On Fri, 04 May 2007 08:05:28 -0300, gerald wrote:

I recently acquired 3 decent sized used Vandas. 2 were in the
standard slatted wooden boxes. they have air roots about a foot long.
draped with the roots is a mass of Spanish moss. is this a good Idea,
or a bad idea. the third orchid was laying on a mass of std potting
debris. I removed it, put it in a box identical to the other two, and
stuffed some sphagnum moss around the in the box part. the roots are
hanging down naked. should I get some Spanish moss for those roots?
should I get Spanish moss to put in the box around the standard roots?

When we buy Ascda or Vanda type plants I often find the stump of a top
cutting has been stuck in a pot so that the hanger can be attached to
the pot. Then a large chunk of bark, charcoal or lava rock is used to
brace the plant. The roots grow out over the edges of the pot.

When I plant such a growth for my gh I used a net/or wood basket and
use peanuts to help support the plant in the basket, but the first
watering the peanuts shot out. SO I used sphagnum moss to maintain
the peanuts. This is not a good situation. The roots immediately
headed for open air and so we now use just enough wire, charcoal, lava
rock or large bark chunks to balance the plant in the basket. Most of
them grow better with less.

When I top a plant a want a keiki from the bottom I will drape spanish
moss to help collect the humidity or most in the gh. It seems to
help. Of course it could all be in my head. Enough wishes and a few
will come true/
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/main.php