My orchid problems

[orchid_killer]

I just noticed this forum. I think I may have posted my problem orchid posts in the wrong section. Although, I got several responses and all that, which I'm very happy about. My questions are all newbie questions that I think they should have been posted here...

In any case, here they all are:
http://www.rv-orchidworks.com/orchid...ill-saved.html
http://www.rv-orchidworks.com/orchid...save-able.html
http://www.rv-orchidworks.com/orchid...ill-saved.html
http://www.rv-orchidworks.com/orchid...ght-goner.html
http://www.rv-orchidworks.com/orchid...t-too-bad.html
http://www.rv-orchidworks.com/orchid...ay-except.html

Now, my idiot question of the day is:

My mother has walls of specialty orchids in the Philippines. They're all of different varieties. And they're all mounted to different kinds of bark sticking to the concrete wall. They don't have any medium except for spanish moss around the base. This is how she plants new orchids: She takes an orchid, puts it against the bark, put a bit of spanish moss over the base of the root, wrap it with old pantyhose, water it, and that's it! After a few weeks, the pantyhose disintegrates which is about the same time the roots cling to the bark, so it doesn't fall off. She waters them every other morning, fertilize once a month. That's all she does to them. She has vandas, phals, dendrobiums, cattleyas, oncidiums, and every other kind of stuff on that wall with detachable screen cover. I asked her to email me some pictures so I can post them here. She has some hanging on those slatted square wood baskets - same thing, no medium except moss - that didn't fit on the walls. They are all big fat orchids and there is not a single day that there is no bloom on those walls. She's been collecting these orchids for over 30 years. So, she tells me to take these orchids out of these pots and hang them! But, when I do that, they all die. Now, I can tell you, I helped my mom mount her orchids in the Philippines, so I kinda know what to do. So, what is so different about the Philippines and Northeast Florida that I can't do the same thing to my orchids that my mother does to hers?

[bench72]

Not really sure what Florida's weather is like, but from memory the Philippines (Subic Bay) was always hot and humid, or hot and wet, or just wet!

also, I don't ever recall ever needing to put on a jumper or a second pair of shirt because the temperature was always either hot or pleasantly warm.

[stacey8989]

jumper = sweatshirt in case anyone wondered. hehe

[eaglssong]

Not really sure what Florida's weather is like, but from memory the Philippines (Subic Bay) was always hot and humid, or hot and wet, or just wet!

also, I don't ever recall ever needing to put on a jumper or a second pair of shirt because the temperature was always either hot or pleasantly warm.

Florida has all sorts of climate, depending where you are. I believe Killer said she lives in Jacksonville, which is way north. They sometimes get frost in the winter. I live in southeast Florida, and in a normal year (this one hasn't been normal so far), it's mostly hot and humid from March until November or December. January generally has one "cold" spell (50ish during the day), and then it starts to gradually warm up again, but if fairly dry and not humid at all.

When I say this year is not normal, it's been unusually cold, and for a longer time. For instance, this week started out breaking records (90s and humid), and then the temps dropped like a rock and we had sweaters/jumpers on, and now we're headed back towards the 90s again.

I don't think we're as hot and humid as in the Philippines, but we have basically two seasons down here. Warm and dry (winter), and then the dreaded H season... hot, humid, and hurricanes.

Another good reason to grow my orchids indoors, where I can have better control over their living conditions.

[orchid_killer]

Well, yes. The Philippines has 2 seasons - wet and dry. Temperature swings are between 60 and 90 all year round. It's humid but the sea breezes kinda take the stuffiness away. Sunrise and sunset times vary by less than an hour all year long.

So, if I mount my orchids on bark, take them outside in Spring and Fall and move them inside in Summer and Winter, would that then be "mimicking" Philippine scenario? Does anybody here in the US have their orchids set-up like this?