Tolumnias Starting to Bloom

[Hawaiian Sunshine]

Originally Posted by brsucculents

Hawaiian,
For the Tolumnia you mounted, is that about an 3/4" of spaghnam moss between the plant and the wood?

Hi. The media is compressed coconut fiber that I was lucky to get from a friend. The fiber is in strips that I cut to fit. The coconut fiber retains moisture for several hours before drying out. The Tolumnias and other orchids that I hang seem to like it. Sphagnum moss would work but I found it dries out too fast. You need to mist often with Sphagnum otherwise it turns hard like a rock. I'm not sure where you can get the coconut fiber strips. I've been checking the internet but have not found a source yet. I'll post some pictures of the strips later and maybe someone on this Board can identify a place to get them. Thanks for the inquiry.

[brsucculents]

Thanks for the info Hawaiian. They nursery down the street sells something like that by the yard. It's used to line wire baskets for hanging plants.

[Hawaiian Sunshine]

Here is a photo of the coconut fiber strips that I am using. The strips are about 13 inches long, 2 inches wide and 1/4-inch thick. It looks like the fibers are sewn to hold them together. I have been cutting these to size with a scissors and using them on most of my mounted plants. If anyone on this Board knows where they sell these strips, let us know. Like I've mentioned, I've yet to find these on the internet. Also posted below are more photos of how the Tolumnias are mounted. I make all my mounts using redwood laths from the hardware store. The hangars are no. 12 insulated copper wire.


Coconut Strips by hawaiiansunshine, on Flickr


_C0A7498.jpg by hawaiiansunshine, on Flickr


_C0A7499.jpg by hawaiiansunshine, on Flickr

[brsucculents]

Your equitants seem to love you set up. Really impressive roots! I am jealous.
The coco fiber stuff is a great idea! That's given me a lot of ideas for mounting other plants too.
Try googling: coco fiber roll liner. I'm not sure about the thickness but it's very similar.

[cbuchman]

I have 2 in bloom right now. Both are mounted on hardwood with a tiny amount of sphagnum. I have a third mounted on cork but it isn't in bloom yet

The one on the right is Pink Panther and the other is Red Berry. Both were mounted last spring, so I expect the blooms to be more prolific next year as they become more firmly established. I mist at least daily and there is a lot of air movement. So they are always dry by nightfall.

[Hawaiian Sunshine]

Originally Posted by cbuchman

I have 2 in bloom right now. Both are mounted on hardwood with a tiny amount of sphagnum. I have a third mounted on cork but it isn't in bloom yet

The one on the right is Pink Panther and the other is Red Berry. Both were mounted last spring, so I expect the blooms to be more prolific next year as they become more firmly established. I mist at least daily and there is a lot of air movement. So they are always dry by nightfall.

Attachment 93692 Attachment 93693

Hi Carrie. Thank you very much for sharing. Please post a picture of your plant on the hardwood mount with sphagnum. I like to see how others mount their plants.

[Hawaiian Sunshine]

Originally Posted by brsucculents

Your equitants seem to love you set up. Really impressive roots! I am jealous.
The coco fiber stuff is a great idea! That's given me a lot of ideas for mounting other plants too.
Try googling: coco fiber roll liner. I'm not sure about the thickness but it's very similar.

Thank you for the tip on the coco fiber roll liner. I may try the liners when I run out of the coconut fiber strips that I have.

[Hawaiian Sunshine]

This cross (Tolumnia Delightful x Rodrumnia Just Dandy xx Rodrumnia Just Delightful) is really producing some outstanding flowers. This is the second plant of this cross that is in bloom. The cross was made by Gavin Yamada of Puanani Orchids. I was fortunate to pick up a couple plants of this cross not knowing what the flowers were going to look like. I'm glad that I did.


10-76 (Tolumnia Delightful x Rodrumnia Just Dandy) x Rodrumnia Just Delightful by hawaiiansunshine, on Flickr

[ron-in-norcal]

That last photo is just beautiful!

[brsucculents]

yes, it's incredible.