Phaius potting mix?

[Hornet]

I've been growing phaius in normal potting soil without success, they do well to start with but then the media becomes very wet and boggy and they start to go backwards. I know they love water but i think they like something a bit more aerated? What do growers here pot their phaius in?

[tansyflower]

Maybe try putting some rocks in the bottom of the pot to improve drainage, or add some perlite or bark.

These guys are swamp orchids, I wouldn't think boggy conditions would worry them.

[Ray]

I grow them in semi-hydroponics, and they love it, but I have also been very successful in fine orchid bark, sphagnum (mixed with perlite to keep it more open), 50/50 peat-based "soil: and horticultural grade perlite, and have seen them by the thousands in Florida growing in very sandy soil.

[Stitz]

I purchased a very healthy Phaius tankervilleae from Kensington Orchids which was planted in ONLY styrofoam peanuts. I LOVED hosing this plant on a daily basis! I continued using styrofoam as the medium with this plant for years.

Bottom line? Phaius tankervileae will grow in virtually anything which allows air and moisture to the roots.


--Stitz--

[Anton]

I use Cattleya mix: large bark, with chunks of styrofoam and the pot sits in a pot saucer of water from Spring until Autumn, then leave the pot out of water.

[Hornet]

cheers guys, seems my issue is lack of air around the roots, i've potted a few up in different mixes so hopefully they will perform a little better now, cheers guys

[Stitz]

Originally Posted by Anton

I use Cattleya mix: large bark, with chunks of styrofoam and the pot sits in a pot saucer of water from Spring until Autumn, then leave the pot out of water.

This is another approach that I have used with success. Anton's described media is the one which I have found to be the easiest to use. 100% styrofoam presents unique problems, as in styrofoam floats!

--Stitz--

[Hornet]

I got 4 seedlings off a dealer a week or 2 back so i've potted each one in a different mix, 1 in S/H, 1 in coco husk/perlite, 1 in peat/perlite/diatomite and 1 in the original potting mix it came in. Will get pics of the 4 of them today and try and update every month or 2 so you can see which progresses better

[terra_australis]

I grow mine in coco peat and perlite... about 60% perlite to 40% coco peat. Simply adjust the %s depending on your weather/watering requirements.

[orchidea]

I just mixed everything I could find - dry leaves, bark, coco chips, perlite, charcoal, some peat, shpagnum and hydroton............
My phaius grew a spike almost 5 feet tall, so I guess it likes the media.....

[Phalcycle]

I use a mix of sphagnum moss with losts of perlite and medium bark mixed in. The bottom, as for most my orchids has styrofoam peanuts