How to Water Sphagnum Moss

[Abbyr20]

Hello,

I have an orchid potted in Sphagnum. I have no idea how to water it. Some sources say 1 second of water over top, and others say let the pot sit in water for 10 seconds. Any advice will help. Thanks!

Abby

[Roberta]

Work backward from the goal... the roots need to get thoroughly wet, and then mostly dry out. And repeat. It needs air in the root zone. So... water it well, so that water is running out of the pot (which flushes out fertilizer salts and other contaminant buildup and fresh water also contains air) Let it drain well, and then become nearly dry. What happens when it water evaporates? It is replace by air. Bingo. Moist air in the root zone.

[estación seca]

Which orchid? How warm is your growing area? Need more information to answer.

[Dollythehun]

I drizzle water over the top. Don't soak, as this makes the moss sodden. I assume, you have a phal?

[Ray]

The concern with all orchids is keeping them moist without suffocating the roots. When we water, most just pours through, some (very little) is immediately absorbed by the plant, some is absorbed by the medium itself, and some is held in the spaces within the medium. It is that last aspect that's the problem, as that restricts air flow and suffocates the roots, killing them.

Sphagnum compresses easily, increasing that suffocating blockage, so I have all of my phals in loose sphagnum, and I set them in a tray of water, so it is wicked upward without compressing it.

Even the best sphagnum should be replaced frequently (I do so every 6 months or so), and I always use a very dilute fertilizer solution, so buildup is of no concern.

[malteseproverb]

Everyone seems to have their own way to water using sphagnum, and I think it also depends on what kind of pot you're using. I've heard all kinds of contradictory advice, from 'make sure the sphag is potted loosely' to 'make sure the sphag is packed in tight'. I actually do all of the above, depending on the plant! I'm assuming you're growing a phal, and I don't even use sphag with them since they're so well served in a chunky bark mix watered weekly. Sphag needs to be replaced too often so I only sign up for that with more high maintenance plants.