Best potting medium for paphiopedilums?

[smartie2000]

the Scultz brand will work fine for paphs. It is a small mix. However it has very poor quality bark in it that rots quickly which may be unsuitable for other orchids, especially catts. I do have a few paphs in that stuff, including my Paph magic lantern that is in bloom.

I have noticed Cloud's orchids have their paphs seedlings in mixes that have two layers. A very fine mix that is something like perlite and peat on the bottom and then bark on top third.

Beware of sphag. Sphag and paphs can cause rot or small root systems. I put magic lantern in sphag and medium bark and rotted a few roots (and I was only watering once a week too). I bought a paph insigne that was planted in all sphag on eBay and it had almost no root system. And the seller even thought she was selling a good plant. After I replanted it in bark mix (I believe its was also scultz brand) its has grown many roots and now I can't pull it out of the pot. ....just waiting for it to bloom, maybe this fall perhaps. I've heard of some sucesses of sphag and paphs, but I think one can achieve a stronger root system using a better draining medium.

Now I mix fine bark, coconut chips and husks, perlite, a pinch of peat together for the paphs and I add some lime too for paphs. I believe the maudiaes don't need the lime though, as well as delenatii

[justatypn]

Very interesting Fren ( back), I as well have used Shultz or Better Gro, if possible I find the small chunks and add my own perilite and sphag (little/little bit). I have given some thought on adding peat as one of my paph's have this type of mix and doing very well.

I've heard of some sucesses of sphag and paphs, but I think one can achieve a stronger root system using a better draining medium.

Dead on Fren Harder for the roots to push through the stronger they become.

Paph Insigne is right on, split mine not to long ago in Shultz with added perilite and doing well...great looking paph

[slipperfreak]

Ah, you see, for the reasons Fren cited (thank you Fren - finally someone agrees with me!) and because of my own experience I tend to avoid pure sphag as a growing medium for mature plants. It is tricky to use with Paphs. But, if you can get it to work, that's fine too.

[gixrj18]

I have also seen veeeery healthy Paphs planted in small lava rocks. Is the lime just for PH? Do I need it, if I already PH my water?

[slipperfreak]

Yeah I like to add a little lime to the mix for pH adjustment because I add peat usually to the fine bark, perlite and charcoal, and this lowers the pH. Most Paphs like a pH around neutral, some like extra calcium (I do pH tests and look for a pH of around 8 for those), and Paph delenatii is the only one that likes it acidic (I don't add lime for it). If you have water with a high mineral content you probably don't need to add the lime for most Paphs; it's sometimes a good idea to check the pH of the mix every couple of months to see how the water affects it, especially for members of subgenera Parvisepalum (excluding P. delenatii) and Brachypetalum, which are calcicolus Paphs. Note that in bark mixes, the pH will be lowered over time as the bark decomposes. pH is not that big of a deal if you are just a casual grower of Maudiae hybrids, etc. but if you are in to some of the species, or want to get the very best out of your plants, it becomes more important.

[justatypn]

Angela you have some great advise and it sounds like you'll be on your way for happy paph bloomin'

If you go to the OB "Topsites" you will find the first two vendors in your area and I think Machiela's is down south your way. There are a few more that I can not remember the names, just remembering from the Sarasota Orchid Society Show in January.

Fender's Flora Orchids
Florida Native Orchids
Machiela Orchids

WooHoo, another Floridian

[Leisurely]

Paphlovian,
you need to check out this Florida orchid supplier. It is probably the cheapest that you will find anywhere in the country and shipping is the exact cost of the postage. The name is Tropical Plant Products and they are located in Orlando. Their website is www.tropicalplantproducts.com.

[The Orchid Boy]

I like to grow my paphs in a mixture of half medium grade bark and half spagnum moss. I also grow them n spagnum moss mixed with lots of charcoal and perlite.

[Susie11]

I too have just repotted all of my paphs into a 80% sphag, 20% bark- perilte- charcoal mix. I am not too concerned at the moment but as time progresses I shall see what develops. I felt that the top of the bark mix that I was using was drying out too fast but the bottom and middle of the pot was very wet. I just wanted to make sure that they were evenly damp and so I thought that repotting into my sphag mix was a good way to go. I hope the roots don't all rot off.

[donrbil]

I live in the Seattle area andhave found seedling medium for pahps (very small bark) at Lowes.