Have you ever seen orchids that look like they are naturally growing on trees?  Well, this is what they do in the wild but humans have decided to pot them up and bring them indoors.  Get them back outside and you will be amazed at how much happier they look!  This is a fun project that you can do in your garden and it can be completed quickly and is great for kids as well.

Step 1: Find some dreaded panty hose.  I assure you, this is the only good use for these uncomfortable things, especially here in South Florida.  The nude color blends in the most and knee-highs are easier to work with than the kind that swallows up the entire lower half of your body.  If you only have the latter type, you can cut off the leg portions to make your own knee-highs; just don’t attempt to actually wear these as knee highs or you will be very disappointed.

Step 2: Get some orchids and keep in mind, not any orchid will do, you will want to be selective and contemplate the location a bit.  Most orchids are happier when they are attached to trees rather than when they are stuffed into pots.  Our South Florida climate is very conducive for growing them year-round outdoors but in very cold winters, you may see some cold damage.   Dendrobiums, Phalaenopsis, Oncidiums, Vandas and Cattleyas usually do very well. A local source for Orchids and knowledge is Mickey’s Orchids in Fort Lauderdale.

Step 3:  Purchase some sphagnum moss if necessary, but if your orchid is presently potted, it may have moss already in the pot around the roots which can be re-used.

Step 4: Location! Location! Location!  Most orchids like filtered light, not too shady and not too sunny.  Palms with “boots” (bases of old fronds that are still stuck to the trunk) have ready-made pockets, just make sure the boots are secure.  Sometimes, boots that are lower on the trunk will fall off and take the orchids with them.  If you are tying them around the trunk of a self-heading palm (where the fronds fall off without having to be cut), make sure you don’t tie an orchid around the top of the palm containing the sheath of the next frond to fall off.  Canopy trees like Oaks and Mahoganies make great orchid supports as well.

Step 5: Cut a hole in the middle of the knee-high and put most of the root system inside with a little bit of moss to help retain moisture.  The open hole should face the trunk so that the panty hose side faces outward.  This will allow the roots to make contact with the trunk so they can attach.  Once they attach, the panty hose can be cut off or they may have disintegrated by this time.

Step 6: Take the legs and wrap them tightly around the trunk and tie them in a knot to secure the orchid to the trunk or branch. If the plant is top-heavy, you can tie a second band loosely around the upper part of the plant or bloom spike.

Step 7: Water them.  You can run spaghetti tube irrigation up the trunks with small emitters to water them with your existing sprinkler system or you can hope for rain or water them by hand with a mister, watering can or light spray from a hose.  The amount of water will depend on the location and weather.  Orchid fertilizer is often not necessary but may be helpful if they aren’t blooming or if they look chlorotic (off-color).

BONUS:  This procedure also works with many types of Bromeliads!

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