Spanish Moss Cover

[SteveM]

Hi All,

I have been using Spanish moss as a cover to retain moisture because I have my orchids outside under my deck cover. Media is fir bark, sphagnum moss in different ratios and perlite. I thought the Spanish moss cover would help keep the moisture in with the temperatures now reaching into the low to mid 90's. Read some favoring and not so favoring articles on this.

Phals did not like it. After about 2 weeks with it on I took it off to look at roots and saw roots were starting to rot away right under the cover. I do not water them much. Every 5 days. They are in 4 or 5 inch pots and good for their sizes. Cats did not like it either same thing some minor root rot in air roots. Except for the Cat which had 1 root after repotting seedling and it has sprung about 7 root nubs and one new growth in that time I was thinking that I was going to loose this guy but was excited to see this new growth.

Seidenanda loves it. Roots are going crazy in 2 inch pot (Seedling) looks like roots from Jurassic park. Not sure if this guy will be able to be kept in a pot. Roots are really trying to poke up in air. Took moss cover off briefly to let to dry but I think I may put it back on. My Aliceia I haven't checked under it yet but seems to be doing great. New sheaths are growing and the markings on the leaves that I posted last time has not gotten any worse so I think it was just wind or shipping damage but not anything to be concerned about.

Anyone has any experience with using Spanish moss as a decorative/ moisture retentive cover. I do think that I may run into problems with drying out with the temps in the 90's if I dont use something, or I may have to change the way I water, Right now I am submerging and letting it dry out with a few exceptions. The Seidenanda and Aliceia I do not let go completely dry. I may just water lightly each day for the ones that don't like the Spanish moss.

Just crazy how some things like somethings and other hate it and love something else.

Anyone have any suggestions on how they water their phals and catts outside with temps in upper 80s 90's. All advice is appreciated.

[estación seca]

Do you mean Aliceara?

Where do you live? What is the humidity like? At those temperatures I wouldn't let Catts, Phals nor Oncidium intergenerics get completely dry.

I've heard Robert Fuchs of RF Orchids say Seidenfadenia, a parent of your hybrid, is nearly impossible to grow in a pot. It requires free root run.

[Keysguy]

I didn't catch if you mentioned where you are located but I can tell you my experience in the Florida Keys.

I started draping it on my vandacious plants that are under daily misters in my shade house. Not so much for moisture/humidity retention as it's plenty humid in the Keys most of the year but because I live on the ocean and I had read an article somewhere that there was some evidence that it provided some level of ability to keep some of the salt in the humid air off of the orchids.

Don't ask me if it's true because I have never figured out a test but I'm not doing it as much now because it grows so fast I end up chucking a ton of it away every year.

As far as retaining moisture on your orchids it's going to depend on other factors like wind but I can see where it would help hold "humidity" immediately around them.

[SteveM]

Thank you all.

I live in W TN. About 80ish percent humidity in the early morning and around 40 percent plus or minus during the heat of the day. We do get spells with 70ish percent during the day. It can get pretty humid but nothing like Florida. Im wondering if the moss is growing in the pot. Was saying to myself can't believe I added this much. I may just put alter my watering and keep a good eye out.

Thanks

[Keysguy]

Gottcha. Didn't picture it initially just laying on top of the pot so thank you for that detail.

My only thought at this time is with it laying on the top of you media encircling the main bulbs of the plants (am I understanding this correctly?), if your relative outdoor humidity is dropping over the course of the day, I bet the moss is sucking off just as much moisture as the air and maybe more.

Bottom line there is I don't think it's helping you and may actually be working against you. Maybe you should try an experiment with one or two and add a little more sphagnum to the media mix, water a SLIGHT bit more frequently and take the Spanish moss off of those.

Just a suggestion.

[RJSquirrel]

Live Spanish Moss for Sale

I like moss.

[Keysguy]

It has its merits but honestly I think the best use I've found for it for me is to grow it to use as a decorative touch on the exhibits at our show.

[Diane56Victor]

I have Spanish Moss hung up on a side rail on the windy side of my shelving. I feel it helps to shelter the orchids from both drying winds in the Summer and extreme winds, like last night, during the winter.
I water different orchids on different schedules so the moss gets watered just about every time and it grows well.

[estación seca]

Spanish moss is a winter annual here.

[Roberta]

Grows quite well at my house. Used it mostly to cover up "uglies" at shows. Now that I'm not doing those, starting to get out of hand. I am sure nothing like what it would do in south Florida, but still respectable.