Switching a Phal from a Mud Mix to Sphag...

[Pete]

I have a multiflora phal that I bought growing in a mud mix (Pro-Mix HP, I believe). The phal is doing quite fine but I do not like mud mixes and they are not part of my culture.

After the phal is done flowering, I want to move it to a sphag moss mix. Is it difficult to move a phal from a mud mix to straight moss?


Thanks.

[SFC]

I have never seen a Phal being grown in a mud mix before, although I am not sure what a mud mix is it doesn't sound to me like a good way to grow most orchids.

I would say you should repot as soon as possible. I personally prefer orchid bark mix, you can buy it pre mixed or mix it your self. you always want to be careful with straight sphag moss, very easy for it to stay too wet and rot the roots.

[johnblagg]

I would not leave it in the mud mix if it was me ...But the mix I prefer is one of rice hulls of varying age and I usually adjust how heavy it is according to what I am planting out of ...it is easy to adjust the rice hull mix from extreamly light and fast draining to almost soil like and wet.

Still I would not want it in anything that heavy and would use a lighter mix than that sounds.pro mix is good stuff but I have not had any sucess with it and chids

[Ray]

I agree... I'd take it out of the mud mix now and put it in moist sphag. There should be no shock if you're careful not to damage roots.

Removing the medium is easy -

• Water it thoroughly
• pull it from the pot
• gently shake it to dislodge the outer "mud"
• using a gently spray nozzle (I use the one in the kitchen sink. Don't tell my wife.), you can easily rinse the rest of it out of the root mass.