Week 2: Finally Decided

[articuno75]

The Encyclia had a yellow leaf and it came off. I've decided that I'm going to mount it. It will be my first mount and I'm excited! I got to find something to mount it onto and as soon as I do I will post pics.

[jerrymeola]

The Encyclia came out of a plug tray, while they were blooming in the tray,
re-potting will make the plant seem to do nothing for a while. The Den Cathy Beck will be the same.

Also the largest bulb is full grown (on all the plants I shipped). It will not get any bigger. You will not see new growth until late summer or fall. For those up north this would be growing season but these have been in Hawaii and Florida and growing for the last three months.

Hopefully, some will flower this spring. Members living in cooler areas have a better chance by putting them outside when the temperatures get over 40 at night. In Florida they bloom in April May, but up north they can be a month or two later.

Encyclia have only two leaves so anything growing out the center is a flower spike.

[PhalPal]

Jenny I put my Encyclia in a coconut pot, sort of half potted and half mounted. It fit perfect and looks really cute. Go for the mount!

[articuno75]

I'm still waiting on Jerry's arrival for the mount, and it should be here today, but in the meantime,,,how do I do this?! Do I mount at the bottom with the oldest bulbs facing down, so it can grow upwards? Or vice versa? Do I stick it in the middle? Newbie mounter here and I feel so embarrased. I really have no clue.

I've seen everyone else's stuff and I want it to look just as beautiful and don't want to flub it.

Oh BTW, I found a new growth on it this morning!

[patticake]

Cool-on the new growth! Good luck with the mounting. I mounted a little Phal for my first one- I did it with the plant facing down as someone said that's how they grow in nature. I don't know if it's the same with the Encyclia. I'll be curious to hear what the folks in-the-know have to say about it. I can't wait to see your photos. I'll post mine soon. I used fine, clear nylon thread. I didn't pull too tight and put some sphag under the thread so it wouldn't cut the roots.

[articuno75]

Here is my handy work! I soaked the wood for the whole day in a Physan solution and then placed the babykins on there. It looks purdy I like it!

[patticake]

OOOOOOO- I like it a lot! It seems suited for mounting. The large pseudobulb is up higher than the older one as mine is. It made potting it rather difficult. This looks really great. I'll have to think about this....

Great job

[PhalPal]

Very nice Jenny - good job!! The Encyclia Jerry sent out are really lovely specimens. I'm hoping they are fast growers and fill up our logs/coconut pots quickly.

[Jirel]

Very nice! I love the look.

[brookn]

It's so cute, you did a great job mounting it. I need an Enc. for my expanding collection.

[articuno75]

Wow! How often am I misting/watering this you might ask?

4-5 times a day!!! NO JOKE!!!

I only mist when the moss is BONE DRY. It's only been 2 days. This is going to be a challenge........

[Tobi]

Looks really nice Jenny.

Originally Posted by articuno75

Wow! How often am I misting/watering this you might ask?

4-5 times a day!!! NO JOKE!!!

Unfortunately, one of the tedious chores of mounts.

[jerrymeola]

Jenny you need to bend the straight end of the hook up so it can not fall off. I left it straight since it is easier to mount orchids when the hook is not in the grapevine. Leaving it straight is the only way you can take it off to do the mount, but you do not want it possible to come off anymore.

[articuno75]

I left it straight because when I hung it, it spun around on me and wouldn't hold still. (little booger ) I use the straight end of the hook to prop it in place on the rack to hold it steady. (It's safe, don't worry! It's not like the Cathy Beck, LOL !!!) I had to add more moss to the mount. I don't think I had enough on it. Now I don't have to mist near as much as I was. I was misting like 5 times a day! Now it's down to twice a day Oh and the growth got bigger too.

[Marcia_pa]

A question about mounted orchids. Can you dunk them in water instead of misting so often? Or will that be too much water? I'm thinking about mounting one of my baby cattleyas. It isn't doing well for me.
Marcia

[PhalPal]

Marcia you can dunk them for a few minutes if you want to. I use a one gallon pressure sprayer and water all my mounts once a day.

