Transferring into S/H: Up-potting from bark mix

[DTEguy]

Has anybody tried up-potting from bark-mix (without removing old media) into s/h leca?

[ALToronto]

Bad idea! The bark will get waterlogged, suffocate the roots and then rot very quickly. Porbably the fastest way to kill orchids without a blowtorch.

Wash off the roots, wash the LECA, then combine.

If you're not doing s/h, you can add LECA to the bark, but it would be most useful in the middle of the root ball, where the bark doesn't dry out. Take out wet bark, put in dry LECA, return to pot.

[DTEguy]

Interesting, I guess you must have tried it. Just wondering, did the roots rot faster than the traditional transfer (bareroot into s/h)?

Wouldn't bareroot transfer be more moist than up-potting?

[ALToronto]

I have not tried it; I've rotted enough roots by keeping bark too wet to know better than to use it in an s/h setup. Properly done s/h still allows roots to breathe.

[Ray]

You're lumping two different concepts, Yang.

In all cases - including old bark to new bark - a transplant requires the plant to grow new roots tailored to the new environment, and the roots that grew in the old environment will eventually die and decompose. How "eventual" that is depends upon the degree of difference between "old" and "new" conditions.

If you put an organic substance into the constant moisture of the S/H pot, it will decompose as Alla said, leading to issues with all roots - old and new.

I will add though, that putting soil-grown plants into S/H is actually quite common, and is sometimes referred-to as "terraponics", but terrestrial plants don't do the majority of their gas exchange through their roots (as orchids do), so the threat of suffocation is not a point of contention.

[DTEguy]

I have seen up-potting from inorganic (crushed granites) into s/h LECA successfully (old media being above the water line) and I have an up-potted bark mix Bc. Hippodamia into LECA (non-SH).

The idea to avoid disturbing the roots, maintaining old roots longer than bareroot transfer, while new roots establishes itself.... seemed logical....and was wondering if anybody has done it.

But I guess, the problem lies on the organic media breaking down and posing problems for future roots.

[Bud]

Listen to sound advice: Ray has pointed out a key factor on growing S/H
that bark mix or old media will cause you to have more algae problems and it will be harder flushing out debris
just use pure LECA because it doesn't decompose, and its easier to flush debris just by putting it under full water flow in the sink