This week I bought myself some birthday orchids from OakHill. Great plants,
great service, great value.....

Side story...I ordered a Bulb. phalaenopsis on a mount for $12.00. Now I
didn't expect much at that price and these get to be several feet long
leaves. I had to chuckle when I took it out of the wrapping. It was a
cute small seedling that will be several years before I can "enjoy" the
fragrance of rotting meat in my greenhouse. Even stinky monsters start out
as tiny babies!

Ok...back on topic now. They seem to use grape wood for many of their
mounts. Most of the mounted stuff I've bought from OakHill has been smaller
stuff and the grape vine is no bigger than my little finger around.

So now to my questions....

If you use grape vine for mounts should you let it age/dry for a while? I
have lots of wild stuff killing the trees and could get some nice pieces to
use but I know it oozes sap for a while when you cut fresh grape.

What other native hardwoods make good mounts?

I have an oak branch with a Phal equestris that I mounted the keikis on
about 3 or 4 years ago that seems to be doing well. Occassionally, I get a
shelf mushroom forming on the end and just break them off.

I know dogwood is very hard and when I prune, difficult to cut. Has anyone
tried dogwood for a mount?

Lilac and Crepe Myrtle both are also really tough to cut when I prune. I
would think they would do well.

Any growers of mounted plants want to weigh in on this topic?

Good Growing,
Gene

FWIW, I have a lot of those self-pruning trees, maples. The branches fall
after aging in-situ for a while. Everything I've ever put on them has taken
to it like crazy, and it seems to last years.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Artwork, Books and Lots of Free Info!


"Gene Schurg" wrote in message
news:KBpUe.912$Hs6.839@trnddc07...
This week I bought myself some birthday orchids from OakHill. Great
plants,
great service, great value.....

Side story...I ordered a Bulb. phalaenopsis on a mount for $12.00. Now I
didn't expect much at that price and these get to be several feet long
leaves. I had to chuckle when I took it out of the wrapping. It was a
cute small seedling that will be several years before I can "enjoy" the
fragrance of rotting meat in my greenhouse. Even stinky monsters start
out
as tiny babies!

Ok...back on topic now. They seem to use grape wood for many of their
mounts. Most of the mounted stuff I've bought from OakHill has been
smaller
stuff and the grape vine is no bigger than my little finger around.

So now to my questions....

If you use grape vine for mounts should you let it age/dry for a while? I
have lots of wild stuff killing the trees and could get some nice pieces
to
use but I know it oozes sap for a while when you cut fresh grape.

What other native hardwoods make good mounts?

I have an oak branch with a Phal equestris that I mounted the keikis on
about 3 or 4 years ago that seems to be doing well. Occassionally, I get
a
shelf mushroom forming on the end and just break them off.

I know dogwood is very hard and when I prune, difficult to cut. Has
anyone
tried dogwood for a mount?

Lilac and Crepe Myrtle both are also really tough to cut when I prune. I
would think they would do well.

Any growers of mounted plants want to weigh in on this topic?

Good Growing,
Gene

On Fri, 9 Sep 2005 21:39:26 -0400, "Ray"
wrote:

FWIW, I have a lot of those self-pruning trees, maples. The branches fall
after aging in-situ for a while. Everything I've ever put on them has taken
to it like crazy, and it seems to last years.

As long as you keep an eye on it - backyard prune seems to do
well. We have used fruit trees. My mentor used Cherry. But any
and all mounts eventually disappear. I picked up a plant I have
had for several years, and realized my fingers were touching thru
the roots covering the mount. The tree branch was just 1/2 as
long as it used to be. The sheath of roots covered the location
of the shrinking branch and I had not realized it was shrinking.

We also used the branches they have for bird perches. I have
forgotten the name of the wood. It is popular in CA and is often
suggested. But the only local supply is the pet center's bird
perch supply. This is often smaller than I would like.

I am trying evergreen roots. We had to cut a creeper out it was
not creeping and I kept a couple of the gnarled pieces to get
some interesting wood that was a little larger.

