Tis true. Medium grade mix is good. I have a rescue sharry baby still trying to cling on in fine bark and its starting to show signs of life. Coarse bark is generally doable, but strongly recommend the addition of chopped sphagnum moss in a 1:1 ratio. That's how I used to grow them. Straight sphag is also possible but its not for everyone.

It all comes down to your growing environment. High light/ high heat requires finer mix. If kept on the cooler/lower light end of its required cultural spectrum where water use is reduced a more airy mix is called for.

I also use a fine bark mixed with sphag. I've also used perlite/sphag mix.

Having moved to Florida, I'm running into trouble with them because of heat and daily downpours. I've moved some inside to AC to help them 'destress.'

Jane

I went with a fine pine bark and perlite mix. 4:1 respectively. Did some root trimming as well. I have three new sprouts on one and one new sprout on the other. I've noticed these go through more water the the phals do....

They don't like to dry out too much. Your choice sounds good.

Jane

Here they are.....

Together....Not sure why I can add all of these to one post....

I've had them for about four months or so. Of course when I bought them they were adorn in tons of flowers.....lets hope I get some this fall...

That pot is at least two times too big for that plant.

Why? Do they naturally grow in cramped spaces?

Terpguy is right. The pots are too big. If you just repotted them I'd move them to smaller pots. Otherwise, leave them alone, just be careful about keeping them too wet.

Plants in pots which are too big, hold too much moisture and can rot the roots. Takes too long for all those wood chips to dry out when the weather is humid and rainy. Always safer to plant in pots one size bigger.

Jane

Darn. I'll move them. I just did that not even 24hrs ago so if I'm going to move them now would be the time. Right now it is humid and rainy but fall is around the corner. After that they are coming back inside.

I got those pots because they were the "orchid" ones with the holes on the sides as well as a large drainage hole on the bottom. I'll just get a regular clay pots a couple sizes smaller.

When I purchased them they were barely in any type of medium. The bark was large, not fine.

Maybe I should just stick with my carnivorous monsters.....lol

How about in the winter time when the humidity in my house is barely at 40%.....would the extra moisture help then?

I got the smaller one done....

Different angle

The bigger one is not going to fit into that four inch pot. The pot it's in now is 6.75. I can't seem to find a 5" pot which would be perfect....You guys know any online sources I can buy specific clay pots at?

Add some p'nuts to the bottom of the large pot. This will take up the depth of the pot and let the middle dry out much faster. Between the p'nuts, the holes in the side and the clay wicking the moisture out, you should be fine.

Brooke

Wow.....great idea. When you say p'nuts I'm assuming you don't mean Peanuts?? Lol.....The styrofoam ones?

:>) :>) Yes the styrofoam ones unless you want to eat soggy p'nuts :>) :>)

Lol.....Where do you even get those?

And I guess you wouldn't want to use anything that would hold water? That would defeat the point of the p'nuts, no?

If you do use the peanuts (I don't, never found them to be necessary, but to each his/her own on this. Many prefer to use them), use those wavy s-shaped styrofoam peanuts. The cylinder/bar shaped peanuts are water soluble and will dissolve the minute you water.

How abt. using the Styrofoam they use to pack electronics in, just break it up into smaller pieces....free, and free is good...sally

I'd have to go buy some electronics.....that would be more then just buying the p'nuts......lol.

Terp: What do you use if not p'nuts?

Peanuts are not necessary if you get the mix right. When I was a newbie about 40 years ago I used to use them but all i do now is enlarge the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot.

I use peanuts especially in the pots for my large dirt plants. Keeps the pots light and fills up 1/3 of the pot saving on mix. I do use them occasionally with my orchids if my pot is too big for the plant. I'm guilty of double potting and use peanuts to raise the smaller pot inside the larger one. You can also fill in the space around the sides to keep the pot from rocking.

They are good filler material and plant roots seem to love them. I keep large bags of Styrofoam for use on plants. They are a pain when you repot because the wind will blow them all over.

Good recycling,

Jane

CJ,

Case in point, to each his/her own on this topic.

I don't use anything. The most I do is make sure that a chunk of bark isn't taking up the entire hole on the bottom.

Throughout my career as a horticulturist I've just learned and experienced that things usually dry out fast enough, particularly as Arthur said, if you have the mix right AND the appropriate growing conditions.

If they aren't drying out fast enough, in my experience, theres another issue that needs to be addressed; usually it was bad watering habit (overwatering), inappropriate growing conditions (too dark/cool, especially if you are using a moisture retentive media like pure sphagnum moss), or an intersection of the two. Make your potting media appropriate for your growing conditions.

But again, I don't disparage anyone who wants to do them. I'm not anti-styrofoam. I've used them in the past, and some people feel better with them. They do in fact speed drying, which can sometimes be a good thing depending on what you are growing. And you are indeed reusing materials as Jane so aptly pointed out. But my experience is that they also grow just fine without them.

*shrugs*

This post was edited by terpguy on Mon, Aug 12, 13 at 20:29

I have to agree with everything above. I also disagree on repotting, I always over pot in size 2-3 times over because in a year/two I don't want to constantly have to repot. I am not lazy, I just want to do bonsai with bonsai and not orchids. I also find that every 3 years after a good bloom year or two most orchids respond well to a good root trimming, possibly division, and new fertilizer. My grandmother came up with a unique way to water her orchids. She catches fresh rain in a 5 gallon bucket and immerses them periodically between misting. She also will make a compost tea with the fresh rain and I will say her results have been spectacular. I figure its more akin to their native habitat growing in the trees. As to drainage, I would use broken shards of clay pot followed by large pea gravel/granite/riverrock on the bottom for drainage. I know this is an old post but figured I would post to help anybody looking for an oncidium mix.