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Old 09-30-2014, 09:56 AM
cattspeciescollector cattspeciescollector is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2014
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Location: Portland Maine
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Hi Cinterella!

I am not claiming to be an expert on Phalaenopsis growth but here are my two cents on what you should do with your big(!) hybrid Phalaenopsis in moss.

The biggest difference between the moss and the bark, as you have probably already noticed, is that the moss has a greater ability to hold on to water. Each little sphagnum moss piece is like a sponge. Fir bark or coconut mix will not retain the water as well, instead it will flow right through the pot which is no doubt your experience.

Ok, what does this mean for you orchid? The roots need fresh air around them to thrive and this can occur when the media is drier and water molecules are not covering the surfaces of the roots. If the media remains very wet constantly the roots will suffocate and the plant will diminish. Additionally, the constant presence of water on the roots provides a perfect environment for microbes that chew away at the plant tissue leading to rot. It might be a good idea to get acquainted with the root system just by looking through the pot or putting your fingers down in the media to make sure that the root system is still intact. If you seem to have healthy plump roots with white surfaces and green tips, or plump slightly older brown roots, you are golden and the next step is just to make sure you don't over water. It will require less frequent waterings than the phals in bark and it might be a good idea to feel down into the medium and make sure it is partially dry a ways down into the pot before watering. This is one of the benefits of the sponge-like sphagnum moss in that it acts as a herald of the water content within the media, damp sponge is still plenty of water and crispier edges of the sponge mean that it is starting to be time to water again.

Then after the flowers die back, you could choose to repot it. This may give you a chance to view the root system in more detail and you may also choose at this time to put it into your bark mix or buy more sphag if you have fallen in love with it by then and you may want to plant them separately just because they are two different hybrids and this will increase your collection, plus they will like the individual space.

Hopefully this helps.

Patrick
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