Mounting orchids with New England weather?

[kerri.rock]

Hi guys!! I wanted to try mounting one of my oncs in a basket...and a phal on a wooden mount...good idea in New England???

[hank3443]

Hi Kerri, I have a few phals. mounted on wood and cork, all species. I also have (3) oncidiums in baskets all miniature twinkles.
All are doing well thus far. The phals. have re-bloomed a number of times the oncidiums are in bloom as we speak. I water the mounts every day
and the baskets every third day, I also have a humidifier, I grow under lights during the cold months and outside on covered porch's in the summer. If you can keep them moist it's a great way to grow them and certainly worth trying. Hank....

[kerri.rock]

Do I put anything on the mounts or in the baskets to help keep humidity up? I read sphag...but I hate the stuff!!

[mauraec]

If you get high quality sphag and monitor its dampness, it will help more in the basket than on the mount. The sphag I've had on mounted plants generally wears away after awhile. Keep in mind all the conditions that Hank mentioned in his post. Mounted orchids require more humidity than potted ones and spraying them once a day can become time-consuming, messy, and inadequate.

[tucker85]

Some phals do well on mounts but they need to be watered every day, so you can't leave town or get sick without making arrangements to have someone water them. I use some sphagnum under the roots on phals but I don't use it on any other mounted orchids. I have one oncidium on a tree fern totem mount and it's done very well. I have been watering every day but once an oncidium is established you can leave it without water for several days. I like the tree fern pole because it holds water for a period of time. I plan to mount another oncidium because this one has done so well.

[maggs]

Hi Hank, I have a phal that I have in spag in the clear plastic pot that we buy them in, I am thinking of mounting it on a piece of guava tree wood or some other type of hardwood, I have saved this particular one twice and now there is a strong root system being established, along with new leaves (from three to five big ones now) please tell me if I should mount it now that roots are being established and what should I use to put it on the mount and how do I mount it, I have been seeing how beautiful they can grow because it is close to the natural setting I guess, I also have a vanda I would like to also do the same with, thanks for your advice. Maggs