Techniques for Growing Orchids on Cork Bark

Mounting on Cork Bark

• Cork bark looks terrific behind an orchid, and the orchid finds the rough surface very compatible to grow on. Find a piece that is larger than your plant, because you will not need to replace it for many years if the plant is growing well. Attach a top hook, picture wire or back hook to the cork. Make it sturdy enough to handle the weight of a growing plant and frequent soaks in a basin or the sink. Attach the plant to the cork with clear fishing line or any other material that can be cut away once the orchid grows securely around the bark. Wrap a bit of sphagnum moss around the roots and tuck some under them to hold extra moisture until the plant is established on its new home.

Using Cork Tubes

• Cork tubes are cylinders made of the curved branch or trunk bark of the tree and may be used two ways for orchid habitats. The tube may be blocked at one end with sphagnum moss or coconut fiber and filled with orchid potting mix and the orchid "planted" in it. Alternatively, one or more orchids can be mounted to the outside of a larger-diameter tube and allowed to cover it like a miniature rainforest garden. Depending on size, a cork tube may need to be suspended or supported by a stand, such as a pipe, tree branch, fence post or arbor framing. If the tube is large enough, display it on a gallery pedestal in the house and allow the roots to grow down the outside of the pedestal as the plants mature.

Watering Mounted Orchids

• Cork bark dries out quickly, as do orchid roots, and a mounted orchid needs constant moisture. Standing water or submerged roots will result in sick plants due to the way orchids hydrate. In the tropics, the native habitat of most orchids, frequent showers and hot, humid conditions are the norm. Cork-mounted orchids require daily misting, dunking or spraying the exposed roots, which will drink in the moisture and air-dry. A weekly bath in water and fertilizer involves dipping the whole root system on its mount into a basin and then allowing it to drip-dry. Constant humidity and air movement are essential. Use a cold-mist humidifier in winter to counter the central heat, and keep air circulating with a low fan to approximate the environmental conditions ideal for orchid health.

Backyard Habitat

• Orchids mounted on bark can summer outdoors or live there year-round if your climate permits. When night temperatures hit 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit or lower, most orchids will be happier moved to a warm, sheltered spot indoors. Otherwise, they will thrive outdoors under the right conditions. If you do summer your cattleya or other bark-mounted orchid in the garden, attach it high to a tree, pergola or fence to discourage slugs, snails and other hungry pests. Find a partly shady spot to protect the plant from intense midday sun. And don't forget to hose it down regularly, especially if you experience a drought or live in a dry climate. A weekly dunk in a basin of water plus light fertilizer will keep it blooming happily, indoors or out.