Advice? Psychopsis w maidenhair invasion

[Kim in CT]

I've posted before about my (one and only) psychopsis and now I have a new question.

When I repotted to S/H last year I tried to minimize root disturbance as much as possible, so it still contains a bit of the previous bark. Along with the bark came a "funky weed" sprout and I just let it grow. Well, over the past few months it has EXPLODED into a gorgeous maidenhair fern, now overtaking the psychopsis.



What would you do? Try to separate them, or let them be? I've struggled in the past to keep maidenhair ferns alive, but it is happily thriving in S/H. Who knew?

Also perhaps of interest to newer growers, I moved this plant from my classroom to my home for the summer break. When I placed it in my (cool, shaded) car it had two blooms, one bud, and a new flower stalk forming. Two hours later it was a hot, sunny car and the blooms, bud, and stalk were all lost within a week's time. But today... it has a healthy 4th flower spike forming, and all 3 of the previous flower stalks have branched and look like they are going to be just fine. I've posted some pictures of what this looks like.




Interestingly, one of the stalks looks green at the branch AND at the original tip. Might I get two blooms on one spike?

Let me know how you advise regarding The Marvelous Miss Maidenhair. Thanks!

[Dimples]

Unfortunately, I can’t help you but thanks to you I now know how I’ll be growing a MHF!! Always wanted one but didn’t want to deal with their drama. Thanks!

[rbarata]

You can carefully apply herbicide on some of the invader's leaves. After that, don't water for a few days.

[Roberta]

When I get "volunteer" ferns in the orchids, if I want to remove them, I grasp them at the base, and gently tug (holding the orchid in place so it isn't uprooted) The fern roots are aggressive but they typically come lose pretty easily, don't really get tangled up with the orchid. Gently and slowly are the key words here... you can "tease" the fern out of the way without disrupting the orchid.

That Psychopsis looks great!

[Louis_W]

You can totally get two blooms on one spike! In my experience one is half sized but perhaps that's a me problem...

I might try to keep the fern trimmed back untill a good repot time. Then when you repot you can do your best to separate the two and repot both back to seperate SH pots. Perhaps you can finally end up with a nice maidenhair too!

[estación seca]

I just wanted to see the maidenhair fern. Adiantum capillis-veneris is native to lots of places, including Arizona. I've seen them in Bright Angel Canyon near waterfalls. I have one I've forgotten to water multiple times. It loses all its leaves but has come back, though weaker, each time. I can't find any detailed information on growing them, just useless generalities. ("Pot in soil mix. Keep moist. Fertilizer is beneficial.")

[Ray]

You’re going to need to unpot that plant, separate whatever fern you want to keep, then carefully remove ALL of the fern roots from the orchid’s roots.

Repot in fresh media.

Ferns are extremely invasive, their spores will easily germinate in orchid pots, especially S/H, and will choke orchids to death by suffocating and killing the roots. I have some leather-leaf ferns in my plants courtesy of some in my yard, a good 30 feet away.

[rbarata]

In my experience trying to remove the ferns from the medium has proven ineffective. They always come again. But they only become a problem if you spend more than two years without repotting.

[Roberta]

I guess I don't worry about the ferns coming back... just pull them out again when they get annoying. They don't seem to hurt anything... If they start dying, then I realize I need to water more, they are "indicator plants". And your Psychopsis is doing great with its "companion", I'd just try to reduce it in size so that you can see the Psychopsis and not worry abut eradication.

[Kim in CT]

Oh I LOVE the maidenhair fern and want to keep it. I've got another one in soil and it has been a royal pain to maintain, the slightest bit of dryness turns it to a crispy pot of death. The "volunteer" fern looks 100x better.