Orchid Mount - My 2nd Attempt

[blackvine]

So, here is my 2nd attempt at mounting an orchid. (You don't want to see my first!) It's a NoID phal I got for $5 from a lady getting rid of all her orchids, so I won't feel awful if it dies

What do you think? Anything I should have done differently? That's sheet moss woven in the roots. (I really hat sphag.) Some roots are under the moss. Is that OK? Anyway, let me know! And THANKS!!

[orchidsarefun]

thats a really nice job.
The only thing I would do differently, and I don't know the origins of your NOID, is to ensure that the phal used would have roots that will ultimately attach themselves to the base/media. If you don't do this, then new roots will eventually "hang".

I suppose you could keep binding the roots up.....

Some phal species freely attach. I currently have 2 lueddemannianas, a parishii and a manii that have root-attached. Others don't - like wilsonii, taenalis, speciosa. Violacea might, roots look like they would, but I haven't tried it.

[blackvine]

Oh, I thought all phals attach! Don't they all grow on trees? Hmm . . . I will have to wait and see if this one attaches! Thanks for that info, Orchidsarefun - very helpful!

[tucker85]

Originally Posted by orchidsarefun

thats a really nice job.
The only thing I would do differently, and I don't know the origins of your NOID, is to ensure that the phal used would have roots that will ultimately attach themselves to the base/media. If you don't do this, then new roots will eventually "hang".

I suppose you could keep binding the roots up.....

Some phal species freely attach. I currently have 2 lueddemannianas, a parishii and a manii that have root-attached. Others don't - like wilsonii, taenalis, speciosa. Violacea might, roots look like they would, but I haven't tried it.

Interesting. I wasn't aware that some phals won't attach to mounts. I would assume that they can still be grown mounted by just watering aerial roots.

[orchidsarefun]

if anyone is really interested in mounting phals, then its advisable to go to a orchid nursery to see what they have and which are doing well.

[Vanda lover]

As long as the roots are kept moist they will do fine. I one did an orchid tree, but I found it that it was too much trouble to care for inside the house. I had to put the whole thing in a shower.

[blackvine]

OMG - the whole tree in the shower?? Vanda, that sounds funny, but . . . not if you're the one doing it! I think I would've thrown it out the window after it's second shower!

[nlm2951]

that's a beautiful mount.I'm starting to mount many orchids, looking for woods, I'm trying to mount phals, not to much luck, I got one from a seller , he mounted it one new phal for me and it got black rot, don't know why. Feel like going back and tell him I think I do a better job than him.

[Vanda lover]

Originally Posted by blackvine

OMG - the whole tree in the shower?? Vanda, that sounds funny, but . . . not if you're the one doing it! I think I would've thrown it out the window after it's second shower!

It was kind of a pain in the butt. It was pretty though, especially when some of the orchids bloomed.

[blackvine]

NLM, thank you for the compliment!

I would definitely take your mounted chid back. It's one thing when we kill orchids ourselves . . . quite another when the seller does it for us!