[articuno75]

Pic of the retie using pantyhose/stockings. You can also see the new growth a lot better. (it grew more) I had the fishing line really close to this growth and feared that it would eventually cut into both the this and the larger of the pseudobulbs.

[patticake]

Originally Posted by Marcia_pa

A question about mounted orchids. Can you dunk them in water instead of misting so often? Or will that be too much water? I'm thinking about mounting one of my baby cattleyas. It isn't doing well for me.
Marcia

Marcia, You can dunk and soak!!! I leave mine soaking underwater for 15 minutes. I bring it up, and let it soak in the light! If it's still a little damp the next day, I let it go... You just have to "read" it!

[Marcia_pa]

Thank you for the info. I am going to look for a piece of wood and just take the plunge! It will either do better or not. It certainly isn't doing anything the way it is. I like the pantyhose idea for wrapping, Jenny.
Marcia

[articuno75]

It's Anton's idea.

[jerrymeola]

I think when dunking a plant you should leave it for 15 minutes. When we water in Florida we leave the sprinklers for 10-15 minutes. You need to allow the water to soak all the way in or the plant will not be getting water no matter how often you mist.

[articuno75]

Here are the two growths that I've been talking about and the new roots that have popped up . Still no signs of a spike and the biggest bulb has now started to shrivel a bit, probably due to "feeding" the new growths.

[articuno75]

The pseudo is really starting to shrivel, but the roots on this thing are really starting to take off and so is the new growth!!!

[myorchid]

Wow Jenny! The roots are really looking great! Is the nylon holding the plant on well?
I had to add another piece to my Miltonia to keep if from wobbling.

Great job

[articuno75]

The nylon is doing great! I haven't had to touch it since I first wrapped it. Actually I was going to do an update on the sticky that Fred did about the Nylon usage. This stuff is awesome! Now I might have to add some later as the plant gets bigger, but that's obvious.

[solay]

Jenny, the Encyclia roots look so good and green. Is it blooming size yet? I think it likes th mount. I find the mounted chid are harder for me to kill. I think cause I have a tendency to over water.

[articuno75]

Solay~ It sure is! Actually it appears to have previously bloomed last season. I just wish it would bloom for me.

[articuno75]

This one is still growing and spitting out roots. Nothing new to report. I was hoping for at least a spike by now since it previously bloomed before. I'm starting to wonder if I'm not giving it enough light.

Roots and growth still look great. One of the roots did die. I think it was from over fert.

[kid a]

The pb on mine are shriveling too. Your roots look great, Mine hasn't gown new roots yet but has 2 new growths on it.

[solay]

It still looks good. Maybe they need more time. I guess more light can't hurt to try. Good Luck!

[articuno75]

This has completely acclimated and established itself to the mount. There are roots galore and the roots have even grown all over the panty hose without a problem.

I really like how this one looks and I'm proud of it. (It is my first mount. )

I can't wait to do another one.

[rodbender]

Looks like ya done good there. Definatly mount more. I think they are so much easier to take care of mounted

[patticake]

It looks great, Jenny! A happy camper, for sure!

[articuno75]

Awesome as ever, it just hasn't bloomed yet. I can see where it looks like there is a sheath or something in between one of the pseudos, but it's been there for months and hasn't changed. Doing the same thing my Prosthecea did when the sheath first came in on it.

All I can say is the wait is excruciating.

[trinigirl]

It's looking really nice and healthy, and really took to the mount.

I think this is flowering season for encyclias, maybe your blooms will come soon.

I have had 3 different encyclias bloom recently, yours will probably be next. And yes, the wait is very long on some after you even see the sheaths.

[kid a]

It looks great Jenny! I just love how the leaves fall on these lol! Mine had bloomed prior to me getting it too and I kicked it out and put the pot in a basket but mine has way less roots lol. Maybe I need to repot it lol.

[brookn]

It looks great!