I'm convinced mounting helps

[syndywindy]

I wish I could mount more of my orchids, but space limitations and frequency of watering make mounting a more difficult endevour. But I am convinced my orchids do so much better when mounted. As an example, I bought a Sederia japinica about 1 1/2 years ago potted and in bud. After if finished blooming, I repotted it and there was absolutely no new growth no nothing. It was healthy, the roots good, but just sat there. About a month ago I decided to mount it to see if I could spur something in this guy to grow. About a week ago as I waswatering, I noticed a new growth starting to appear, not a leaf, but what I thought was a root. Fast forward to today and it's not a root but a spike! Coincidence or would this have happened if I left it in it's pot? I did the same thing with one of my laelias, healthy but not doing much so mounted that one just before having my surgery. It now has 2 new roots forming. If it weren't for the daily watering these mounted orchids need, I sure would be mounting more. What does everyone else think?

[rcb]

I think you know what I think lol I love mounting them. I find they grow better, I rarely have disease issues with the mounted ones.

I also think some of them just look better mounted, the spikes seem to arrange themselves so much better.

I agree though, for some it's just too difficult to keep them wet enough when mounted. Also space is at a premium when they come inside for the winter.

[psyc1210]

I agree that some just do so well when mounted. I have unpotted and mounted a number of Phals that weren't doing much for me, and they seem to all be doing pretty well. Can't say that my Sarcochilus that I mounted really enjoys it. It grows leaves and roots, but no blooms as of yet. I keep telling myself no more mounts because of the daily watering...but then I end up going, "what's one more?" and have an overflowing sink full of mounts that hang out together while draining.

[ysanabria]

I agree my orchids that are mounted grow far better on a mount or in a wooden basket than they would in a pot. It is the best method for keeping them healthy and happy. Almost any orchid that I mount will immediately sprout copious numbers of new healthy roots within a couple weeks of being mounted! The ones that I grow under the trees flower three times more than the ones in the pots.

[orchids4me]

There is a solution!!!! . Shann had a post awhile back she bought a industrial rack called Z something. It was for clothing and had 2 rods that go across and it holds up to 400 pounds I think it was and it has wheels so you can roll it where ever you want to move it (even to the sink) she got it for her hanging plants for when she brings them inside. You can tweak it with wire or something on the rods that go across and hang your mounted plants. There was also another member on here that made one out of pvc like a 3 dimensional box on wheels and had center rods to hold more mounted plants and hanging plants I think the pic had his vanda collection on it. Again can be tweaked with wire to hold mounts. He uses his to move his plants in and out of his green house . The top pipes where reinforced with metal pipe inside the pvc pipe do the weight didn't make them arch or bow.
So Synda put your hubby to work lol
Emmaye

[Ray]

I erected a zig-zag, 8'-tall "fence" in the center aisle of my greenhouse. The panels were at 90° to each other and 45° to the aisle, so my four, 4' panels provided 256 square feet of mounting space, using both sides, but only occupied a space 2'-10" x roughly 11.5'.

Instructions HERE.

Not only did I hang mounted plants on it, but by drilling a hole in the lip and inserting a small "S-hook", I hung pots from it too.

[psyc1210]

Now all I need is a green house

[syndywindy]

Originally Posted by orchids4me

There is a solution!!!! . Shann had a post awhile back she bought a industrial rack called Z something. It was for clothing and had 2 rods that go across and it holds up to 400 pounds I think it was and it has wheels so you can roll it where ever you want to move it (even to the sink) she got it for her hanging plants for when she brings them inside. You can tweak it with wire or something on the rods that go across and hang your mounted plants. There was also another member on here that made one out of pvc like a 3 dimensional box on wheels and had center rods to hold more mounted plants and hanging plants I think the pic had his vanda collection on it. Again can be tweaked with wire to hold mounts. He uses his to move his plants in and out of his green house . The top pipes where reinforced with metal pipe inside the pvc pipe do the weight didn't make them arch or bow.
So Synda put your hubby to work lol
Emmaye

Originally Posted by Ray

I erected a zig-zag, 8'-tall "fence" in the center aisle of my greenhouse. The panels were at 90° to each other and 45° to the aisle, so my four, 4' panels provided 256 square feet of mounting space, using both sides, but only occupied a space 2'-10" x roughly 11.5'.

