Nerdy Grrl

How To Mount Your Stag: Staghorn Fern 101 and Mounting Tips

§ March 16th, 2010 § Filed under How to, Science, Uncategorized, gardening, plants § Tagged epiphytes, epiphytic perennials, ferns, gardening, How to mount a staghorn fern, mounting, plants, Platycerium, Platycerium bifurcatum, staghorn fern § 9 Comments

Project time 1- 1½ Hours.
Depending on the size of your Stag you might need a second hand for the mounting process. Mature Stags can be a bit unruly.

Getting To Know You Stag

This piece will provide you with nearly everything you need to know in order to properly mount and care for your stag. I believe that having a solid understanding of your plant will help make the mounting process easier and will provide you with necessary information to properly care for your plant. The first section is a basic Stag 101 and outlines the general anatomy of the plant as well as its preferred conditions. In the second section, I have put together an in depth step by step process on how to mount this beautiful specimen.

Staghorn Ferns (Platycerium) are epiphytic perennials (airplants). Much like its fellow epiphyte the Orchid, Staghorn Ferns do not require soil in order to grow and are not meant to be kept potted. In ‘the wild’ Staghorns affix themselves to tree trunks and sometimes rocks, occasionally you may even find the fern growing alongside orchids.

The Staghorn produces two types of fronds (leaves). The shield frond (AKA sterile/basal frond) located at the bottom/base of the fern and the foliar frond (AKA fertile frond) the long ‘antler shaped’ extremities.

The shield fronds are the plant’s foundation. In addition to protecting the root structure, the shield fronds also supply the fern with vital nutrients and aid in hydration. The fronds have evolved to stand almost erect with varying layers, which ‘snag’ falling leaves and other plant debris, which eventually decay, providing nutrients. This layered structure also helps the fern to trap water within its fronds, aiding in its own hydration. As the shield fronds grow and regenerate the older fronds die off and decay providing further nutrients so it is essential that you DO NOT PICK OFF THE DECAYING SHIELD FRONDS!

Please note: though Staghorn ferns attach themselves to a host they are NOT parasites and do not harm the host plant/surface.

The foliar frond while being decorative also assists in the plant’s reproduction by producing sporangio (spores) that when germinated reproduce and create baby stags!

Is your stag hairy? That’s ok, don’t be ashamed, a hairy Stag is a healthy Stag. The tiny hairs on the stag help to protect the plant from creepy crawly insects and also help to retain moisture. When mounting your fern try not to displace or disrupt too many of the hairs.

Sunlight: Indirect, filtered sun is best.

Water: Most of the gardeners that I have spoken to cite over watering as the number one killer of Staghorns. Many recommend a once a week watering, making sure that you allow the plant to completely dry out before re-watering. Please remember this plant is layered with moss, the exterior may appear to be dry, but the plant’s interior and its roots could still be quite moist. Over watering will lead to root rot. My ferns are rather mature so I allow them to start to wilt before I re-water. I do not recommend this method for young or immature ferns.

In addition to its weekly watering I like to give my Stags a nice morning misting and during the dry colder months I try and mist at least twice a day.

Feed Me: Every grower I spoke to recommended regular fertilizing (once a month to every other month). Since these babies don’t use dirt you must mix the fertilizer in with the plant’s water. Stags also like nanners. Many growers recommend drying out and grinding up your old banana peels then sprinkling them in and around the shield fronds.

For Mounting Instructions Please Continue Reading By Clicking The Link Below

Yee Haw! Let’s Mount!

I prefer to stay as traditional as possible to the plant’s natural habitat and opt to mount my ferns on tree bark, but you can use a wood plaque or a wooden orchid basket. It is simply a matter of aesthetics and convenience, the choice of mounting surface will make absolutely no difference in the happiness of the plant.

Supplies:

Board or Bark it’s up to you. You can also use an orchid basket available at most greenhouses.

Long Cut Sphagnum Moss

Fishing Line – I used Twenty Pound Test. If your have a wee fern you can also use a stocking or as me grandma would say “panthose”.

Shoelace, Drill, Level, Pencil, Mounting Screws, Mounting Bracket or Wire for Hanging Picture Frames (40 Lb)

Step One: Take 1-2 handfuls of the moss and soak in a bowl of water 1-2 hours prior to mounting.

Step Two: Attach the hanging bracket to the back of the mounting surface. Some people like to use a saw tooth bracket, however because I mount my ferns onto bark I need to use hanging wire.

A. Mark your desired location using a level and a pen.
B. Attach the bracket or wire using the mounting screws. Make sure the screws you have chosen are the appropriate size for the surface and weight of the plant.
C. Affix the mounting hardware

Step Three: Preparing the Fern Mount.

A. Place your fern on the board or bark and place a mark on the top right, top
left, bottom right and bottom left of the shield frond. Essentially creating a square.
B. Remove fern and using a power drill, drill four holes in the previously marked locations.

Step Four: Preparing the bed.

A. Take a handful of the sphagnum moss and gently ring out so the moss is still damp and place a small mound in the center of the square.

B. Shape the moss to create a small nest in which to place your fern. The nest should have a shallower top and a slightly bulkier bottom.
C. Gently place your fern into its nest
D. Using the shoelace bind the moss to the fern. This will help hold the moss in place during the mounting process.

Step Five: Mounting the Fern

A. Cut six pieces of fishing line 8-12 inches in length.
B. Take one piece of line. Start at the top left corner and string over the shield frond to the bottom left corner. Try to avoid getting the foliar fronds caught in the line. Snuggly tie the line in the back and repeat going from the top right corner to the bottom left creating an X.
C. It is now time to make parallel ties. Take another piece of line and go from the top left corner of the shield frond to its the top right and tie snuggly in the back. Repeat the process this time going from the bottom left corner to the bottom right. You have now created two parallel horizontal ties (vertical are fine as well).
D. Remove the shoelace and take the remaining two pieces of fishing line and secure the moss to the fern – these lines will replace the shoelace and will help to secure the moss to the plant.

The fishing line is just a temporary hold until the fern attaches to the surface. The line will be visible at first, but don’t worry! New shield fronds will eventually grow over the line. If you prefer you can use a stocking. Being larger it will be easier to secure the fern to the wood and it will eventually decay.