CYLINDRICAL PLASTIC WIRE MESH HANGER FOR ORCHIDS.

In my last blog I stressed that orchiddist should stop using fern roots to attach their orchids. This is because fern roots are classified under Appendix 1 in CITES. I also showed an alternative using PVC pipes with holes drilled in it . However I have been experimenting with plastic coated wire mesh 1"x 1/2" or 1/2 inch x 1/2 inch mesh and found that iis is better than PVC. Using plastic wire mesh is a cheaper alternative then PVC pipes, lighter in weight and provides more efficient dispensation of moisture and fertilizer.

The mesh comes in 3 ft or 4 ft width but I prefer the 3 foot ones as its easier to handle. I normally make cylindrical shapes of around 2 1/2 to 3 inch in diameter. To get this size I measure 8 inch and cut down the whole length of 3 feet. I then cut them again to get 2 pieces of 11 inch and 1 piece of 12 inch long mesh. 

Using a 21/2 inch pipe (10 inch long) as a mould  I roll the mesh into a cylindrical shape and attached the ends together with the extra wire at its end. I overlap one square and attached the end to secure it.

The Next step is secure a thicker plastic coated wire at the top of the cylinder with one end bent to form a hook.

Next step is to wrap some black plastic netting to the cylindrical wire mesh. I wrap it 3 to 4 times depending on the percentage of the netting. ie 50% I wrap 4 times and 70% I wrap 3 times. I normally cut an extra 6 inch at its end so that I can tuck it under the cylinder. The net is secured with string or fine wire.

After this final stage I will add some more netting or moss into the cylinder to allow moisture to be retained in the cylinder. After tying the orchid I wait until the roots are established before I add slow release fertilizer, slow release fertilizer stick or organic fertilizer on top of the cylinder.

Hope this procedure is clear and if you you have any queries please don't hesitate to contact me  for further clarifications

What do you do when you receive a catasetum by courier after 7 days

It is crucial that a buyer knows what to do when he receives an orchid from the post which has been delayed for a few days. If it is not treated properly the plant will probably die and then there will be resentment and maybe anger if the plant dies. Catasetums are extremely hardly plant and easy to grow. As long as the bulb is not soft and rotted it will grow new plants.

In the first 2 photographs you can see that the roots are all dried and this is because the plant has to be dehydrated first and then sent bare rooted.

Many people will immediately plant it in a pot and water immediately to hydrate the plant. New roots may grow but more often than not the bulb will rot. I will advise to first cut off all the roots as they are all dried and will not grow again.

After cutting off all the roots, carefully separate all the bulbs. Instead of one plant I have three.

The bulb that still has leaves must also have its leaves cut off .

The bulbs are then tied to hang vertically with a string or wire.

 I normally hang the tied bulbs under my pots and will water and fertilize with my other plants. After some time new plants will emerge from the side with new roots. Once the roots are long enough I will plant them in coco chips or charcoal. 

Tying your orchids to PVC pipes

Tying an orchid to a PVC Pipe

In my last post I showed how to prepare a length of PVC pipe to be used as an alternative for fern root slabs.

The orchids I normally tie to these pipes are phalaenopsis although others like catasetums, dendrobiums, and smaller orchids can also be tied in this manner.

The dead roots of the orchid plant must be cut off leaving only the healthy roots. 

There are many ways to tie your plant. some will like to tie them with the roots facing up and the plants facing down.The reason is that water will not collect on the leaves of the plant

For me I like to tie the plant on the top of the pipe with the roots facing down. The plant will look more natural and the roots which follows the gravity force will grown downwards. I use a plastic string to attach it in place and then tie the roots down as close to the netting on the PVC pipe as possible.

 After securing the whole plant with the plastic string, a piece of netting 3-4 inch wide is used to further cover the roots and keep them as tight as possible to the PVC pipe.

The end of the net is then secured with a piece of wire to ensure that it will keep the net in place . 

 Once this is completed, the whole plant is immersed in a pail of water to ensure that the moss inside the pipe is damp. Water once or twice daily depending on the weather. Dip in a pail of fertiliser mix weekly to ensure healthy growth.

Happy planting