Is this Bellina Ready to Repot?

[Merlyn]

FYI, if you use CHC BE SURE to soak over night and rinse the next morning at least 3 times, more would be better !!! It comes from a salty environment and NO MATTER WHAT the vendor or brand name states, WASH IT yourself !!! Not to put a damper on it but thorough flushing at least once a month is a good idea (for ANY media) especially for CHC as it tends to absorb salts.

Camille is right. I use sphagnum and on pots bigger than 4" I start to mix it with leca or bark at about 50/50.

[Vanda lover]

I use the same mixture as Camille. I add charcoal and perlite to mine. I have a brassidium that is entirely in coconut fiber that was sold as an orchid block, for potting orchids. I'm finding that it stays moist for a very long time. I was afraid that it stays moist too long, but the orchid appears to be thriving in it. It just seems to stay moist, not wet

[Cattleya17]

Duly noted! i did not know that about the CHC!!! It says to soak for a few hours and then nothing else.

I really love this plant and i want it to transition well! with this further info i think i will use the bark and moss mix. it makes more sense to place it in a similar environment rather than a starkly different one.

I have had phals in a mix like this before and they liked it, so I will use that again. only thing im concerned about is that they got fungus gnats pretty bad with this mix is there any way to prevent that?

I actually just got rid of them! I have a ang leoins in straight moss and it was INFESTED!! so i let it dry out then i watered it and removed the top inch of moss and boom they are all gone.

But if i can prevent it that would be great

[camille1585]

Just for info if you use CHC in the future, the best way to leach out the salt is to add some Epsom salts to the soaking water. The sodium molecules in the CHC get replaced by harmless magnesium.

For the fungus gnats, letting the plants get somewhat dry between watering should be enough to disuade them, they don't like dryness. Or you can buy some yellow sticky traps to catch all the remaining gnats, as well as adutls that may still emerge.

[Vanda lover]

Great advise Camille! Magnesium is actually good for orchids.

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by Vanda lover

Great advise Camille! Magnesium is actually good for orchids.

Since my fertilizer doesn't contain any and my tap water is quite soft, I add Epsom salts at nearly all feedings. I have a horrible time finding any here (or if I do it's expensive), so last time I went back to the US I brought some back with me. The things we do for orchids!

[Vanda lover]

I'm surprised that it is hard to find and expensive there. It is so often used for baths here. I add a few drops of fragrance oil and make my own bath salts.
I have started adding a little to my orchid feedings as well. The only thing I'm not clear about is how much?

[camille1585]

I grew up in the US, and was so used to it being easily available that it seems really strange to not find it here. Even pharmacies have no clue.

I don't remember where I got the dosage from, but I use it at a rate of 1/2 tsp per gallon. If you don't have enough of it naturally in your water or in your fert, it's crucial to add it in. Magnesium is important to get more robust plants with more vigorous development, and if you have orchids that refuse to bloom no matter what, adding an Mg supplement may be all that is needed. My Cym does not bloom without it!

[Vanda lover]

I know that it is also good for getting african violets back in to bloom, and tomatoes produce better with Epson salts as well

[Cattleya17]

how do you find out whats in your water? i could benefit from knowing! Especially since i water from tap in the winter. Thanks for all this great info Everyone!