My first drift wood mount

[solay]

I decided to try mounting on one of the drift wood I picked up from the delta a few weeks ago. I really like the look. What do you think. I think I'll be out looking for more drift wood soon.

[myorchid]

Cindy

That looks so awesome! I love that, how big is that driftwood?

You did a great job!!

[solay]

Thanks. I think a little over a foot tall. I also saved a bunch of branches off our tree in the front yard that we trimmed over the weekend. I'm going to try to make a hanging basket out out them.
Does anyone know if it needs to dry up first?

[patticake]

Your driftwood mount is gorgeous!! You did a great job of making it look natural. I love the lines of it! EXCELLENT!

[patlee]

Way to grow, Solay! That mount is beautiful (I love phals so that makes it even better) Next step is to mount a couple of Tolumnias on a piece of branch or driftwood--how lucky you are to be able to collect your own! That elongate dshape will be great for the phal to stretch out take off...Beautiful job--are you going to hang it or just set it someplace as is?

[fred]

Yep I have to agree Good Job solay

[BillC]

I have always thought that driftwood is ideal for mounting; the dark colour and the tortuous shapes lend the wood a mysterious appearance. Your mount shows the plant to best advantage. Very nice!

Bill

[solay]

Thanks you Bill and Fred. I like it a lot too. I just hope it'll grow well on it.

Pat I have a small hook screwed in on the back top. I've been leaning it against a north window frame for now to get it more light. That window doesn't get direct sun at all. As for the Tolumnias, I'm going to buy a bunch after my vacation in September when I can give it more attention. I'd hate to buy them now and have them all suffer while I'm gone. Can't wait!!! I'm getting one of each from the Hausermann's web site. Have you checked them out yet. Sooo pretty!

[arleneg]

Very nice, Cindy!

By the way, I'll be visiting for the Labor Day weekend. I know it's a few weeks away. But let me know, so I can stop by to pick up the small drift woods.

[solay]

Arlene, I need to find out what we will be up to then. Not sure yet but will let you know before then. If we aren't home I can always leave then out for you. Hopefully we'll be home.

[katrina]

That looks awesome!! I love it....it has a very natural/organic feel about it. Very, very nice!!

As for the basket... Most wood is going to develop cracks and fissures as it dries out. Building the basket w/'wet' wood could mean a crack where you have a screw or some area where it is being held together. With that said, our first baskets were built wet...used when they were wet and then we had to fix them a bit as they dried. No major problems though. Hope that helped.

Again...super nice job on the mount!! Lucky you...living so close to free driftwood!

[solay]

Thanks for the advice. The tree trimming took twice as long since I sat there and had to clip all the leaves and small twigs off. All well worth it if I can make something out of it. I will post a pic. as soon as I finish making it. I just need to find some free time.

[girishgkulkarni]

The mounting is cute

[lissie0113]

That mount is awesome! I wish we had more cool driftwood like that here in florida.... none of the cool twisted branches around here..... just coconuts floating around....

[kninum]

Originally Posted by lissie0113

That mount is awesome! I wish we had more cool driftwood like that here in florida.... none of the cool twisted branches around here..... just coconuts floating around....

coconuts- just coconuts.......why not grab a bunch of them cut' em in half, clean it out to just the shell.......then drill a hole in the center and string them all on a rust proof chain (like a fake trunk or into a wreath shape)....or..get crazy and drill a few holes in them and use steel wire to fasten them into some odd sculpture....... I made a bowl out of one once....it ended up outside stood up against the elements , until my dog found it

[lmartiny]

Kninum, you sound like my kind of person. Creative. I love garden art. I save the hard seed pod coverings (I know there is a better name) (detrius (sp?)) from the queen palm and have made some sculptures for the garden. I spray paint them and set them just so. Or so how I like it I guess.

[lmartiny]

Since we are in a driftwood mount thread, I thought it would be OK to post this question. This next project I want to do would be my second driftwood mount effort. (my first is kind of lame, but hanging in there)
I want to repot this noid phal when it finishes blooming and try a mount. (It was in bud and never was happy, losing buds and blooms)
I wasn't sure the piece of wood is big enough. I want to put the plant in the crook of the wood, hanging upside down. I've tried to show the proportion of the plant and the wood in the pict. Do you think this is a fit?
I appreciate any input.
Thanks, Lynne

PS Propped up wood piece for picts with key limes that were sitting there on the bar. (more attractive than the roll of drywall tape that I first started to use)

[solay]

Thank you for the compliments. So far the mount is doing fine.

