What's wrong with MG?

[estación seca]

Epiphytic orchids require air at the roots. The maximum amount of air will be found when all the medium particles are the same size. If you mix particle sizes the smaller ones fill in the spaces between larger ones and there is less air. Such mixes also dry out more slowly.

Believe it or not, but the vast majority of non-plant people underwater their plants. They often forget to water for 2-3 weeks at a time, or more. I suspect MiracleGro formulated their mix for these forgetful waterers. Most Phals will last for about 2 years if severely underwatered, barely growing and not flowering. But in MiracleGro mix, because it retains some water with all the fine material, those people might be able to grow and even rebloom Phals.

[RoseSD]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Epiphytic orchids require air at the roots. The maximum amount of air will be found when all the medium particles are the same size. If you mix particle sizes the smaller ones fill in the spaces between larger ones and there is less air. Such mixes also dry out more slowly.

Believe it or not, but the vast majority of non-plant people underwater their plants. They often forget to water for 2-3 weeks at a time, or more. I suspect MiracleGro formulated their mix for these forgetful waterers. Most Phals will last for about 2 years if severely underwatered, barely growing and not flowering. But in MiracleGro mix, because it retains some water with all the fine material, those people might be able to grow and even rebloom Phals.

🤣🤣🤣
Well my plan is to filter out all the dust and dirt before using.
But, I have to say, using a better brand of fine bark mix (Gubler Orchid Fine Grade Potting Soil Mix)
I find the need to water almost everyday now. Kind of annoying too.

[Diane56Victor]

If you have to filter out all the dust and dirt before using it makes it a very expensive media.

[Dusty Ol' Man]

Originally Posted by RoseSD

🤣🤣🤣
Well my plan is to filter out all the dust and dirt before using.
But, I have to say, using a better brand of fine bark mix (Gubler Orchid Fine Grade Potting Soil Mix)
I find the need to water almost everyday now. Kind of annoying too.

How are you preparing your bark for potting?

[Shadeflower]

Roses, did you soak the new bark for a couple of hours first?
Better quality should be water repellent to start with so you have to saok it a bit to get it loosened up.

I'd be very surprised if their fine grade dried too fast but you do need to "prime" it first by letting it sit in a bucket.

Let it sit and soak and expand a bit, then on future waterings it will retain more

[RoseSD]

Originally Posted by Shadeflower

Roses, did you soak the new bark for a couple of hours first?
Better quality should be water repellent to start with so you have to saok it a bit to get it loosened up.

I'd be very surprised if their fine grade dried too fast but you do need to "prime" it first by letting it sit in a bucket.

Let it sit and soak and expand a bit, then on future waterings it will retain more

Yes I did.
The issue with Gubler fine bark mix I think has to do with way too much large perlite. Would it be bad if I missed MG bark with it?????

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by RoseSD

Yes I did.
The issue with Gubler fine bark mix I think has to do with way too much large perlite. Would it be bad if I missed MG bark with it?????

Not bad at all... may be a good compromise. The whole point here is to come up with a medium that fits your watering practices and also gives the orchids what they need in the way of humid air around the roots - for the next couple of years.

However, your watering practices must also provide your plants what they need... you may prefer to have a situation where you only have to water once a week or every two weeks, but that may mean that the plants stay too wet much of the time. An open medium needs to be watered more often, but that is a good thing... flowing water pulls air into the root zone and flushes out the crud. And when you water, flowing water - running out of the pot - is what is needed. Spritzing is not particularly useful, except maybe to cool things down on a very hot day. It doesn't do what the orchids need which is fresh air pulled into the root zone.

[RoseSD]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Not bad at all... may be a good compromise. The whole point here is to come up with a medium that fits your watering practices and also gives the orchids what they need in the way of humid air around the roots - for the next couple of years.

However, your watering practices must also provide your plants what they need... you may prefer to have a situation where you only have to water once a week or every two weeks, but that may mean that the plants stay too wet much of the time. An open medium needs to be watered more often, but that is a good thing... flowing water pulls air into the root zone and flushes out the crud. And when you water, flowing water - running out of the pot - is what is needed. Spritzing is not particularly useful, except maybe to cool things down on a very hot day. It doesn't do what the orchids need which is fresh air pulled into the root zone.

I flash it out first then soak once every four days for most adult orchids.Phal gets it every 8 days.

[Roberta]

I would suggest skip the soaking. And that long interval tells me that the Phals are likely staying too wet. If it works for you (and you can't evaluate in less than a year or so) then keep on doing it. But if you get root rot, you'll know that Phals need more air. Observe, observe. You know your environment better than someone who doesn't live at your house. But orchids don't do anything fast... often they don't even die fast, don't indicate they are in distress until it is to late to help them.

[Uh oh now addicted]

I'm still new to orchids but when I was even newer I bought some Miracle Grow orchid mix as it was the only thing I could find in the shops. (I only have phals if that matters?) It looked okay (to me!) at first, but it broke down so quickly that after 3 months the bottom half looked like soil so I took a deep breath and ordered some Orchiata online. Completely different - excellent quality, drains well and the orchids love it. The other issue I had with the Miracle Grow was that it appeared to attract fungus gnats. I thought it was from another house plant but when I opened the bag to chuck it on the compost heap a cloud of them flew out, so they were in the bag already. (Apologies to the innocent plant that got the blame...) I looked at the other bags the next time I went to the shop and they were all covered in them. I'm now on my 3rd bag of Orchiata and I love it. I have a different mix for the minis that is finer and I've also put the Sweet Memory Liodoro in that as it had some issues but everything else is in the Orchiata and I have roots and leaves everywhere. No Miracle Grow ever again!