Question
Hi Dan!

I recently purchased a few baby staghorn ferns and I was wondering if it is okay to mount them on wooden boards that have been painted or stained. I wasn't sure if staining would help reduce any troublesome fungus that would grow in the wet wood.

Also, since my ferns are still babies(only three small fronds a piece- about 3 inches long), how often do you recommend watering? I mist them about every other day right now. They are in with moss that keeps them moist, but the shield leaves have turned black on a few although the rest of those particular plants seems very healthy.

Thanks for you thoughts.
Best,
Christanna

Answer
Christanna hi!

Congratulations for your purchase! Staghorns are fun and can provide years of enjoyment.

Your question about the board is interesting.  I have never encountered it or thought about it.  Generally, the mounting surface serves for the sole purpose of structural support.  As such, I suppose it can be entirely inert (like glass) or more traditional (wood).  One must keep in mind that the initial mount is likely to eventually become undersized and usually serves as an interim solution to help affix the plant at its final location (traditionally, an oak or other branched shade tree.)

I am not concerned about the mount crumbling or breaking down over time.  Nor am I concerned about fungus (many byproducts of the rotting process may be beneficial to the staghorn.)  In fact, I would be more concerned about the toxins commonly found in painted or treated wood.

So, based on intuition alone, I would say that for the long term health of your plants, I would recommend non-treated wood.

As to the frequency of irrigation, this is a very subjective question that would depend on location, climate, exposure, and so on.  If they are indoors and subject to A/C, then daily misting is a good idea.  If they are outside in a warm, humid location (under sufficient shade), then misting is not necessary and a good weekly drench would suffice.

If the shield is turning papery light brown, that is normal.  If it is turning black, that means you have too much water getting trapped under it and you should reduce the frequency of your irrigation or re-mount to allow better air flow (more 'fluff' in your moss).

Feel free to send photos or more detailed descriptions if you need me to follow up or clarify a point.

Thanks for your question!

DC