African Violet potting soil for Pahps

[PaphMadMan]

You will probably get excellent growth with that kind of mix as long as you can adapt your watering and never let it stay too wet too long. If I were going to try it myself I would add some course perlite or something to lighten the mix a little, and plan on repotting twice a year to stay ahead of the media breaking down and getting soggy. Paphs usually react well to being repotted frequently and this mix should allow for very gentle repotting.

One caution though. Don't try this mix on brachy or parvi Paphs until you are very successful using it with other Paphs. They do best with drier cooler winter conditions and the risk of staying too wet would be high.

[dannym4243]

Can't tell you how much I appreciate your kind response to my rather strange question. But I wont learn if I don't ask
Thanks Again
Danny

[Zozzl]

Be careful with african violet mix. The stuff you buy at the boxstores usually has fertilizer added and can be a problem. I grow AVs and mix my own with vermiculite and perlite and sometimes fine charcoal.

[cday2inflorida]

I do not grow Paphs, but like Zozzl...stay away from premixed African Violet soil. The darn AV people would not use it, either. It is JUNK! If you want to use an AV soil (I grow gesneriads). A good potting mix for gesneriads: 3 parts peat moss, 2 parts course perlite and 1 part course vermiculite mixed together with a handful of horticultural charcoal thrown in.
I don't know about using it on orchids...but works well with gesneriads.

[Zozzl]

I grow gessies too! Love Smithies

[Ray]

Keep in mind that paph root growth in leaf litter on a forest floor tends to be horizontal, with a very shallow covering that stays open and airy. Plunge them into a pot filled with the same stuff, and it will waterlog faster.

[jeffg]

There is a local grower here in Western NC who uses something that looks similar to AV mix - it's called Promix. It's all he grows in - paphs and phrags. He manages to have some of the best plants around and always wins awards at our show. My experience with it is that some have done ok if I keep it in Promix, and others stay too wet and therefore go to fine bark mix. I think his GH conditions provide a host of other cultural dimensions (most importantly air movement, probably), that are suited to his mix, whereas in the house, bark seems more predictable as far as maintaining a consistent moisture availability. Good luck!

[Zozzl]

Promix is the cadillac of mixes for AVs and very popular. Don't know how it does for paphs.