I am using plastic baskets and moss as per Andy for most of the
Bulbo.s. But some of the smaller pieces I mount in little
baskets made of Hardware cloth that I hang sideways on the wall.
Then I fill the basket with Moss and plant in it. Too many 'fern
slabs' disintegrated under my care. Cork can be hard to get the
plants established on - and who likes looking at support wire
while they wait.


SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

Here's one we awarded a few years ago:
http://www.aospacificcentral.org/SFJ...2003/bulb.html I like that Eric
had the owner stand next to the plant in order to show its size....

K Barrett

"Gene Schurg" wrote in message
news:KBpUe.912$Hs6.839@trnddc07...
This week I bought myself some birthday orchids from OakHill. Great
plants,
great service, great value.....

Side story...I ordered a Bulb. phalaenopsis on a mount for $12.00. Now I
didn't expect much at that price and these get to be several feet long
leaves. I had to chuckle when I took it out of the wrapping. It was a
cute small seedling that will be several years before I can "enjoy" the
fragrance of rotting meat in my greenhouse. Even stinky monsters start
out
as tiny babies!

Ok...back on topic now. They seem to use grape wood for many of their
mounts. Most of the mounted stuff I've bought from OakHill has been
smaller
stuff and the grape vine is no bigger than my little finger around.

So now to my questions....

If you use grape vine for mounts should you let it age/dry for a while? I
have lots of wild stuff killing the trees and could get some nice pieces
to
use but I know it oozes sap for a while when you cut fresh grape.

What other native hardwoods make good mounts?

I have an oak branch with a Phal equestris that I mounted the keikis on
about 3 or 4 years ago that seems to be doing well. Occassionally, I get
a
shelf mushroom forming on the end and just break them off.

I know dogwood is very hard and when I prune, difficult to cut. Has
anyone
tried dogwood for a mount?

Lilac and Crepe Myrtle both are also really tough to cut when I prune. I
would think they would do well.

Any growers of mounted plants want to weigh in on this topic?

Good Growing,
Gene

I use pieces of cedar roof shingle to mount oncidiums that want to
"crawl" out of pots.

People who want to use cedar shakes should be sure to buy untreated
shingles. Some shingles are treated with a fire retardant that is
probably not good for orchids.


J. Del Col

That is so huge!

Mine would fit in the palm of your hand and still leave lots of room for
other plants. It will be such an accomplishment when mine gets big.

Gene



"K Barrett" wrote in message
...
Here's one we awarded a few years ago:
http://www.aospacificcentral.org/SFJ...2003/bulb.html I like that Eric
had the owner stand next to the plant in order to show its size....

K Barrett

"Gene Schurg" wrote in message
news:KBpUe.912$Hs6.839@trnddc07...
This week I bought myself some birthday orchids from OakHill. Great
plants,
great service, great value.....

Side story...I ordered a Bulb. phalaenopsis on a mount for $12.00. Now
I
didn't expect much at that price and these get to be several feet long
leaves. I had to chuckle when I took it out of the wrapping. It was a
cute small seedling that will be several years before I can "enjoy" the
fragrance of rotting meat in my greenhouse. Even stinky monsters start
out
as tiny babies!

Ok...back on topic now. They seem to use grape wood for many of their
mounts. Most of the mounted stuff I've bought from OakHill has been
smaller
stuff and the grape vine is no bigger than my little finger around.

So now to my questions....

If you use grape vine for mounts should you let it age/dry for a while?
I
have lots of wild stuff killing the trees and could get some nice pieces
to
use but I know it oozes sap for a while when you cut fresh grape.

What other native hardwoods make good mounts?

I have an oak branch with a Phal equestris that I mounted the keikis on
about 3 or 4 years ago that seems to be doing well. Occassionally, I
get
a
shelf mushroom forming on the end and just break them off.

I know dogwood is very hard and when I prune, difficult to cut. Has
anyone
tried dogwood for a mount?

Lilac and Crepe Myrtle both are also really tough to cut when I prune.
I
would think they would do well.

