How do I plant my orchid in a coconut and how do I use the husks?
 

Hello all! I am brand new to orchids, I have had one orchid for 2 years, very small hasn't bloomed again since after I bought it in a piece of bark it came with in a clay pot. Then I have a much larger one I just bought (same thing, it is growing in a piece of wood in a clay pot) I saw an earlier post from someone in Thailand who said they use the empty coconuts as pots which was the greatest idea to me, because I just started making my own coconut milk, so I have a lot of empty coconuts that I just didn't have the heart to throw them all away for some reason... sorry I'm blabbing on... I was wondering how exactly I do it, could I put the small orchid in one? Do I just keep it in the piece of bark and should I put some coconut husk around it? Can roots that grow big be used to grow another orchid? Both are indoor plants, I have no trees outside or shade I could put them on. Sorry if these are obvious questions, I have 2 little ones so I couldn't go through all the posts! Thank you all so very much in advance for any help!

Stefpix Stefano is the guy to ask.

I planted a Phal Type Dendrobium into a halved coconut husk last year. The coconut husk was dried at the time I cut in half and boy was that ever a job. I used a hacksaw for the outer husk and then a chisel was necessary to break open the actual coconut shell. I couldn't remove the shell from the husk so I put a bit of CHC, charcoal and aerolite inside the shell before anchoring the Phal roots in place. The Phal had some long pseudobulbs and was top heavy and this made the job of anchoring the plant difficult. I wound up wrapping multiple thin strips of panty hose around the lower part of the plant bulbs and around the outer natural indentations of the coconut husk and finished by tying the ends of the nylons together. It wasn't the most attractive mount but it held the roots firmly in the shell. I removed the nylons after new roots firmly anchored themselves to the husk.

My coconut mount is grown hanging on a structure outdoors. To hang it I used a metal plant hanger/hook designed for large lipped terracotta pots. It's short and metal with a rounded hook at the top with a triangular clip at the base. There's a straight piece of metal behind the triangle and it was jammed into the husk fibers and then the triangle part was clipped tightly to the outside shell of the husk. I just spritz it with water and tilt the mount a bit to let any excess drain from the shell. Indoor watering could get a little messy unless it's done in a shower or sink.

This is a recent phto of my coconut mounted phal. I don't have any good close-up shots and my husband has taken the camera on a business trip. If you'd like I can post better photos when he returns. :)

Ok nIce growing but it is not a Phal ....at least I did not think it is ...is it maybe a phal type den?

OH DUH just reread the post and GO FIGURE you are right about what kind it is ......SORRY.


Guess I could edit that out but I will simply add good growing again and take my lumps for not paying attention.

John, I had the same reaction- phals don't have pseudobulbs, skipped right to the picture and was going to post that it was not a phal until I saw your post! ;)

Actually I meant to say canes instead of pseudobulbs.;)

hehe - well the others, and myself - thought you were saying a Phalaenopsis, not a Phal type den - or Den-Phal.
Phals not having canes or pbulbs ;)

Nice looking mount!

depends on the humidity. what orchids etc.

what grows well on coconut husks husseems to me Den. loddigesii. but added some sphagnum because the coco fiber may dry too fast in low humidity.
I have a Den aphyllum keiki that look happy and growing in a coconut shell filled with coco chips and some LECA. would drill a drainage hole

anyway some photos in this album of the coconut "pot"

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http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...5&l=0ff0285b08

I've bought some orchids from a local grower that named Coconut Orchids grows predominately on coconut husks. The trick she explained to me is having the husks aged well. That you do is by splitting the husks and letting them be exposed to the elements until they turn grey.

I have since been saving some husks for medium. I used some large husk chunks to grow large cane dendrobium NOIDs in and they love it. One is in a clay pot, the other in a wooden basket. It seems to have stopped the leaf drop I got from these type of chids grow in other mediums, from bark to BOS mixes, and sheets of coconut fiber in baskets. Neither of which worked out as well as the large coconut chunks.

I'm not trying to hijack this thread, but while we're on the subject...Is there an easier way to neatly open the outer dried husk of a coconut (not the inner shell). :scratchhead: :help:Currently I use a hack saw for the husk and a chisel for the shell and the whole procedure is rather dangerous and labor intensive. :whew I have a ton of coconuts because my generous neighbor tosses his coconuts into my yard when he prunes his tree. Problem is, he doesn't remove them when they're green but waits till after they're hard and dry. They're way past the machete stage.