Growing your Orchids as they do in the Wild

As an orchid grower, Allan Watson says we prefer to grow our plants in a pot. This is done mainly for convenience and a general reluctance to use rafts. Allan has had great success with orchids in pots using the Fernwood Tree Fern Fiber substrate, and now he’s having some success on Fernwood Tree Fern orchard boards.

Allan also acknowledges that in the wild, not all orchids have access to tree fern, and he has several non-fern rafts for comparison. He says like with the substrate the mycorrhiza, fungus present in the Tree Fern Fiber provides that super boost to plant establishment and ongoing growth.

Here is Dendrobium linguiforme, an Australian species which grows on the east coast from New South Wales to Queensland. It’s a species suitable for putting on a raft although can be grown in a pot of self-draining substrate.

Allan found the preferred raft listed in the reference books was either made from hardwood or cork. He has found that under his conditions, a Fern Fiber mount outperforms them both.

This plant is mounted on a 150mm x 200mm x 25mm fiber board.

This plant is in flower now. Southern Hemisphere flowering is normally from August through to October. Allan says this is another positive indication of the value of the properties contained in Fernwood Tree Fern Fiber products.

He has some tips for mounting of Fernwood Tree Fern Fiber boards:

1. Soak the fiber board you are intending to mount the orchid on before you attach. This will lessen any shock to the plant and help it adapt easy.
   – A wet fiber board is easy to cut to size
   – Make sure the fiber board will match the anticipated growth of the orchid
2. Attach the plant to the fiber board using a wire staple.
3. Maintain a daily moist spray for at least the initial 3 weeks, then resume your normal watering and fertilizing program.

Fernwood Tree Fern Orchid Boards and Totems provide a natural range of sizes suitable for mounting a large range of orchids.