Appropriate wood for mounts? - Page 3 - Orchid Board

Eli Vizsla · #21 03-10-2022, 01:01 AM

Doing my first mount and got this cork from an Etsy vendor. I drilled the hole and attached the copper wire for now. Also sprayed the cork with peroxide.

Any other prep I should do?

estación seca · #22 03-10-2022, 01:15 AM

Nope. Just attach it. You may or may not want to put a small amount of sphagnum moss between the roots and the cork depending on what it is.

Roberta · #23 03-10-2022, 01:16 AM

Looks good to me. I have never used peroxide on a mount but it will do no harm.

Just for future mounting... any durable wood with a rough surface and bark firmly attached can be used for mounting. Cork is really long-lasting so it's great. (It is the bark of the cork oak) But look around for wood that is available locally and start a stash... I suspect that most hardwoods would be fine. So if a neighbor is pruning a tree or cutting one down, you might score some really good material for free. Be on the lookout...

For Cattleya types I usually don't use sphagnum at all. Suggest that if you do need to have a bit to add moisture, put it OVER the roots not between the plant and the mount. You want to encourage the roots to grow into and around the mount not the moss. (I have found that if there is moss, at least if there is very much, between the plant and the mount, the roots are lazy and go for the moss)

estación seca · #24 03-10-2022, 01:18 AM

As mentioned above in this thread cedar fence planks from the hardware store or lumberyard work really well. You can cut them to whatever size or shape you like.

DirtyCoconuts · #25 03-10-2022, 02:14 AM

As do pine 1x3s and almost any rough hardwood. Bottle brush tree is a favorite as it is growing in my yard. Mango, oak, live oak, all work well

If you have no local woods to scavenge then any non-chemically treated wood will do.