Quote:
Originally Posted by AaronM
1) Sphagnum moss: over the roots, under the roots, both, or none at all?
2) Fishing line, florist's wire, hot glue or hair from the tails of prize winning black Arabian horses?
3) How often should they be watered?
4) How often and how heavily should they be fertilized?
5) When selecting the slab, as a rule of thumb, how many years of growth should you plan for?
6) KLN, Superthrive, or nothing at all.
7) What's the trick to knowing when the roots are well established enough to remove the wrapping material?
|
I like that you've numbered the questions. Makes it much easier to answer!!
1) Totally depends on: the species (those that need rapid drying vs. those that prefer to be moist more often than not), and your particular conditions (humidity, temperature, light levels and how heavy handed your watering habits are). Sorry I cant be more specific here, you'll just have to constantly watch your plants until you figure 'em out.
2) If you've got acces to Arabian horses, by all means try it! I kinda curious about that one myself...
I used to use fishing monofilament but its a real pain in the butt to try and secure your plant tightly while tying a knot. Personally, I discovered zip ties and long twine work great for me.
3) Mounted plants are pretty darn hard to over water. Again, this depends on what species and your particular conditions that you are dealing with. I water mine every day (twice in summer) but I live in a warm climate, with lots of sun and an almost constant 10-20 mph trade wind regime. You probably dont have those conditions, so once a day in warm weather when your plant is actively growing and less during cool weather or when you plant is dormant/resting. Again, it depends on the species, but you should not water if the roots are still wet (ie. green, they should be dry ie. white).
4) Fertilize as often as you would for normally potted orchids. Once every other week or so for orchids in active growth works for me, less to none during rest periods, again, depending on the species. Follow the instructions on the back of the bottle for best results!! lol Its true. I swear.
5) I plan for at least 3 years growth, maybe more. Mounts tend to last fairly long and even then, when your plant outgrows it, it will begin growing on itself. Let this happen for a year and then you'll have to break it up into smaller peices and start all over again.
6) Personally, I use none of these products and I have excellent results. Im sure there are those out there, however, who would disagree very much!
7) You'll know. Trust me. The roots will be all over the mount and you'll know.
Phew. I hope that helps!! Again, think about what type of plant you are going to mount, where its from and what conditions it requires and then think about what conditions you can provide.