Trouble with wood mounts that rot

[susiep]

I have a problem and hopefully I will get some good suggestions. I live down in south Florida where heat and humidity causes all wood that is not pressure treated to rot. My problem is over the last year or two I have aquired a taste for species orchids and have purchased almost 20 from a grower that has beautiful plants, but they are almost all mounted on natural wood branches. Over the last few month I realize these things are not lasting much more than a year. But now I have all these plants!

I don't know about most of you, but when I buy a mounted plant, I don't plan on having to remount it within one year. Repotting maybe, but mounts should be more permanent. .

The first plant I lost was a big den chrysotoxum (first picture). It died just a few months ago. On this den, there was a wood boring beetle that came with the mount. He bored out and left a big 1/4" hole in the mount. I called and told them about it and they said don't worry, the beetle couldn't do any harm since he would not survive in Florida. But within a few months the mount completely rotted and got moldy. So I called for help with remounting. I did my best with the remount but the plant didn't take the whole experience well and died within a few more months. I called them explaining what happened (again) and to see about getting another den chrysotoxum. I was hopeful that I would at least be offered a discount on the replacement. But I was not offered anything but more advice and was told that I should have taken pictures. I don't know why, I guess to prove something. They had never told me to take pictures on the previous calls. By then the plant was already discarded. I decided to just think seriously about not buying from them any more. Am I wrong here?

Now the mount has decomposed on my den findlayanum. It was purchased just last May. I have attached pictures of this den and it's decomposing mount. As you can see it just crumbled when I bent it. The problem is the roots grew into the the center of the rotting wood branch. Do I just leave the rotten stuff as is and tie it to another mount? Or try to wash off this rotten stuff. You can see my concern as I already lost one this way. Also, this time I took lots of pictures. Should I call the vendor or just accept this as reasonable

Also, there are a couple pics of some of my other mounted plants. I am worried that more will rot and there are some of these that won't survive remounting. Like the ghost which is doing very well. It has 2 new roots.

Sorry for the long tale, but I thought if you know the history you would understand why I am so aggravated. Any suggestions and/or opinions would be greatly appreciated.

[got ants]

Nice plants. I have had a few wood mounts disintegrate on me too. These mostly look like cedar branches but I think their size is too small to last long. I have some cypress branches that are from an inch in diameter to almost 3 inches. I could offer a few of these if you need them.

Another thing I noticed, was the liberal use of sphagnum moss. For me, this is a sure fire killer of orchids. I grow all my stuff outside and when the rains come, it rots the roots out. I usually bareroot mount them on the branches, of use other medium like cork mounts. You can also use coconut palm frond silks until they get rooted on, then pull it out when established.

[susiep]

Yes, that is the way they always do it. I never use moss either. I think the moss was part of the rotting problem. However... what do I do now? I need to do something with the rotten one for sure. Then slowly start remounting the others. Starting with the ones with the most moss. I like to use tree fern slabs for plants with sturdy roots. But all these plants have teeny tiny roots. Maybe cork would be better????

[Becca]

I have purchased from the same seller as well and gotten 'chids mounted on wood from them. In my orchidarium....it is intermediate temps with humidity around 80%. I had problems with the wood mounts rotting as well...but I figured it is because I dunk some of my mounted orchids in water when I water them daily or every other day. One was a 2 or 3 inch branch that started rotting. Moss was used as well but I really don't think that is the issue. It is common to use a moss pad for mounting orchids. I also use it on my cork mounts with no problems...but I do have to change the moss out every year or so. I just pull it out and stuff new in if possible. I am converting all of my wood mounts to cork mounts and that would be my suggesting for you. Not sure how some of yours will take the remounting since the root system are tiny and grown into the wood. Just be prepared...it could be detrimental to them but I don't think you have any other choice. Good luck and keep us posted. If your looking for cork mounts, repotme.com has some pretty cool cork tubes. I bought one and just remounted one of my 'chids on it it looks awesome (sorry I don't have any pic's)!

[got ants]

Becca, I think there's a big difference between and orchidarium and how Suzie and I grow them outside down in south Florida. Beside the sic heat, we also have times where it may rain 20 days in a row, so things never dry out during then. Also, it;s odd how severe it is, but the sun down here literally destroys thing during the summer.

[Lorraine]

Hi Susan,

I've had a couple mounts using grapewood vine start to rot. Most wood is not hard enough to last too long where we live. I would clean off all the rotting stuff and remount. Just had to do one last week. I have several mountings on cork and tree fern that do better than most of the wood. I'm planning to get more cork. If you decide to use it buy the biggest sizes you can get because you can always cut or break to smaller pieces. My chids on the cork get watered every day and are doing fine. As my wood mounts start to rot they too will be cleaned up and remounted on cork to tree fern.

[kasper6767]

I also put my orchids on trees bare rooted and other on pieces of cork. They will do fine just make sure to water them every day.

[susiep]

Thanks everyone! I think that cork seems the way to go. I am going to the Spring Orchid Festival down at St Germain Orchids in Homestead tomorrow. Broward Orchid Supply is going to be there and they always have cork. I will get extra, because I will need it eventually for the others. I am most worried about the ghost. It will not like being moved. I need to think of something else for that one. Thanks again!

[Becca]

Originally Posted by got ants

Becca, I think there's a big difference between and orchidarium and how Suzie and I grow them outside down in south Florida. Beside the sic heat, we also have times where it may rain 20 days in a row, so things never dry out during then. Also, it;s odd how severe it is, but the sun down here literally destroys thing during the summer.

Yeah I could imagine how the sun destroys things there in Florida! I know my orchidarium isn't the same as growing in south Florida...I was just letting Suzie know that I have had problems with the wood mounts rotting as well and I don't even live in the same growing conditions. I think it is the wood and cork is the way to go. Don't get me wrong, the wood mounts are beautiful and may do fine for the seller's growing conditions/culture but it just doesn't work for everyone. I'd like to that particular seller sell more mounted orchid that are cork mounted and not wood mounted. They have great stuff!

[susiep]

Thanks, Becca. That was what frustrated me most. I love his plants, but am very frustrated with the rotting. It is so much easier to repot than to remount a plant. Last year at Redlands Show, I got at least 5 plants (mounted) from this vendor. I won't be doing that any more!