Den Aggregatum question

[gngrhill]

To mount or not to mount, that is the question ; to misquote Shakespeare .
I just got this little thing in the mail. Plant is very tiny but the roots are VERY long. My original intent was to mount it, but I have no idea what I would do with all that root. I'm now thinking I should put it in a pot. IDK. The plant is so tiny, the roots are SO long.
I have no experience with mounting, so all that root has me stymied . any advice ??

[wintergirl]

I use clay pots for many of my orchids. I would most likely try that. If they roots are really big you could just put them in the pot with just a few bark chips to hold the plant in.

[DeaC]

I can only tell you of my Den. jenkinsii,a smaller version of yours. It was sold to me in a clay pot some 3 yrs ago,my first Den. and I didn't know what the **** I was doing 'cause it was doing nada. I made a trip to Waldors in southern Jersey and saw their aggregatum in a slatted wooden basket hanging next to a bright window and looking amazing. After more research on mine,I put it on a treefern mount and it gave me 1 flower.This yr it granted me 3-4 flowers but coupled with a more appropriate mount and more light and a cooler,drier winter I think I have it figured out. Dens are not easy for me and I only have 3 others. Hope this long and drawn out statement has helped!

[Leafmite]

I grow mine in a plastic Vanda basket with large red lava rock. I had trouble getting mine to bloom until someone from my OS brought this one in, covered in flower spikes and told me that she watered hers all year.* Mine bloomed last year. It doesn't stay in bloom long and only blooms once a year but it certainly is lovely (and mine was fragrant, too!). I hope this helps.

* I had always been told that this had to be kept very dry over the winter.

[theloyalplum]

I would mount it. They're a lot more fun that way and in my opinion, their blooms look better mounted. Added bonus is that it frees up some shelf space if you go vertical!

[gngrhill]

Thanks all for your input. Interesting about the dry rest as opposed to water all year. Right now it is sitting in a plastic bowl with damp SM around the roots til I make up my mind. I really don't know how to handle the really long roots to try to mount it. I may just try the basket thing. That would take care of the roots and I could still hang it.

[estación seca]

Pick a mount that is somewhat long. Soak the roots for an hour so they are flexible. It's OK if you set the roots down the front of the mount, under the bottom edge, and up the back side of the mount. Use a bit of sphagnum and wrap with fishing line or dental floss. When the roots are attached remove the string.

You don't have to hang the mount upright. You can lay it flat.

[nutgirl]

I find that my aggregatum does best with lots of water in the summer and a fast draining medium (LECA). (I couldn't give it enough water mounted and the bulbs shriveled). It has doubled in size since I potted it.

I cut back on water in the winter but still give it occasional light sprays.

It bloomed twice this year. BONUS!

Maureen

[Leafmite]

Lucky! Twice!

This isn't really the time to re-pot these. Maybe, since it is so small, you would be better just growing it in 'Vase culture' until spring, when it has new growth. That way, the roots it has doesn't suffer and it will be ready for the new growing season in the spring.

[nutgirl]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

Lucky! Twice!

This isn't really the time to re-pot these. Maybe, since it is so small, you would be better just growing it in 'Vase culture' until spring, when it has new growth. That way, the roots it has doesn't suffer and it will be ready for the new growing season in the spring.

That's a good point. I had another one that I disturbed later in the season and it just languished until the following spring.

Re two separate blooms: I had no idea that they did that. I hope it does it again since the flowers don't last all that long.


Maureen