Sphagnum Moss & Moisture Retention
 

I have some seedlings that were purchased packed in sphagnum moss.They are in 2in clear pots and I can see some green roots on some. However, is it possible for the surface/visible area of the moss to be dry but yet wet in the middle ? I worry about over-watering and then ultimately killing the seedling.

Ive had a nightmare with sphag. It stays soaking in the middle and in my cool british climate the last thing orchids need is soggyness!! Check what else you can pot it in and I would recommend avoiding sphag at all costs!

found this article
eBay Guides - Potting Orchids in Sphagnum Moss
the seedling pots are potted similarly in that there are peanuts ( styrofoam ! ) keeping the moss from wicking up water.
If it looks like things are going downhill, I will probably repot.

What are they?

I have 6 phal species seedlings from Big Leaf orchids.

Oh put them in bark they will be fine! If they are tiny put some coconut husk in there too! Nearly lost 3 phals because I didn't want to repot them while they were flowering but they had come in sphag. In the end I just went for it and they did just fine!

Yes, sphag can remain moist in the center even after the top is quite dry.

Water when the roots are no longer green, but a white or silvery color. (One caveat to that tho - I do have a species keiki, that was mounted previously, the roots are always green, but usually Phal roots will become white-ish/silvery when the media is dry).

Bamboo skewers (for kabobs), are also very helpful. Stick one in the media, as near the center as possible. To check for moisture (skewer needs to be in the media for at least half an hour prior, I leave them in all the time), pull out the skewer and touch it to your cheek or upper lip - if it feels damp, or even slightly cool, there is moisture in the media.

When using sphag for potting, I also like to use either styro pnuts, or a small overturned net pot in the center of my pot - helps the sphag dry more evenly. For very small plants, I use just half a styro pnut.

Another source of information would be Big Leaf Orchids. Since you bought the plants from that vendor, try e-mailing them or calling them and ask what they recommend. They have a culture sheet for phals on their web-site but I think it's kind of generic and may not address culture for seedlings. Good luck.

orchidsarefun -

We have all got to remember that there is no right or wrong media as long as we adapt or cultural habits to the media we are using. Phal seedlings require more moisture than mature Phals and given that, sphagnum moss is a good choice as long as it is not so tightly packed that there is no air getting to the roots. The simple solution would be to take the plant out of the pot and examine the root ball to see if it is indeed packed too tightly and if the roots are suffering. If potted correctly (loosely packed with healthy roots, I wouldn't concern myself with it being in moss.

Peter Lin of Big Leaf Orchids is one of the best hybridizer/grower of Phals around. If you feel there may be an issue, take your concerns to him directly. He, thru his website, runs a forum dealing exclusively with Phals: (Big Leaf Orchid forum • Index page)

I grow many genera of orchids and some are grown exclusively in moss, and I have never had a single issue with any of them.

Seedlings seem to do better in Sphag, at least from what I'm seen. I hate sphag for adult plants in large pots because it never dries evenly even if I pack it loosely. But for seedlings I plant them in small 6cm slitted plasitc pots (they are actually from French 'fromage blanc' pots. It's a type of yogurt that comes in a slitted pot within another pot filled with buttermilk). I pack the sphag loosely, and it generally dries out very evenly. Once the seedlings outgrow those pots only then do I move them to bark.