Will this mount work?
 

Will this mount work for this Ctna?
Attachment 148013

Certainly, but in my opinion, it looks a bit small. You're going to want it to go many years without needing to upgrade to a bigger one.

If you're used to growing on mounts, I don't see why not. If you're not, the question is can you provide what it needs to grow on a mount, not whether it will grow on a mount.

Thanks all! Yeah, I guess my feeling is that it’s a tad small and wanted to reinforce that thinking. I really want to divid the plant and mount half/pot half to see which does better (has 2 growth points at either end). I haven’t grown on mounts before but I’m willing to give it a shot. I grow in a tent with around 80% rh and either water or mist daily, so think I could maybe pull it off. I’m guessing it would also be advisable to oven sterilize the wood? It’s drift from our local river. Likely coniferous.

If you have 80% humidity AND you ALWAYS do daily watering or misting, you shouldn't have a problem. Ray or someone can answer the sterilizing question. I'm known for not being too cautious in that regard.

IDK... soak in bleach then dechlorinate? Physan?

I wouldn't worry about sterilizing the wood, if it has not had orchids on it before.

If from a local river, I would consider soaking it in clean water for 24 hrs, letting it dry, and then repeat the process once more. That should get rid of most contaminants.

My method of preparing my wood for mounts is to make a pile where it can get rained on and then dry and allow that to happen 5-100 times. Then I give it a look over before use


For salt wood (ocean) I would do a soak for a few days to leech out any salts (I have also used wood from the beach and just rinsed it a few times and that also works, they are tough plants lol)

I’d be more concerned if you are growing inside and bringing in bug and such

Thanks for the advice, all! I guess I was mainly concerned with molds and bugs. Prolly give a soak and dry. :dance:

The plant is already quite dessicated. It's not time to mount nor repot unless it's making new roots this instant.

It's not easy maintaining mounts unless you have either (lots of rain and good temperatures all year) or (an automatic spray system and high humidity) or (you are willing to water twice a day and you have high humidity.)

Yeah, it’s a rehab that is currently regrowing all it’s roots. I knocked it over the other day and it came out of the pot so I figured I’d revisit the idea of dividing and mounting half potting half. I grow in a tent with around 80% rh and water/mist every day so think I can pull off a mount though it does seem like a pita. I read these do better mounted and think that’s what drove the idea. Honestly, it’s kind of been a struggle with this plant so not worried about gambling with it to see if something other than what I’m doing works better.