UN-mounting orchids?

[JonnyBravo]

OK, here's one for you: does anyone have any tips for REMOVING orchids from their mounts? I can think of very few reasons for doing this, but once in a great while it must be done, and I'm wondering if anyone has any tricks they've used for making it a successful/ less traumatizing experience for the plant. I had a B Little Stars mounted on a big log, but the log was an inferior wood and rotted, necessitating its removal. Luckily, she had massive roots and due to the state of decay it was pretty easy to remove the orchid with minimal root damage. But I have a seedling Tolumnia which I purchased mounted on a machine-cut tiny "board", and would eventually like to put it on a more natural piece of wood. By then it will probably be pretty bonded its mount, and I worry about transferring it. Suggestions? Things that have worked in the past?

[camille1585]

I think it depends on the texture of your mount as well. I removed an orchid from a rather flat and even surfaced mount (compressed cork), that was way too small and not that pretty. It wasn't easy, but it was do-able. I soaked it for a while (at least 30min I would say), and then with a knife tip I ever so gently pried the roots off, a very little bit at a time. I got away with minor damage, but I don't think I will try it again. This orchid had somewhat thick roots, I don't know if I would have managed as well with thinner roots.
For highly textured mounts, like bark with many cracks, it's virtually impossible to remove the roots without significant damage.
When at all possible it's better to attach the old mount onto a larger one, and let the plant spread onto it.

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by camille1585

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When at all possible it's better to attach the old mount onto a larger one, and let the plant spread onto it.

:iagree: Even if you just leave it on the 'unnatural' wood, the roots will eventually cover it up and it will look 'natural.'

[peeweelovesbooks]

I once unmounted two brassavolas from a tree fern mount. They were facing opposite each other and the mount was ugly--it was a mess (an inherited orchid). The roots were pretty much wound inside the tree fern slab, so it took me about 4 days to little by little tear bits and pieces of the tree fern and work my way around the roots. By the end I had to take out the tweezers and work at getting out as much as possible. I ended up being able to separate them, but it was tough. I soaked, and soaked and soaked and soaked.

I also pried a Renanthera Nancy Chandler from the 4 inch vanda basket it came in. When I got the plant, I thought it was actually in the vanda basket bare root, but I discovered that there was actually a teeny plastic pot inside the vanda basket, and the vendor had covered up the whole mess with tree fern. First I broke off/sawed off the vanda basket, and then I had to cut off the plastic pot-piece by piece. The root system had basically surrounded the plastic pot. It was weird because some of the roots were almost very wood-like and tough. I soaked and soaked and soaked. That project took me an entire day. I ended up snapping off a new root by accident,but the only roots I had to cut off were brown and hard. The plant is now hanging bare root, and it put up a spike about 1 week afer I unpotted it/unmounted it.

I unmount everything that I get and mount it on what I like.

[catwalker808]

Yup. It can be a tedious process. If the mount is cork with crevices, good luck, because it's resilient and dosn't break easily. Other materials are a little easier.

Here's an approach I use for unmounting or for unpotting thick heavy root balls. (not for small root balls or small messes... they're easy)
First soak the whole mess to make the roots more pliable and possibly loosen their adhesion.
Then ... and this is important ... don't attack the project from the front where the new and active growths are. Most plants grow in one general direction away from the older growths. New roots ONLY form in conjunction with new growth.

So attack from the back so that most of the damage and loss will be with the older part of the plant. With potted root balls, you will see that the newer live roots originate from the newer canes and circle to the back (due to the pot) and overlap in the back. If you attack the back, you can unwind the overlapping young roots, cut out the old roots and old or dead canes back there. Old media will either drop out or can be easily removed.

For plants on mounts, go after the mounts as much as you can ... again from the back if you can. Cut or break off pieces of a basket from the back (old side of the plant), then you will have less peeling to do. For planks, split them from the top and remove the backs. Then the mount will be much thinner and easier to cut off. For fern fiber, again remove as much as you can from the back. there may be only a little left in front which might be inconsequential. This all might help to lessen the amount of peeling and prying you have to do.
Nobody said it was going to be easy. But the point is to go as much as you can to the back area of the plant so you do your damage to the old part in ordr to loosen up the growing front part. then you do the tedious part in front.