How/should I mount Phal

[lorisuarez]

I am another one who purchased my phal's from a home center, but mine are doing great, although they didn't come with any identification. The one I have a question about has a keiki that is getting pretty big. The leaves are about 2-1/2" and one of the roots is about 3". Both the plant and the keiki look to be very healthy. My question is, should I mount it (keiki) or put it in a pot? I would really like to try to mount it, but don't know how, and am wondering if that is something a beginner should attempt. I keep them on my window sill in the kitchen, it is a West facing window, but the houses block most of the direct sun, if I mount one, it will be close to the same area, but less sun light. Hope someone can direct me. I live in So. Calif. Thanks

[jerrymeola]

mounting orchids is easy and fun if you are willing to give the plant the extra watering it will need.

Phalaenopsis naturaly grow down from branches.



The shape of the leaves is graceful and the leaves grow in a sprial with each new leaf covering half of the old leaf and half exposed. A perfect survival technique.

The plant can not get water in its crown so crown rot is non-existent. The top of the leave mounted like this is not light sensitive. My mounted phals take as much or more light than my cattleyas. The bottom of the leaf since it gets only bouced light in nature is super-sensitive, hence it burns in pots.

Since the keiki roots have never been in a pot you can mount it bare root. I have one (test plant) mounted that way. I find it is very slow to grow. It needs more watering and more fertilizer than it is getting. Plan to water daily if you mount bare root. have a phal plug seedling (test plant) that is mounted with sphagnum moss to keep the roots wet and it has grown faster.

I have mounted many full size flowering phals and really love the look.


If you are up to as much as daily waterings than you should like the results. They water easily by dunking the entire plant in a bucket of water. They can also be held under the sink.

[I. C. Unicorns]

Those pictures made me laugh. It does explain the Phalenopsis anatomy (since nature neglected to provide convienent flower stakes!)

[clxt7321]

So by potting phals in the upright position (as most of us do) we are actually exposing the underside of the leaf to light?
Karen H

[lorisuarez]

Thanks, I love the pictures, I think I will try to mount the keiki.

[janet_a]

Originally Posted by clxt7321

So by potting phals in the upright position (as most of us do) we are actually exposing the underside of the leaf to light?
Karen H

not really; gravity is doing its thing in that first pic; the phals i've seen mounted on tree trunks just sort of phototrope whichever way they want.

when my phals are young and produce short spikes, i let them go wherever they want; i'll sit the pot on another upside down pot if need be and let the spike hang down. it's only when that starts taking too much room that i stake them upright over their pots so they use less horizontal real estate.