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Originally Posted by u bada
Those are pretty awesome Bil... I've noticed that certain growers that grow things in moss in baskets, the moss can look super bad, and somehow the plants look great... not the case in plants planted in pots with moss. From an aesthetic standpoint your project of baskets from rebar just look sculptural and cool... whereas the usual plastic baskets look too I dunno industrial... but back to practicalities here... when I've gotten plants grown in moss in baskets before I used to try to repot asap and get all the moss off from the roots... and if that didn't downright kill the plant, it set it back big time. It's hard to say why but as you mentioned, because the moss is exposed to air through the basket and able to dry out faster it seems to last longer and also to the extent even when the moss is really decayed remains good for orchids to grow in... one theory someone discussed with me is that when used in a basket the moss can remain open enough for roots, in addition to lasting longer... furthermore, having them sit over a pan/container is a good idea as hanging baskets can dry so quickly... it can get so dry here that if I did a similar project (which I don't have space for essentially) I'd let the bottom cm touch the bottom so water can wick up into moss on dry days to last longer...
Also, I'm a bit confused... isn't it winter there also? I'm kinda wondering how yours has leaves + growth on them now? or are they old pictures?
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Thank you very much. Those designs arose because a spherical basket held too much moss, risking the centre going anoxic, and a flat hexagonal basket presented the bars to a stan bud as a continuous sheet of steel.
So I came up with a hanging saucer of a basket, that because it was thin at the edges should wick away water fast, so the moss wasn't sodden continuously.
That has an enormous effect. Mounts that have a small amount of moss hardly show signs of a fungal attack, but my sesquipedal orchid, that seems to like wet feet, and has quite a lump of moss, its mount is showing clear signs of fungal attack and rot. and the moss looks more like soil now.
Compare that to the Stan moss, which has been there for the same time, and that moss is hardly broken down at all. So, I think by soaking the moss, and then letting it dry rapidly, you may end up watering that orchid every day, but the moss will take far longer to degrade.
I used to try to repot asap and get all the moss off from the roots... and if that didn't downright kill the plant, it set it back big time.
Yeah. I can imagine. I tried doing much the same once, and gave up precisely because the roots were hanging onto the moss for dear life.
Here is what I plan to do when it is time to repot the stans or the catasetums in pure moss.
First off, unless the moss looks really degraded, I won't.
second, if it looks bad, I will tak the orchid out, brush off lightly what I can, then wash the root mass in room temp water.
My reasoning is, the roots can't hang onto broken down moss, so that ought to wash out, right?
I would be eternally grateful if someone could point out any glaring flaws in this that I have overlooked.
I was planning to do the same with my large phals in their big pots. Tip out all the big bits, then wash out the broken down bark. That OUGHT to save damaging the roots by taking it wholly out of the pot.
"I'd let the bottom cm touch the bottom so water can wick up into moss on dry days to last longer... "
I wouldn't. I can see your point, but I think you risk letting rot get a hold on the moss if it is kept continuously wet.
" isn't it winter there also?"
Ahaha. Yeah, that's what started this all off. They are southern hemisphere plants that I bought this autumn.
So, I have some gone dormant, some think it's summer and some think it's both.
SUCH fun.
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