Is this ok for paph potting mix?

[Tim P.]

Hi everyone.
I was looking to repot my paph because it was getting yellow leaves towards the bottom of the plants.

It is a smaller plant, 2 or 2.5 inch pot. I know it needs smaller bark medium and i had some phalaenopsis orchid medium laying around the house so I crunched up the bark to be about 1/4 an inch and added some sponge rock and coal.

My question was should i add a bit of peat moss to the mix to retain moisture... i realise they like moister conditions than phals so i figured adding some peat moss/extremely small bark smidgeons would do the job... i dont have anything else that i could really add to the mix to improve water retention other than what i said in the first paragraph.

Thanks!!! have a great evening!

[billc]

Hi Tim, By crunching the bark you probably have opened it up enough to retain more than enough water. If you have chunky peat that would probably be OK. If you are talking about garden center type peatmoss, I would say no. Paphs like to be moist but not wet. You'll be better off with a well draining mix and water a little more frequently.
When you say coal do you mean charcoal?

Bill

[silken]

I agree with billc on nixing the peat. I was just reading an article in the latest Orchid Digest written by Harold Koopowitz on Paphs. His recommendation for media was mostly fine or chunky bark with charcoal or perlite possibly added. I was coincidentally re-potting a few of mine that had sphagnum moss mixed with bark and I decided to just use the bark now. I think the moss gets old too fast and Paphs do not like stale media.