Potting aerangis like neofinetia?
 

Will the neofinetia way of potting work well for other orchids as well? That's the question.

I've got an Aerangis Modesta that did not like being mounted. I'm not sure why. It was staying on the same mount as a fairly happy Aerangis Elro, but for some reason the roots all dried up and died. Maybe the Modesta likes more humidity than the Elro.

Now I've managed to get some roots back again and I'm not sure what to do with it. I could of course pot it in a mix of some kind. And I could also try to mount it again, separately, with a bit more moss than previously.

However, I'm considering potting it like a neofinetia. High in the pot on a ball of fresh spag moss. I would make a hollow structure, with plastic mesh covered in a layer of moss rather than a compact ball.

I'm considering doing the same with an Ascocentrum ampullaceum that has not been very happy potted or bare-root up to now.

Have anybody tried this before? Did it work?

Should be ok, I grow a lot of orchids potted in Neo Zeeland Sphagnum Moos like Neofinetia, in net pot with a small net pot inside (like slotted pot).

mounted in plastic

You must to replace sphagnum moss every year, after one or two years is toxic for roots.

A modesta
 

Hello Silje, I have a very healthy modesta in an empty teak basket - no potting mix at all. I hang it vertically & the roots are all over & through the slats. It needs quite a bit of attention as regards watering, being generously misted twice daily. It produces such a lot of roots that a medium sized basket was necessary. I find sphagnum to be a nuisance in the long term, but I can't see why the neofinetia potting style would not work, especially if you had a hollow core instead of the usual solid ball. I would not have called this species "Modest" at all, it really is beautiful in full bloom. Such long spikes, & the plant itself is very attractive anyway. Just my opinion. I make sure that all my mounted plants, & those in baskets get a really good washing with plain water every month. That way I hope to prevent any salt or other toxic build up. A gentle but thorough shower does the trick.