I have mine in soil and its okay, but not incredibly happy. I've heard of attaching it to wood somehow and it grows wonderfully. I'd be curious to know how this is done if anyone knows. Thanks.
Christine

In the wild these species, Platyceriums, are always epiphytic - clinging soil-less to to tree trunks. But we don't usually have the humidity to maintain true epiphytes - not without climate controlled glasshouses anyway. Fortunately, staghorns also take to standard pot cultivation very well - just treat them like a normal tropical fern. Warm temperatures, fairly high light levels but without much direct sun, plenty of humidity and supplementary moisture - but most of all, RICH, EXCEPTIONALLY WELL-DRAINED compost. Don't waterlog them - your regular watering must run straight through. Otherwise you'll rot them. Opening up your usual ferny compost mix with plenty of coarse-grade orchid bark pieces is a good way of providing the right growing medium for potted staghorn and elkhorn ferns. Use only a dilute organic plant food high in Nitrogen, like seaweed extract - Maxicrop or Baby Bio. Ultra-diluted Osmocote is an acceptable inorganic alternative. Keep it very weak indeed, though.

So, if you can't easily replicate a true epiphytic environment - the board-mounted route - go for standard pot culture instead. Just be sure to provide more drainage than usual.

Steve - Brighton, Sussex Coast, UK