Phalaenopsis on mounts

[OzPhal]

I'm envious of you my friend! you probably dont have the same heating/cooling/humidity problems that we would have down south

I think i have actually purchased some from a guy named Nick in NQ - i'm waiting for delivery as we speak. I'm going to try something different and take them all out of their pots and mount them.

C'mon Aussies stand up and take a bow

Originally Posted by Baz in Oz

G'day OzPhal,
I'm up on the Sunshine Coast in that other State named after a queen.
While I was up in NQ, I swapped some orchids with an enthusiast living in Townsville who I met through OB.
There is a sprinkling of Aussies who are active members of OB.

Baz

[OzPhal]

When putting Phals on mounts do people often put a ball of moss under the roots or just put the roots direct on the cork and then moss over the top?

[Oscarman]

The moss is beneficial in keeping more moisture at the roots. Where I grow it would be a necessity, with some extra on top of the roots!

You could also try EpiWeb, if that is something you have available in Aussi land.

[OzPhal]

Has anybody worked with EpiWeb before? It's not something we currently have readily available here in Oz

[Gin]

Hi ,
I grow most of my Phals. mounted some are on tree fern slabs . I mount them with the roots up top down to keep water out of the crown , the roots are directly on the mount with some moss over them . here is a picture of one of them it is a species but no reason hybrids can not be done the same way . Please excuse the panty hose strips in the picture they were removed once the roots attached to the mount ..

[kinknstein]

I mounted my P amabilis on a wood mount over the weekend. It looks really good and seems to be ok so far, of course only time will tell...

[Pamela52]

Nick, Good luck with your new mount. I have seen Phals mounted before and was going to try one myself. I just started buying compots. My first was Phal Sojo John. My question to anyone with more knowledge - Are these plants too young to mount? They are near bloom size. THANKSSSSS Pam

[kinknstein]

Thanks Pamela, just mounted another Phal today, a Phal Wedding Promenade, looks great. Good luck on yours too!

[jkofferdahl]

I have perhaps 65-70 Phals in my collection, some mounted but most potted. However, I do really like the results I've gotten with the mounts. I have some on tree fern, some on cork, and one on a large piece of bamboo. All are doing exceptionally well, though the one plant I have on bamboo (a Phal. bastianii) seems to be the most vigorous plant of all of my Phals, and perhaps all of my orchids. It seems to just spew roots everywhere, grow several leaves in a year, and produce multiple spikes each blooming.

Now, that COULD be just the plant, and I have nothing solid to compare it to. However, I have 2 or 3 other bastianii, all potted, and while they are growing quite well they pale in comparison to the mounted plant.

It took me some trial and error to become proficient with the mounts, but that's probably because of my own mule-headedness. Or laziness. At any rate, I didn't water mounts often enough at first and had some setbacks and even lost a few plants. With proper hydration and humidity, though, mounting them allows the plants to grow far more closely to the natural conditions, and so should enhance the plant's natural growth.

[peeweelovesbooks]

I have a Phal. gigantea mounted on a piece of teak. it's growing well. The roots have moss on top. As a matter of fact, I just removed the string with which I attached it to the piece of teak because it already created sufficient roots to stay on the mount on its own.

As others have mentioned, you have to be vigilant about watering and moisture with mounts. Mounted chids are definitely not low-maintenance.

Good luck!