First Attempt at Mounting - Phal Group Mount

[shahrezsyed]

At long last, at 4AM in the morning, I finally decided to mount my two phalaenopsis orchids. One of the two phals I decided to mount was obtained from a friend and it was very desiccated and rotten when I got it. It's got a long way from blooming but it seems like it'll survive (tiny new leaf and small roots showing now. The other phal I mounted is my own and is in excellent condition with tons of roots.

I decided to go for a group mount because of aesthetic and space-saving purposes (I live in a college dorm )

Any comments on whether I screwed up or not?

[Ray]

Generally speaking, it is not wise to mount-, or pot up multiple plants together; if one gets a malady, the other will get it too. That said, I have been known to do that, too, but usually using multiple plants of a single species that I'm trying to turn into a big display.

Also, when mounting plants, I think it is better to put the roots on the mount and cover them with a thin layer of moss, rather than placing moss on the mount and then the plant on top of that. The goal is to get the plant to adhere to the mount, and while it will likely happen eventually, if there is a layer of moss under them, the roots will spend a lot of time growing throughout that, first.

[shahrezsyed]

Alright, so do you recommend re-do the mount?

[Orchid Whisperer]

I agree with Ray. You have one plant that has been I'll, it could potentially put the other plant at risk.

Yes, I would re-do the mount.

[shahrezsyed]

I remounted with the roots on the mount and a thin layer of moss on top. I'm still mounting both together because the other plant has been treated very well. It was in bad shape around 2 months ago but it's free of any pests or rot now. I also sprayed both plants with hydrogen peroxide thoroughly before mounting.