potting medium

[Stefan]

hi,
ive got my orchids in a fine bark, roughly 2cm long. I was wondering should i repot my orchids every year because of how fine the bark is or should it be ok for a repot every 2 years? thanks
stefan

[slipperfreak]

Generally you should repot annually with fine grade bark, but this can vary. When it starts decomposing and no longer drains well, you'll need to repot.

[Stefan]

thanks for the reply slipperfreak. generally how do you tell that medium is decomposing apart from retining water??

[Ray]

If you've ever noticed little granules of the medium ("dirt") coming out of the bottom of your pot, it's already too far gone. That said, if you gently dump some of the medium out of the top of the pot - it'll be loose and nice and intact, as it dries most rapidly - and can see some beginnings of the formation of "dirt", it's definitely time to repot.

[Stefan]

thanks for the reply Ray.
looks like some will need repotting soon.
stefan