Diane,

I just pick a spot near the center of the slab so that it looks good. The cork I got from Tropical Plant Products (great prices on orchid supplies and nice people to deal with) has deep ridges in the bark. I stuff a wad of moss in the crevace formed by the ridges. I just want to keep a small amount of water available to the plant until it gets established on the bark slab.

You have to look at the variety of plant you are mounting and decide how fast does it dry out. Can it tolerate a long dry spell (less moss) or does it need constant water (more moss)? How much time does Diane have to mist the plants? less time (more moss) or lots of time (less moss).

I don't have enough experience with mounted plants to give you a definite guideline. This is another one of those things that differ with different culture and growing areas. My greenhouse is very humid and if I don't mist the mounts for a couple of days they don't seem to suffer. If they were in the air conditioned house I'd probably have to mist every couple of hours.

I have one keiki from a phalenopsis type denrobium that grows like a weed. I took the keiki and just made a staple out of wire and stuck it to a piece of compressed tree fern. No moss or anything. It is hanging with the other mounted plants and I noticed this week it's starting to send out another cane. It's been on the mount about 6 months and seems to be very happy. I thought it would dehydrate. I only did this as an experiment to see how it would grow.

As to where to secure the plant....each plant is different. You want it secure but you don't want to see the wire/string. The plant will send out roots during the next year and adhere to the slab. I try to find a center of balance on the root mass and tie it down. If you have a really floppy plant then drill another pair of holes further up the slab and put another loop around a cane or two.

I hope this helps.

Good growing,
Gene




"Diane Mancino" wrote in message t...
Another option would be to get a slab of cork, or other untreated wood.
Drill two small holes about 1/2 inch apart. Make a small wad of long fibre
moss. Thread a piece of thin wire or fishing line (monofilament) through
the holes so that a big loop is on the front of the slab. I like fishing
line because it dissapears when it's pulled tight.

Put the moss wad on the board under the loop then place the barerooted
dendrobium on top and pull the loop tight from behind the board. Tie the
wire or fishing line tight.

OK Gene, I'm paying attention. I have cork on order and am about to mount my first dend. after I clean up the roots and place it on the cork, put moss over it and secure? does it matter how much moss and is there a best place to secure the wire to the plant. this sounds like a much better method for dends rather than having them propped because they fall over all the time

Diane



"Gene Schurg" wrote in message rthlink.net...
Gerard,

I can't speak specifically for that variety since I don't have it in my
collection.

I do have other pendant Dendrobium species. First you could put a hook on
the bottom of the basket and just hang it on a wall the plant will gradually
hang lower as the canes grow out.

Another option would be to get a slab of cork, or other untreated wood.
Drill two small holes about 1/2 inch apart. Make a small wad of long fibre
moss. Thread a piece of thin wire or fishing line (monofilament) through
the holes so that a big loop is on the front of the slab. I like fishing
line because it dissapears when it's pulled tight.

Put the moss wad on the board under the loop then place the barerooted
dendrobium on top and pull the loop tight from behind the board. Tie the
wire or fishing line tight.

One final option would be just to hang the basket from a hook and eventually
the growths will get heavy and hang down. I have a Den sulawensience that
is growing in a 4 inch pot. I just sat the pot in a vanda basket. As the
canes get long and heavy I take a twist tie and lash it to one of the wire
hanger legs so it sticks out over the edge of the basket.

You have lots of choices. It only depends on how you want to care for the
plant.


Good Growing,
Gene





"Gerard-P" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

Early this year I bought a Dendrobium Pendulum

(three in fact) in a plastic basket, standing upright.

They should hang down of course but I have a

problem finding the right way to pot or attach them.

Any suggestions?



Greetings,

Gerard