first time using Orchiata

[JMLand]

I thought I would share my experience with orchiata and see if anyone else has had some the same issues I'm having.
So far it seems to dry out faster than normal bark. I tried using straight out of the bag, letting soak for a few hour and even soaking for 2 days. Each pot dries out just as fast. In my case, usually in a few hours to a day at best.
My second issue is that it doesn't seem to pack into the pot as well as normal bark. And my thinking is that it might be drying out to fast because it is too loose.
Has anyone else had these same issues?

[Ray]

I think that once you get used to adjusting your watering regimen, and learn to stake plants well until they can get their roots systems established, you'll find that the more open structure is actually a big advantage.


Ray Barkalow
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[jeremyinsf]

It also probably isn't as dry as it appears. I use it in most of my plants and when I've re-potted before with clear pots, it appears to be dry to me, and then days later I can see (since it's clear pots) that there is condensation inside the pot from the moisture from the media. I do, however, for the first few weeks, water things more.

[tucker85]

I've had good luck with Orchiata bark for phals and paphs. I like a very airy mix so the fact that it won't pack down is an advantage for me. Like all bark, it will hold more and more water as it gets older. So watering needs to be adjusted accordingly. I grow in plastic pots so I often use the weight of the pot to determine if it's dry enough to water.

[jeremyinsf]

Yes, I think the "weight trick" is one of the most important lessons in orchid growing! It tells us so much, just by picking it up.

[JMLand]

Well I use clear pots and do the pick up and feel how heavy it is thing. And the bark is usually dry after I water within 8 hours. It may also be the heat. 92 in the greenhouses.

[WhiteRabbit]

Fresh bark will dry very fast in 92 degrees!

[james mickelso]

That is the big advantage of a hard bark. When we water an orchid, we are watering the roots of the orchid, not the media. With a hard bark, or lava rock/charcoal/leca, we can water the roots more often without the fear of rotting the roots because there is so much residual moisture left in the media. We can also fertilize more often without the excess fertilizer soaking into the media. Use a plant clip when potting your orchids for support. And adjust your watering accordingly.

[BKFSRS]

I had almost killed several Phals and Catts, which were in regular bark and some in coconut husk chips due to over potting/overwatering. I changed everything to Orchiata and although I do have to water more often, everything is thriving. I feel like I have better control over moisture using Orchiata. I grow in a southern/eastern window here in Chicago with AC and heat mats, so it's not very humid.

[RosieC]

Really interesting to read what people say about this. I've not tried it but it's available in the UK now so I've considered it.

Drying quicker and watering more often has it's downside when there are a lot of plants to water, but not having to worry so much about watering too often outweighs that in my experience as you can then water with less thought and thus get through them quicker. That's why I find Leca as a straight medium works for me.