Instructions HERE.

Not only did I hang mounted plants on it, but by drilling a hole in the lip and inserting a small "S-hook", I hung pots from it too.

Originally Posted by psyc1210

Now all I need is a green house

The room for some of these suggestions I can probably find, but its the time factor of watering so many mounted orchids daily. Summer isn't the problem, easy to throw the hose on them, but I am in a cold winter area and they are indoors from late October til April. thats a lot of days for daily watering! As for the greenhouse, again, the cold winters make it almost cost prohibitive for me although I still would like one some day.

[psyc1210]

I would love to have a greenhouse one day as well. Right now I have about 20 mounts and 3 hanging baskets that get watered daily. It is a PITA...BUT if they enjoy being mounted, it's worth it

[PhalPal]

Synda as for your anceps - they don't need to be watered every day. I grow mine outdoors and we are hot and very dry in the summer. I might water them every two-four days, pretty much whenever I think about it and they do great. I don't even worry about them when we go on vacation; they prefer to be on the dry side.
Now phals, they love to be mounted but even growing them inside they work me to death. I think the amount of natural humidity a grower has should be a big deciding factor on whether or not to mount.

Remember that pots are for our benefit and not the orchids; essentially all orchids prefer to be mounted as in nature.

[orchidea]

I enjoy reading how happy you guys are mounting your plants.
I simply CAN'T do it. I'll have to water them 2 times a day to keep them alive... So it's out of the question for me.....
The only one I have mounted right now is my little kingi division, and only because it's a rest time for him. I think I'll have to pot him in the spring.

Maybe one day when and if I have a GH.......... or move to another state......

[PhalPal]

The trick is to choose the right plant to mount that will do well in your environment. My anceps are blooming right now and doing great and our humidity has been in the single digits. If you wanted to try a mount, a laelia anceps would be the perfect choice for you.

[Bolero]

I think they may have grown anyway, I am not saying for sure that they would have (it's impossible for anyone to know) but I am not sure mounting would make the difference. You may well be right.

[syndywindy]

I have a couple anceps but only one is mounted. I have several rupiculous laelia from Brazil and if they aren't mounted they are growing in crushed rock and pebble. Have several pieces of cork, bark etc that I can mount more orchids, it's juuust a matter of do I want more mounted orchids and then deciding which of my orchids to mount.

[PhalPal]

Synda I don't mount any more orchids if I need to grow them inside. I have an orchid room in my house with a humidifier, etc and the heavy sphagnum on my mounts dry out twice a day. I came to the conclusion that they (mostly phals) could live with it or just give up. (some did) Several are still doing well even tho they dry out to crunchy every day. Phals are not supposed to tolerate this, but these have and they have great roots???? Orchids are so confusing!

I have dozens of mounts outdoors where it is much easier to just hose them. You would have the disadvantage of having to move them indoors for the winter and that is when your work quadruples. Growing in rocks is about as close to growing mounted as you can get and still be in a pot. The first five years of my orchid growing career I learned that it was ME who had to give into their needs; they did not care what I wanted!

[psyc1210]

Phalpal- all of my mounts pretty much are crunchy by the next day. I refuse to water more than 1 time per 24 hours. So either they put up with it, or leave. Most of them are Phals, and they all seem to be doing pretty well. Some are still small sized, and haven't bloomed yet, but others have bloomed multiple times in these conditions. I know they aren't 'supposed' to completely dry out, but I feel like I tend to let everything get a little drier than maybe others do.

[Shannara]

Originally Posted by orchids4me

There is a solution!!!! . Shann had a post awhile back she bought a industrial rack called Z something.Emmaye

Hey, Synda...I bought that Z rack online and it was under 100 bucks including shipping. If you want the link to the vendor just PM me. I don't know what I would have done without it.



Shann~

[PhalPal]

Shann you can post where you found your rack in this recommendation thread: http://www.orchidgeeks.com/forum/gen...endations.html

I am sure many of us would be interested in the name of this contraptiona nd where you found it!!!

[whalloper]

I agree with your post totally. When I am trying to get something to "come back to life" I put it in an airy mix that requires DAILY WATERING. This wet and dry cycle seems to work the best for active growth. It is time consuming, but it really does work.