What should the sphangum moss feel like before watering?

[UsagiGreenPaw]

I just got this tiny baby cleisocentron gokusingii mounted on some cork bark.
I really like the way it looks so I'm just going to learn to care for a mounted orchid.

What should the sphagnum moss feel like before I water it? Can I gently push on it with my finger and go by how wet it feels? I'm under the impression some mounted orchids need water every day, which is fine.

Also, I've seen some put the cork in water and let the board soak, and some people spray the moss?
Is either choice better for a person who has never cared for a mounted orchid before? How saturated should i let it get before I let it dry again

Im a little terrified of trying to grow this one. The care info online was scarce!

[Roberta]

Unless your humidity is VERY high, this plant will dry a few hours after even the most thorough soaking. So it should be watered daily, maybe even more in summer if the moss feels crispy. (Very dry, crispy sphagnum takes a bit of soaking to re-wet. If you can water when it is still slightly damp, it will be easier to deal with)

[DeaC]

I also have this plant. Purchased it from Marni Turkel,a grower in California,who spoke at our mtg about 2 yrs ago. It's in a 1" plastic pot with small bark and probably a bit of perlite. I've not touched it since.It sits at edge of growlights near a humidifier in winter and stays about 66 deg. A VERY slow grower for me but a new leaf and root has developed. She had a pix of one displaying pale blue flowers and it was a new genera for me so we'll see. Good luck with yours and post fotos of these great blooms.

[Roberta]

I think this grows slowly for everyone. It stays quite compact, and also can produce basal keikis as it matures. So it doesn't get rangy. The flowers are truly slate blue (with purple lip) - well worth waiting for. A unique color. I have one that I have been nurturing for about 9 years, and it still isn't very big, but it blooms 2-3 times per year.

[UsagiGreenPaw]

A slow grower?
Orchids, are turning out to be such a good lesson on patience for me.

I dont have incredibly high humidity. It's currently around 48-52%. I can get it up to 60% easily.
I will try spraying the moss to wet but not sopping when the moss gets just dry but before it's crunchy and dusty dry. I think that would lead to the innermost part getting rewatered just before it dries out

Thank you both for the words of encouragement and bit of insight. I dont feel confident in caring for this one at all, so, here's to hoping I'll get flowers in the next couple of years!

---------- Post added at 03:07 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:38 AM ----------

Originally Posted by DeaC

I also have this plant. Purchased it from Marni Turkel,a grower in California,who spoke at our mtg about 2 yrs ago. It's in a 1" plastic pot with small bark and probably a bit of perlite. I've not touched it since.It sits at edge of growlights near a humidifier in winter and stays about 66 deg. A VERY slow grower for me but a new leaf and root has developed. She had a pix of one displaying pale blue flowers and it was a new genera for me so we'll see. Good luck with yours and post fotos of these great blooms.

Oh, I forgot to ask. Yours is sitting on the edge of growlights? Have you tried putting it closer to the middle for more direct light? Just curious what happened if you have.

[Roberta]

I have found that this species grows somewhat shady (not intuitive from those terete leaves) I grow it cooler and drier than what might be ideal (like outside in coastal southern California, it gets what it gets) but I rescued one from a friend who toasted his being misled by the terete leaves. Andy grows them in a pretty shady area in a sheltered but unheated shade house (I do have the advantage of being able to visit the nursery and see where things are actually grown) They tolerate but don't require cold, but are really quite durable.

[bethmarie]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Andy grows them in a pretty shady area in a sheltered but unheated shade house (I do have the advantage of being able to visit the nursery and see where things are actually grown)

Oh, am I jealous!

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by bethmarie

Oh, am I jealous!

But that proximity is REALLY dangerous to my bank account