but I'll give it a whirl with these ones). I'm eager to get them mounted before they deteriorate like the other ones did...I know they can grow in pots quite well, they just don't grow well in pots for me!

Thank you again!

[Swamper]

Do you have an update Reanaosrhyt?