potting medium

[janeteagle]

Hi everybody hope you can help me with a problem with my phalenopsis. I have had it about 3 months and after it finished flowering I decided to repot. Well went to our local B&Q and bought a bag of specialist orchid potting medium, but it looks and feels very fine almost like ordinary potting compost. The orchid was originally potted with small bark nuggets, I am worried that this new compost will make it too soggy. I lost two leaves through ( I think some baterial disease as it started with black spots and spread and turned yellow, some now only have one small lower leaf. Can anyone help as Im sure its going to die, thankyou to any expert who could advise me. Janet eagle

[Hummer344]

Hi Janet,
IMHO, I would put it back in a bark mix. The potting mix you have it in now, even though it might say its for orchids, will keep the roots to moist, even wet. This will cause root rot. A mix of small bark, perlite and charcole is what I put mine in.

[janeteagle]

Thanks Hummer for that advise, I knew really as soon as I opened the pack that it was wrong for my orchid, but once you have opened it its too late to take it back. Bit maddening though that you have to go back and buy more, I wish these people would put some information on the bags to help idiots like me. Thanks so much for the advice, forgive my moan. Janet

[digitalgate]

a lesson learned , is a lesson earned . we all gain experience from bad mistake. Just be happy.

[Plucky Purcell]

A bag of mix is a cheap mistake in orchids. Good luck!

[LouisW]

Could be legit, like a choir mixture but unless you really know what to look for I wouldnt risk it. Get your hands on some good bark mix.