The Pillbug Orchid Mount

Biotope1 July 16, 2015 Terrariums Comments Off on The Pillbug Orchid Mount 4,282 Views

The Pillbug Orchid Mount is a new kind of mount for growing terrarium orchids, ferns, gesneriads and other small epiphytes. The Pillbug Orchid Mount is a clear acrylic plate with numerous small holes and rounded notches along its curved margin. The notches make it easy to secure a pad of long-fibre sphagnum moss or other orchid substrate with a length of thread. Position the mount with plant on any clean glass surface.

In comparison with other orchid mounting techniques, such as cork or tree fern slabs, the Pillbug Orchid Mount has several compelling advantages:

Ready to use – requires no cutting or drilling.
Identical mount shape and size – better contrasts plant shapes and textures.
Improved plant growth – easily position plant for optimal light exposure.
Space-efficient – optimize plant-growing space in vivarium, orchid enclosure or terrarium by using any glass surface.

To use the Pillbug Orchid Mount, begin by tying a 36″ length of synthetic thread through the bottom-most small round hole. Place a pad of moist long-fibre sphagnum on the Pillbug top surface, then run the thread through all of the margin notches in a zig-zag pattern to finish at the bottom. Secure the thread with an overhand knot (the same knot used to begin tying a shoe) repeated three times for a triple overhand knot. Place the plant on the tied moss pad along with a few more long strands of sphagnum moss and secure with a length of light cotton thread. Wrap the synthetic thread medium-tight to hold the sphagnum down, but wrap the cotton thread lightly to avoid crushing the plant roots. The cotton thread will decompose over time, but the plant roots will hold the plant in place.

For a limited time the Pillbug Orchid Mount is offered with a special reduced price deal. The Pillbug normally sells in a multi-pack at about $4 each, but you can take three of them for $8. A small box will ship with an additional $6 to cover USPS Priority postage. Buy three or more groups of three and they will ship free of charge.

These attached images shows a single Pillbug Orchid Mount with suction cup and bobbins holding a thick synthetic black thread (144″) and a light cotton khaki thread (36″). These are the thread portions for the pack of three.