Phal schilleriana potting

[aerides]

My Phal. schilleriana has been growing in bark for a long time. It's still relatively small because it has miraculously survived being shunted here and there, willing friends trying to take care of it for me in far less than ideal conditions. It is now under my care exclusively and is showing great spirit in becoming the great plant of its parents and grandparents. (I bought the original plant in the early 2000's.)

I've always preferred sphagnum over bark for phals. You will see in the in the hopefully attached photo that it is doing well in bark (5" plastic pot) but with copious aerial roots all around and under the pot, which suggests that it is seeking additional moisture even though it is being watered and aerial roots being sprayed in three-day intervals. And, okay, I'd like an easier time with it.

Although satisfied, I think it will be happier in sphagnum, and I enjoy potting in sphagnum. It does have those peculiar flat roots... I forget what it was potted in when I bought it at the NYOS Show at Rock Center with spectacular branched scapes of delicately textured, beautiful, scented flowers. Want to bring it back to its glory.

So, question: put it in sphagnum in an appropriately sized clay pot? Thanks.

Will post a pic. Lost my technique to doing this but the shot has been taken. Thanks.

[Leafmite]

It depends on your growing conditions what medium/type of pot will work best for you. I put my schilleriana and bellina in 1/4 inch lava rock/plastic pot with plenty of holes. It is growing well (bloomed last winter, growing new leaves). I live in Ohio and finding good quality, long-fiber moss at a decent price became impossible. In my conditions, the moss does not last an entire year. The rock is nice as I buy it once and it seems to work as well as the moss.

[aerides]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

It depends on your growing conditions what medium/type of pot will work best for you. I put my schilleriana and bellina in 1/4 inch lava rock/plastic pot with plenty of holes. It is growing well (bloomed last winter, growing new leaves). I live in Ohio and finding good quality, long-fiber moss at a decent price became impossible. In my conditions, the moss does not last an entire year. The rock is nice as I buy it once and it seems to work as well as the moss.

Color me Surprised! Do you grow in a greenhouse? In my home conditions, sphagnum lasts until I have to repot for other reasons. That said, some plants seem to take to it better than others. I have most of my paphs in bark; one or two in sphagnum just because they seem to like it better.

I don't think I've ever had a healthy phal not happy in sphagnum. I felt more comfortable recouperating the schilleriana in seedling bark where I could control moisture more directly.

Thanks for response.

[Dalachin]

It’s definitely a personal choice! I have three, two are small, and for me they do well in bark, but I water frequently. I also have one mounted that is doing fine, but it has yet to bloom and it seems to grow very slowly. I had one in a spagnum and bark mix that died, but it probably wasn’t the fault of the mix.

[Leafmite]

I grow in the home, in windows. As said, it depends on one's conditions.

[Waterdog111]

If person or persons don’t mind me asking, what is the small (what looks like a note pad) in the different posts that I’ve noticed. I was thinking it was where persons posted pics but It never works if I try to click on them?

[estación seca]

Waterdog - Rather than hijack this thread, it might be better to start a new thread in the About This Board forum, accessible from the left menu, Forums. When you click on that forum, near the upper left there is a button New Thread.

Can you give a thread where you see this? I'm guessing you don't see it in this thread, since nobody posted photos?

[Waterdog111]

My bad,ES!