Angraecum potting medium question

Hello,
Could anyone please tell me what potting medium is better to use with Angraecum sesquipedale? Can it be grown without anything, like vanda, and daily watered? After some research I potted it into clay pot with shultz bark mix but now I am afraid to over- or underwater it as I noticed that top of the mix dries quickly but bottom part stays really wet and I don't see the roots in the clay pot.
How often should I water it if left in clay pot with shultz?
Please help me.
Thanks a lot.

[Leafmite]

Hi!
I hope someone with more experience will help. I found little information on the best way to 'pot' this so I put my tiny plant in an eight inch clay pot with large lava rock so I won't have to repot for a long time, if ever. Seems happy and is growing a new leaf but I've only had mine a few weeks. When I gently moved some rocks to check on the roots last watering, they looked healthy and seem to be growing. I daily mist the rock of my angraecums and aerangis citrata for added humidity. Again, hopefully you will recieve a reply from someone who has been growing this for a while. I grow all my orchids in staight lava rock except the vanilla so that would explain my choice of media.
Good luck,
leafmite

Thank you , Leafmite.
Where do you get lava rock? Here we only have shultz mix in all stores. Would lava rock sold in pet store be OK?

I found this:
Developing an Orchid Collection with Backbulbs: Angraecum sesquipedale 'Orchidglade II' FCC/AOS and wanted to see if anyone here tried this method in the wood basket without anything.
I think I have heavy hand on watering and tend to overcare. I was killing every second phal until i moved them to the basement window and started to ignore them for at least couple weeks between waterings.
It worked out because i could concentrate my everyday attention on vanda seedlings in vases.
Now I need to decide where this Angraecum would fit.

[stefpix]

No medium may work in a greenhouse where humidity is high. No medium / mounts do not work for me.
It is all relative.

I saw a lareg Angraecum sesq at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in a clay pot wit just sphagnum. They have other Angraecums bare root. But relative humidity there must me 80% or so

[Goods14]

I have mine growing on a large mount, watered daily. It is in a greenhouse now, but I had been growing it outdoors in previous years and it seems to be doing alright. You could probably have success with it in a basket if it is kept moist and humid enough. I have seen many people plant it in semi-hydro media in a regular (not semi-hydro) pot. They hate to have their roots disturbed and will sulk for many years if they are. Also, keep in mind this plant get pretty large, so put it in the largest basket you can to minimize root disturbance.

Originally Posted by Goods14

They hate to have their roots disturbed and will sulk for many years if they are. Also, keep in mind this plant get pretty large, so put it in the largest basket you can to minimize root disturbance.

Ouch!...
I just re-potted it from some weird soil based medium that it came in into bark and most likely disturbed the roots .
My humidity is much lower especially during winter with heat on.
I will keep it as is for now. Should I wait until bark dries out throughly between the waterings?
Thank you very much for you help guys.

[Goods14]

You probably did more help than harm moving it out of the strange medium. I rot everything in bark so I'm not qualified to give you watering advice about it. Hopefully someone with experience in bark can help out

[Leafmite]

Hi!
I found my lava rock (red) at a wholesale landscaping center and paid $10 for each large, very heavy bag (never looked to see how heavy or large). I found this place by doing an Internet search for lava rock and the nearest likely city. I switched to lava rock because I tend to damage roots when repotting from bark or sprag AND my plants took forever to dry out in the deep recesses of the pots (I like watering, too!). I grow in the house using natural window lighting and humidity trays, so, no greenhouse. Every plant goes outside in summer. I use dehumidifyer, rain or snow water to avoid mineral build up. Lava rock is just one of many ways to grow orchids. Whatever you choose, it has to work for you.
Good luck,
leafmite