new self watering clay mount thin -OR- Step Right Up and see the new mousetrap!!!
 

terraplanter - visibly follow the journey from seed to plant by terraplanter — Kickstarter

its quite pretty but i am tickled that they show a tolumnia and a Phal in their promo materials as one of it's selling points is that you can just peel the plants off of it...does not sound too good for orchid roots

Yea, I can't find a high-res image for either of the orchid pics that actually makes the roots look attached! It looks very staged from the pics. Although admittedly Kool-Logs also note that it is easy to remove/"repot" orchids from these substrates, so who knows?

Have you bought one? I'm curious, but not quite $60 curious...

same here- i did not purchase one and nor will I, i just like the idea of a "moist mount" or some thing that stays wet longer and i am always attempting to make stuff so i read when someone else has innovated...or is trying to LOL

It's a textured chia pet!

LOL! i thought the same thing!!

We had a textured chia pet in the 1990s and my dad kept it in the greenhouse! Although we couldn't really get anything to grow on it because it stayed too wet. I looked up pics and now they don't have texture anymore? They are just smooth?

I just heard a talk by Jason Fischer of Orchids Limited (San Francisco Orchid Society on Zoom) where he talks about a "JungleLlog" that he creates. Concept comes form the Japanese kokedama comcept. What Jason did was use 2 8 inch baskets, and a 5 inch terracotta pot without a hole. The clay pot goes in one of the baskets, fill in between the basket and pot with any mostly inorganic mix (he used #4, large, perlite with some chopped sphagnum), fill the other basket with the same inorganic mix, then put the two baskets together (line up the holes) and wire tog3ther, so it's sort of an 8-sided ball. Then the whole thing is wrapped in sheet moss, held in place with lots of fishing line. The clay pot is in the lower part with the opening upward, so that it can hold water and and wick it into the moss. Plants that need more water can be mounted on the lower half, those that need less on the upper part. Pretty neat.

Video of the meeting including the talk is on YouTube
If the video doesn't play, search YouTube for "SFOS June 2, 2020 Meeting" or just San Francisco Orchid Society.

Jason Fischer speaks at the SFOS June 2nd 2020 Meeting - YouTube

The video won't play for me (even on Youtube, it says that it is "The Premiere will begin shortly" but nothing ever plays?). I'm envisioning a round Kool-Log? I'm about to get some Masdies so I'm trying to figure out how to keep them moist enough...

Looks like the video is still being worked on...maybe check tomorrow. They had to do a bit of editing, we got zoom bombed. When this comes back (it will, if it doesn't I'll let the president know) do check out the talk. I think this would be perfect for Masdevallias, needing water only once a week or so, and lasting for years.

Really cool! Thanks for sharing. I'll keep an eye out for the video!

Smashing! I can’t see the video but it sounds quite brilliant!

The video was up, not working correctly, and looks like it got taken down. Will keep checking, it'll be back I'm sure and I'll post the new link.

D-I-Y kit:

Terra cotta flower pot (unglazed)
Plastic plant tray
Silicone glue

1) Run a bead of silicone glue completely around the top lip of the flower pot.

2) Invert pot and place it in the tray, pressing to ensure a good seal.

3) When silicone glue cures, fill the pot through the hole in the top and mount your plant to the outside of the pot.

Woah, that sounds perfect!!! Thanks!

I've seen some pretty cool orchids growing on the outside of olla pots. One of these days I'm gonna give it a go. Similar/same as what Ray's talking about, but I want one with a really neat shape that I can make look ancient. I did one a looong time ago with a terra cotta wine bottle chiller. And broke it when moving before the plant even had time to attach. {{sigh}}

Oooooh, yea, I've seen pics of those and they look awesome!

I looked at some of those terra cotta wine chillers, but they take up a fair amount of real estate of my little setup so I've been hesitant to try... Once I know more about whether or not I'll have a job in the fall, I might treat myself to a few of these beautiful jars from Kelley's Korner. But in the short term, the terra cotta pot solution seems easy!

Just a thought, for anyone who likes to DIY or learn: commercial/community clay shops exist, they offer classes, materials, etc, it should'nt be too hard to make your own pots, and could offer something fun or a diversion in whatever little spare time you all have :)

"olla pot" that is a new thing to me! awesome. i just googled it

i learn every day here

Do you want me to tell ya all the cool places you can niy em? :biggrin:

yes, but first tell me what 'niy' means and then remember i live in a giant sand box that rains constantly

The video of the San Francisco OS June 2 is working now. I corrected the link in my original post. The Jason Fischer's talk starts just after 45:00 (preceding that is meeting stuff) so just scroll over to that point.

Great video! If/when things start opening up again I'll have to make a trip down and visit them. I'd like to see some of the examples in person and get some ideas for my collection.

Woah, awesome, thanks so much for sharing! I have a lot of ideas now... this means I can go vertical in my happy window space! :-D

One of the things that I thought was so cool about the approach was the durability. Seems to last longer than most mounts do... and for those who can't water mounted plants every day, a way to get the same effect with a lot less maintenance.

Yep, that was a big positive to me as well. Also to be able to condense some plants into a single mount and save some room would be helpful! I have some mini phals and smaller oncidium types that would probably be a nice mix on one of these.

And now I have to make one. I need to look back here on the Board and see how long ago I mentioned I would NEVER do mounted orchids again... around November or December of last year? :rofl:

Those poor NOID Phals and Tolumnia are getting so tired of me... Perhaps I'll pick on Oncidium this time.

Nice thing about this approach, you don't have to pick just one! With the bottom being wetter than the top, you have two microclimates on one of these. And a fair amount of space.

Ok, I'm really excited about this Jungle Log idea! I've got two Masdevallias and a mini Tolumnia on order that are going to need a nice moist home! I've started a thread for resources here. Please feel free to post/add any resources that you find! Thanks! :biggrin:

I think perfect combination of plants to try out on your new Jungle Log... put the Masdies on the bottom part (which will stay damp, and also cooler from water evaporating off the surface of the clay pot) and the Tolumnia on the upper part which will stay somewhat drier.

Awesome, thanks for the info! This is my first ever attempt at mounting, so fingers crossed!!!

Probably meant "buy" since "n" and "i" are next to "b" and "u".

Either that, or something something shrubbery?

LOL... just saw this. Correctamundo! It’s why I usually don’t come here on my tiny screen cell phone.