Is it possible to overwater a mounted orchid?
 

While I've got the watering of potted Phals down well, I still worry all the time about overwatering any orchid which likes to stay moist. I think I am underwatering my potted miltoiopsis NoID as a result of being scared of overwatering.

Well, I now have a mounted orchid (Miltonia spectabilis - part of the summer project) and that also needs to be kept moist from what I have read.

So my question is... "is it possible to overwater a mounted orchid?"

I have found that if I water it in the morning (dunk for a few min) the moss between the plant and the mount is still just moist when I go to bed but is very dry by the next morning.

So I thought that maybe I should water twice a day, but then I start worrying again that I may end up overwatering and causing root rot.

I'm thinking that a mounted orchid will get more air and so this is less likely to be a problem but I still worry I'm going to kill it.:hmm

During the warmer months with longer days I wouldn't worry about over-watering if you only water the mounted orchids twice a day.

It is possible to overwater mounted orchids, just much more difficult usually.

Whatever your watering routine may be I believe that consistency plays a more important factor in the success of your plants. The roots tailor themselves for the environment they are in, and if that means part of the mount is thick moss and is watered twice a day then the roots will chose to grow in the moss if they can and they will be fine because they will be tailored for a very damp environment.

If the roots are used to a environment where they are exposed to strong air currents and dry before their next watering, they might have problems with staying in wet moss 24/7.

Don't be afraid to make mistakes and learn from them :)

I would think if the plant likes to be moist constantly it should be fine to water twice. My aerangis biloba frequently gets watered twice a day right now as it is otherwise bone dry in the morning. Sometimes all it needs is a few squirts of water from a spray bottle in the evening to just keep it from being bone dry by morning.

Thanks Weebl and WhiteRabbit,

As it's seeming to be bone dry by morning I think I will water twice, perhaps with just a spray in the evening as suggested.

It's all a new adventure growing on a mount so I'm both excited to see if I can get it right and worried I'm going to kill this plant really quickly. Time will tell which way it goes :crossfing

I suppose you could, for the aforementioned reasons. Also, I imagine if the plant needs a winter rest you can overwater it just like any other orchid.

I water my mounts twice daily (if I can) daily due to the hot weather, but decrease watering during the winter months (or what is considered winter here in Miami) because the moss stays wet/damp with just one watering.

Good luck with mounts--I love the look of them.

Thanks peewee.

I hope I get the hang of this :blushing:

You are welcome!!

I'm sure you will definitely get the hang of it.

I love mounts because I find it so cool to see the roots attach themselves to the pieces of wood--almost like an art piece (IMHO).

I have Phal. schilleriana seedlings mounted in a small tank, they get watered twice a day and the sphag stays completely wet all night. They stay so wet the sphag that they're mounted with is growing and thriving right there on the mounts, as if they're at home in a sphagnum swamp!

So despite my best efforts, i have not been able to over-water these mounted plants. Of course Phal. schilleriana is one of those Phals that 'they' say needs to dry out completely between waterings, so that's really saying something. Although i'm sure there are some plants that you could over-water on mounts, i haven't been able to do it yet. Oh ghost orchids don't like to stay constantly wet.. OK so one.

Thanks Undergrounder, that's good to know.

I think I've got the feel for watering this one now. One of it's pbulbs started to wrinkle very slightly so at the weekend I soaked the whole thing for about half an hour and it's plumped up again.

I'm generally watering twice a day but sometimes only once if it still looks very wet at the end of the day.

I'm feeling less worried about killing it now :biggrin:

All have posted good advice but what it boils down to is you have to find out for yourself. The humidity and light conditions vary from one place to another even in the same room or greenhouse. Generally thick roots can take drying out while thinner one like more moisture. Do you use a sphagnum pad or not? Are you mounting on cork, fern slab or other item? Is there a strong air current? Are your plants grouped for communal humidity support? Of course, light intensity can play a big part. Just be observant and more your mount as soon as you see signs that it isn't happy. They don't all want the same thing. You'll find room for more as you have more success. Mounts are very attractive. But there's no denying they take more observation than most pots. Enjoy.
Gary