what do you use to tie the plant?

[Eli Vizsla]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Precisely. It will have to be turned a little bit to the side, of course. You can just leave it unmounted until new roots start if you want, then you'll know which way they are growing. Or if you get it mounted and see that they aren't going toward the mount, you can remount it at that point. (That won't stress the plant... until it gets new roots, any mount will just be helping to hang it up.) Ideal time for mounting is when the new little root tips just start to peek out. It's all about roots...

In fact, you might consider just putting it in a small plastic bag (like sandwich bag), with top open, until rooting starts. That'll keep the humidity up, since you only have that one good root to keep the plant hydrated.

Do I mist the existing roots before putting in the plastic bag? How long should I keep it in the plastic bag before new roots show?

[Roberta]

You can mist, or maybe put a bit of damp sphagnum in there. The plant will mostly be running on the reserves in those two pseudobulbs, especially the newer one. You want to just keep humidity up so that it loses less moisture. How long? No idea... some produce roots right as the new growth starts, others will concentrate on the new growth first. So you'll just have to observe. Basically, the existing root will help - so it needs a normal "Cattleya wet-dry cycle" but it's not going to be all that efficient. Another thought is a soak for a few hours in a kelpmax solution, which is a root stimulant that might help jump-start the rooting process. Others on the board have had good experience with that and hopefully will jump in.

[Eli Vizsla]

Originally Posted by Roberta

You can mist, or maybe put a bit of damp sphagnum in there. The plant will mostly be running on the reserves in those two pseudobulbs, especially the newer one. You want to just keep humidity up so that it loses less moisture. How long? No idea... some produce roots right as the new growth starts, others will concentrate on the new growth first. So you'll just have to observe. Basically, the existing root will help - so it needs a normal "Cattleya wet-dry cycle" but it's not going to be all that efficient. Another thought is a soak for a few hours in a kelpmax solution, which is a root stimulant that might help jump-start the rooting process. Others on the board have had good experience with that and hopefully will jump in.

Thank you so much!

[WaterWitchin]

Originally Posted by Eli Vizsla

So it's okay to glue the roots to cork bark? I plan to try my first mounting on cork bark this weekend and saw a youtube video of someone using glue.

No, not the roots, unless it's a few old, dead ones. It would kill or stall a root. I use a low-temp hot glue gun and put a couple of blobs on the mount after marking where I want them. Usually to an older part of a rhizome, an older pbulb, bottom part of a phal stem that is rootless. Wait until glue is just tacky then smush that part of orchid into the glue.

Then I take a section of old panty hose and cover over the roots, tie it firmly over roots, and leave it. After new roots take hold of the bark, cut off the panty hose. Glue allows less roots to have grabbed the bark before cutting off the panty hose.

If it's a really small plant (tolumnia) I sometimes glue it to a stick or mount using a blob of glue on a side of the plant where it doesn't have much live root and just leave it without doing anything else. Sooner or later new roots take over and start attaching to the mount.

---------- Post added at 08:28 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:25 AM ----------

I always soak roots with Kelpmax before mounting, or whenever I repot. And about once every month or so when watering. I like Kelpmax, a lot.

[Roberta]

A disadvantage of gluing is that you can't then remount the plant if it starts growing in a direction that you didn't anticipate. If it is tied on, you can easily remove it and remount.