I know absolutely nothing about orchids. I've never kept one and was actually in the process of decluttering my plant collection. But I was gifted this keiki (possibly a Phalenopsis?) with a single, long root and four leaves.
From the research I've done so far, they don't need soil but will thrive in bark, their roots can photosynthesize, and some people keep them mounted on branches and whatnot as opposed to a pot. I suddenly remembered about that time I visited a cork oak woodland, came across a hollow branch and brought it home. So my two single brain cells went BAAM! and did this.
The keiki is mounted onto the branch wiht a rubber band, and the whole thing is kept upright by a miniature leaning tower of Pisa that I shoved into the base of the branch. The only root (which is about 7-8cm long) is exposed to light and will be misted every time it goes grey.
I was satisfied with this idea, but then I sat down, looked at it, giggled at this goofy-ass sculpture I just made, and thought: It can't be that easy, right? there must be something I'm missing?
This is where you come in: I need you to tell me all the possible ways this will likely fail and what should I do to differently to give this pup a better chance.
by -BlancheDevereaux
7 Comments
awesome! that rubber band is going to be the weak point, assuming you keep up with the spraying. Maybe locate some tiny wire to wrap around it.
You can let the roots get very grey. You don’t have to water them “as soon as” they get grey. I only water mine on the weekends and they get really grey in between. that’ll depend on how cold/hot it is where you are and the amount of humidity you have tho.
Looks so cool ! I think you need to place a bit of moss over the roots. Not sure tho, let’s see what others are saying! Good luck!❤️
It is easy but needs more work. This method requires more frequent watering than in a pot
Just make sure the plant is stable
If the plant wobbles too much then the new emerging root tips can get damaged and stop growing
As the other comment suggests, some moss over the roots helps retain moisture while the plant establishes itself
You want to be sure not to let water stand in the crevices where the leaves join the body of the plant. This will cause it to rot.
As was mentioned, putting some sphagnum moss over the roots will help retain moisture for the roots to absorb over time. You’ll want to moisten the moss every week or two, letting it dry out in between waterings.
Hope this helps. 😊
Thank you for this post!
I too know little about orchids and have found myself with a baby. You have inspired me to try something creative! Thx!
It looks awesome! Just make sure the rubber band is secure through time, as it will eventually lose its elasticity.
The major issue I’m seeing here is that you don’t want to get water on the leaves, and especially in the crevices between leaves and crown of the plant. That will turn into fungal issues very quickly unless you have excessive air circulation, like if it’s directly in front of a fan.
So be sure to shield the rest of the plant when you spray the roots and thoroughly dry off any water that lands elsewhere.
I love your artistic vision!
I giggled at the leaning tower of pisa. Just spray the root, not the leaves, or you can soak it in a bowl or bucket up to the root every few days with weak fertilizer. If you can get it to grow new roots you’ll be set.