? potting medium for smaller rooted orchids

[Deby53]

I like to use bark but unfortunately the onlyl bark available in my area is somewhat large. What can I use for my smaller rooted orchids? (Den, Onc & Catt) I use terra cotta pots. Thanks! Deby

[jerrymeola]

As a commercial nursery, I buy large quantities of plants from different growers. They use different medium to work in their conditions.

Orchids will grow in or on just about anything. It is a matter of choosing the medium that works best for the way in which you water your plants.

My best Oncidium grower in Hawaii uses only med to large bark. Here in Florida many switch to sphagnum moss. Large bark dries fast and needs to be watered often. Sphag is very wet and needs to be watered less and monitored closer.

I was at a growers last week and the two master growers were discussing a Phal potted in sphag. #2 asked #1 'this has not been watered in two weeks' #1 'yes' #2 'It will not need water for at least 2 more weeks.'

Most other mediums fall somewhere in between.

Dendrobium in Hawaii are usually in coconut chips. It is wetter than bark and drier than sphag.

Cattleya after they past the 2 inch pot size are almost universally potted in large bark it styro peanuts on the bottom for drainage. Seedlings are usually in a rock wool plug and 2 inch pots in small bark. Young plants generally do not like to dry out as much as is desirable for older plants.

Small rooted plants will adapt to large bark if kept sufficiently wet after the initial re-potting. Once the roots attach to the bark, it does not matter the size of the bark.

It you feel better using smaller bark, take the large bark and put it in a bag that will dot rip too easy and drive your car over it a few times. It will be medium to small quickly.

[Deby53]

And I forgot to ask what you all think about putting potting soil in with the bark? I have been looking for a Sharry Baby for quite some time and when I found a grower within an hour drive from my house I of course had to visit. They had some nice specimens. They use potting soil mixed with bark. The orchid is blooming beautifully. I work in an oncology physician office and have it on the counter in the nurses station. The patients are really enjoying watching it bloom. So, if it's happy, leave it alone when it's done blooming?
Thanks!
Deby

[janet_a]

i wouldn't use potting soil; too easy for the roots to suffocate. (is it possible that the plant you're referring to has simply been in the mix so long that it's broken down to look like soil?)

i actually bought some seedling mix bark from carter & holmes; it's very fine and has perlite and some other stuff mixed in.

in addition to jerry's tip, i am told large bark can be food processed or blendered into small bark.

[Deby53]

Nope, it's potting soil. I questioned one of the workers and it's their "special mix" of bark & potting soil. Even says it in the care brochure they gave me. I will probably repot when the flowers are gone. I couldn't believe it but their greenhouse was full of blooms....in bark & potting soil......

[katrina]

I wonder if they mean a soiless mix. ?? Those soiless mixes can be created w/lots of perlite (sp) and vermiculite which make them a lot lighter and airy-er. With that said...there's one greenhouse I buy orchids from and many of them are in a soiless mix/bark mix...the one thing I've noticed upon repotting...quite a few dead roots.

I'm no expert but...personally, unless it's terrestrial/semi-terrestrial in nature...I wouldn't use soil or soiless mix in the pot at all.