Re mount Epidendrum parkinsonianum?

[Milk]

I'm not sure what to do with this one.
It's on a nice piece of wood already. I think it's grapewood.
But it's really only able to be hung and I don't have a good place to hang it.
So I'm thinking of building a pedestal or stand of some sort.
Or, I might remount it on to a piece of cork and build a stand for that.
I'm also not sure about the timing.
Does anyone know if this is a good time to mount or remount an Epidendrum?
From what I've been able to find out so far, it comes from similar conditions and area as my Brossavolla nadossa. And that one is still actively growing roots.
But I don't see any actively growing roots on the Epi.
I'm just not sure what to do with it so any opinions or info will be helpful in deciding a direction.

[lmartiny]

You could build a stand for it. Or look for an interesting branch and cut the bottom so it stands. If it is well established on it's current mount, you could just attach the whole thing to a new mount. Here is an example of a standing mount.

[kmarch]

I just "remounted" a Den linguiforme. By "remounted" I don't mean I took the plant off the old mount and put it on a new one, I mean I took a newmount, cut out a place for the old mount to slot into and then secured the old mount to the new on in the slot I cut. I've put mounted orchids on bigger mounts twice this way. The great part of that method is that there is no shock to the plant from being removed, having roots broken and lost, etc., etc. I'd recommend this method for your Epi. The challenge will be working with the cork. Both of the times I "remounted," as described above, I was using tree fern which is pretty easy to cut. Cork is a bit more difficult to cut. And actually now that I take a second look at your pics, you might not need ot even cut the cork. You could just secure the old mount to the new. Oh and one more thing. Because of the pendant habit of this species, and because they really get big, sooner or later you will have to rig some way of hanging the plant. Your plant looks to be about the length of your forearm now but I just recently saw one at a show that was about 9-feet high.

[Milk]

It is very well established on it's current piece of wood.
So it seems that I'm better off not disturbing the roots by attempting to remove the plant from it's current piece of wood.
My first idea was to cut the cork down the middle and attach the two pieces to the sides of the current mount. Then attach the whole thing to some sort of stand.
Then I thought of removing it from it's current mount and just attaching it to the cork.
And then to some sort of stand.
You guys always give great advise so I think I'm going to go for the splitting the cork and adding it to the sides idea.
Kmarch, you are right. The plant is very long. The longest leaf is about 16 inches.
Which makes it hard for me to hang near my one window that gets good light.
I just had an idea for the stand.
I think I have an old microphone stand stashed some where.
That way I can raise and lower it with the height adjustment nut and move it where ever I need to .

[lmartiny]

Originally Posted by Milk

I think I have an old microphone stand stashed some where.That way I can raise and lower it with the height adjustment nut and move it where ever I need to .

Good idea. So, are you a musician?

[Milk]

Musician?
Well, not professionally.
But I have been playing most of my life.
I have a few friends that play various instruments so we get together on weekends once in a while and jam.
I'm mainly a bass player but I started out on violin.

[lmartiny]

My hubby plays the bass and regular guitar.

[PhalPal]

Milk I think you are making more work for yourself than necessary by splittling the cork and attaching it to the sides. Cork splits where it wants to! I would take the whole existing mount without disturbing the roots and just attach it to your large piece of cork. I use cork mounts A LOT and I love the way the roots find their way into the nooks and crannies. Let us know how it goes!

[koshki]

I just saw a cute mount that was suspended from a "banana hanger". Yours might be too large to use this approach, but I thought it was quite clever.

[Milk]

PhalPal, I do tend to over complicate things from time to time.
The piece of wood that it's on is about a foot long and 2 inches thick.
So I thought that it would be kind of funny looking just stuck to the front of the cork.
My idea of adding the split pieces of cork to the sides was to make them all blend together a little.
My girlfriend also came up with the idea of just sticking it to the front.
So I will have to consider that again before I make my final decision.
Koshki, My girlfriend also came up with the banana hanger idea.
So that's pretty funny that you bring that up.
We haven't seen the one you mentioned.
But She will be happy to know that her idea has already been proven work.

[PhalPal]

I use banana hangers too. They are really great for small species with hanging blooms. If you have a Home Goods store near you they have lots of failrly large ones at around $8. Since yours is too large for one of these, there are always the stands that you would put a cookbook on. I don't know what they are called?? They look like the top of a music stand that holds your sheet music but are made for a countertop. Did I make any sense at all??!!??

[PhalPal]

BTW....there appears to be a nice little 'valley' in the cork that your round log might snuggle in to. Eventually the first log will be covered with roots (at least in a perfect world) and it will not be so noticeable.

[dtje2000]

If you happen to have a dremel, you could bore out a slot for your small mount to nestle into...if not, well, what Connie said.

[koshki]

Originally Posted by dtje2000

If you happen to have a dremel, you could bore out a slot for your small mount to nestle into...if not, well, what Connie said.

djte2000, I thought you were going to say what my husband would have said, "...if not, well, you have an excuse to go buy a new power tool!"

[dtje2000]

LOL That too! I have two dremels... well, the real story is my hubby got me one for Christmas one year, and I got him one as well. It was pretty darned funny after we opened our boxes...

[lmartiny]

I think it will look good on your piece of cork. It still needs to stand, and accomodate the hanging nature of the orchid. Here is an idea. Think decorative plate or Asian art display. A rectangular base with a rod rising from each side which is affixed into the bottom of the cork mount, holding it up, like a sculpture. My first thought is metal, but something wood could work. You could even check close out stores and such and maybe find something. Take the base for your mount project, and stick the plate, or whatever googaw, into the garden somewhere to add some garden art. A bonus! If it is an ugly googaw, tuck it behind a fern or something, it will still be of interest. I like quirks in the garden. When we did our back, I read up on it, and I learned a lot, but what I remember most was the section about pathways and surprises around the bend. That is what we did, and are always working on. Sorry. Got off topic there.