That is such a cool looking tree trunk, would look great when the phalies bloom. If you give them enough light and temp variation blooming should be no issue. I have some mounted on the trees (outside) and I hose them down with water every other day or so. They are happily growing- waiting for the spikes now...

Very cool!

Couple things:

1. You could use a tillandsia of some sort on the outside of the crook where it changes direction in the middle. I think part of what makes it look unfinished is a lack of plant diversity.

2. Its hard to tell what sort of light sources you have where the tree is, but I'm not really seeing any windows or anything. If its by an aquarium and what looks like a doorway, its DEFINITELY not getting enough light. Moving it will definitely be in order.

3. You MIGHT have done yourelf a disservice by trying this with phalaenopsis. Wanting as much moisture as they do, people often have problems trying to keep these particular plants mounted indoors because of their watering requirements. There are other orchids that might make this endeavor a little easier. You may have mitigated it somewhat with the amount of moss you used, I dont' know. Time will tell!

4. Along the lines of #3, the watering with these could be a little painful for an indoor grower who can't afford to get water all over the place, unlike a greenhouse grower who can water in place. What you might want to do is try to scale it down to a large branch with a few miniature orchids to start with, instead of a gigantic trunk with larger plants. Otherwise you're stuck hauling this huge honkin' thing to wherever you have to water it, every day.

It looks like a great start! Can't wait to see the finished product!

I agree with terpguy. How are you going to water this during the winter? Phals need moisture and light. Having the plants on different heights will make it difficult to give sufficient light unless you have large windows where each level can get light. Possibly a octopus lamp pointed at different levels, or clamp lights.

The heat in your house will cause these plants to dry out very quickly. Personally, I would put them back in pots or on small pieces of wood and sit those on a tray with pebbles which will hold water.

It's lovely, but unfortunately, I don't think it will work.

Jane

If you can give this enough light and don't mind watering the sphag daily, it will work. Even in a g/h, mounts get watered every day but the amount of sphag you've used will help keep them more moist.

Do you have an east window? Phals need 800 fc to 1200 fc to grow and bloom. A couple hours of morning sun would be appropriate. As Jane said, a couple of CFL's pointed in the direction of the plants should also do it.

In pic #2 I see a green tipped dangling root. Secure that to the mount to it can grab the wood right away. I don't see any problems with the leaf on your plant. The plants appear to be quite healthy with a ton of roots.

I agree with the Terp, tillandsia could be placed on the mount in various places.

It's a very cleaver idea and if you are prepared for the work, it will be beautiful. Good luck and do share pictures with us later.

Brooke

Cool, thanks for all the comments. I'll keep you updated as it changes!

I think its cool! You might want to put wheels under it for ease of movement. Please post pics when they are blooming.

Looks good! I have two 5 & 6 ft. cedar tree trunks with all types of orchids rooted to them. But I do have them outside and they will be moved inside a greenhouse during the coldest part of our mild winter. I shower my chids often and just let the water run down through the cracks of the deck.

The problem is that this mount will be indoors over winter with central heat. She's not growing in a greenhouse. Dry heat for months during winter is tough on Phals in pots.

I've grown mounted phals (and other species) inside, under lights, during the winter months and they do fine if they receive the moisture required. My mounted phals had much less sphag than Rayne has pictured above. They grew, they bloomed. If a person is willing to do the work, it can be accomplished.

If dry heat made it impossible to grow phals mounted or in pots, wouldn't that eliminate many growers that read this forum? Personally I found it harder to grow outside in the summer when I couldn't control the elements dumped on me by Mother Nature.

Brooke

Just a thought, but you might consider putting a small humidifier just at the base of the mount. They're not too expensive, and it may help keep them from getting too dry too fast. It would likely also be more effective than misting.

Tyler

You are right brooke, it can be done indoors. I just dont think they are the easiest to start ouf with. Too much work the first time can discourage people There are more forgiving indoor-mount friendly plants to choose from. I've kept mounted phals indoors as well (my first mount attempt was a phal long ago) and IMHE I would discourage them as a starting point for an first attempt indoor endeavor like this. Assuming appropriate light the first plants I'd look at are haraella, schoenorchis, b nodosa, l anceps, and maybe even onc gower ramsey and soph cernua

Rayne didn't ask for suggestions on what to mount - the phals are already mounted - on a tree trunk - in her house.

Yes, I could give her a list of things that might be easier to deal with in a low light situation but that is after the fact.

If she wants to do the work, who am I to tell her not to attempt it.

Brooke

This is a new grower. I would't recommend attempting this with the type of mount she's using. Terpguy is right, different plants would have a better chance. When the heat is on in her house that sphag will dry out in a day unless she provides high humidity. I know, I have a bunch of mounts and can't get humidity over 18% in winter - usually around 11% even with vaporizers.

I like to see a new growers have success with their plants. There are other plants better suited for this type of setup, although I still think that size branch would be better used in a greenhouse. Lighting will also be a challenge.

But it will be a good learning experience and if it becomes to difficult, the plants can always go back in pots...

good luck,

Jane

Better humidity is possible when multiple steps are taken which collectively increase it. My house runs ~ 30-40% R.H. (as measured by a sling psychrometer) during the winter with a forced-air heating system using natural gas as fuel. I don't use "active" humidifiers.

--Stitz--

i'd recommend placing a cool water humidifier near by to increase humidity. as for adding, maybe a little live spanish moss, couple of smaller fern species, a footed fern would climb up that really well, and some mini or smaller orchids. terp had the right idea with the soph. make sure though that light requirements will match the phals.
good luck with it

Rayne, it looks fantastic!! That limb is so perfect for your set-up. I think it's worthwhile endeavor...I asked for advice on this topic on another thread & got some very helpful info; these comments here have been useful as well.

I did end up doing one, (photo soon to be up, I hope)but I had to keep it very columnar due to space constraints. Tacked 7 different orchid specs. all in bloom to a moss covered post. Set that in a pothos plant for the trailing & softening. I'm lucky in that it's placed to get a lot of light. Kept them in their plastic pots & covered them w/ moss also - hoping that combo, plus regular misting & watering of the pothos, will help them retain correct moisture level.

It will have to be moved anyway around Thanksgiving; so I'm already trying a few different tricks with the manzaneta. I'm psyched to check out the other plants you mentioned terp.

This is difficult because it is so easy to be an anti mounting pain. Sorry!!

Better if you are lord of the manor and have three glasshouses chock full of orchids so that you can bring the ones in bloom to mount on your tree.

That is exactly what one nursery owner did when he wanted to display his orchids at shows. He had a bolt together tree with flats and used to hide the pots with spanish moss and enhance the whole thing with broms etc. and it did look wonderful.

That is a problem if you are not lord of the manor, you will get comments such as nice green leaves etc. etc.

Perhaps there are other things you can add so that it is attractive year round and perhaps broms. spanish moss are not low light plants????