Mas. re-potting query...

[tcrane]

This is a bit of a beginner question, but I recently realized my mas. crown point machu piccu was completely root-bound, and it's been losing leaves fairly regularly without a ton of new growth. I'm going to re-pot, but was curious what medium is recommended. It's rather large, and I've heard of using sphagnum for younger plants - would that also be appropriate for this one?

I'm in San Francisco, growing it in a cooler area of my house with a fan on it all day long, which seems to have stopped much of the leaf rot issues, but it still isn't thriving or spiking.

Any advice offered is much appreciated!

[Tindomul]

Sounds like the sphag was old and was staying wet too long. New sphag should be good, it will dry out quicker and provide more air space for the roots for air movement. I would say go ahead and try it. I use clay pots or netted plastic pots. Depending on how humid I can keep them.

[RosieC]

Masda are the only orchids I grow in moss. As someone who would usually stay well away from moss I can say that my Masda seem to like it and I put them back in it last time I repotted.

Like Tindomul I use netted plastic pots. Just read a tip about keeping them cool though with a clay put outside a plastic post. See this post..

http://www.orchidboard.com/community...tml#post319386

[tcrane]

Thank so much for the advice, I found some really great NZ sphagnum yesterday, going to go with that.

Tindomul, you're absolutely right, the old medium is pretty bad! It wasn't until I compared it with the new stuff that I realized how gross and broken down it is.


-Tristan