Sedirea Japonica - want to pot it because it is mounted - what do you think?

[astrid]

Hey everyone!

I made my first order from Andy's today!! I bought a sedirea japonica from him (sooooo excited!!) and it should arrive in a week or so.

I was wondering if I would traumatize this plant if I switched it from a mount to a pot.

I am also wondering what type of media it likes- typical fast-draining, thick bark phal media, since it is sort of considered to be a species phal?

If you have one of these on a mount, how often do you have to water it? I prefer watering everyone every 5-7 days, so if a plant requires any more than that I may shrivel up the poor thing.

Finally, do these guys like tight shoes? Do they want to be suuuper snug in the pot, or just normal snug in the pot?

Thanks!

[WhiteRabbit]

If it's well established on the mount (coming from Andy's, I'd expect it to be), I don't know if it would be possible to remove it without ripping off the roots.

I have a mounted one - in the dry climate here, it gets watered daily (during cool damp weather, it might go a couple of days). I've killed 3 potted sedireas previously, but my mounted one has been growing well for the two years I've had it.

[Bulbofett]

I agree with WhiteRabbit. I have 2 mounted plants from Andy's and there is no way I'd even dream of dismounting them.

Placing a mounted orchid inside a cache pot does wonders. It keeps humidity up and your mounts can go a few days longer without being watered. Andy's plants usually have some sphagnum that comes with them so I haven't found them to be a bother.

[astrid]

Originally Posted by Bulbofett

I agree with WhiteRabbit. I have 2 mounted plants from Andy's and there is no way I'd even dream of dismounting them.

Placing a mounted orchid inside a cache pot does wonders. It keeps humidity up and your mounts can go a few days longer without being watered. Andy's plants usually have some sphagnum that comes with them so I haven't found them to be a bother.

That's a good idea. Do you mean a clay pot that is slightly bigger than the mount? Or a glazed decorative pot that would hold in moisture?
Look at me getting sucked into the world of orchids. Now I can never take a vacation because I'll be stuck watering 3x a week with no one to trust!!

I said I would never get a plant like that, but MissOrchidGirl had to make them sound soooo wonderful that I simply could not resist!

I better set up some contacts for an orchid babysitter with my local orchid society, haha!

---------- Post added at 05:14 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:13 PM ----------

Originally Posted by WhiteRabbit

If it's well established on the mount (coming from Andy's, I'd expect it to be), I don't know if it would be possible to remove it without ripping off the roots.

I have a mounted one - in the dry climate here, it gets watered daily (during cool damp weather, it might go a couple of days). I've killed 3 potted sedireas previously, but my mounted one has been growing well for the two years I've had it.

Yeah I am getting nervous because so many people say they've killed so many sedireas!!
I guess it will stay on the mount unless I happen to get a wild hare and feel a sudden urge to POT IT NOW one night as I am wont to do...

[RandomGemini]

I think a glazed pot. You could also hang it inside a glass vase.

[801229001]

Yes you will traumatize the plant, but you can minimize it by planting the plant (still attached to the mount), into a pot of your preferred orchid growing media.

[kmccormic]

I just got a mounted Sideria from Andy's, and it was packed tight with lots of moss to the mount. You could cut the wire and peel all the moss off and see if the roots are firmly affixed to the wood, or if it's just the wire and moss holding the roots in place. I'd be interested to know. I've never dealt with mounted orchids before either - it's a big experiment for me.

I've grown Sideria's successfully in the pot in the northeast, near a cool leaky drafty window no less, just watering 2-4 times per week depending on whether the moss was crunchy. I used spahgnum because the roots need LOTS of air circulation, the same Japanese mound of moss method which is commonly used with Neofinetia falcata. I put a bare round of LONG-length spagh around a 2" tiny core pot, like the ones at repotme, to create an air flow pocket.
2" Net Pot - Vertical
Then I put down the plant and roots. Then I wound more of the long strand spagh around the roots to anchor it and put that in a clear sided pot with good drainage so I could monitor the crunchiness of the sphag. Usually bloomed 3-4 times per year for me.