Advice, please, about REmounting my Neo...

[dtje2000]

Ok, my lovely, lush Neo on a small cork slab has grown roots to cover both the front and the back and they are now reaching out and trying to attach to neighboring mounted plants, as well as the wall on which it's hanging. Now, I love to encourage that community feeling but I would really rather they just visit as opposed to trying to move in on the next guy.

So, I have this nice big hunk of cedar, like going from a one BR condo to a three BR house, but I'm wondering how to deal with the roots on the back of the cork slab, as they will be sandwiched in between the cork and the cedar. What sorts of negative affects will this have on the plant? Are there alternatives? I sure hate to cut off that portion of the roots, but I'll make that sacrifice if i have to!

Thanks, y'all!

[dtje2000]

Where's my Neo people?

[Brooke]

I have one Neo, is that OK?

If your cork slab is like all of my cork mounts, it curves on the back side of the cork. When you attach the cork to the cedar there will be gaps between the two pieces and your roots will be smart enough to head for the light and grow out from the underside of the original mount. If this doesn't describe your situation, pictures would help.

You have discovered that roots wander around and what I try to do is once the roots is long enough I make sure it is well hydrated and limber. I place them back on the mount and secure them with green twisty ties I buy on a roll. Most of my mounts have a green twisty or two on them. I also have many mounts where I are so many roots they end up dangling from the mount.

Brooke

[PhalPal]

I bought my first Neo from eBay yesterday! Does that make me an expert????

I was thinking about how to pot this baby and didn't realize they did so well mounted. I have lots of slabs of cork; would you recommend that? I mean, if you had to do it over again would you still mount yours on cork?

My first thought about your situation was the same as Brooks. Cork has a great natural curve to it. If I am mounting a smaller cork piece to a larger cork piece sometimes I will put a few swall chunks of cork in between the two creating a space so I won't smush the roots.

[dtje2000]

Hmmm...you both made me think...why in the world wouldn't I just use another, larger, cork slab? DOH! The cork that my Neo is on right now is nearly flat, I suppose it was a small piece from a much larger one. If I put a couple of little spacers in between that should solve the problem!

It would seem Neos enjoy the heck out of a cork mount. You can see from the photo that the bottom half is nearly solid with root growth. Also, the seedling I got from Troy Meyers was also already mounted on a little cork chunk.

Thanks, ladies, for the nudge in a great direction!

[Brooke]

Gorgeous hunk of Neo!

Brooke

[dtje2000]

Wish I could take credit for it...but I bought it this size. I had asked a vendor via email to bring a few specific plants to the Redlands show this past May, this one included. My eyes bugged out when I saw it and I blurted "Holy crap, this is specimen size!" She laughed and said her hubby likes to pick out the plants for requests such as mine...

Fine by me!!!

[koshki]

What a beautiful plant!

[PhalPal]

Wow what a beauty!! That settles it......cork it is!!!! (even though I bought a pretty little Japanese pot just yesterday; guess that means I need another one )

[rcb]

That is a beautiful Neo.

[dtje2000]

Originally Posted by PhalPal

...(even though I bought a pretty little Japanese pot just yesterday; guess that means I need another one )

Rationalization orchidgeek style! I'm with ya!

[PhalPal]

dt I see it as the ONLY solution!

[koshki]

I have one neo that is teeny tiny (about the size of a quarter). Would this be a candidate for mounting? And if so, how would you go about doing it? What kind of care would it need? Right now, its cute little self is sitting on my desk where I can admire it all day long while visiting orchidgeeks.com!

[dtje2000]

Katherine, I must defer to those who grow these things as opposed to buying them looking great already!

[koshki]

DT, thanks for giving me permission to buy one already mounted and looking great!!

What a great bunch of enablers!!!!

[koshki]

DT, buying a bigger mounted neo is exactly what I did the next day after my last post!

I also just mounted my little tiny guy...my first attempt at mounting!

Here's the little guy...Neofinetia falcata 'Toutenko x Shojo', and then with his big brother a Neofinetia falcata. The bigger one has grown a lot in two months, so I hope the little one will be just as happy on its new mount!

[PhalPal]

Beautiful mounts Koshi!!! Interesting use of tree fern, I like it!!!! It is very natural looking.

[koshki]

I did not mount the bigger one, but that is where I got the idea about the tree fern! I think it helps hold the sphag in place a bit. I probably used more monofilament line than I really needed, but I think more practice is the only solution for that!

[PhalPal]

Originally Posted by koshki

..... I probably used more monofilament line than I really needed, but I think more practice is the only solution for that!

Nah....I think you did fine!! I would rather use too much than not enough because as the plant gets bigger and heavier it may need that extra stability if it is not firmly attached to the cork yet. Also, most orchids will not lay down new roots in (or on) an unstable environment. The sturdier, the better!

[katrina]

Looks great Katherine!! Well done!