Peat Moss Mixed or Alone?

[sandra]

This topic has brought me full circle, starting with the brassidium I purchased about a week ago. It was planted in what I believed was peat moss. I had never seen this, was very uncomfortable with it because I had never heard of orchids being potted in this. Since then and with the help of a lot of you, I've learned a lot about it. But before knowing what I know now, I took the plant out and potted in medium bark (with perlite, charcoal).

With everything I've been reading, I liked what's written about the peat moss, especially for phals and oncidiums. I went out today and bought some and additional perlite. I'm extremely uncomfortable with the brassidium and phals in bark alone and I'm also uncomfortable with them being in peat moss and perlite, alone.

I need help before I repot these and as well, my 2 oncidiums which are in straight sphag. Would a mix of bark (with the charcoal and perlite) and peat moss be a recommendation over these 2 separately? Not at all? One or the other?

I don't want to leave the brassidium and phals in straight bark mix which they're in now and feel aren't getting enough consistant moisture and I'm overly concerned with all the water being taken up on my 2 large oncidiums.

Advice is direly needed before I do this. Thank You Geeks!

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Can't answer your question about the combination because I have not tried it. But there is the known problem that bark, if it is not freed from the dust in the package, breaks down much more quickly, because the breakdown bacteria live in the dust quite well. As you probably have noted, I feel that the peat/perlite mix needs to be repotted once a year (same bacterial problem). Do you want to have to repot your combo once a year? Might be a little hard on the plant being repotted once a year where the roots can attach to the bark, and may have to be broken to get the old mix out. Seems like it may be the worsed of both worlds. This damage problem for the roots of some plants in bark is one of the reasons I always tell people to feel the bark thru the bag to make sure it is rock hard, so that it will last 3 years, not the 2 or 1 for pre-rotted bark.

How about the people who use a little chopped New Zealand moss mixed in the bark. Probably same problem, but at least you may have some people with experience on using this kind of mix. By the way, that mix you got rid of was probably Pro Mix, something I've heard of, but never seen. There is one dealer in the Phoenix area that carries it, but is in a very out of the way place, and the last time I tried to find it, I failed. Finally drove buy the place on a
Sunday, and the nursery was closed.

[Hummer344]

If you are worried about moisture content plant it in a fine bark mix. Retains more moisture. I use a mix of fine coconut bark, fine Dyna-Roc (from Dyna-Gro), and a little charcole for plants that require more mositure. I do all my phals in this mix. and it seems to work very well.

[prisana]

Sandra, all my phals are growing in bark alone...in the beginning they were very thirsty so I had to water them a lot but in a couple of months, they retain more water and were loving it . I got lots of beautiful blooms this past season from all of them. I now am experimenting one phal in sphag..it's a keiki from one of the phals and so far it's doing really good . I think 50/50 peat and perlite will be what I will try next with either a phal or paph..I've got a few of them that need repotting.

Not sure about the onc. they don't like me very much..so far only one is thriving in my care..

[sandra]

Prisana, I've noticed with my small and keiki onc.'s, the sphag is great. They're all growing and so much healthier now. Even Jerry said that onc.s are probably the hardest to grow here in Fla. and I probably will start staying away from that temptation in the future.

I'm still not sure what I'm going to do but I'm thinking of getting the small bark (with charcoal and perlite) and repotting the phals in that. So, it's back to Home Depot to switch the peat moss for more bark tomorrow....I think.

Tobi posted this in my other thread (brassidium) which is when my curiosity became intensified on peat.

http://www.stonybrookorchids.com/faq.htm

Good luck with the keiki. If my memory serves me right, I think I remember you posting a pic of it a while back.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Read the stonybrook link. Four to one peat to perlite is pretty heavy. But if they are growing without losing roots to rot, I think the hard drying between waterings may be their salvation, as my pots sometimes don't get completely dry (too much of a mixed collection), and this may promote rot in the peat mix. I note the use of clay with their heavy plants. I have a truck load of Catt seedlings that are getting near mature leaves and pseudobulbs while still in 2.5 to 3" pots. I just started slipping these plastic pots into clay pots for stability, and I am so very much happier now without a snarl of flopping over plants every time I disturb something. Potting directly into the clay pots really speeds up the drying process for the peat mix, and I see that I can go to a little more roomy pot for these plants.

[brookn]

Sandra, my collection is predominately phals. I have mentioned probably too many times I use the prepackaged mix of med bark, perlite, and charcoal then I put some sphag in it. I put my onc. into this and the new growth after one month has gone from less than 1/2 inch to 2 1/2 inches. I use the skewer method, and as the medium gets hydrated I am having to water less and less. I am fertilizing with expert gardener azaelea fert. and superthrive. The onc. is growing daily, and the pseudobulb looks good, today it opened the leaves up and they are looking like leaves (I am excited). I used rooting hormone when I potted everything also, schultz's. I did have to tweak my mix and add extra sphag (which meant I basically repotted everything, so far no setbacks) because I did not use enough.
You will find a mix that will work for you, and then you can just enjoy them for a while. It will be okay, I have been there worrying over everything like that too. If something dies, it is a learning experience in so many ways. I hate it, but then next time around you know better how to give the care necessary. I believe in you Sandra (sometimes a person just needs to hear it). Happy growing.

[brookn]

Sandra I remebered from another post you were looking for a yellow phal. I found these.

http://www.oakhillgardens.com/htm/or....php?prod=1082

http://www.oakhillgardens.com/htm/or....php?prod=1408

[sandra]

Brook, thanks for your advice and encouragement. The more I learn, the more I realize how little I know! I've been questioning more and more as I realize all the variables that go into the decision-making for what's best according to the conditions I have to offer my orchids and what I need to substitute because of lack of conditions....if that makes sense! I've decided to switch to a smaller bark and add sphag. for my large oncs, phals and brassia. I believe this will create the environment they need......I think I think I think too much, lol.

Thanks so much for the links to the yellow phals. Yes, it was me looking for one. You're a doll!

[prisana]

Sandra, thanks for the link..I have peat and perlite and this new orchid mix that's from miracle grow..it consists of very thin and fine bark and some peat, but I added more peat and perlite and charcoal to to and it's good except the darn peat and perlite flow out of the pot all the time throught the slats, but I don't think there's any way around it..I gott find peat chunks and bigger perlite instead of horticultural perlite sinse there may be a difference.

I've never posted a pic of my keiki , not yet anyway...but hubby was playing frisbee with my son and hit it yesterday ...now its brand new leaf has a tear in it

I'm trying new things to small number of plants and see how it goes, so far so good...I just have to keep in mind which one need less water and which one need more because of the mix they are in...try doing that early in the AM when you've just stumbled out of bed