Hey, I wish I had coconuts around here. I even bought some husks off e-bay. See you always want what you don't have. Driftwood is easy to find around here but not one coconut to be found when you need one. LOL!!!


Inmartiny, IMO I think the driftwood is small for the Phal. Will all those roots be able to fit on it? Although you live in FL. and the roots may not need to be covered to get enough moisture. I know here the roots will dry up quick if left to hang off the branch without moss to cover them. Of course I'm new to mounting too so you might want to wait for more opinions. Good luck whatever you decide to do.

[lmartiny]

Thanks for your input Solay. I was wondering if it was a tad small/narrow. I do have another phal I could try. The leaves are longer (only2-3) but there are only a few roots. It was just recently repotted and it's very loose and flopping around. Couldn't hurt I figure.

[lissie0113]

Has anyone used coconuts here for potting? I have seen very very cute decorative pots made out of coconuts, but i wonder if they would give a nice home to bugs or hold too much moisture in itself.... My parents have a few awesome coconut trees in their yard, and my dad told me he would save me some, and cut/drill them to make planters if i wanted. Just wanted to know if anyone has any input on that?

[kninum]

i would think that coconuts could be used as the pot (orchid inside), but i would be sure to make plenty of drain/air slits or holes. you might even be able to use the husk part for the media....that'd be a "green" way to grow , eh!
i would keep in mind that the pot would eventually break down, but it i'm sure it would last long enough to when you'd want to re-pot anyways

[lissie0113]

Good! That is what I was thinking..... a very inexpensive way to make your own cool pots... but i was worried about the middle layer of the coconut between the two hard shell layers. But I guess it would probably be fine.... I will have him start to save them for me!

[lmartiny]

I think coconut husk would be good for certain orcids. A couple dens I have are "mounted" on a piece of coconut husk. I have not yet had a rebloom, but the roots seemed to embrace the husk quite well.

[lmartiny]

I went ahead and mounted the phal that had struggled with a repot. (or separation really) I'll do something else with the noid phal with the double spike. Mount is so so. But it will need to take hold to work. I think if he grabs hold, it will do OK.
I only pick strugglers or stragglers for these experiments. so he is not the best looking specimen.
I have a bad habit of forging ahead without a plan. Thus this mount. But it gave me a project, while the football game was on ( not a sports fan) and worrying over and checking on my ill pal Bobo.





rear end shot

[kninum]

Originally Posted by lissie0113

Good! That is what I was thinking..... a very inexpensive way to make your own cool pots... but i was worried about the middle layer of the coconut between the two hard shell layers. But I guess it would probably be fine.... I will have him start to save them for me!

coconut layer between hard shells?
strip/de-husk the green/white pod part down to the stringy rough part......clean out the 'meat' then let it dry out for a bit.


you could leave the rough part on or sand it down for a smooth finish (if your mounting on the outside i'd leave the rough part on.

[lissie0113]

ohhh no florida coconut palms have different coconuts than that picture. they arent round and hairy, they are bigger and sort of oval and smooth, and they have a fibrous, open matrix layer that is 1-1 1/2 inches thick between the outside and the inside shell where the actual coconut is. This link is to a picture that sort of shows it.... you can probably see what i mean.....

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/187/3...23ca918eff.jpg

[florchidlvr88]

Originally Posted by lissie0113

That mount is awesome! I wish we had more cool driftwood like that here in florida.... none of the cool twisted branches around here..... just coconuts floating around....

Melissa you can go to petsmart or a local petstore,they sell cork bark and grapewood for reptile habitats. Great for orchid mounts. Or take a visit to the hillsboro river and look for some cypress driftwood last for years some knarly pieces found along banks and floting down river.

[lmartiny]

Petsmart. Who'd of thunk!! Melissa, isn't that coconut still green? They go brown and the outer layer is fibrous. Kninum's pict shows it after the fibrous layer has been removed. Like how you see them in the grocery store. I love fresh coconut to munch on for snacks.
I see them on the beach a lot on the east coast. I might pick up a few next time. But it would have to be soaked to rid it of salt I would think.

[kninum]

loverly green coconut....although i have only seem the grocery variety, i do believe they are the same thing...
the green outer 'pod' is removed, i think the 'fibres' on the brown version are the remnants of the tan 'matrix' part of the green one...?
i'd pull of the green pod and , and let it dry out in the hot sun......i'm sure you will end up with something that an orchids would love.......