Good bark medium

[rangiku]

Royal, you don't need to presoak orchiata?

[Royal]

Originally Posted by rangiku

Royal, you don't need to presoak orchiata?

Nope. A pre-soak would wash away much of the added lime, and it's really not needed due to the nature of the bark. It gets fully wetted at the first watering. The parent company's website has some good info on the topic too. I was actually soaking a small batch by the time I read "no pre-saoking needed" on the bag. I had to check it for myself b/c that goes against what I was taught and always did. So I used it dry and it worked great.

[orchidman77]

That's interesting! Royal, I'm pretty sure that the bonus plant you sent me is potted in Orchiata...and that is the bark that made me think,"hmm...i probably need to get some bark so i have something besides PrimeAgra, Sphagnum, and CHC Chips." Good to know it's such a quality product! Can't wait to use some of it.

[Pampered]

Hi Melody,
I'm quite new to the orchids but I remembered my brother used Orchiata pine barks form New Zealand and I'm gonna stick with it too. Good choice!

[Melody]

Wow, thanks for the great information everyone.

I had never heard about Orchiata before.

Lagoon:
I don't know how I totally feel about bark either. I want to some day experiment with other stuff like s/h, but right now while I'm still learning and in job/location transition it just seems easier to keep all the 'chids in basically the same media.

[orchidman77]

Melody, I know what you mean. However, diverse collections sometimes demand diverse media and treatment! I know that I have two places in the house for my orchids: BRIGHT (and hot) windowsill for my rupiculous laelias and a sunroom for everything else to winter in. I'm trying out several different medias: S/H, LECA not in S/H, Coconut husk, bark, and sphagnum. i'm pretty sure that, at some point, I'll figure out what medias best fit certain genera and try to come up with a plan that's "user-friendly" while providing the plant's specific needs.

Back to Orciata. I've got a flask's worth of Cattleya dowiana rosita seedlings and I'm planning to put them in fine orciata. Additionally I have several small cattleya species that I'd like to pot up in the orchiata. I'm hoping it works out well!!!

[orchidman77]

*Orchiata. I misspelled it several times.

[Lagoon]

Thanks folks
Some very positive feed bark on this bark. There might be some in my future - always looking for the better media, its the spice of life when it comes to orchids

Melody, You're on the right road, if you don't know - ask questions find out what you don't know. Never be afraid to ask other orchid growers what their success is.

These plants can be frustrating at times. Don't forget to have fun, its a hobby, it must be enjoyable too.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by orchidman77

Back to Orchiata. I've got a flask's worth of Cattleya dowiana rosita seedlings and I'm planning to put them in fine Orchiata. Additionally I have several small cattleya species that I'd like to pot up in the Orchiata. I'm hoping it works out well!!!

Several months ago I purchased an overstock of seedlings from a local grower/breeder - Cattleya schilleriana, Cattleya aclandiae, and Epidendrum stamfordianum. When they arrived, most looked like their roots should have seen fresh potting material a lot sooner, if you get my gist.

I put them all in #9 Orchiata in 2" pots, and stuck them on my heated bench. Inside of 2 weeks, they all had roots boring down into the medium, and they have not looked back.