Which media do you use for Catasetum?

[MateoinLosAngeles]

Many will be repotting their Catasetinae soon, including myself, this year's purchases from SVO have really outgrown their 3 inch pots!

Now, I wonder what is the preferred media that people with experience with Catasetinae are using and why?

I have seen the classic sphagnum moss and sphagnum moss with packing peanuts at the bottom, as well as folks adding charcoal, slow release fertilizer mixed with the sphagnum, and the PET method, which I personally learned about from Stephen on OB, which is a layer of inorganic, a layer of bark and a top layer of sphagnum (Although I believe he's evolved this?).

I personally want to avoid using sphagnum for several reasons, it's just not a medium that works well for me, the slow release fertilizer has also been problematic burning some roots when mixing 1tbsp into a 4 inch pot. Yet, my preferred bark and perlite mix that I use for most orchids hasn't yielded the results I wanted for my adult Catasetinae.

I have been using fern fiber for my polychilos phals in plastic pots with drainage holes but no ventilation and it's been just great for me, sometimes I add some grodan cubes or top with bark or a bit of sphagnum, but tightly packed fern fiber alone has been fantastic. Now I'm considering using it for Catasetinae this coming season, perhaps adding some lava rock at the bottom for weight.

What about everyone else? Do you have a favorite "recipe" to keep these thirsty/hungry plants happy in your environment? Would love to hear!