Question on mix for Dendrobiums

[Matorchid]

Hello, got a question for everyone

I would like to know what the best mix is for Dendro Nobles and The kinginanum variety
If you could explain what you use and why.?
I use imperial dark mix from repotme, I got it cause i am gross overwaterer,but it still seems to dry out to fast. I want to make my own but not sure the proper ratios.
I have black lava rock, MG PEAT, perilite(tiny little balls,cant find chunk anywhere),, charcoal,and bark (fir, redwood)

Any advice on these matters are trully appreciated,

Tony'Matomo' "Matorchid" Briceno

[WhiteRabbit]

Well kingis ate lithophytes, so I have mine potted in pumice and perlite combo. It does need a lot of watering that way tho. I know people have grown them well in bark mix - hopefully some can advise on that.

I have also grown nobile in the same, but know people grow them in bark and other media ...

I think most important is appropriate watering, light and required cool temps for blooming.

[Fairorchids]

I grow kingianum/Aussie Dendrobiums in spaghnum/bark mix. I use clay pots for 3" & up, but plastic for keikis needing to root & grow up.

My large speciosum I grow in a Cattleya mix (bark, charcoal and perlite), in a 10" clay pot.

I recently received some kingianums from Santa Barbara Orchid Estate. They were growing in granite nuggets. I had to repot them into my regular mix, as we only water twice a week.

[Optimist]

My dendrobiums nobel, and phal are in 2/3 rds of the pot lava rock, 1/3 a plain bark mix. The pots are plain terra cotta with slits. They are watered twice a day and growing like crazy. The Nobel grew 2 spikes as tall as last years and is now beginning to grow 2 more. When it blooms this winter, it will be four spikes of blooms! The dend phal is a younger plant, one spike. Both are putting out a great amount of roots. If I got another I would grow it the same way, as a lithophyte with a little top dressing of bark.

[czayta]

I have my Dendrobium king in a sphagnum bark mix and my Dendrobium nobile in s/h with leca. It really seems to like that environment and has grown a lot of new growths and flowered recently.

[Ray]

As can be surmised from the posts above, there is no "best medium" for any particular plant. You need to think "what mix gives the plant what it needs with my growing conditions and the level of attention I wish to provide?"

Choosing Potting Media

[Matorchid]

Thank you Ray,
I just got done reading the link that you set me up with. I have read that before I really started to get into the growing of orchids and was fascinated by the different combos that can be used.
I would have to say though, if one is a beginner(such I) we aren't aware of certain situations.
Ie. I live in tracy, hot, arid(most of time) and windy in summer, cold, windy, and supposed to be wet during winter. I typically don't use heater or Ac. When looking for mix I was advised for a dryer mix(lava rock, hydroton, dark pine bark, lg sponge, and some moss.) this was do to the fact that I unfortunately like to water making sure my plants have ample water and collection was very small. It has gone well but collection has exploded and will be returning to work and won't have time to do the misting, and watering as much. Right now it's an all day process to do soak method for my collection. So I came here to try to get an idea of ratios and other media, so I can adjust my mix accordingly.
I do appreciate that you took the time out of your day to show me this info, and am always looking to gather more, expecially from you senior members, plus it gives me a chance to checkin with the community.
I again thank you, feel free to pop in anytime on my posts and give me criticism. I need that, cause I can never learn or grow as an orchid lover. Well I must do some more repotting.

Thank you again to all that posted to this thread

Tony 'Matomo' "Matorchid" Briceno

	Mistking Looking for a misting system? Look no further. Automated misting systems from MistKing are used by multitude of plant enthusiasts and are perfect for Orchids. Systems feature run dry pumps, ZipDrip valve, adjustable black nozzles, per second control! Automatically mist one growing shelf or a greenhouse full of Orchids. See MistKing testimonials

[Ray]

If you have highly variable conditions, a potting method or medium isn't going to "fix" that.

You either have to find a REALLY tolerant orchid, or adjust the conditions to meet what it needs.