Stag Horn Fern Question - Orchid Board

stonedragonfarms · #1 04-06-2008, 10:27 AM

Hello all...
I have a stag horn in the GH that I mostly forget about and it grows like a weed; last night I was given a giant one that is in pretty poor shape. There are new fronds developing, but the existing ones are very droopy and limp...just curious as to your thoughts on whether they will "revive" when placed in a more humid atmosphere? About ferns I know very little...I just know that his home is extremely dry (about 20% humidity), whereas the GH is usually 65-75%
Any thoughts? The fronds are still green and relatively thick, so I believe they are probably still photosynthesizing...my other stag horn usually sheds the leaves when they are no longer useful, so I am hesitant to "pretty the plant up" until I see more active new growth...
Any advice would be appreciated...at least before I commence with my new trials and errors

Thanks!
Adam

cb977 · #2 04-06-2008, 10:45 AM

Are the floppy leaves turning yellow or just not looking great? If they're yellowing, I'd remove them.
something I learned recently about my staghorn...it LOVES orchid food!

stonedragonfarms · #3 04-06-2008, 10:59 AM

Sue...they're not yellow, they are just very limp...which leads me to believe that they are simply not very hydrated. From what I know of stag horns, they don't have much uptake via their roots, mostly through the leaves... please correct me on this if I am wrong...
I know that they love fish emulsion as well...
Adam

Bird Song Farm · #4 04-06-2008, 11:16 AM

HI,
I'd leave the 'limp' leaves until they show either improvement or go down hill. Much easier to cut them off than to grow new ones. LOL

I think your GH conditions will bring it back. If not that, just your magic touch with plants should make it a specimen very quickly!

Al

Ross · #5 04-06-2008, 02:01 PM

Adam, back when I grew these in Oregon, I used to soak the whole plant in a large bucket. The basil fronds pre-much preclude any normal watering. They do have roots so misting isn't the answer. The humidity in Oregon got down to <10% all summer and did real well by soaking for 15 minutes or so. Just learn the dry weight and wet weight to determine when to water. Hope this helps. (Oh, I didn't use fertilizer on mine.)

pachitla · #6 04-06-2008, 02:27 PM

Staghorns also love bananas. I cut a whole banana in sections and place around the base. They are the only fertilizer I use on both of mine.

flhiker · #7 04-06-2008, 02:58 PM

Hi Adam, I have a couple stag horns and when they are thirsty they will droop. I think it just needs more water. And I do also put banana peels in the center (or coarse mine are outside so I don't worry about bugs). I use miracle gro and they thrive.

stonedragonfarms · #8 04-06-2008, 05:51 PM

Thanks all...i'll turn the hose on them tomorrow...the fronds are about 48" in length...so that precludes the bucket method...though the bathtub

I wonder if they might like some Mr. Bubbles...LOL

CoolPhrog · #9 04-07-2008, 07:45 PM

The first thing I did with my staghorn was to unpot it and put it in a coconut basket. I don't feed it and only water it when it hasn't rained in a while. It sits in a corner of my side yard that gets dappled light in the morning and is shaded the rest of the day. I've had mine for about two years now and it's about 5 feet around.

The only problem I have experienced the past couple of Springs are the Carolina wrens that want to nest in it!

I'm sure in a GH environment, yours will do great!