Quote:
Originally Posted by BikerDoc5968
BTW, Al, not to ask a brain-dead question, but when you grow phals, or any orchid on bark/cork, I assume you wire or tie the plant to the substrate, yes? Since I am only "pot-bound", I don't know about this stuff and your phals look so healthy and I'd bet you don't have a problem with crown rot as us pot guys do! And watering??? over a sink if you aren't in a GH?
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Hi BikerDoc.
So far I've only used cork and that was after a lot of stressing over humidity. I finally gave in and tried it and low and behold, I found the moss really increases the humidty. This winter, with the heat on a lot, I had to water twice a day.
I use a Dremel and make 4 or 5 holes in the cork about an 1 1/2 apart, where I want the plant to end up. Then, using 20# nylon fising line and a darning and sometimes a long uphoulsters(sp) needle I "sew" a little moss onto the bark (trying to get some (moss) in a depression if possible). Then I place the plant on, add some more moss and continue sewing, using a basting stitch and being extra careful not to pierce a root. The nylon line doesn't show this way. I find the plant only needs a couple of "wraps" with the line to adhere it in place until the roots take over. If the plant seems a bit loose I use a floral pin to hold it in place.
Yes, I take the plants to the sink to water. If you look closely in a couple of the pictures you'll see a brass cup hook in the bottom and/or the top of the cork. I hang the pieces in my living room window that receives southeast to southwest sun and has a sheer curtain. The plants hang about a foot back from the glass. It's a bay window.
I've also come up with away to use a pot and hang it at a 45 degree angle. I'll post a picture tomorrow.
No problem with crown rot and I think they look very natural this way.
Hope this helps, Oh, I also sew a bit of moss to the back of the bark as I'm going along to cover the nylon thread and the drilled holes.
Al
Hopefully at least one more of mine will bloom in the near future. So I can totally understand how you must feel. Congrats! 
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