Mounting Dendrobium on tree.

[aray]

Hello,
I want to mount some dendrobiums on mango tree. In my place we get heavy rain in Jul-Sep. Is there a chance of crown rot due to water-logging, if i put them vertically?

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

When you mount Dendrobiums, even if you mounted them the way you'd like they to grow, they will grow how they want to grow. So, if you place them to grow upwards, if they are naturally pendulous, they will eventually droop and grow pendulously.

Don't put moss on or under the roots. Grown this way in a tropical environment, they might be able to tolerate the seasonal rains you have.

[aray]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

When you mount Dendrobiums, even if you mounted them the way you'd like they to grow, they will grow how they want to grow. So, if you place them to grow upwards, if they are naturally pendulous, they will eventually droop and grow pendulously.

Don't put moss on or under the roots. Grown this way in a tropical environment, they might be able to tolerate the seasonal rains you have.

Thanks for the response.Can dendrobium suffer from crown rot due to water-logging? I am searching the internet, but not getting much info about it. Everybody talk about Phal and Vanda only regarding crown rot.

[Roberta]

Vandas and Phals have a growth habit called "monopodial". They put out new growth from the top (the crown). So that crown is vulnerable (it forms a little "pocket" that can trap water) and since that's the only growth point, if it rots you will often lose the plant (though it can produce new growths from the base... basal keikis if you're lucly) Dendrobiums are sympodial - they produce multiple growths along a rhizome. Therefore they are less vulnerable, having multiple growth points and during most of their growth cycle also don't have that little pocket.

[estación seca]

Which Dendrobiums? How hot is the summer? How cool is the winter?

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

If they get overwatered, Dendrobiums will rot. It is not "crown rot". They usually rot from the base of the canes or pseudobulbs.

[Roberta]

I think that it would be pretty hard (impossible?) to overwater a mounted plant, especially outdoors on a tree. Aray's environment sounds very much like what most Dens experience naturally, a monsoonal weather pattern.I think the question applied to mounting orientation - vertical rather than at an angle. That could be an issue with monopodial orchids, but I doubt that it would be a problem with Dens.

[aray]

Thanks all for your kind responses.In my environment summer reaches 40C and we can get upto 1500 mm(total) rainfall in rainy season.Winter can drops to 8C and remains at average low of 14C.

@ Estacion,
The plants i am planning to mount are Dendrobium Pretty Doll,Dendrobium Amethystoglossum Sp and Dendrobium Insigne Sp, or at least any two of these three.

[estación seca]

I am not familiar with insigne. It comes from hot low tropics. If you know anybody growing it in your area, ask whether it tolerates your winter temperatures. It might.

The other two should be fine. The will probably grow with stems hanging down, which prevents water collecting in the growing point.

[SJJ]

Hi I just joined the orchid board and am still trying to find my way around. This was the closest discussion I could find for my question. I have a Dendrobium Amethystoglossum that I bought in a small (3 inch) plastic pot and wanted to move it to a small basket. Has anybody put this orchid in a basket as opposed to mounting? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and I'm looking forward to reading everything the board has to offer!
Susan