Favorite bark medium?
 

So, the only potting medium I have is Sungrow black gold potting mix for orchids. It’s all that my local nursery carries. When I first bought it and used it I thought it was fine, but now several months down the road I’ve used it a few more times and I’ve decided I don’t care for it - it feels like it’s already pretty broken down and not chunky at all like I expected bark medium to be. Every time I water my plants I’m getting dirty water left behind as it washes away the silt. So, what is everyone’s favorite potting medium? I have 3 phals, but I’m looking at expanding to an oncidium or two pretty soon, so I would love something that’s going to work for both varieties. Thank you!!

Most 9f the people I hear talking about bark use Orchiata. Phals and oncidiums may need different grades of medium since oncidiums have tiny, fragile roots. But I'll let the more experienced folks chime in because both my oncidiums are in semi hydroponic culture.

Welcome to the board.

Your choice of pot, growing area conditions, and willingness to water also play into this.

If the Oncidium has thin roots, New Zealand tree fern fiber works well.

I really don't care about bark quality. I buy large bags of it and there's always some that is already broken down so I always have to select it by size.
Most of my orchids are small to medium size so I don't need much time to screen the amount that need for each pot. Plus I do my own mix so, as I mix some more things to the bark, the qty I need is nt really that much.

For larger pots, I just pour the bag content into the pot.

Regarding silt...there will always be there, regardless of the bark you buy. Some people wash it before use, others let it go out through the bottom of the pot.

I use Rexius fir bark for most of my "thick-rooted" orchids such as the Cattleya alliance members. The bigger the roots, the larger the size of bark I use. It comes in small, medium and large.

For plants with finer roots like Oncidium, Paphs, Phrags, etc I use a mix made up of very fine fir bark, charcoal, perlite and a few strands of sphagnum.

I grow outside year round in a shadehouse and I usually have to re-pot because the plant has grown out of the pot not because the bark has broken down.

That being said, I do use the small size Orchiata for some of my really small seedling Dendrobiums and Catts just because it's a better size for that than is available in the fir bark.

Thank you for the response - I have my phals in plastic liner pots inside decorative pots; I water when the roots are silvery by soaking for 10-20 minutes. I figured I would have to learn some new watering techniques for the oncidium whenever I got it, but if the plants would be happiest in different mediums that’s fine. I wasn’t sure what each one would prefer. Thanks again!

I've been using Orchiata for quite a few years and I'm generally happy with it. I've found that with recent orders, I've had to rinse the bark well before using. The new batches seem a little dustier than when I first started using it. Still, it works well for me and the way I grow. I have had a couple plants that had not been repotted in about three years, and when I finally got around to it, I changed the bark only because I felt I should, not because it showed any signs of decomposition. It comes in different sizes, and I use a larger size for most of my Phals. A couple smaller ones I have are in smaller size bark. Likewise, when I was growing Oncidiums, I used a smaller size for them too, with their finer roots.

I don't use much bark. I grow many plants in LECA. I have some Kiwi Bark I bought from Sunset Valley Orchids. It is very hard, uniform and durable.

Oncidiums should stay evenly moist without drying out. Most people need to water them more often than once a week. If you don't have time to water more often, use smaller bark, sphagnum moss, or grow them in semihydroponics.

Sungrow black gold potting mix for orchids lists ingredients here:
Black Gold(R) Natural & Organic Orchid Potting Mix
- Sun Gro Horticulture
as 25% perlite and 75% composted bark. I would not recommend composted (decomposed) bark for any epiphytic orchid. Epiphytes do best in a media that resists decomposition.

I like Orchiata for most epiphytic orchids, but I don't use straight Orchiata for phals or oncidium, which don't like their roots to become bone dry. For phals I like Better Grow 5011 http://www.amazon.com/Sun-Bulb-5011-...ps%2C96&sr=8-4
It contains chunks of Canadian peat that hold moisture longer than the rest of the mix.
-Keith