How to mount catts...??

Hi,

I have a Cattleya luteola that I want to mount on cork. It has previously bloomed. My question is, do I want to mount it upright or hanging down. If I mount it upright, I will need to secure the p-bulbs and leaves that are about 11 inches long in an upright fashion. Maybe letting them just hang is a better idea? I'd like to hear what you all do with this mini.

Thanks,
Kanda

[jerrymeola]

I mount hundreds of Cattleyas each year and you will love them mounted.

No matter how you mount the orchid the new growth will start to grow up and as the plant becomes larger it will start to grow to the sides and then down.

So pick the position that looks the best right now.

Keep in mind you will have to hang the mount in a manner so that you can move it to face the sun from different directions or it will become very one sided. 80% of new growth will grow toward the sun.

I often mount minature and semi-minatures diagonally off to one side to entice growth upward thereby spreading the plant and making it look larger faster. I mount most of mine on grapevine (or driftwood) since over time the plant can grow totally around the wood into a 360 degree ball both vertical and horizantal. It takes 8-10 years to form a total ball but they are outstanding and unique.

Mounted on cork they will grow into a half moon in about three years and then start to grow out the bottom.

Hopefully my photos of these mounted orchids will be on the gallery soon.

You should wrap the roots in sphagnum moss to ease the trasition from pot to mount. They can be mounted without the sphag but the roots will dry and die back. A healty plant will then put out new roots but it sets growth back several months. Either way only mount it when you see active new green root tips. If you mount it when the tips are small you can leave them exposed to the air. The roots will atach themselves to the mount usually in 6-8 months.

Thanks Jerry! I think I will mount it pendulous and see where it goes. I'll try to orient it somewhat horizontal on the side of the mount. Most of my phals are totally upside down and they grow REALLY well so I'll see what this catt does.

thanks again for your help,
Kanda

[jerrymeola]

There are several of my mounted orchids in the photo gallery now. Go to the gallery and use the search feature on the site and select "mount" in the title and Pictures on the right side of the screen to speed the search.

search for Foster to see a cork mounted plant.

Beautiful mounts Jerry! Thanks again for everything...

[bschip]

jerry.........when you mount the plant do you mount perpendicularly (is that a word he he) or on it's side? and..do you hang the cork or whatever kind of wood or layit down on a tray? also....what do you use to attach the plant?

[Lucinda Brown]

Hi, I found a new use for the plastic mesh net bird block I had a lot around of from using to cover my strawberries. It's come in real handy to wrap around whatever I'm mounting an orchid onto to hold it there until it's roots attach. I cut a pieice a little bigger than the root system and size of the mount, position the plant on a bed of moss,on the mount, wrap the birdblock across the rootsystem and sometimes a little of the bottom of the plant to hold it securely in place, turn it all over and use my staple gun to attach the birdblock on the back of the mount. When they get wellrooted to the mount you could even remove the birdblock. Works great and the birdblock netting is cheap. Anyone tried this?

[elona]

Lucinda,
What a creative idea for mounting your orchids. I'll keep that in mind for the future,