Correct potting for epiphytes. - 'Nother Question

[quietmorning]

Ok. I'm REALLY beginning to feel the aches and pains of newbiedome, here, so please bear with me.

I've always placed my phal and dendrobium in a ceramic pot with lots of holes and good drainage. One of my phals rotted and died, but I think that was more due to ignorance (overwatering and watering when I got home from work) than anything else.

I'm currently looking for pots - both for the plant I have and the plants I'm going to have. I will probably stick with phals and dendrobiums for quite a while. I look at the pots and I see plastic orchid pots, (I've been told that these tend to cause rot in phals . . .but I've read that others have not had that experience) wood baskets and ceramic pots. What are the pros and cons of each? I'm thinking that perhaps wood would be the best way to go. . .but does the wood rot?

Could you please hand me your ? Thanks!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Opaque plastic pots

pros:

1. Good water retention.
2. Keeps roots warm and at an even temperature.
3. Easily available.
4. Inexpensive.

cons:

1. Can't see the roots.
2. Gas exchange is somewhat limited.
3. Unable to tell how much water the plant recieved.
4. May not be ideal for plants that like their roots cooler than the air temperature.

Clear plastic pots:

pros:

1. Can see how much water the plant is recieving.
2. Can see the roots.
3. Fast evaporation.
4. Keeps roots warm and at an even temperature.
5. Roots of plant recieve light and are able to photosynthesize better.
6. Inexpensive.

cons:

1. Fast evaporation rate.
2. May not be good for plants that like the roots cooler than the air temperature.
3. Somewhat inconvenient to find and purchase.

Clay/ceramic pots

pros:

1. Pots are breatheable.
2. Can tell how much water the plant is recieving.
3. Keeps the roots cooler than air temperature.
4. High evaporation rate.
5. inexpensive.
6. Easy to find and purchase.

cons:

1. Can't see the roots.
2. High evaporation rate.
3. Keeps roots cool.
4. Roots don't recieve light to photosynthesize.
5. Easy to break.

Wood slat baskets

pros:

1. Good root zone aeration.
2. May be able to see the roots.
3. Moisture retention is largely based on the media being used.
4. Roots may recieve some light for photosynthesis.
5. Keeps roots cooler than pots.
6. Allows plants with pendulous flower spikes to produce spikes unhindered.

cons:

1. Roots may be exposed to the temperature of it's surroundings.
2. Moisture retention is dependant on the media used.
3. Related to #2; evaporation rate is faster than pots.
4. Relatively more expensive than pots.
5. More difficult to find and purchase than pots.
6. Can get moldy or biodegrade.

Net pots

pros:

1. Allows for good aeration.
2. Water retention based on media used.
3. High evaporation rate.
4. Keeps roots cooler than pots.
5. Roots may recieve some light for photosynthesis.
6. Allows plants with pendulous flower spikes to produce spikes unhindered.

con:

1. Roots exposed to air temperature.
2. High evaporation rate.
3. May be innapropriate for plants that don't like their roots to be too exposed to high amounts of air in cultivation.
4. Water retention is dependant on media used.
5. Relatively more difficult to find than plastic and clay pots, as well as wood slat baskets.

Tree fern mounts

pros:

1. Good aeration.
2. Can see roots.
3. High evaporation rate.
4. Good water retention.
5. Provides a more natural way for the orchids to grow.
6. Roots can recieve light for photosynthesis.

cons:

1. Crumbles easily.
2. High moisture retention.
3. High evaporation rate.
4. Relatively more expensive than pots.
5. Not so easy to find.
6. Biodegrades.

Cork mounts

pros:

1. Almost the same as the pros for tree fern mounts except they don't retain moisture as well. Moisture retention is ore dependant on media.

cons:

1. Almost the same as the cons for tree fern mounts except they don't crumble, they biodegrade over a long period of time.

I may have missed a few points but you get the picture.

[natasha]

maybe its not just "pot" issue. i think the medium too play a part. i planted my phals part charcoal part sphag (only covers the root depth) - but that may not work in your environment. some that i bought was totally in charcoal and still thrive. though i'll put in some sphag due to my tend to "forget" to water. maybe someone in your area can give a thought what they planted their phals in...

[quietmorning]

King of Orchids: Thanks!! I looked in my books to try to figure this out, but just got more confused - your pros and cons list REALLY helps to clear things up A LOT! Thank you thank you thank you!

Natasha: The first orchid society meeting I'll be able to make will be in July - but this isn't a big hurry issue - so I'll be able to ask what most use in my area, thanks for suggesting! Great idea!

[Ray]

As useful as King's list is, Natasha is correct that the container isn't the only factor.

You need to consider the whole package and how they interact: the pot, the moisture-holding capacity of the medium components, how "open" the spaces are between particles of the medium (the overall "breathe-ability" of the mix), your growing conditions - temps and humidity control evaporation - and your watering tendencies.

Don't forget that orchids do most of their gas exchange through their roots, so allowing that to happen freely is important. Failure at that causes the roots to suffocate and die.

[quietmorning]

Originally Posted by Ray

As useful as King's list is, Natasha is correct that the container isn't the only factor.

You need to consider the whole package and how they interact: the pot, the moisture-holding capacity of the medium components, how "open" the spaces are between particles of the medium (the overall "breathe-ability" of the mix), your growing conditions - temps and humidity control evaporation - and your watering tendencies.

Don't forget that orchids do most of their gas exchange through their roots, so allowing that to happen freely is important. Failure at that causes the roots to suffocate and die.

Thank you, Ray! I'm going to get some books on the specific orchids I chose to raise at home, and am hoping that will also offer some more insight. Heh, I've always said I love a good challenge. . . seems like I've found one! For now, my phal is in a terracotta orchid pot - and seems to be doing very well, but I would like exchange it for something that goes with the humidity pot a little better - but health over aesthetics is more important to me.

My husband is going to make me a glass orchid pot (or attempt to) and I've asked him to make me a clear one so that I can see the roots. . .I'm not sure how that will work - and making the glass ones will be a few months out as he works in his studio when the weather starts to get cold. (Glass studios are HOT)

She's in Miracle Grow's Phal orchid mix right now. . .very barky, but I would like to learn how to mix my own eventually.