Orchid Hobby tips & ideas to save money

[Junebug]

I actually miss-spoke. Only one of them is mounted. That's good though, because you can see what they looked like prior to being mounted.

I chose two potted phals as my test subjects. They never grew well when potted. They already had viable aerial roots and a few dehydrated leaves. I wasn't sure how readily they'd take to teak, so before attaching them I wrapped the handle with cut up pieces of cocohusk basket liner. The plants were attached with strips of old panty hose and then draped with Spanish Moss to bump up the humidity. No need to drill a hanger hole because it was already there. Both plants began transitioning just before winter. This wasn't ideal timing, but they needed help fast. They lost some leaves and looked sad for a while. As the weather warmed they began to recover. Today I noticed that new roots have attached themselves to the teak. By next Spring they should be established enough so that I can tease out the coco fiber and remove the moss.

[Daethen]

Very nice, Junebug!!!!

[Lorraine]

I love the idea of mounting on the wooden fork & spoon. Ready made mounts whoo hoo!! Now something else to look for at the Thrift Shops!

My addition to the list of making things easier and less $$ is to hit up HD and check to see if they have any of the wire they sell bundled for drop ceilings. I scored a while back because they had a mess in the holder. Bent, loose etc. I got a handfull CHEAP. Need to get some more. I use them hang my vandas making a hook at the bottom and whatever length before the hook at the top to hang. I use the cable zips to attach the vanda. Also make my own "S" hooks and use the same for wood mounts ...after drilling the wood cut the wire long enough to put through fold up and around the other side that is the hook. Voila! I did buy a cheap pair of bolt cutters to make cutting the wire easier for me and I use that stuff all the time.

[Phal grower]

I want to keep bumping this thread because I think there's alot of good info here. I grow mainly phals so I want to keep the water out of the crowns. I've heard alot of people say they use a paper towel to soak up the extra water after they mist etc. I mist alot to bring up humidity, so when I "over do it" I use a drinking straw to blow the water out. Great for good lungs and smaller collections. My second idea is pretty simple as well. My grow area is in my basement as well as my clothes dryer. It gets cold here in the winter so I unhook my dryer tube and put a nylon stocking over the end. This catches lint and allows all that extra heat and humidity to stay in the house. Lets hear some more ideas

[Daethen]

My latest is the little plastic containers that they send tartar sauce, etc in when you order take out. They make great saucers under 1 and 2 inch pots. Also, the plastic covered wire that they use to hold toys in the packaging (usually a hundred of them for one small toy) are great for keeping spikes or growths "attached" to their stakes.

[Vanda lover]

I save plastic lids from peanut butter or mayonnaise to use either under a pot to catch drips, or upside down to set a pot on top of in a humidity tray. I have used those clear plastic salad boxes also, when I want to elevate plants closer to the lighting.

[Leafmite]

Chopsticks from take-out make great stakes to hold a plant in place while getting established after a repot. I use aluminum pie tins and plastic take out containers under my larger orchids' plastic net pots and the pots of other small house plants to catch the water. I took an old towel and wrapped it around my shelf for three of my vanillas (I try to keep it moist for the roots). Lava rock is very cheap and can be baked/boiled for reuse.
Leafmite

[The Orchid Boy]

I like using palstic cups as pots. I can get really cheap clear plastic cups and cut some holes and slots in them to make good orchid pots. This is so much cheaper than having to by "clear orchid pots." They also come in different colors and can be kind of decorative. I also use wire coat hangers, wooden bamboo skewers, and chopsticks as orchid spike supports. Old see through-ish curtains make good shadecloth for an overly sunny window. (I wish I had an overly sunny window. All of mine are overly shady.) Go to a local thrift store or Goodwill and look at things and think creatively.

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I also use those plastic net baskets that berries sometimes come in as net pots. I fill them with sphagnum moss and pot phals in them.

[thakshila smith]

Here they love to produce small gardens in a basin . It means grow more varieties in one big or smaller container. Therefor I used a older marketing basket of blue color for my garden. But in it I grew only orchids . We do not need to protect it from snow or something can grow anything in it.
I have seen in Bangkok Airport they grow anthuriums in cane baskets. Here we do not keep green houses and can use anything as a growing pot. People convert a whole coconut husk in to a container by tying it up with some rope.Even rigiform pieces painted with cement as a mounting .
Even cement or timber fence posts to mount.