Regular Potting Soil?

[GreenThumb]

I got a new phalaenopsis for free yesterday and it's probably only a year old. It is currently in regular potting soil and I was concerned because I've only seen them in bark mixes.
I assume I should cut back on water since the potting soil will hold alot of water, but will the roots get enough air?

[latsyrc]

Question: did you get the orchid for free from a friend/relative/guy in a long black overcoat, or from a reputable nursery or store? Because since phalaenopsis orchids naturally grow on the outside of trees, not in dirt, it seems like (with all due respect) whoever gave it to you didn't know what they were doing. The roots will smother in dirt. I'd say get it out of the soil, check to see if there are any roots left, and put it into some bark.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Well, soil is sort of a loaded word around orchid enthusiests, but a very few orchids actually grow in soil, tho a particularly humusy one. It may not be as bad as it sounds. Is there a lot of small perlite in the potting mix? It may be one of the peat based mixes like I use. If so, there is no mad rush to repot. The real important question is how fast does it dry out? My Phals, in small pots, get pretty close to dry in 4 to 5 days. There is a considerable change in the weight in this period, and the pot never gets really heavy the way wet dirt does. Cynthia

[Maddy]

I couldn't find unmilled spag for the longest time, so I wound up buying a bag of high-quality peat and mixing a handful with my orchid bark because just bark alone wasn't retaining enough water. (I had leaves starting to shrivel on a couple of my phals and four of my catts had wrinkled pseudobulbs no matter what.) It worked wonders. My two jewel orchids are potted up in a mix of peat, pearlite and bark, and they're both thriving.

Most of what looks like potting "soil" actually is peat - about the only mixes I've seen that use any actual soil are cactus mixes, which have a lot of sand.

[daytriper]

Since you are not sure of what type of mix you have there---why take a chance. Simply repot in an appropriate mix and then you are sure. One thing I have learned in my short visit to this forum--many people grow orchids in many different ways and what works for one is not necessarily right or wrong.Take some twisers (spelling? )and carefully lift some of the medium away and see if there are any healthy roots. The answer to that would choose your direction!
G

[GreenThumb]

Thanks for all the advice. I recieved the plant from a friend of mine (professor of horticulture at the local university) who bought a flat from a reputable wholesale dealer and had some left over. The Phal came in a standard 50 cell flat, and was in a paper-like pocket. I've since taken your advice and moved it out of the loamy and high humus type soil it was in for fear that the roots could not breathe. It is currently in a special orchid mix I bought (for $4). Thanks for the help. You can be sure I'll be back.