Xref: news7 rec.gardens.orchids:42343

Well, proper case selection determines results. The Dens you mention - I
can't comment on since I have assiduously avoided growing dends., LOL!! In
general, however I don't think bulbos and dens can compare in terms of
watering requirements. Even you state that you have success with vandas in
pots, once again I'll hazard a guess and say that the potting medium holds
more moisture at the roots which they can use to survive in your conditions.
(Speaking of which, Jerry Rodder grows his vandas in coir in plastic pots.
Go figure! Works for him!!) Points up the cardinal rule of growing orchids:
whatever works for you works for you. That anyone's orchids bloom is a
testament to adaptability. Both ours and theirs.

And speaking of adapation, if your vanda is doing well in a pot why buck the
system and force it to adapt again to a basket? Delaying blooms and growth.
Could you just hang the pot up where you want it? Maybe slip the pot into a
basket and hang that?

K Barrett
(glad to be of help in the gauge.)

"Dave Sheehy" wrote in message
...
K Barrett ) wrote:
: Are you growing in a greenhouse or a windowsill? IMHO any mounted plant
: needs lots of ambient humidity in addition to daily watering in order to
: thrive. In a house you can't do that easily. So I'd take it off the
: mount and put it in a plastic pot in sphagnum moss.

You raise a subject near and dear to my heart. I keep my orchids
exclusively
in a windowsill environment and have subsequently become very interested
in
this issue. If I can keep some mounted orchids my growing space expands
significantly (i.e. the sill is already full!). But, I live in central
California where it's hot in the summer and the humidity isn't typically
very
high. So, two years ago I started an experiment and bought a Den.
thrysiflorum
at a local show. It is potted in a 2" plastic basket with *no* media, just
the basket, the plant, and the hanger. The first year, it grew a new cane.
The second year, it bloomed and grew 2 new canes. It is now starting its
3rd year, resting and will hopefully bloom soon. When active I don't
typically
water it every day and I don't anything particularly special about raising
humidity other occasionally misting the general area (it's tile). Would it
grow better in a greenhouse? I presume so but since I don't have a
greenhouse
I don't have any first hand experience there. But, more importantly can
you
grow and re-bloom a mounted orchid indoors without lots of special
attention?
My one experiment says the answer is yes (at least for this particular
species). I will be adding some sphagnum around the roots this year to
keep
the roots moister for a longer period of time to see how that improves
things.

Based on that prior success in August I bought one of Andy's orchids on a
stick, a Den. hercoglossum. So far it's grown a new cane but won't know if
it will re-bloom until this summer. Very recently I bought another of
Andy's
orchids on stick (an Encyclia adenocaula) and a Vanda in a 4" plastic
basket.
The Vanda is of particular interest to me as I have another Vanda that has
been potted in bark for the 15 years I've had it and it's getting a bit
big
for the window sill. Getting it into a basket would open up some sill
space
and give it some breathing room. One of things I want to do is buy a
humidity
meter like the one sold by Radio Shack (which BTW I found out about on K
Barret's web site, thanks K!) so I can see what the humidity really is in
my
house in general and on the window sill. Anyway, the experiments continue
(and hopefully with the same amount of success I've had so far!).

Dave