mounting Dendrob & Phal onto 1 large mount

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Mounting several Phals together, and separately mounting several Dendrobiums together that have a similar enough growing pattern is the recommended path to go.

As others have mentioned, Phals have radically different growing requirements compared to Dendrobiums.

But I'll venture to add that Dendrobiums are such a large family of orchids, that it's best to gather up all the ones that grow like each other and then mount those together. In fact, this may be a generalized short cut...gather them together according to sections within the genus Dendrobium (example: section Phalaenanthe, section Spatulata, section Latouria, etc.).

The problem with Dendrobiums is their dormancy periods. Not all of them are the same. Some don't even have a true dormancy.

Another thing is, be careful of how much moss you mount the Dendrobiums with. Some Dendrobiums don't grow on or with moss. Some of them grow on trees that are covered with lichens instead (which means moderate to high humidity, but lower retained moisture, and distinct seasonal patterns). This may be over generalizing, so call this "training wheel advice" if you will, lichen growers are usually the ones that become deciduous.

Dendrobiums from the section Phalaenanthe are more tolerant of more arid conditions, and lean more towards being lithophytes, although, they are also epiphytes.

On the flip side, some Dendrobiums do grow on trees with moss. One example is Dendrobium cinnabarinum. This species is not a beginner's orchid, btw, I don't recommend this one unless you can truly care for it. It doesn't grow like most Dendrobiums do, but rather it grows more like the Zygopetalinae in the Huntleya clade or like Phalaenopsis appendiculata (Phal. appendiculata and Den. cinnabarinum are both from Sabah, Malaysia, but they're from different localities in the area). Just a heads up. A lot of people bomb with this species. I brought it up (with some reserve) to illustrate a point, not to tout the species as one that's good to try out on a whim.

Phal appendiculata is another cute one, but also a pain in the butt (while I touched on it briefly).

[BobInBonita]

Not an expert at all with mounting as I am experimenting with my first mounts also, so take my comments more as questions than recommendations.

If your orchids are growing on the same windowsill and are blooming and happy, their light requirements are either close or close enough not to worry about.

Moisture is potentially a different issue. Are they all currently potted in the same medium? Do you care for them equally or do you modify your watering for each? If they are all in the same medium, and you care for them equally (watering frequency and duration), then I would think mounting MIGHT be an experiment worth trying, recognizing the risks if it fails. One of my mixed mounts has a catt with a dend and so far they are doing well together (about 6 months and both are growing well).

I wholeheartedly agree with the recommendations above about avoiding birch. Not only is it a soft wood that will fall apart quickly, but its bark is rather loose and will probably flake off even before the core rots.

The general reservations I've had about mounting might apply to you and your conditions. As I am just experimenting, I might be totally off base but..... Mounted orchids require more frequent care than potted. Mounted orchids seem better suited for outdoor or greenhouse growing because of the dripping /spraying involved in watering. I've really been afraid of what happens when a multiple mount goes bad - an individual pot seems easier to isolate or deal with. When the mount eventually needs to be replaced, how the heck do you get the orchid off?

Don't mean or want to scare you, but these are questions I'm trying to answer with my own attempts, and going in with optimism and open eyes can hopefully forestall issues down the road.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Depending on the wood you use, replacing the wood is of little worry.

The wood may last a surprisingly long time.

Replacing the wood is one of the least of your worries.

Dismounting and remounting is only an issue with plants that resent disturbance. Phal. appendiculata being one of those. Other than that, the majority of orchids are okay with it. If you must pry off a bit of the wood along with the roots when having to dismount and remount, then by all means go ahead.

The only thing that really needs replacing is moss.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

After thought...

The idea that orchids on mount need more care, is not necessarily true for all orchids.

For Phals, yes, they need more attention. The problem is moisture related.

Many of the mini Pleuros on mounts, yeah, they need quite a bit more attention. Some like Lepanthes, is more like constant attention.

For certain Dens, no. I've been able to keep my attention off some of my mounted Dens for quite a while at times.

My Trichoceros sp. I have mounted, and it gets neglected often.

So it really depends on what you've got.

[girly0407]

Im a bit embarassed to admit this, but i rarely water them... i water them once every 3 weeks or so in the winter and probably once for the whole summer... what does that mean? i guess i have a very humid kitchen.. they are a few feet from the stove and the kettle and i boil something every day (tea about 3 times a day). I figured they get enough.. i try to wipe the leaves off with a wet paper towel if they look dusty and if they feel soft or look withery, i ll give them a good soak and pay some extra attention for a week.. but then i forget all about them again. (hazard with kids under 6). I think the next step is to try to identify the types they are.. i assume there is a forum for that too:P

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

For Phals and most Dendrobiums, watering less during the summer is not good.

The time of the year that Phals grow the fastest is during the summers.

Many Dendrobiums also go into full gear in the summers, only to go dormant or have water greatly reduced during the winters. There are exceptions to this though, with certain Dens so watch out.

Flip your watering regimen around and you should be better off.

I don't know how it's like where you are, you've got to mention growing environment stats (numerical values with units for as many parameters as possible) such as:

1. temperature: day, night, seasonal (F or C)
2. humidity (%)
3. lighting (best verbal description possible, lux, lumens, or footcandles)
4. air circulation (best verbal description possible/not quantifiable)

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I also recommend doing research on the country/countries of origin for the type of orchids you have in order to find out what the seasonal rains, humidity, day and night temperatures, as well as what the seasonal temperatures are like for them in the wild.

This way you have a good idea of what to do with them.

If you go the extra mile and research the region from where the orchids come from within the country of origin, you have a much clearer understanding of how to grow them.

Photos of the plants growing in the wild can help dramatically with the understanding of how to cultivate them as well. With this type of research, paying attention to minutia along with the bigger picture, as well as thinking critically, is of great help.

Should you own species or natural hybrids of Phals or Dens, it makes this job easier.

If you have man-made hybrids (which you most likely have), then you have to somehow obtain a generalized region of origin to research and generalize how they grow in the wild.

[girly0407]

well i live in canada, so our conditions change about as much as humanly possible throughout the year. its down to -30C (-22F) in the coldest part of winter and +33C (92F) in the hottest part of summer. the house is at 22C (72F) all day. The house is currently about 40% humidity, but the kitchen specifically, is probably higher. In the summer we are at about 77%-90% in the summer. We get a lot of rain and snow where we are. And as for lighting, i just dont think i can come up with a footcandle measurment, but its a north west window with little to no direct sunlight. Its dark at 5pm right now, but in the summer, its not dark til 930pm. In the summer every window and door is open all day, in the winter, not so much. I ll work on some photos... thanks for the help.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

With humidity being so high, it's likely you can get away with watering less.

At the same time, do recognize that most Phals and Dens generally grow the fastest during spring/summer and gradually tapering off their growth spurts in fall through winter.