Question about mounting a bulbophyllum

[cbuchman]

Originally Posted by SaraJean

The kool log sound sounds, well, cool.
I haven't heard of those, but it definitely sounds like something to look up. Would you still sandwich the roots with moss? Do you have a picture or two you could share of your orchids on one of these? I am trying to picture what it looks like

Here are pics of my Bulb. hirundinis on a large Kool-Log. You can just make out the inflorescence in the upper left. Also check out the Kool-Log Facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/koollogs?fref=ts


There is a little moss around the roots to get it started. The Kool-log delivers constant moisture so once the roots are well attached, i suspect the moss is superfluous. Good instructions come with the Kool-Logs.

[Leafmite]

Originally Posted by Brooke

Sara Jean your lobbii type will get quite large. It will probably do better in a pot that will help you keep it as moist as it wants to be. It grows in Catt light.

Leafmite give your baileyi a lot of sun and a dry-er winter. If you grow it under the drying lights, it will need to be watered 2/3 times a week. I grow mine mounted because it is a "wanderer" and hard to contain in a pot.

Brooke

Thanks! Any help is appreciated. Andy's sent it mounted and it seemed happy enough so I left it on the treefern. It was in Cattleya light all summer (enough that aclandiae bloomed) but it did not like growing under the lights last winter and suffered a bit already this autumn so it will be in a bright, south-facing window for the winter.

[Bud]

Some of my Bulbos= I received them already mounted....but according to culture they like high humidity so I place the mount in a small bowl of water or if it is tiny I put it inside a jar with water (water not touching the roots) and when the water evaporates its time to water the mount under flowing water in the sink....

[Leafmite]

Originally Posted by Bud

Some of my Bulbos= I received them already mounted....but according to culture they like high humidity so I place the mount in a small bowl of water or if it is tiny I put it inside a jar with water (water not touching the roots) and when the water evaporates its time to water the mount under flowing water in the sink....

I have a few small bulbos in jars, too.

[My Green Pets]

SaraJean where are you growing them? Do you have a greenhouse, windowsill, etc?

They need constant moisture, so if you can't keep the mount good and damp, you might be better off with a pot.

Cbuchman I am not seeing any spikes from echinolabium either, and it got 3000 fc light all summer. It put out three new pbulbs in the spring and is putting out three more now.

[Fairorchids]

I visited a nursery with 400+ Bulbo species (in Denmark). He is growing all Bulbos in flat plastic pans, and almost all in a water retaining medium like spaghnum.

I have only seen 1 mounted Bulbo, and it gets water twice a day.

The Kool logs make sense. On treefern or corkbe prepared to water a lot

[estación seca]

Kim,when you say flat plastic pans, do you mean something like the square nursery flats with open woven bottoms meant for holding a number of smaller pots, or do you mean something like a shallow rectangular pan with no drainage for swamp growing? Or something else?

[SaraJean]

Originally Posted by CambriaWhat

SaraJean where are you growing them? Do you have a greenhouse, windowsill, etc?

They need constant moisture, so if you can't keep the mount good and damp, you might be better off with a pot.

The majority of my orchids are being grown outside in my courtyard and the humidity is usually anywhere from 60% to 85%. For my very short winters I do have two little 2'x7' greenhouses, but I am thinking that I might put my bublo's in my bright bathroom. I think I can keep the humidity and temp higher in there. I went ahead and mounted three of my new bulbo's and put two of them in clay pots (bottom filled with packing peanuts and sphagnum moss for the media). If I water my mounted ones very early in the morning, they seem to be just barely moist the next morning. I was thinking about watering these guys a little afternoon?

---------- Post added at 12:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:12 AM ----------

Originally Posted by cbuchman

Here are pics of my Bulb. hirundinis on a large Kool-Log. You can just make out the inflorescence in the upper left. Also check out the Kool-Log Facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/koollogs?fref=ts
Attachment 116240

There is a little moss around the roots to get it started. The Kool-log delivers constant moisture so once the roots are well attached, i suspect the moss is superfluous. Good instructions come with the Kool-Logs.

I am really liking the idea of those things, might have to get some more plants and try them out

Do you have problems with mineral build up on the inside of the log?

[cbuchman]

The logs do seems to turn greenish from algae both inside and out, but it hasn't been a problem and I think it enhances the look!

The kool-logs are white to start - I would prefer terracotta color. You can get beautiful terracotta jars from Kelley's Korner, but they are expensive! The kool-logs are a more reasonably priced option.

[katrina]

Heads up, SaraJean - you might want to take Brooke's advice about lobbi getting quite large...here is her plant. It got an award a few years back and as you can see...it's huge.
Bulb. lobbii 'Highjack' CCE/AOS

Please note - she mentions it's in a 10" net basket - HUGE

I think the weight of this thing might just pull itself off of a cool log. Especially if it's one of the shallow rooted bulbos.