My flowering NO ID Orchid

[kentosaurs]

Hey guys would like to ask a question...........Do most of you use charcoal as a media for orchids???????My Phal is in 100% charcoal....And if i use a little energy i can pull the whole roots together with the charcoal out....Was just thinking if i can grow it like some people i see them tie them on a string unto a tree

Ken

[funkychips]

I believe it is ok to remove the charcoal completely and pack sphagnum moss around the roots before tying it to the tree. After that the shade, rain and fertilising will take care of the rest. So it really depends on your growing area, but I can tell you that most gardens are absolutely ideal for growing orchids on trees or non-pot style. So far, my experience with tree-tied orchids have never yielded much improvement as my garden tends to get hot and dry especially during a stretch of days with no rain, so the plants have problems with leaf growth and flowering. Now it is only with plenty of sphagnum packed into the plastic pots between the roots did I manage to get my phals back on track. As a rough idea of how dry my garden is, if you water let's say in the morning, followed by the hot spell throughout the day, and in the evening the top portion of the moss is bone dry and the subsequent layers are just barely moist. Ferns like maidenhair wilt like crazy in this horrible dryness..Anyway, I'm sure the others have a better view of this growing method.

[kentosaurs]

Hi Funky

Just as i was asking if the plant can be pulled out well today it was a heavy rain and the pot fell to the ground and the charcoal and its roots were exposed but the charcoal sticked to it nicely and i realised that the pot is to small cos the roots are getting squashed.My balcony is is quite hot i can put 1-2 inch of water and exposed it to direct sun and about the next day its bone dry

Ken

[paphioboy]

Hi Funky

Just as i was asking if the plant can be pulled out well today it was a heavy rain and the pot fell to the ground and the charcoal and its roots were exposed but the charcoal sticked to it nicely and i realised that the pot is to small cos the roots are getting squashed.My balcony is is quite hot i can put 1-2 inch of water and exposed it to direct sun and about the next day its bone dry

Ken, that's perfectly normal. phals have sticky roots that cling to every available surface.. BTW, phals do NOT take full sun.. You will badly burn your plant if you give it too much light. Although phals have succulent leaves, they usually take drying out quite badly..