Lets talk about swamp sticks

[tmaxwell]

You're doing pretty well, Becca! The plants are Sarc. ceciliae, Chiloshista spp., Aerangis biloba (awful pic, it's got a nice spike though!), Aerangis pumilio (last flowering, 13 spikes!!Going for 20 this year!), Aerangis modesta (too small to tell, really), unknown bulbo on top, Cadetia taylori on bottom ( bad pic again...), Barkeria spectabilis, and Aerangis punctata (personal favorite, absolutely stunning plant and bloom!)

I may be able to scrounge a few mounts up, would you be interested in the plaques, or the "pockets"? And what kind of sizes? I've got some tiny guys (like the one for Aergs. punctata), up to some big ones I grow seedlings on (about 5x10")

[Connie Star]

Originally Posted by tmaxwell

Hey folks,
Here are a few pictures. Sorry, they're not so hot...
Some of the mounts I use are like "swampsticks" in that they hold water in a reservoir, and wick it out to the root system. In the sizes I currntly use (mostly pretty small) the water doesn't last long, a couple days at most. The bigger ones hold water a lot longer. It really depends on whether or not the roots will adhere to the ceramic. If they won't, even after a good spurt of root growth, best move the plant to something it'll attach to. I've had good results with Laelias, Sarcochilus, a few Oncidiums, most Bulbo's, Aerangis, and Pleurothallids. The Barkeria in the photo is doing well, but won't attach, so it's going on wood before winter. (crossing fingers for spring bloom...)

Hi Tyler,
I would LOVE to buy some of those from you! I am having trouble with mounted plants because I can't keep them moist enough in my living room/sun room grow area. Could you size them to order?

[RosieC]

Wow, those look so cool. What a great way to grow them.

Now I need to find somone who works in clay this side of the world to do something similar for me

[nenella]

Tyler, me too I'd be interested in a few - the 'pocket' ones! & I'll pay for the postage to the EU.
as my minis mounted on bark (the bark is starting to get old) & I can just see myself slipping the bark bits into your terracotta pocket..
Please do count me in when you make some more!
thanks in advance

[tmaxwell]

Wow, I'll have to get a batch in soon. I am running low, And will be receiving a fair order from Orchidbasic (a Thai seller I've been working with for a while). I will let all know how this goes.
Anyway, I'll try to make quite a few. Does anyone have preference as to hanging method? I normally just put a thick copper or vinyl steel wire hook on each.
Another point of interest (or question?) Can anyone weigh in in whether I should glaze the back surface?
It would certainly decrease moisture loss, but I'm not sure that's a good thing. A lot of what these do is increase humidity. There's a big evaporative surface there, and the roots don't really stay wet for long, except on the largest "pockets". Any ideas?

[ronaldhanko]

I'm interested in trying a few as well. Let me know costs and postage.

[greenbean]

I'd like to get an idea of costs and postage as well. These look really interesting.

[tmaxwell]

Wow, can't believe the response these are getting... Thanks everybody!
In response to cost, etc, they would be pretty cheap, say 3-5 bucks a-piece. As far as I can tell, they seem like they'd last a lifetime.
Shipping depends, but you could get quite a few in a flat rate box, otherwise fedex ground is always cheap.
I'm so glad you all want to give them a try. It will be exciting to see what happens!
tyler

[kavanaru]

Interesting photos. I would like to see some of them when the moss is not there anymore, would the plants still stay attached and do well? I mean, except for the first two photos, they do not seem to grow roots attached to the pots... That's also my experience with swampsticks, I have tried different ones (from swampstick.com and other sources), tried different plant (including pure moss) und different conditions (cool to warm, low to high light, low to high humidity to almost flodded with water constantly dripping in the pot - I was trying to at least get the moss growing on it), and no way to get the plants growing roots on them. As long as the sphag or living moss used around the roots was there, the plants were doing fine (not good, just fine)... so,I decided to stop the experiments after over one year, and almost loosing some plants...

I discused with some friends who have also tried this method, and only one of them was really succesful with it. However, he wrapped the sticks with Jute cloth and let the plants grow on that... He also sprayed the stick on a daily basis (like he does with mounted plants) and got moss growing on them pretty quick... yes, he must change the jute cloth every 1 or 2 years... having to change the cloth that often makes the use of the stick inefficient for me, so I stayed with pots and wooden/fern roots mounts.

[tmaxwell]

Hey Kavanaru,
I think, personally, that sphagnum on a mount is a hindrance. That's not to say I don't use it, but it's something I'm learning over time. It's like, I feel obligated to put some on when I mount a plant... Some plants seem to root well to the ceramic (the best I have now are Aerangis modesta, punctata, and biloba, a couple little bulbo's, and a chiloschista.
These all have firmly attached roots. Others though (namely Barkeria spectabilis, Dinema polybulbon, Diplocaulobium chrysotropsis) won't root to it. I need to get some wood for these.
One thing I can think of is that some people fill the ceramic with their fertilizer-water. I have never done this. Ceramic has far too much ability to hold mineral salts. Only pure water goes in, and fertilizer is sprayed.
On a side, is cedar the best for wood plaques? Ooh, I think I'll go down to the river, and cut some grapevine! Sounds like fun!!