How to mount orchids

[orchid_girl]

I have seen so m any beautiful pictures of mounted orchids. How do you do this? Is there anything in particular that is better to mount on or can you do it on anything?

I'd love to try it, but I have no idea where to begin. Help

[fred]

take a look at the links this will give you an idea of how to mount an orchid
Tree Fren can be used also cork.
Oncidium Mounting
my first mount

[MariahK]

Thanks for the link I was wondering the same and had no clue where to start. But I would love to try mounting some

[MissConnie]

can an orchid already "established" in a pot be mounted onto a...bit of bark? or does it have to be from "baby"?
or is all explained in the sheet and I should hush up and go read :P xxxx

[Orchidflowerchild]

Originally Posted by MissConnie

can an orchid already "established" in a pot be mounted onto a...bit of bark? or does it have to be from "baby"?
or is all explained in the sheet and I should hush up and go read :P xxxx

Once upon a time, when I had my old greenhouse and my old collection, at least 90% of the collection was mounted. The majority of popular tropical orchids are epiphytic or lithophytic (grow on rocks) and can be mounted. I usually just mounted plants up as soon as I got them in, which could easily have been from a pot or bare root. Of course, if a plant was in bloom or a resting cycle, i would wait. Like repotting, mounting is best done as the new roots start growing. Pot roots generally tend to wither as the plant acclimates to a mount, so you want to give the plant as much opportunity to attach new aerial roots to the mount as quickly as possible, lessening the impact of the transition. ALso, you can generally ease the transition by placing a small pad of sphagnum under the root mass and then, maybe, a bit of sphag over the top of the roots, just to retain moisture. That is not to say a huge amount of sphag, just enough to sortof wrap the old root ball and help retain moisture.

As for affixing the plant, I prefer to use strips pf pantyhose, as they are soft, so they hold the plant on without binding and cutting the plant, and they disintegrate over time.

They key to growing mounted orchids is that you have to be able to provide adequate water to keep the plants happy. ALso, watering becomes an issue of soaking, either by dunkiing or by spraing for a few minutes. In the GH I had, with roughly well over 500 mounted plants, I had sprinklers on timers that ran for anywhere from 5 minutes to 15 minutes once a day, depending on the season and weather.

-Cj

[MissConnie]

orchidflowerchild thank you for the explanation on what to do!

I have a ....phal...im a big newbie to Orchids...is a phal not suitable?

one phal at the moment is all...battered and sore since mummy by accident was careless and broke a new spike....and the other is still blooming...happily...and just so beautiful

If a phal is suitable...would it be best to use my battered one to mount? or maybe I should leave the darn things alone before I do anymore damage *laughs*

[janet_a]

at one of our recent orchid club meetings we worked on mounting; the demo was led by a guy who has been growing 'chids literally as long as i've been alive, and who works in a professional greenhouse. man is absolutely fearless about repotting and mounting. he used metal staples on cork mostly; he'd heat up the ends of the staple with a propane torch and just tack the plants to the cork with a blob of sphag behind them.

of course, these plants were also going back into the greenhouse with fans and sprinklers on timers, so they'd have ideal conditions.

but it was fun to watch him work.

[tom499]

If its your only phal I would keep it in a pot plus if its abit battered already being mounted may be the final straw hehe. I have killed a few phals in my time because I repotted, then repotted then mounted (couldnt get it just right ) and eventually the poor buggers just gave up....

One of the main issues with mounting, is watering. I know it doesnt sound so bad, but when you have to water it EVERY day all year, you can get annoyed, as I did I may try to mount some of my den keikeis because they are small, and could maybe get them on one piece of wood.

Which leads me onto plant size. Its easier to mount a young healthy plant than a well established big plant. Phals do work quite well for mounting, and look good upside down, but I would mount a smaller plant, and buy one for that purpose As you have less weight to try and support. A younger plant can grow onto the mount and support itself as it grows more easily.

[MissConnie]

Originally Posted by tom499

If its your only phal I would keep it in a pot plus if its abit battered already being mounted may be the final straw hehe.

then I guess you very right about the battered phal (naughty mummy)...the other Phal...is a much smaller phal...yellow and pink and that would look fantastic mounted but I think....before I tried something like that, I would get more orchids experience behind me...and a "baby" one....just so I dont have to upset anything!

But to those who have mounted Orchids...very very jealous Connie over here as they look fantastic!

[orchid_girl]

Thanks everyone....I think I will wait till I get some of the new ones in before I try to do it.

[Orchidflowerchild]

Originally Posted by MissConnie

orchidflowerchild thank you for the explanation on what to do!

I have a ....phal...im a big newbie to Orchids...is a phal not suitable?

one phal at the moment is all...battered and sore since mummy by accident was careless and broke a new spike....and the other is still blooming...happily...and just so beautiful

If a phal is suitable...would it be best to use my battered one to mount? or maybe I should leave the darn things alone before I do anymore damage *laughs*

Well, I'd wait till it was done flowering and starts putting out new roots... But my first mountie was a phal, too. FOr watering, I'd suggest just sticking it in a cold shower for a few minutes a day, making sure the plant gets good and soaked . You can also mout it sideways, so the water won't stand int he crown.

-Cj