Staghorn Fern - Orchid Board

jowben1 · #1 12-02-2009, 09:02 PM

I purchased a Staghorn fern, about 2 months ago. It was in a small pot, and I decided to mount it. I made a "box" about 8" x 12" x 1-1/2" deep, with a face of hardware cloth(galv).I filled it with sphagnum, and placed a small pad of sphagnum under the fern. It has been wilting ever since. I have come to the conclusion, 1) it's getting too much sun(faces east, in a roofed lanai, 6' from the screening. It gets sun from about 7:30 to 9:30; or 2) it's reacting to the galvanized netting. Any advice ? Thanks, John. (Oh, and I have added some chopped up banana peels to the sphagnum in the box).

jowben1 · #2 12-03-2009, 09:13 PM

I got an email, that there was a response from Joezoe, but it is not here ???

RosieC · #3 12-04-2009, 03:57 AM

The responce may have been spam which has since been deleted.

In fact I have just double checked and Joezoe has indeed been banned for spamming.

RosieC · #4 12-04-2009, 04:01 AM

I don't believe Staghorn Fern is an Orchid and that may be why you are getting no responce.

I've moved you thread to the off-topic area. Hopefully someone will know something about it.

Baz in Oz · #5 12-04-2009, 04:43 AM

Jowben1, staghorns do not like too much water as opposed to elkhorns that seem to love it. Having said that, some elks varieties grow naturally in fairly dry areas in the dry tropics.
I once lived in a high rainfall area and wondered why I couldn't grow them (stags) and yet elkhorns grew naturally on my fruit trees.
A commercial grower explained the facts of life to me when I told him where I lived.

Baz

jowben1 · #6 12-04-2009, 11:32 AM

Thank you Baz.

SCArtNerd · #7 12-10-2009, 01:05 AM

This is my first post as a member to the boards, but I can confirm from working in the tropical green house of a local garden center, that Boz is right on about the water. Aside from this they enjoy bright indirect or bright filtered light and....Bananas. Strange but true as an occasional natural fertilizer place some very thin slices of banana underneath the base flap of the staghorn. The plants respond to them well and its allways fun to tell people that you have a fruit eating fern.

harrywitmore · #8 12-10-2009, 06:57 PM

I grow a number of these mounted. They like high humidity and like to be watered often when the temperature is high. Some like high light better than others. You didn't say which species you have. Different species like different conditions.

jowben1 · #9 12-14-2009, 08:02 PM

I mist it every morning, but it continues to wilt,(Severely). Can the 2 hours of sun,(7:30 to 9:30) through a screen on a lanai, be too much for it ???

harrywitmore · #10 12-14-2009, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jowben1

I mist it every morning, but it continues to wilt,(Severely). Can the 2 hours of sun,(7:30 to 9:30) through a screen on a lanai, be too much for it ???

I would take it and soak it for an hour or more and see if this helps. Misting is not the same as a good soaking.