Phalaenopsis mounted on driftwood

[Koolcat]

Originally Posted by Dollythehun

3 growers, 4 opinions. Den phals tend to loose their leaves every couple years. But, the leafless canes give the plant energy and generally still bloom. Leave them unless you are sure they are dead. Mine never rebloom from a cut spike. Phalanopsis and some of the Oncidium tribe, yes, and maybe that is what you are thinking. Also, some bloom from the top of the cane, some from the sides. Mine has been in bloom all winter. It is an ugly plant, tough as nails, but, the blooms make up for it.

Looking at your home and your mounting, you obviously have a good eye. Can you actually imagine it will look better mounted, or in a pretty catch pot? Remember, if you mount, you water pretty neat every day. If it were mine, I would find a stunning piece of pottery and place it in there. My two cents.

I actually have some more in the pots ($9 ones, pic attached). I went to a local Kroger and they had all of the orchids I purchased on sale like $4-9 each. I took the cheapest one, $4 one, to mount it, just to learn it.

I basically spray the mounted one in the morning and in the evening everyday. The advantage I see from the mounted one so far is that I can see and feel the roots. For a beginner like me I think that's crucial bc when I see that it's pale white, I spray it since after a long day it should be thirsty. I sprayed it a while until the roots stay light green and I just let it to air out.

[Dollythehun]

This is clearly up to you. You seem to want to mount, so do it. One of my criteria is how my home looks. (That wasn't an insult). I tend to care more about how it looks because it is visible from the road and the first thing you see walking into my home. So, some of my decisions are based on asthetics.

By the way, many of us would kill to find a $4.00 orchid at Kroger.

[estación seca]

Originally Posted by Koolcat

Do you think from your experience that my miniature rose will died? I actually took all soil out from its roots and then transferred into a kokedama. The next day all leaves seem to wither. Is it possible to nurture it back to normal? The plant itself still look green.

This is known as bare-rooting the plant. Most leafy shrubs will die if you do that, unles the top is pruned heavily to reduce water demand. It is also better to do this during the dormant season, and not when the shrub is in full growth.

When transplanting an unpruned shrub, it is important to keep the largest root ball possible, and disturb the roots as little as possible.

Roses are sold bare-root, with no soil. But before digging, the tops are pruned down to just a few inches tall. They survive this if treated well. Your roses might survive if you cut them back to only 2-3 branches, only 2" / 5cm above the graft union.

I haven't read about kokodama, but it might be a good idea to read more written by somebody who's been doing it for years.

[Koolcat]

Originally Posted by estación seca

This is known as bare-rooting the plant. Most leafy shrubs will die if you do that, unles the top is pruned heavily to reduce water demand. It is also better to do this during the dormant season, and not when the shrub is in full growth.

When transplanting an unpruned shrub, it is important to keep the largest root ball possible, and disturb the roots as little as possible.

Roses are sold bare-root, with no soil. But before digging, the tops are pruned down to just a few inches tall. They survive this if treated well. Your roses might survive if you cut them back to only 2-3 branches, only 2" / 5cm above the graft union.

I haven't read about kokodama, but it might be a good idea to read more written by somebody who's been doing it for years.

I will cut back one of the rose plant today and leave the other one as is and see. Thanks.

[Koolcat]

Some more pictures of the mounted one. Thanks all

[bil]

Originally Posted by Koolcat

I took the cheapest one, $4 one, to mount it, just to learn it.

I basically spray the mounted one in the morning and in the evening everyday. The advantage I see from the mounted one so far is that I can see and feel the roots. For a beginner like me I think that's crucial bc when I see that it's pale white, I spray it since after a long day it should be thirsty. I sprayed it a while until the roots stay light green and I just let it to air out.

Very sensible trick to practise on cheap orchids.

I used to water my mounts twice a day in high summer, but when I dropped to once a day, there were no casualties.
One thing I do do is that I tend to water in blocks of so many orchids, and I tend to give them all a spray which wets all their moss. Then I go back to the beginning of that block and respray them all.
Also sometimes I will check by then spraying a selected specimen carefully at the top, and seeing whether the water soaks into the mix. If it does so I respray till all the water drips out the bottom.

Same with the hanging baskets, which are really saucers made of welded rebar. I spray the bottoms first, because when moss is bone dry and 'crispy' water will run off it. If you wet the bottom lightly, the water running thru will soak into the bottom layer rather than run straight thru.
Also, I start at one end of the line, and when I reach the end go back to the beginning and respray till it runs out f the bottom again.
It's surprising how much water is absorbed on the second pass.

I can almost hear some of you shuddering at the thought of watering like that every day, but the fact is a fast dry time really reduces the chance of rot, and the sphagnum moss in those baskets lasts a LOT longer between repots.

---------- Post added at 01:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:16 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Dollythehun

3 growers, 4 opinions.

Only 4? We must be slipping.

---------- Post added at 01:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:18 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Dollythehun

One of my criteria is how my home looks. (That wasn't an insult).

Best you don't come visit.

With four dogs the idea of an immaculate, tidy house is just never going to be. Apart from the fact we are a messy couple.

The other day Jan was complaining about the amount of dog hair on the floor and I replied. "Instead of hoovering, have you thought of simply combing the floor?"

[Dollythehun]

No worries, I have a trip planned but, it's not west.😄 I'm hijacking this thread for a moment. With three cats and an older house and "husband droppings," the best investment I ever made was a cordless Dyson Animal. If we want to debate that, we can open another thread.

[jkofferdahl]

Originally Posted by bil

I used to water my mounts twice a day in high summer, but when I dropped to once a day, there were no casualties.
One thing I do do is that I tend to water in blocks of so many orchids, and I tend to give them all a spray which wets all their moss. Then I go back to the beginning of that block and respray them all.
Also sometimes I will check by then spraying a selected specimen carefully at the top, and seeing whether the water soaks into the mix. If it does so I respray till all the water drips out the bottom.

Same with the hanging baskets, which are really saucers made of welded rebar. I spray the bottoms first, because when moss is bone dry and 'crispy' water will run off it. If you wet the bottom lightly, the water running thru will soak into the bottom layer rather than run straight thru.
Also, I start at one end of the line, and when I reach the end go back to the beginning and respray till it runs out f the bottom again.
It's surprising how much water is absorbed on the second pass.

I can almost hear some of you shuddering at the thought of watering like that every day, but the fact is a fast dry time really reduces the chance of rot, and the sphagnum moss in those baskets lasts a LOT longer between repots.

Bil, your method is very similar to mine. For me it also works well, and my plants are thriving. However, I think that your statement about the second pass helps explain why some people follow the water first and then fertilize routine!

Visitor-wise, I am a single male who lives with three very large, very active dogs. During the day, while I'm at work, they sometimes do things such as trash-can raiding, which leaves a horrible mess. The other day they opened the pantry cabinet and I got home to find between 50 and 60 cans of food pulled out, including some they carried into the living room! Before I would allow a visitor to my excessively messy home I would need federal disaster aid (FEMA) for cleaning, and would have to board my dogs. It's easier to just spend my time alone.

[Koolcat]

Since we are on such topic, I actually have 2 jack russel & chihuhua mixed puppies.I just got into this house and it's a mess bc it's a fixer upper. But for dogs/cats hair I recommend sleek ez brush. Brush them twice a week and they should be pretty ok. Other than that use shower squeegee on carpet for the hair that dropped.

[MattWoelfsen]

Good luck with your experiment!