"decorate your garden walls with orchids... attaching... to tree trunks and limbs...
select the right orchid and the right tree... phalaenopsis, cattleya and the dendrobium... Trees... that provide rough bark that can naturalize orchid roots include: live oaks, mahoganys, tabebuias, buttonwoods and the bottlebrush.... sabal palms... remove the orchid from its pot and clean the roots of any planting media... remove brown or dead roots... Position the orchid on the tree trunk, limb, or v-crotch so it can remain upright... exception is... phalaenopsis... that likes to be planted on the side of a branch or leaning to the side of the branch so water runs out of the cup formed at the growing point. Wrap the root system around the trunk or branch... strips of old panty hose... stretch and rot off by time the plant root system has attached to the tree... Water daily until the roots begin to grow. ... Cut a square of screening material large enough to fill a slow-release fertilizer such as osmocote. Wrap the end together... Twist the ends and tie with a piece of twine. Attach this homemade pouch to the branch or trunk directly above the orchid. When it rains water will run through the fertilizer releasing its nutrients to the orchid roots below. Monitor this fertilizer pouch and replace it when it dissolves. ... It does take a while for the plant to adapt to the new environment. ... over time, new roots will appear and attach to the tree trunk and limbs" URL : http://www.sun-sentinel.com/community/news/wellington/forum/sfl-flwfdavidson0730wfjul30,0,7228783.story ************ Regards, VB _______________________________________________ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
