Repotting Question

[Phal Gal]

I hope this isn't a dumb question, but can you oversoak your potting medium? I put mine in to soak about 2 wks ago, got busy and just realized it has been soaking all this time! Would it hurt to use it or should I start over with fresh medium? Thanks in advance!

[Ron]

I hope this isn't a dumb question, but can you oversoak your potting medium? I put mine in to soak about 2 wks ago,

Not a dumb question. I take it is pine bark.
I often put bark and soak it for at least 2 days but if I am crook and forget it. Often a week or more goes by before I remember.
Just dry it of for a half a day before using it.
Same goes for my CoCo nuggets soak 3 or 4 times, a day or so apart each saoking and often takes nearly 2 weeks if I forget it.
best of luck

[11Orchid126]

Been there, done that.

[maiseymoo]

I have also done this!! I just let dry for a day and I had no issues!

[Phal Gal]

Originally Posted by Ron

I take it is pine bark.
I often put bark and soak it for at least 2 days but if I am crook and forget it. Often a week or more goes by before I remember.
Just dry it of for a half a day before using it.
best of luck

You make me feel so much better Ron! It is BetterGro's bark w/charcoal and perilite mix! It seems to work well for my Phals! I did think to cover the container to keep any insects out! Thanks so much!

[zaeem]

I use coco nuggets pre washed and and cleaned with insecticide and dried before use.

Soaked lightly before use.Similarly with charcoal pieces.

[11Orchid126]

Zaeem, do you use the coco chips plain, or do you mix it with anything? I'm about to try it for the first time.

[sunshine]

Originally Posted by 11Orchid126

Zaeem, do you use the coco chips plain, or do you mix it with anything? I'm about to try it for the first time.

I use coco chip bark with excellent results. Do mix in some perlite for drainage and the perlite also keeps it light and airy and the bark from clumping.

I have found coco chip bark mixed with perlite good for my orchids that like to stay moist.

[TexasBebe]

None of the tip sheets I'd read suggested soaking. I've had luck without, bet they'll be better with. And it's time to begin some major repotting. Thanks all.

[Brooke]

Originally Posted by 11Orchid126

Zaeem, do you use the coco chips plain, or do you mix it with anything? I'm about to try it for the first time.

Be sure to soak and rinse the coco chips two or three times to make sure all salt is removed. "They" say it is pre-rinsed and ready to go but when tested using the TDS meter, it takes repeated long soakings to remove it all.

TexasBebe I never soak my bark prior to use. It is much easier to get the bark to settle in and around the roots when dry by tapping the container. After using the dry bark, soak the potted orchid to moisten it.

Brooke

[Ron]

"They" say it is pre-rinsed and ready to go but when tested using the TDS meter, it takes repeated long soakings to remove it all.

It is often taken for granted that it is pre-rinsed, resulting in the loss of plants roots because the mix become toxic due to excess salts in the medium
I test each bale of CoCo Nuggets when rinsing, usually first rinse the salt content is about 950-1000 ppm on my TDS meter.
300 ppm will kill a Phalaenopsis
4 rinses usually bring it down to around 100ppm our tap water is usually around 80-95 ppms (parts per million units)
Cheerio

[TexasBebe]

Brooke: Thanks. That's my usual practice. I did just purchase some coco chips and will give those a try, too. I've got about a dozen babies that need new pots/medium.

[11Orchid126]

You may find if you don't presoak bark that you need to water it, and water it, and water it, that it dries out quickly. Bark is kiln dried, and the center becomes as dry as a nugget and must be conditioned to accept water by a thorough soaking, otherwise the water runs right over the outside "shell".

[zaeem]

11orchid126,
I use with charcoal or Styrofoam.Sorry for belated reply as I was away and my laptop went for repaires.

[Ron]

Originally Posted by 11Orchid126

You may find if you don't presoak bark that you need to water it, and water it, and water it, that it dries out quickly. Bark is kiln dried, and the center becomes as dry as a nugget and must be conditioned to accept water by a thorough soaking, otherwise the water runs right over the outside "shell".

A very good point, often orchid growers complain about there plants dying when using orchid bark. not enough water
Once dry it near impossible to re wet without soaking.
The water just runs straight through the pot over the mix.

[krpot]

This is off topic but kind of not: I was at the hydro store today and I saw for sale a bottled fertilizer rinse. It claimed to remove excess fertilizer salts from pots. In the ingredients all it listed were a couple types of acids (don't remember what). There has been a lot of talk around the forum that studies show certain nutrients (macro/micro/trace elements) are are more soluble at a pH around 5-7ish. I wonder if it's just a ripoff and is just another "pH down" product, or if they're onto something. I can't say I know much about the "sciency" stuff yet, but it would be awesome to be able to leach out pots or potting medium more easily.

[Ron]

It claimed to remove excess fertilizer salts from pots.

Assuming they mean after using and before washing and steriling them to be used again.
Common cheap vinager mixed 1 part to 10 parts of water and soak the pot for a day or so will do the trick
Do not add bleach at this stages each will nutrilise each other out

I wonder if it's just a ripoff and is just another "pH down" product, or if they're onto something

Depends on what is in it, weather it is an acidic or alkaline produce to do the PH change.
Do you add it while plants are growing in the potting mix. (something I would not like to do)

Plenty of common cheap products to do the trick, like sulfur and lime for a start

[Schila]

So if you repotted your phals and didn't pre soak the bark, how often should you water them so that the media doesn't dry ?

[Phal Gal]

Originally Posted by Schila

So if you repotted your phals and didn't pre soak the bark, how often should you water them so that the media doesn't dry ?

Hi Schila and welcome to the forum! I forgot about this thread until I got an e-mail notifying me of your question! Sorry! I'm guessing that if you didn't presoak the bark, that your media never really gets throughly wet! Just like someone else said, the water is just going to run straight through! You might soak up some fresh bark for 24 hours and re-repot your orchid again! Hope this helps!