Australian Natives grower in Sydney Australia

[EmTee]

Hi I have been growing orchids for a few years and most of my collection is Australian - docks, sarcs, dendrobiums etc but also a few exotics. I am still learning and one of the questions I want to ask is about volunteer ferns growing from the baskets: should I remove them or let them be?

Thank you for any tips.

[estación seca]

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

Some people leave ferns, and others remove them. They may get so big they crowd out the orchid.

[EmTee]

Thank you for your prompt reply, estación seca. Yes crowding would be a problem eventually...but I guess ferns and orchids can coexist otherwise.

[SouthPark]

Welcome E.T.

Please don't make me ask you to go home.

If it does turn out to compete with the orchid for space, then could remove later.

On the other hand, there's the thing about - easier to handle when small. But harder to handle (eg. get out of the pot etc) when big.

[ArronOB]

Welcome. The reason I’d not want another plant growing in an orchid pot is because its own roots will crowd the roots of the orchid, smothering them. It’s the same reason I wouldn’t leave orchid roots in broken down media - the more you can make the orchid root zone free draining and airy the better the plant will grow. Obviously, having an unknown quantity of fern roots cohabiting in the pot works against this aim.

Someone on this site once mentioned that growing orchids was primarily about growing roots - get the roots growing right and the rest will follow.

And, accepting that Southpark is right, If you are going to remove a fern, the earlier you do it the less destructive it will be.

Cheers
Arron