Mounting in Miami (Part 4)

[JC Espinosa]

Part 4

[vjo]

OK...so tell us a little about these! How long have the oldest ones been mounted on these trees? Do you water or let mother nature do that for you? Looks like you have a lot of different varieties, what are they?....Jean

[tucker85]

They all look great! Good job.

[RosieC]

Looking great.

[DocRN]

what happens when the rare frost occurs?

[JC Espinosa]

Originally Posted by vjo

OK...so tell us a little about these! How long have the oldest ones been mounted on these trees? Do you water or let mother nature do that for you? Looks like you have a lot of different varieties, what are they?....Jean

Hi Jean,

I have 184 orchids mounted on something, species, hybrids and NOIDs. I have the following genera: Brassias, Brassavolas, Bulbophyllums, Cattleyas, Cirrhopetalums, Cycnoches, Dendrobiums, Encyclias, Ionopsis, Maxilarias, Oncidiums, Pleurothallis, Prosthechea, Psychillis, and Trichocentrum. Lots of hybrids and NOIDs.

I recently started moving from pots to mounts. I started to experiment with NOIDs on trees some years before, but stuck to pots. About 1/2 my collection is now mounted on trees, sticks, broken pots and a ceramic water garden container where I keep a lonely Betta. Roots grow quickly in the hot, humid South Florida weather.

The pictures:
1. Dendorbium aggregatum, 6 months
2. De. NOID, 5 years on Live Oak
3. Brassavola on Fire Bush (Hamelia patens) a Tillandsia below.
4. Den. aggregatum 'majus', 6 months
5. Den. anosmum, on Live Oak, 7 months
6. Encyclia on freshwater driftwood, 4 months
7. Den. NOID on palm, 4 years
8. Phalenopsis on Live Oak, 5 years
9. Den. anosmum on Live Oak, 7 months
10. Schomburgkia on driftwood surreounded by bromeliads.

I have posted another 30 pictures on OB in the last week or so.

JC in Miami

---------- Post added at 07:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:53 PM ----------

Originally Posted by DocRN

what happens when the rare frost occurs?

Frost IS rare, but it happens. The winter of 2010 was pretty cold (for Miami). I bring in some of my more sensitive plants when nights get minus chilly. When it gets really cold, I bring in more of them. Of course, there are those that like a cold blast or two.

I close off the shade area and I water everything deeply, including the orchids up in the trees. I remember watching TV and seeing farmers spraying water on their citrus and vegetables when frost was forecast.

There is just so much you can do.

But like I said, it's rare.

JC in Miami