Any growers of mounted plants want to weigh in on this topic?

Good Growing,
Gene

Gene Schurg wrote:
That is so huge!

Mine would fit in the palm of your hand and still leave lots of room for
other plants. It will be such an accomplishment when mine gets big.

Gene

Be sure to take some "baby pictures" now. I think it would be fun to
remember and, perhaps, show others how it started.

Steve

What a timely question. We rec'd the following as part of an email from
Motes just yesterday. It will speak for itself. There are typos, but the
gist is there.

Diana

Treasures from the Storm
It's an ill wind that blows no one any good. Katrina while merely a major
nuisance for us in South Florida would have been reckoned sufficient of a
trouble maker had we not watched as she wrought real tragedy in her
denouement. Small blessing have nonetheless flowed to S. Florida orchidists
in the enforced pruning of our trees which will bring cherished light to our
orchids. The prunings themselves are a major resource for the clever
orchidists. The streets of Dade county are now line with a virtually
inexhaustible lode of great orchid mounting material. All that is needed is
the energy to cut and haul the appropriate branches that will supply years
of great orchid mounts. With such an abundant(dare I say windfall?) one can
even be quite picky. The savant orchidist should select his material with an
eye to the best suited and the most appealing. Three species stand out.
First, the golden trumpet(Tabebuia argentea or cariba) whose cork like bark
is ideal for most orchid species was the first to fall and particularly
abundant. Live oak(Quercus virginiana) is also highly favored by epiphytic
orchids in general and dendrobiums in particular. It is, of course, of the
very same genus as cork itself. Next among the commonly fallen and desirable
is button wood(Conocarpus erecta) both green and silver. This is "driftwood"
on the hoof. The roots of this species are the "driftwood" of orchid
culture.

Other species are good but these common storm victim will provide more than
enough of the very best mounts. Look for branches that are forked or twisted
or that have other distinctive turns that will add character to the finished
mounts. Try to imagine the plant situated on the branch. A small chain saw
makes short work of these branches, quickly rendering them into raw works of
art but even a well sharpened double set hand pruning saw will do fine. Now
would be a good time to acquire these tools if needed before they are
inevitable truly needed in the aftermath of a major hurricane. In the
meantime we can count our blessings and the orchid manna falling from
heaven.

the wood used for bird perches is probably manzanita? we had a few of those
for the parrots. they last forever, but are very smooth.

has anyone tried the mopani wood they sell in pet stores for mounting
'chids? it seems like it would be great, with it's rough gnarly bark.
it is frequently used in terrariums. or so i hear...

--mo--
"Gene Schurg" wrote in message
news:KBpUe.912$Hs6.839@trnddc07...
This week I bought myself some birthday orchids from OakHill. Great
plants,
great service, great value.....

Side story...I ordered a Bulb. phalaenopsis on a mount for $12.00. Now I
didn't expect much at that price and these get to be several feet long
leaves. I had to chuckle when I took it out of the wrapping. It was a
cute small seedling that will be several years before I can "enjoy" the
fragrance of rotting meat in my greenhouse. Even stinky monsters start
out
as tiny babies!

Ok...back on topic now. They seem to use grape wood for many of their
mounts. Most of the mounted stuff I've bought from OakHill has been
smaller
stuff and the grape vine is no bigger than my little finger around.

So now to my questions....

If you use grape vine for mounts should you let it age/dry for a while? I
have lots of wild stuff killing the trees and could get some nice pieces
to
use but I know it oozes sap for a while when you cut fresh grape.

What other native hardwoods make good mounts?

I have an oak branch with a Phal equestris that I mounted the keikis on
about 3 or 4 years ago that seems to be doing well. Occassionally, I get
a
shelf mushroom forming on the end and just break them off.

I know dogwood is very hard and when I prune, difficult to cut. Has
anyone
tried dogwood for a mount?

Lilac and Crepe Myrtle both are also really tough to cut when I prune. I
would think they would do well.

Any growers of mounted plants want to weigh in on this topic?

Good Growing,
Gene