NZ spragnum moss vs bark! I'm talking Phals

[Wynn Dee13]

I prefer sphagnum. If you pot the plant loosely in the moss it actually dries out pretty fast. If you pot and repot correctly you shouldn't have an issue with it being too tight and sufficating the plant. The trick is to pack it loosely and repot when the moss gets old. I also usually add packing peanuts at the bottom of the pot for drainage. I like that it is less messy too. If the pot tips over you don't have tons of little pieces of bark to pick up. Also when watering I don't like when the bark comes out of the pot. I grow almost all my orchids in sphagnum. I love the stuff. But I agree that it all depends on your growing conditions and your watering habits.

[WhiteRabbit]

I'm definitely not a Phal expert, actually have trouble with them - but have successfully grown them in both bark and sphag. For either medium I like having a small overturned net pot in the center of my pot, or at the very least some styro tucked into the root mass. I don't want to have to repot bigger plants every year, so prefer to use bark for anything over 3".

I use bamboo skewers in the pot/media to help me determine when to water, which has made the biggest difference (rather than media type, pot type) in my orchid growing.

[kman]

That's the great discussions we get at the orchid board, thank you all Kman.

[PhalAddiction]

I am a NZ Moss grower.

That being said, I am a 'lazy grower' if you will. I am often too busy to be constantly watering and such, so the moss allows for longer periods of time between watering.
Also, I think it is a lot easier to handle during repotting.

one down side is that it breaks that quicker.

Bark is a medium that I do not have much sucess with. It is always drying out on me and when I repotted with it, it is hard to fill in the small spaces with chunks of bark.

I agree with others who've said that it depends on what type of grower you are.

[fishmommy]

I actually use a 50/50 mix. My phals I water only once a week so bark alone dries out too fast. But I like the aeration bark provides so I mix and have great success.