HELP Plz! Phal seedling mix - Orchid Board

Jkelee · #1 02-13-2009, 02:15 PM

I am in desparate need of some help on the BEST seedling mix you all use for your phal babies??

I bought some seedling mix from a local seller here. It has 3 different fine barks, & fine charcoal.

Well I potted a bunch of phal babies last weekend, all with a span from 3"-5". They are in 1.5" netted pots, in this seedling mix.

Well they are not doing well. I lose about 2 a day. Either they are yellowing up and dying, or Shriveling up and dying.

I thought the shriveling up is from too dry. Cause I dump out the shriveled ones, and the media is dry as a bone. And I thought the yellow leaves is too wet, even thought that media dries out in mins the way it seems?

Anyways I water from every other day, to maybe daily. I can't find a happy medium with watering. I have them in my GH, with some fans blowing around, but not directly on them.

I have plenty of other seedlings-not in this mix, doing great.
But I thought I'd try this sellers, cause they are local. And I'm tired of paying shipping for everything right now.

Anyways, with all of that....

What is YOUR FAV seedling mix you might use for your babies (Phals)??
Plz help me out, cause I seriously am losing about 2 a day

jkofferdahl · #2 02-13-2009, 02:56 PM

I use a fine bark mixed with about 25% Aliflor and enough sphagnum to keep humidity up. Before potting I pour boiling water onto the mix and then let it soak for a good day. I added in the Aliflor about 2 years or so ago and haven't lost a single seedling yet.

Jkelee · #3 02-13-2009, 06:13 PM

I plan tonight, tom'r that I will be putting that mix, with sphag, & the leca I have. I hope that will help.
I thought a Pro Growers seedling mix would be awesome, but I guess not.

Any others out here have any ideas??

camille1585 · #4 02-13-2009, 06:23 PM

Did you soak the mix well before using it? maybe that's why it's drying so quickly.

I use fine bark with some clay pellets (hydroton or whatever it's called here). Works pretty well for me, but my climate is not as hot as yours.

Brooke · #5 02-13-2009, 08:17 PM

I use sphag with tree fern sticks in it for all my seedlings about a 50/50 ratio. The tree fern keeps the sphag from collapsing around the roots and keeps the mix open.

I used it first for phal seedlings out of flask and have now moved all tiny seedlings to that combination. For the phals I use plastic pots.

Brooke