Stanhopea and Gongoras how to repot

[lisashep]

Hi Folks,

Last year I bought a Stanhopea and Gongora. I live on the Gulf Coast close to Houston. I was wondering how to repot these orchids. Any information is greatly appreciated. I am thinking about wire baskets with moss and growing medium. They were potted in bark which is really not good for my area. I have grown all the other orchids for years.

Lisa Holmes

[Frdemetr]

Lisa,
You are right, Stans and Gongoras need more humidity, pure bark isn't a good choice.
Wire baskets are fine, mainly for Stans; if I have some, I use tree fern fiber in the bottom of the basket, then fill with "mixed media" (in my case an ad-mixture of coconut chips, carcoal, pine bark, pine cone and a little of tree fern fiber), and fix the plant with tree fern fiber, covering the upper surface.
In Brazil tree fern fiber became an 'ecological problem' and now its use is forbiden; if I don't have tree fern, I use sphagnum in the place of it; the objective is to make a kind of 'envelope' around the media, to preserve humidity.