New member - with questions! - Orchid Board

charitysmama · #1 02-03-2014, 08:45 PM

Hello everyone, this is my first post and so I am not sure I am in the right place. The instructions on how to post said "Find the appropriate forum/category where your new thread will fit best". I am not sure how to do that, so I will ask my question anyway since this post was titled "beginner discussion" and since I have a feeling some of you aren't beginners, here goes. I live in SW Oregon where the humidity is good. I have had success keeping orchids in a south facing garden window, just pulling them back in the summer or hanging a curtain. I have noticed recently that leaves were dropping so I went on line and read on line from posts several years ago about orchids from box stores being packed too tightly in moss. I dumped mine out and sure enough they were jammed with the stuff. I thought I read on some of those posts to repack them lightly with moss, but I also see that people use bark. Would bark be better in an area with good humidity? I dumped out about 4 orchids and put them in baggies and have been misting them. I was thinking about putting some damp moss in the bottom of the baggy and keeping the roots free until I see new growth. I am using the baggies so I can see thru them. What will the answers be???

WhiteRabbit · #2 02-03-2014, 09:36 PM

I moved your post to make it's own topic/thread. When you go to the forum you wish to post your topic in, near the top left is a red button that says 'New Thread' - click on that when you want to start a new topic/thread.

What type of orchids do you have? There is some personal preference regarding choice of potting media, tho bark is easier to NOT over-water, but does need to be watered more frequently, especially when it's new.

orion141 · #3 02-03-2014, 09:48 PM

Hi and welcome! Bark is typically a good media although sphagnum can be great too. It is really a personal preference. However to best answer your questions, what kind of orchids do you have? Also if you can post pictures sometimes that can be helpful to see what is going on with your orchids also.

james mickelso · #4 02-03-2014, 11:20 PM

Sounds like phals to me. Yes sphagnum moss placed loosely around the roots is a good choice though I myself am not enamoured with the stuff. I like a medium fir bark/sponge rock or lava cinder/charcoal kinda guy. It's easier to water with the max airflow I desire. Light and warmth are your most critical needs in SW Oregon. Are you on the coast or the 5 corridor? Makes a difference. Phals like bright light but not anything near full sun. Catts like very bright light and if you are on the coast they can take sun until noon and after 2pm. If cloudy they can take full sun. Cymbidiums love the coast in full sun and a little afternoon shading if on the 5 corridor. Post a few more times and you can post pics for us. Just say hello to 4 more people.

Leafmite · #5 02-04-2014, 12:23 AM

I use either small pieces of red lava rock or NZ sphagnum moss with my phals and always net/basket pots. The small seedling species phals I bought seem happier in the moss and the mature noID phals do great in the lava rock.
Fresh, damp NZ sphagnum moss seems to be very good at encouraging new root growth but it needs to be used in a way where it dries evenly so the new roots in the middle won't rot from the moss staying too wet.
I, personally, am not a fan of using bark but most people seem to love it.

james mickelso · #6 02-04-2014, 09:38 AM

Just place the sphagnum moss around the roots carefully. Very loosely.

tucker85 · #7 02-04-2014, 10:32 AM

Welcome to Orchid Board! I would suggest using the recommendations you get on this forum as a starting point and observe carefully to see what works best in your own unique mini-environment and with your own culture habits. I've seen orchids grown well in both sphagnum and in bark but bark works best for me. Some growers have had success using bark with some sphagnum mixed in. If you decide to use sphagnum alone, I would suggest repotting in new moss once a year. Good luck.

czygyny · #8 02-04-2014, 11:16 AM

I'm another bark fan, too. I can't wait for new noIDs to stop blooming so I can rip out all that sphagnum! I do recycle it for things like my pumice planter sempervivum plantings...it is great stuff for the right situations.

charitysmama · #9 02-04-2014, 11:49 AM

I have phals mostly. A couple are in full bloom, and I was nervous about removing the moss from them, but I did. I am about 15 miles east of Bandon. I have purchased the orchid bark from Freddie's (Fred Meyer's) but it seems to be a mix of both bark and peat, etc. I was thinking about sifting out most of the smaller stuff and trying to get just the bark. I have a bag of bark, but don't know what kind it is. I am trying to revive some of my sister's phals that lost all or most of their leaves. Same situation, they are the ones I was going to put in zip lock bags with a little damp moss in the bottom so i could see if any new roots are growing. I don't know what kind of moss it is (came with the phals) should I buy a special kind?

james mickelso · #10 02-05-2014, 01:28 AM

You can use sphagnum moss as long as it is placed loosely around the roots and kept just damp, not wet. Phals grow on tree trunks and branches in the natural environment. The trick is to give them lots of air movement, or air flow, around their roots. Where you are is very humid but cool so care must be exercised so that root rot doesn't take hold. Air flow will help curtail it. Warmth is also something they need. If you are a window grower I would get some black slate or other black material to set them on as this will absorb some warmth from the sunlight in the morning or afternoon. Phals leaves are very tender so don't get sunlight on them after 10am or before 3 pm where you live. Even 15 mins of direct sunlight will damage their leaves.