An Amatures guide to Epiweb

[Magnus A]

Hi

I have seen that alot of peaple have problem with Epiweb so I decided to write this "guide".

I grow on Epiweb in high humidity, above 70 % RH.
Epiweb do not absorb water! Very important to remember! When soaked, droplets of water stay in the voids of the material and slowly eveporates. If lightly sprayed, the water stay on the outside or penetrate very poorly. Therefore I try to soak the slabs by "dipping" everything in a bucket of water ones a week.

What will happend? The water droplets is spread throughout the slab. This mean that the relative humidity will be higher inside the slab than outside when the water evaporates. I sometimes lower the humidity in the orchidarium to below 60 %. This give the roots a reason to shoot inte the Epiweb were the humidity is much higher!

Look at the pictures below for my results!











I will be happy to answear any questions!

/Magnus

[Magnus A]

Pictures from top

Sophronitis
Sophronitis
Cattleya
Cattleya
Angraecum
Angraecum back of slab
Dockrilla
Bulbophyllum back of slab
Cattleya

[LauraN]

Your roots look very happy. I am anxious to try epiweb a it looks like a much better alternative!
Thanks for sharing your experience.

[cb977]

Thanks for taking the time to put that together Magnus

I love using Epiweb for some of my mounts and I also use the cubes for stabilizing a small plant in a basket.

It's great stuff

[ladyslipper]

Originally Posted by Magnus A

Hi

I have seen that alot of peaple have problem with Epiweb so I decided to write this "guide".

I grow on Epiweb in high humidity, above 70 % RH.
Epiweb do not absorb water! Very important to remember! When soaked, droplets of water stay in the voids of the material and slowly eveporates. If lightly sprayed, the water stay on the outside or penetrate very poorly. Therefore I try to soak the slabs by "dipping" everything in a bucket of water ones a week.

What will happend? The water droplets is spread throughout the slab. This mean that the relative humidity will be higher inside the slab than outside when the water evaporates. I sometimes lower the humidity in the orchidarium to below 60 %. This give the roots a reason to shoot inte the Epiweb were the humidity is much higher!

I will be happy to answear any questions!

/Magnus

Hi Magnus, I have heard about epiweb, but haven't actually seen it so its a good think I happened on this posting. One question (more of a confirmation) is I have started to have the occasional mountie and would like to know if you can essentially use epiweb to tie the plant to the the slab? My hands are not that good that I can wind twine and so on around a plant and slab without killing or seriously hurting the plant. I had thought I would put a bit of sphagnum moss next to the plant then the epiweb on top & secure from the back.

Possible? thanks, mary

[Ocelaris]

Have you ever mounted vandaceous species with Epiweb? IT looks like an ideal medium, especially to keep the vandas roots from growing out of control. I know they're just looking for something to grab on to, but hard to find something which is suitable. I'm just concerned about some of the vanda roots which are about 1-1.5cm thick sometimes...

[Magnus A]

Ocelaris: I do not grow Vandas or their relatives. But I have seen an Renanthera bella shooting a root straight through a Epiweb slab and one of Swedens "Vanda-fanatics" write that he use epiweb in baskets to grow Renanthera´s. I think that the important thing is to anchor the plant! If there is movement when the root is on the surface the growth will stop. The root tip is so sensitive that the "hits" from the surface will damage it.

ladyslipper: I use several methods to ankor the plants on Epiweb. The most common is with a needle and thread. Make an loop that you put the rizome in and tighten it lightly with a knot on the backside to secure it. If you use a thick thread the friction through the Epiweb can be enough to secure the plant. Another whay is to use small wood stick that is pushed into the Epiweb and a third way is to cut a hole and push the roots in and secure them with a small piece of Epiweb. Both these methods is described with pictures on this webpage

/Magnus

[Magnus A]

I forgot a fourth way I use. Just tie or glue the korkslab your orchids are mounted on to a Epiweb slab. The roots will happily grow into the epiweb! It can be seen on the fifth picture above, the Angraecum.

[LionEve]

I'm a bit worried how to remove that web ever from the roots? Won't they get hurt? I thought having cotton net with 10x10mm holes.Some moss an orchid soil into it and then hanging it onto vivarium back wall. Is this completely stupid idea?

[Magnus A]

LionEve: You do not get the root out of Epiweb! You take the hole slab and mount it on a new bigger slab. If you want to divide a plant on Epiweb just cut the slab in two parts. This is perfectly alright due to the fact that Epiweb DO NOT DEGRADE! Everyone seems to compare it with treefern on every aspect but treefern degrade, Epiweb does not.

About the cotton net with orchid soil, remember that cotton degrade VERY fast in moist warm condition and you probably get mold problem. Try to find some plastic net instead. This will work but you come to the problem with degrading media. You plant orchids in orchid soil in baskets and pots so why not in nets.

(LionEve sorry if I sound rude it is not my intention, not so easy to write in english)

/Magnus