Hi simplemary, Weeds, a.k.a. herbs, are robust because their roots can use the local symbiotic mycorrhiza (which a vegetable seedling/plant generally doesn't foster a quick relationship with; ex: innoculated 1st time bean soil improves yield). When applying compost it's micro-organisms can conflict with these herb plants' soil partners & they can be incompatable. Compost's contents fluctuate in their release, fostering a distinct micro-flora & can alter the roots' ion conductivity; so, the nutrient boost you expect doesn't show up as a healthier herb. I am sure some herbs can benefit from improving the soil.

You can either attach them to a dead branch...or to a live branch. My vote is for a live branch. Some possible candidates... Acacia Albizia Aralia Araucaria Beaucarnea Caesalpinia Cassia Coffee tree Dracaena Elm Ficus Hibiscus Magnolia/Michelia Pachira aquatica Pandanus Phoenix roebelenii Podocarpus Polyscias Radermachera Samanea Schefflera Yucca Clearly they aren't all equally suitable to grow inside and be everybody's phorophyte. But that's what experimenting is all about. At the last show I went to a random lady said, "if you're not killing plants...then you're not stretching yourself as a gardener". Which of these possible phorophytes will give you the most branch for your buck? One "shortcut" is that several of them can be grown from fairly large cuttings. Another technique for greater girth is...if your climate is suitable and you have the space (and patience), you can plant the phorophyte in the ground and then dig it up when the branch is thick enough. Perhaps for a typical Phalaenopsis the branch should be at least as thick as your wrist. In order for the Phal's roots to attach to the branch...the orchid has to be very firmly secured. I use a slip knot method to maintain tension in the 20lb fishing line. If you do it right...you'll be able to water two plants at once...the Phal and its phorophyte. If the Phal is thirstier than its host, then you can attach it with some moss. You can also give the host a faster draining medium. Then the orchid's roots would extend into the phorophyte's medium. Quite often bonsai growers use orchid mix as their medium. You can always raise the phorophyte's root crown above the soil line. This will help hedge against rot and provide a bit more surface area for the Phal. Plus, then you can see two sets of exposed roots...the Phal's and the phorophytes. In terms of watering frequency...it depends on several factors...the temperature, the phorophyte, its medium...and the quantity and type of moss you gave the Phal. Personally, I'd water the Phal as soon as I attached it...and then wait and see how many days it takes for it to look wilty. The next time I watered the Phal it would be a day or two before it was likely to show any signs of drought stress. Generally though, a newly mounted orchid will require more frequent waterings than it will when it has numerous roots (straws) crawling all over the branch. So at least initially, you'd want the phorophyte's medium to drain especially well. It might take some tweaking to get the drainage balance right...but attaching the Phal to a live branch will definitely increase the value to space ratio. You'll get more value for the same amount of space. Check out these nice blank canvases... This post was edited by epiphyte78 on Sat, Aug 2, 14 at 7:57

"Real" trees aren't necessary...shrubs can work and so can bonsais. I even attached an orchid to the trunk of my Echeveria. Oh no...you've definitely tempted me to order those Agapetes species from Bovees. Or...I guess I could just wait for yours to get bigger so that we might trade cuttings. Regarding the Dry Garden Nursery...the Agapetes you described sounds exactly like the one I purchased from them last week. So it's not there anymore...unless they already replaced it. I'm not familiar with Philesias...but I looked them up and they do look pretty neat. My friend is from Chile...perhaps I'll ask her about bringing back some seeds.

I have several seed books, and this is the best for native seed culture "Growing and Propigating Wildflowers" by Harry R. Phillips. You can buy it at Easyliving Wild Flowers, and other places. Remember that many perennial native plants need a cold period to germinate, so this might be a nice Christmas gift. Easyliving WIld FLowers is also one of the best places to buy native seed. GGG