Potting Medium Explained
When it comes to how to take care of orchids, the type of potting medium you choose has a large part in how successful your orchid growing experience can be.
Orchids have very different needs from other household plants. Instead of soil, they require media that will give them the right combination of water retention and air circulation.
Most media used for mixes come in fine-grade, medium-grade, and coarse-grade. Depending on the type of orchid you are growing, there are mediums that are best suited for certain types of orchids.
For example, orchids such as Paphiopedilums and Oncidiums, have small roots that are very thin and fragile so choosing a medium that is small and fine-grade is ideal.
Orchids such as Cattleya and Phalaenopsis for example, have normal or average sized roots and do best in a medium-grade potting material.
When deciding on the perfect potting medium to use there are a few things that you will want to look at. Sphagnum Moss has a good balance of water and air retention, although it can sometimes hold too much water.
Perlite is an inexpensive option that absorbs water well. The downfall to perlite is that it may retain too much water. Fir Bark is easy to find, inexpensive, and comes in a range of sizes, although it is quick to decompose and is initially difficult to get to retain water.
Redwood Bark is another option. It is able to hold water better than Fir Bark and also decays more slowly. Tree Fern Fiber drains well and decomposes slowly, although is fairly expensive, difficult to find, and doesn’t hold water well.
Charcoal is slow to decay and absorbs toxic substances, although does not hold water well. Lava rock, although heavy in weight, has good drainage and never decomposes.
There’s no rule that states that you can’t mix different types of media. You can buy, or create your own, mixture of different mediums. Media that is premixed can be a very convenient option and are very easy to use. These can be found in pretty much any nursery or home improvement store.
After you decide on the best type of medium to use for you orchid, it is imperative that you soak it for a good 8-10 hours to ensure that the medium will maintain moisture from the water once placed in the pot with your orchid.
Simply place the medium in a container and add hot water. Once the medium has soaked for 8-10 hours you can re-rinse and use in your pot.
Learning how to take proper care of orchids starts with choosing the right type of potting media. Trying out different media combinations can not only be fun but can lead you to find the perfect mix for your orchid which will in turn reward you with gorgeous blooms.
Originally posted 2021-04-01 13:11:48.
