Mounting Oncidium Ornithorhynchum

[alexander_TG]

I have this Oncidium Ornithorhynchum and I think that i would like it mounted. Does anyone know if this particular orchid would do well like that? and if so what type of mount would be best? I do not currently have any mounted orchids. Is there anything different about watering or care for orchids like this?

[Salixx]

I agree in that it would probably like to be mounted, if you can meet it's other requirements. I am a big proponent of mounting epiphytic orchids in general as I feel they do best that way.

There's a catch though.

Mounted orchids, outside tropical and semi-tropical areas (and even then, not always), are not for the forgetful waterer or really those that don't have time to devote to monitoring a plant daily. This is especially true for plants, like Oncidiums, that like to stay moist all the time.

However, mounts are really quite spectacular if you like to do "something" with your plants all the time... think the chronic over-waterer. A few orchids aside, it is nearly impossible to over-water a mounted plant.

Now, you can really mount on a variety of things. For this plant, since it likes to stay moist, I would recommend Kool-Logs or - Terracotta Mounting Jars #. Sometimes you can get lucky and find unglazed pottery at craft stores and such, and that would work as well. Unglazed clay containers filled with water weep and keep the outer surface moist. That is, anyway, until the water is gone. I need to fill my Kool-logs daily to every other day, depending on the size, how warm it is and how much humidity there is.

You could probably also use regularly mounting media, like cork bark, driftwood or other types of wood. Make sure you use a pad of moss to help keep moisture and be prepared to water everyday, even multiple times per day if necessary.

[bil]

I'm a great one for mounts, and if it can be mounted, I do. Normally I use branch mounts, and give the plant enough moss that I only need to water once a day. Mind you, some of them have damn all moss, and they still only get once a day watering.

[alexander_TG]

Originally Posted by bil

I'm a great one for mounts, and if it can be mounted, I do. Normally I use branch mounts, and give the plant enough moss that I only need to water once a day. Mind you, some of them have damn all moss, and they still only get once a day watering.

When you water do you just spray the root area or submerge the whole mount?

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[bil]

Originally Posted by alexander_TG

When you water do you just spray the root area or submerge the whole mount?

I have a 5 litre spray, I load it with Ray's K Lite at about 25ppm N and spray the moss and roots vigorously. I just spray on average 25 seconds per mount.

What I do is I mentally divide the mounts up into small groups, spray them all, and then go around a second time.

I do that because dry moss can be hard to wet, and the second dose ensures that they have been wetted 100%.

In the summer when it is hot and dry, all the mounts get once a day regardless. In winter, not always. I feel the mounts that morning, and if the big boys' moss still feels soft I skip them that day and just water the smalls, which have very little moss.

I only water in the mornings, or if pushed, early afternoon. TBH I would rather skip a day than water too late in the day..

Oh yeah, I suddenly realised that when watering mounts, I am a lot less careless than when watering pots where I can be very careful not to wet the leaf folds and crevices which are a risk for rot. It's pretty hard when they are all hanging there packed quite close not to hit one when you are watering its neighbour. However, I haven't noticed any suffering from this, so what the heck.

I deduce that the link between wetting crowns and foliage and rot is a lot more complex than people think.

[MattWoelfsen]

I have this plant. Acquired it four years ago. It came mounted and it blooms regularly. It gets a lot of water during the growing season where it lives outside.

It is now in its winter home where it gets misted/watered every other day.

[estación seca]

As Salixx mentioned, mounted plants need water every day. They will suffer if you forget for a few days, and might be badly damaged if not watered for a week. This particular plant, in comparison to many other orchids, does worse, if it dries out. It is also a spider mite magnet in warm, dry air, like a centrally-heated house in the winter.

When you water you need to get the moss wet, not just damp. Spraying works if you don't mind runoff. Otherwise you can carry it to a sink, douse it and let it drain.

If you have just one mounted plant, you can keep a covered bucket of water with a little fertilizer near the plant. Every day, dunk it in the bucket until soaked, and let it drain.