what type of potting medium is best for......

[orchids4me]

Hi everyone,
My question is what type/types of potting media is used for seedling right out of the flask???
The types of orchids I'm referring to are:
Phals, Phaps, Catts, Dens, Calopogon, Max, Bretilla(spelling?), Rananthera, and Psycopsis.
I reserved several flasks and want to make sure when they are ready to ship out I'm ready for them.
All tips, advice, experiences welcome.....
Thanks in advance
Emmaye

[PhalNewbie89]

I would have thought Sphagnum moss myself, and I just got some Phal Bellina seedlings today and they are in moss. That might be a good idea for your phals at least.

[maria1971]

I've potted up anything Catt alliance and renantheras straight into fine grade hydroton. Potted up my Eulophiella elizabethae and roempleriana seedlings in moss. I killed several flasks by trying to pot catt alliance in moss; I suppose my conditions don't lend themselves to that.

Not had experience with Phals or anything else.

Good luck!! Babies are addicting!

[swamper]

Hydroton, Leca, seem to work for all catt seedlings I had, plus 1 unknown that came in a ghost orchid flask, and aslo on vandas.

[Phalcycle]

I pot seedlings in sphag moss

[rcb]

There is no "right" potting mix. It all depends on your conditions and the type of orchid. For me, in FL also, I've used spag at times, and LECA at times and seedling bark mix at times.

How often to you want to water?
How good is the airflow?
Are they going into individual pots or compots?

Each genera will have different requirements, so what works for one under your conditions may or may not work for another type.

Are these going to be your first deflaskings? If so, I would advise that you have a variety, and pot up each different type into different mixes, basically experiment. You will lose some, but that's better than losing them all.

[orchids4me]

Thank you everyone,
The 3 of you in Florida are humid correct?
What are the climate conditions for you other 2 in KY. And MA. ?
Here once in a great while it gets humid but not so much we have wind most of the time I'm a mile from the San Joaquin River where the mountains have tamed down into rolling hills when the sun comes up its breezy summers between 70 to high 80's F occasionally we get in the 90's and tripple digits here and there. When the sun sets the winds gust up and temps drob
P into the mid to low 50's F some time high 40's.
All my chids are currently indoors except for my cyms. That's what summers like here winter our day highs 40's to 50's F nights mid to low 30's F mostly a damp cold rarely it drops into the 20's F but has this past winter. When I build a shelter I will put my chids out but for now they are inside east facing morning sun with humidity trays and fans. I get 2 separate readings of temp and humidity each side of the room and adjust my chids arrangement to their needs by these readings to which spot they get and how much light (its a juggling act at times) so far all has been well with this set up some young chids I have I water 2 or 3 times a week the larger depending on their needs and potting media I water once or twice a week. I know seedlings need to be watched like baby's and watered more often due to pot size and drying out faster I've also arranged some in groups this way for better access to them to accomplish this as well.
I didn't know if sphag would work because I've lost plants in it but do use it to get roots when a chid is in trouble. I have most of my chids in Mayers mix except for my Catts , Cyms, and Dens. They are in bark, perlite, charcoal, coco chip, hydronton mix I make to help hols some moisture but good drainage.

Sooooo lol my growing media I have and use currently along with my climate.... Any suggestions from here?
Thank you
Emmaye

[orchids4me]

Originally Posted by PhalNewbie89

I would have thought Sphagnum moss myself, and I just got some Phal Bellina seedlings today and they are in moss. That might be a good idea for your phals at least.

Hi nancy,
Where did you find Phal Bellinas? if you don't mind me asking.... Only a few of mine I ordered are about ready to ship some I'm like 50 something on a waiting list with resv. # until like summer 2011 long time but worth it.
Thanks
Emmaye

[PhalNewbie89]

I got my Phal Bellinas from Al's Orchid Greenhouse.

Phalaenopsis Species :: DPE1308 Phal. bellina - Al's Orchid Greenhouse

He originally had the choice of 3 babies in one pot but he has since repotted. I have a thread with them if you would like to take a look.

http://www.orchidgeeks.com/forum/gen...-are-here.html

Here in KY it tends to be very humid and very hot during the summer. We have recently had days in the 100's, and during the winter it can get pretty frigid

I grow indoors, for me outdoors is not an option ( I have a fear of killing all of my chids outdoors and I don't want bugs) I think things would dry out way to quickly outside as well. I grow in a South facing window and I don't currently have any plants in sphag because I haven't found any here but it seems to work for my mother's phal (she lives about 30 min from me) and I think it would work well for mine too.

My Bellinas are in it but I just came to my parent's house today to get them. My dad says he watered them Thursday when they came in and they were bone dry today. Each is in a seperate 2.5 in pot. And when I got here they were sitting in a window that gets very low light and is right above the kitchen sink.

Sorry this came out so long, hope it all helps.

[Stitz]

Originally Posted by PhalNewbie89

I got my Phal Bellinas from Al's Orchid Greenhouse.

Here in KY it tends to be very humid and very hot during the summer. We have recently had days in the 100's, and during the winter it can get pretty frigid

Sorry this came out so long, hope it all helps.

Thanks for sharing. Don't feel alone. While you suffer from humidity, imagine living very close to the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. AND, the humidity here isn't even close to what our American cousins in Texas, Louisiana and Florida experience!

[plucker]

I personally use spag as does one of the commercial growers in my neck of the woods. This suits our environment.

However I have seen with success other mediums including Perlite, bark, fine lava rock, coir fibre, to name a few.

I have also tried Leca with phals and catts, but wasn't fussed with it after a while and have gone away from that idea for now. - It had too many insects that wanted to live in it. The plants did fine though.

At the end of the day, you have to get a medium that suits your climate and dont be afraid to trial things. The only difference will be that the seedlings will need a tad more attention with watering etc.

[PhalNewbie89]

Originally Posted by Stitz

Thanks for sharing. Don't feel alone. While you suffer from humidity, imagine living very close to the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. AND, the humidity here isn't even close to what our American cousins in Texas, Louisiana and Florida experience!

I actually lived in NJ as a kid and have gone back up to visit and gone to the ocean. It is pretty muggy and warm near the ocean on a hot day. I actually bought a hoodie while at Wildwood one summer. Seemed like an odd time of year to be able to buy one but I knew it would hold up better than a t-shirt.

I couldn't imagine living in Texas, KY is bad enough for me.

[Stitz]

Originally Posted by PhalNewbie89

I actually lived in NJ as a kid and have gone back up to visit and gone to the ocean. It is pretty muggy and warm near the ocean on a hot day. I actually bought a hoodie while at Wildwood one summer. Seemed like an odd time of year to be able to buy one but I knew it would hold up better than a t-shirt.

I couldn't imagine living in Texas, KY is bad enough for me.

Nancy, The good news is that the closer that I get to the Chesapeake Bay and to the Atlantic Ocean - the more that the air "moves" ! I live ~ 40+ miles from the Bay and the air is D-E-A-D around here.

[PhalNewbie89]

lol. It gets that way here sometimes and it just makes it worse. I can't stand the humid stagnant air we get sometimes. I am so ready for fall. Hopefully it won't just pass us by like spring did.

[Bolero]

Not sure on the others but Catt's and Den's could have a fine bark and perlite mix. That works well for me, if you like you can add some charcoal but I really don't know if it makes a difference but lots of people use it.