Water wicking material sugestion needed
 

I'm thinking about ways to keep a wood mount permanently damp. I'm tempted to put on its backside a layer of a water wicking material to absorb water from a small container under the mount (with its lower part submerged in it). The idea is the wood to absorb water from this material.

What kind of material do you think woud work? Preferably a neutral and not easily degradable.

Violet wicking cord
Hygrolon
Sponge

I think that these materials will absorb and retain some of the salts in the wicking process

What about your pond filter material? I saw how you mounted that in the root porn thread.

that does not wick as far as i know.

other than by just water tension and that would only be maybe a mm or two

it is just useful for me in my humid environment as it wont breakdown and lets air and water sit together... i have to spray it or it is dry

From the three, the best for me is the wicking chord because:
1- Cheap and easy to find (although degradable)
2 - Need to be ordered and is expensive
3 - I believe sponge does not have wicking properties.

Why don't you set the mount (if enough between plant and base of mount) in a pot filled with sphagnum? I've seen some photos of mounts kept like that, and if the sphag is kept wet the mount will take up moisture.

That's something I have tought about but with the base of the mount submerged in the water. But that might be another solution.

if you put a kitchen sponge in 1" of water it will fill up to the top, several inches out of the water....not sure if that is wicking or just absorbing

I friend of mine, who travels a lot (or did before COVID) and has a bunch of Phals, had success using thick shoe laces (the sort that are used for sport shoes) as a wick.

There are a few Youtubers who use microfibre as a wicking tool.

Ive included a link to one channel where she uses the head of a mircofibre mop.
Im sure Ive seen where this mircofibre can be purchased in a roll.....Amazon maybe?

SEMI HYDRO & MICRO FIBER - HOW TO COMBO - #GloriaStellaArita - YouTube

Another YouTube channel The Orchid Room, uses Orimerc, this is a wicking cotton especially for self watering pots. I dont know if this is available anywhere other than the UK.