GROWING BLUE STAR FERNS EPIPHYTICALLY - Mounting a Phlebodium

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

You can learn more about growing tropical ferns (including Phlebodiums) here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jHfKq5qtqcibhJY

[@joanneparkinson7899]

Looks Fantastic, Great job. I'm gonna try it with my Blue Star now. Thanks.. 👍💙😊🇦🇺🦘

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Thanks Joanne! That was filmed quite a long time ago (in KZbin terms!). The mounted Phlebodium is doing really well - although I should really water it more...

[@MicksMasdevalliaorchids]

Nice one Geoff made a good job of that thanks for sharing and Happy Christmas 🎄 to you and yours.

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Thanks Mick - have a good one! (In the circumstances...)

[@margeanderson2485]

Looks great!

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Thanks!

[@annaperez6970]

Looks great! Would love an update. I just picked a Davana up this past weekend. keeping mine in the pot for now, letting acclimate to my environment. If it does well. I will try to mount a piece of it. Good luck with it

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Thanks! This video was a few years ago - the mounted Phlebodium is still doing well on the same mount. They're so tough I really don't water it as much as I should. Good luck with yours too.

[@reubenhuffman6307]

@@Grow_Up_Man55 I came to ask the same question...do you have any photos of the mounted Phlebodium and how it's established and growing by now?

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

@@reubenhuffman6307 Just for you two, I will take a photo of it and post it to Instagram within the next couple of days! Here's the link to my account: instagram.com/grow_up_man55/

[@deenise71]

Is there certain wood we should or should not use? I have a drifted peice of deck board I thought about trying it use. Would that work? We do not have cork in my area.

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Driftwood is fine but make sure to thoroughly soak it for several days - and change the water daily. Anything heavy in salt doesn't go well with mounted plants. Better options are redwood, pecan, hickory, oak, citrus, gorse and of course, cork.

[@deenise71]

@@Grow_Up_Man55 it is from a fresh water lake. Thanks so much for your reply and the list of options!

[@beverlybolin4880]

Is there an update to this? I just repotted my blue star but I think I'll have to do it again soon because the soil I used must have had fly eggs in it. :( If this is a alternative option I might like to try it.

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

There isn't a specific video on it, but there are plenty of 'tours' showing how it's getting on. I'll be doing a tour video fairly soon so will make a point of getting it down for you.😃

[@carefulfelix]

I've had good success in the past using mosquito dunks to get rid of fungus gnats in fern pots. They contain a bacteria that kills off the flies and eggs. You can either dissolve them in the water that you use to water the fern, or crumble them on top of the soil.

[@amilie15]

Wonderful video; have you done any videos on how you your water mounted plants? Would love to know!

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Really pleased you enjoyed this, Amy. It's an old video now (over 2 years old). For watering I use a pump-action sprayer. They're easy and cheap to get hold of and make the job a very quick and light task to do as I'm walking past. I use the same solution I use for orchids so they get a feed at the same time.

[@amilie15]

@@Grow_Up_Man55 thanks for the quick reply! Sometimes the oldies are goodies :) I’ve been thinking about mounting some plants in my home, so the pump action sprayer may be a little impractical for indoors; but maybe I can try putting them in bath and water there as you do. Thanks for your help and all your videos; they’re very helpful and detailed which you don’t always find on KZbin!

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

@@amilie15 Aw thanks Amy I appreciate your kind comments. Unfortunately KZbin seems to be moving ever more towards the TikTok style of shorter and shorter clips which means that nuance goes right out of the window! One other suggestion is to simply hold something underneath while you spray - might be easier than carting them all to the bath - unless you enjoy that sort of thing! Good luck.

[@amilie15]

@@Grow_Up_Man55 yes that’s actually a much better idea, especially if I only do one or 2! Is it easy to tell when they need watered? Edit to add: very true re tik tok! I like both styles of content; I think what’s good is watching the “shorts” to discover interesting content, but then to watch the full versions if things interest me and your videos are excellent and informative if anyone (like me!) wants to deep dive and understand things a bit more fully! Hope your channel continues to see success :)

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

@@amilie15 Thanks Amy! Watering frequency is based entirely on the plant's needs and the conditions it's kept in. Lower humidity and plant in full growth will require more frequent watering; higher humidity and plant in semi-dormancy, or slow growing phase will require less watering. Likewise with temperatures - higher = more watering, lower = less. I realise that doesn't give you a specific answer but it's the truth. You need to experiment and find what works for your plant and your own particular environment. Hope that helps.

[@carolegoncalves8138]

Thank you so much. i have one and it does grow one leaf and stays whith just that. it does not grow or anything. what should i do? it is in a big pot. some direct sun in the morning. watering just when it is drying. Thank you

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

It’s got to be something about your conditions or the media - to state the obvious. These grow like weeds in Florida up in the trees between the crooks of branches, so mostly in light airy moss and leaf detritus. And they get all of Florida’s heat and humidity. Try to match all that to yours. Hope that helps.

[@michaelmccarthy4077]

I don't have to mount them, they appear everywhere naturally. Anywhere I've mounted an orchid, they show up. I was relieved you put the moss under it. It should grab hold of the moss and the cork easily enough, just keep it damp not sopping wet. Most tropical ferns are adaptable to growing either epiphytically or terrestrially (or, in some cases, terrestrially epiphytically or aquatically).

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

We've plenty of epiphytic ferns here - but not this one, obviously. You know what they say: One man's weed is another man's carefully cultivated prize plant. And if they don't say that - then they should. The 'terrestrial epiphytes' you refer to, are those the ones that begin in one place then end up in the next? Like roots touching the ground?

[@michaelmccarthy4077]

@@Grow_Up_Man55 That can be, but the Phlebodium will sprout here in the mulch around trees as easily as on a tree. Birds Nest Ferns are typically found exclusively growing in the crook of trees among leaf litter in the wild, but can be grown epiphytically or terrestrially in cultivation.

[@sarahking350]

Hi, I'm in New Orleans, LA. I just took a trip from northwest Florida along the beaches and found some blue star growing naturally off of the bottom of a palm tree. Do you think it would grow by just setting the root ball on top of sphagnum moss? Mount later once the root ball is attached to the sphagnum? Or should I just try and do what you did in this video? Mine doesn't have as thick of a root ball as yours does. It's literally just a quarter size or slightly larger of the fuzzy brown root ball. Hope this makes sense! Any help would be great.

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Hi Sarah. These are epiphytic so providing the fuzzy parts of the rhizome are getting moisture it should grow anywhere without too much trouble. I have one so jammed into a clay pot that there's no way any water is getting inside the pot - the only parts that get moisture are the fussy 'rabbit's foot' parts on top of the rhizome - and it's seems perfectly happy and is growing strongly. So definitely worth trying what you're suggesting. They're tough as old boots so don't be too worried.

[@kellypearsall4540]

How do you maintain this? Just spray once dry?

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

That's correct. This is fairly old video - and the mounted fern is still doing well.

[@westminster860]

Thanks for the demo. I have a Blue Star that has thinned aout a bit. It has a good number of rizomes And I believe I have it in the wrong soil and needs to be more in orchid mix or mounted as you are showing to do better

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

They’re more tolerant than most but as a general rule, epiphytic plants prefer air around their roots.

[@j.d.8075]

"Dave's Garden", an online community info site, could have something...

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

I'll take a look - thanks.👍