I don't think there is anything wrong with growing different types of orchids in the same pot (or even different types of plants) if they have the same cultural requirements. The individual plants should have individual name tags attached to the plants, rather than stuck into the pot.
However, some problems may arise. You cannot assume that the plants will have compatible growth requirements over time. The roots will become interlocked & there will be difficulty treating the plants independently for repotting or if one dies or becomes diseased.
Combining plants for a floral arrangement is somewhat different from combining plants for long term growing. In addition, if you ever anticipate displaying your plant/s at an orchid show, presentation & labeling would become a problem.
"COMPOTTING" or "COMPOTS".
This is the first time I have seen these terms applied to different types of orchids in a single pot.
For at least the past 40-50 years (probably longer), the term "compot", which is an abbreviation for "community pot", has been used to refer to small seedling plants that have been transplanted from a flask, into a 3"-4" clay or plastic pot. The idea is to provide a transitional step between the germ free protected environment of a flask into the real world. After several months growing as a protected cluster of plants & hardening off, the plants are then planted into individual pots.
I wanted to interject in this thread, because the terms community pots (compots, compotting) really refer to the practice of cluster potting THE SAME PLANTS FROM THE SAME FLASK. Community pots are definitely NOT mixed. That would be a disaster for a grower, hybridizer or hobbyist who cares about the proper names of plants.
Community pots (from flask) are also a very useful means of hobbyists of growers getting multiple seedlings from a cross or mericlone batch. Taking plants out from flasks & transplanting them is probably the most difficult & delicate stage of orchid production. It is at this stage that the many losses occur for the inexperienced. For many types of species & even hybrids, this is also the most delicate stage, even for experienced growers.
It would be very harmful & confusing for an established & accepted term like "compot" or "community pot" to take on an entirely different meaning, that indicates that plants are mixed up in the same container.
Last edited by catwalker808; 11-11-2011 at 04:52 PM..
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