Potting media discussion/poll

[Jeff9]

Ive decided to repot any new plant i get on Epiweb since i had such amazing results with the plants i repotted over a month ago.

New root growth and healthy plants with new growths

[orchids3]

Have tried a lot of things over the years but now stick to 3 basic ingredients and change the ratio to fit everything I grow. (1)Stalite Gravel (Comes in 3/8 & 1/2 sizes)Also known as Heat expanded schale. (2)
CHC chips medium size and (3)Charcoal (SMALL). I also mount some things on cyprus slabs at times. That takes care of most of it - but then there is the stanhopeas - someone said it depends on the plant - they are right. I wish epiweb was less costly would like to try it.

I think the use of any media is possible. It depends on you and your culture techniques.

[Claire25]

Pure sphagnum moss is all I use with my Phals, and is also my "go to" medium for most other orchids. I'm even using it in a mix with bark (it's approx. 60% moss) for a couple larger size Cattleyas I got this past summer. I guess it works so well for me because I'm a fairly neglectful waterer (I've heard horror stories about this medium from others who are not!) The biggest factor in determining for me whether to use either pure sphagnum or a bark mix is not so much the type of orchid I have but rather the size (and material) of its pot. Sphagnum behaves much differently in plastic pots than it does in clay--overwatering an orchid grown in this medium in a plastic pot would be quite easy to do! (That said, I do use it in plastic pots for my Phals, and also for a couple of Encyclias and a Bulbo.)

I may be breaking myself of my sphagnum-only habit pretty soon, however--I love parviflorum Paphiopedilums and I think I will pot future acquisitions in that group into a bark mix with limestone. They just don't seem to really thrive in the pure moss. Gonna have to improve my neglectful tendencies for that to work, though!

[orchids3]

Clair,
Have been repotting plants for a very large hobby grower over the past couple of weeks. The greenhouse is 50 X 150 and has many thousands of all types of orchids. The owner had her plants taken care of by a Orchid hotel (Actually several orchid hotels) until recently when the contractor completed the greenhouse (On the Beach). Most of the plants were in spagnum and all the roots were dead for three reasons. (1)The moss was packed too tight. (2) Too much time realease fertilizer had been applied (up to a half cup in a 6 in pot) (3) The potting media (moss) was out of normal pH range or down to pH 4 or very acid. Many people use Moss with some success but put it in loose, fertilize carefully and make sure the pH doesnt drop below pH 6. Be aware that moss goes bad suddenly. Periodic pH checks will identify the trend.

[slipperfreak]

I use quite a wide variety of media for my plants, but fir bark is probably the most common ingredient in my mixes.

For Paphs I use a mix of 9:3:3:3 fine bark, coarse perlite, medium charcoal, and peat or Pro-Mix. For larger plants in larger pots I split the nine parts bark into 6:3 fine and medium grade. I add some dolomite lime for Parvis and Brachys (except P. delenatii).

For Phrags I use either LECA (in s/h) or the same mix I use for Paphs, minus the dolomite lime. I used to grow exculsively in s/h, but I am warming up to more traditional practices. When I finally get a P. kovachii, I plan on adding dolomite lime to its mix (I do not intend on growing it in s/h because I rotted my first one ). I water Phrags very often when not in s/h; they love it. I am experimenting with using a bit more Pro-Mix in the mix right now to make it more moisture-retentive. So far it is working well. At this point I can't say whether I prefer s/h or traditional culture with Phrags. I've had pretty equal results.

For Phals I have come to appreciate pure sphagnum, even though I was once a fan of bark. Adding a little medium bark and perlite to the moss also works well. I never recommend pure sphagnum to beginners though, because it is so easy to rot them if you're not careful. I end up watering every 10 days or so in pure sphagnum.

For Dendros I grow mostly mounted, though I have a few in small pots with a fine bark mix, the same as for Paphs but without the peat/Pro-Mix.

I grow Neos in the traditional Japanese style, on a tall mound of sphagnum moss.

I also have some miscellaneous minis mounted or in small pots, and a couple Draculas in moss.

I grow Cyps in too many different mixes to list here.

All of my tropical orchids are grown in cool to intermediate conditions, with low to moderate-high light depending on the plant in question. Humidity is moderate to relatively high in the summer, and low in the winter. My two growing areas are near a window in my bedroom, and in the basement.

[Leisurely]

Remember that the potting mix is nothing more than a substance to hold the plant in the container so it does not matter what you use as long as you adjust the water and fertilizer accordingly. I think that is why it is said that you should use what works best for you.

[Country Gramma]

I'm trying to move most of my chids to S/H as I'm also an overwaterer and they will be easier for someone to care for when/if we go on vacation.

I have some monted and till the rest are ready they are in Kelly's Special. (or what they came in if flowering and not ready to move to S/H).

Karen

[Hedge]

My tendency is to use a real mixture, I leave well alone and only repot when necessary. I like bark for my Paphs, and my phals are in a mix of coco husk, ready made orchid compost and extra perlite and hydroleca ( small clay balls). I tend to water by immersion once a week in the summer and once a fortnight or three weeks now. I have good results with this. My dendro's also seem to like the Phal mix but with more impermeables added. I agree it's down to what works for you. I have difficulty getting some options e.g pure bark fibre without making long trips or paying high postage costs. I find the peat content in commercial mixes can be reduced by good soaking before use, so that's what I do.

[aberstwyth]

Coconut fiber seems to work well for cymbids, paphs, dendrobiums and masdevallias. You can keep it fairly wet and it doesn`t seem to break down. It doesn`t become acidic as bark can tend to do, so you don`t need to add limestone or shellgrit etc to keep the mix sweet

[Ray]

Orchids can be grown in pretty much anything, or with no medium at all, for that matter.

It's all a giant balancing act accounting for the needs of the plant, you're growing conditions, and your personal attributes related to watering and feeding, with the goal (in my thinking, anyway) being to provide the best conditions for the plant while minimizing the effort it take to do so.