Potting mediums

Hi everybody, well, started off the morning by finding out there is another "Orchid Whisperer" out there, but he does not blog. Unfortunately he seems to be better educated in the world of orchids.  Hmmm, maybe he will buy this blog from me....lol.  Anyway, I thought I would talk about potting mediums and other forms of mounting today.

I have seen some vandas, mounted to pieces of wood as they do not require any soil to thrive, and this mimics their natural environment; attached to trees in tropical locals.  Few orchids grow in actual soil.  Orchids do not derive their nutrients from soil but rather pick them up by way of runoff rainwater that is soaked up through the roots.  Example, it rains, the water runs down the tree trunk picking up trace elements from the tree, and passes over the orchids roots. 

A pot with a combination of perlite, fir bark, and charcoal, sometimes even packing peanuts makes a great potting soil. Attention needs to be paid to the thickness of the roots:  A bigger root prefers a courser grade of soil, whereas a fine root will prefer a finer grade of soil.  The aim is to give the orchids roots something to anchor to, so that it does not fall over and damage the flowers or leaves.  Make sure that whatever your soil choice is, that it drains well.  I recently added Sorghum moss to two hanging baskets lined with coconut husk to trap more moisture for my vandas.  This cut down my need to water them everyday.  I still will need to take them out and soak in a bucket of water once a week for 15 minutes.  Other varieties don't need as much water;but some can be grown hydroponically!  That would be interesting to try.  If you have any questions about what medium to use, please let me know.  I saw a very cool planting solution today on you tube, where a phalaenopsis was in a glass vase, filled with glass beads, very cool because you could see all the roots filling the cracks and crevices, and it would make visual inspection of the roots extremely easy, just hold it up and look!  I might try this too!  I am sure the bottom of the vase had a drain hole, or when you water you just fill it up, and then pour out the excess H2O!

Til tomorrow,

Happy Growing
The younger Orchid Whisperer (LOL)