Orchids require a well-draining medium that allows air to circulate their roots, and the best type of soil for them is lightweight and breathable. A good blend of peat moss, bark, sphagnum moss, and charcoal is essential for orchid growth. The orchid potting mix should provide stability inside the pot for the orchid so it can cling on to it with its roots.
Orchids are typically grown in a combination of perlite, vermiculite, sphagnum moss, and shredded bark. More soil ingredients may be necessary to keep your orchid healthy based on its specific needs. To prepare an orchid soil mix, combine components such as orchid bark, perlite, sphagnum moss, and charcoal. The mix should provide good aeration, drainage, and moisture retention for orchid roots.
Orchids are not potted in regular indoor potting soil but instead an orchid-specific porous mix that can include sphagnum moss, fir bark, coconut husk, and tree fern fibers. Commercial potting mixes are easy to use and provide an ideal growing environment for orchids, but some orchid lovers like to mix their own.
Terrestrial orchids, such as paphiopedilums and some cymbidiums, grow in soil, while most tropical orchids are epiphytes. Orchids are usually grown in a combination of perlite, vermiculite, sphagnum moss, and shredded bark. More soil ingredients may be necessary to keep your orchid healthy.
In conclusion, selecting and using the right orchid soil is crucial for ensuring your plants reach their full potential. Choose a mix that has both organic matter and good drainage, and ensure that the soil provides the right conditions for your orchids to thrive.
📹 What is the best Potting Mix for your Orchid? – Learn about Orchid Media! Orchid Care for Beginners
Here is me trying these media: Paphiopedilum Mix https://youtu.be/5KwM_pmbAR8 Oncidium Mix https://youtu.be/VY95PKtuA8Y …
📹 10 Orchids you can Plant in Soil! – Orchid Care Tips for Beginners
00:00 – Intro 01:38 – About terrestrial Orchids and soil mixes 04:08 – 1. Jewel Orchids 06:12 – 2. Oeceoclades spathulifera 08:00 – 3 …
Today’s article is sponsored by rePotme! 💗They provided some of the media, pots, clips, stakes and the fertilizer I used for the Orchids in this article. Check them out at my affiliate link here go.missorchidgirl.com/repotme14 Check out our entire Orchid Care for Beginners Series! youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxo6tXzj__mZzIrS7nCGjI6NEwWCwvuya
Thank you!!! The back half of this clip validates what I was always unsure of – what medium for what orchid type. The environment requirement still puzzles me though, I am in Florida Zone 10a, and I found that the orchids don’t get enough water with dry bark watering once a week. I have since moved to 50 bark 50 sphagnum and 15 perlite and am having much success. Cheers!
I need to catch up on the last 2 weeks of articles!!! I’m so excited this week though, Danny. I’ve been nursing one of my orchids (my first one from last year) and it finally started growing roots (or a flower stem….I’m still waiting to see what they are). I actually have 3 new growth spots (3 bumps) on this orchid and I am excited to see what they turn out to be. One of the bottom leaves has turned yellow and is about to fall off soon too. Keeping up with your articles is paying off and it’s going to be so cool to get a blooming flower spike this summer (something to really look forward to). Thanks again for all your help Danny. 🙂
I just found my mother-in-laws orchid deprived of water because of her health issues. I would love to bring back this orchid to tip top shape. I tested the bark, and it still does not feel mushy. Would you still recommend buying a new medium mix since I’m sure its still using the same mix it was sold in? If so, I live in southern California, with the plant inside with temperatures from 60 to 70 degrees fahrenheit. Which medium would you recommend, and anything else to bring back this orchid?
Hey guys, so I recently repotted my phal orchids (from old sphag moss to bark). I cleaned and placed back into the pot, the wooden sticks I use to support the orchid when there is new growth. I just decided to pull the wooden stick out and it’s mouldy with a bit of a bad smell. Should I be worried and repot the orchids again with new medium?
Have a very sad phaeleonopsis orchid I have been trying to get to thrive for a year. I moved and the poor thing has not been happy. The roots on top look great, but there isn’t much growth into the substrate (orchid bark, mixed some perlite in). The two leaves it has are starting to die away but there is another leaf growing from the crown. It’s sat on the banister in my kitchen and gets indirect sunlight. No drafts either.. I use an orchid food, along with the same brand of orchid bark but I’ll have to go make sure what it is. I keep aquariums and was wondering would using tank water to fertilize sometimes hurt my orchid? The tank water ph is 7.2-7.8 depending on what tank, high in nitrates, zero nitrite or ammonia. This is my third failed orchid and I don’t wanna give up 🙁
Hi, I have very specific question that I can not find an answer anywhere – my orchids wasnt growing at all in potting ground for like 2 years. I tried water culture and i noticed they are growing new spike and are going to bloom. But some of the leaves and roots are pinkish, meaning thats too much water. Can i repot now in potting mix if the orchid is going to bloom? Or better not? Orchid is still in water only.
Hi MissOrchidGirl, I have a question about my 1-year-old orchid. When I bought it, the flowers were blue and pink, and the tag said Blue Wonder Phala. It was for one year without flower, and this spring it showed the first signs to give flowers again. To my surprise, the flowers are now white and yellow. Have you had in your experience orchids that changed the color of their flowers? Is there something I can do to help the orchid recover the initial color? Thank you!
ive got a glass vase, and the idea of putting my orchid in the glass vase is always there but not actually done it yet. So i wanted to ask is it okay to put orchid in a glass vase, but putting it i mean the leaves will rest on top of the opening of the glass vase, so the roots will be dangling down, but in terms of the medium, im thinking more of like mixture of moss and pebbles/stones and barks. Is it possible to keep it like that?
This article is sponsored by rePotme, check them out at my affiliate link here go.missorchidgirl.com/repotme38 They also provided products like pots, clips, some of the stakes and fertilizer I used in this article Check out our entire Orchid Care for Beginners Series! youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxo6tXzj__mZzIrS7nCGjI6NEwWCwvuya
Oh Danny… For the past few weeks I’ve been eyeing Phalaenopsis pulcherrima var. marmorata because it’s SO beautiful! And literally just last night, I was trying to find a source to buy one here in Canada. Sadly I haven’t been able to find one yet. So seeing it right at the beginning of the article was a nice surprise! I just recently got a pulcherrima hybrid though (Phal. San Shia Appendo) so I guess I’ll have to settle for that one for now 😂 It has nice purple/wine red leaves and stays incredibly tiny, and surprisingly is extremely drought-tolerant (from what I’ve read) since it’s a cross with an epiphytic Phalaenopsis (Phal. appendiculata). It has purple-ish flowers but it has some yellow and red on the lip as well, so maybe you’d like it since it has contrast? 😄
Hi Danny! I’m pleased to see and hear you taking about the Vanilla Orchid. My grandmother had an Orchid that looks quite similar. It grew in a similar way to the one you’re showing. But I don’t know the name. I don’t think it produced any seeds. The flowers were a beautiful white with lavender and I believe a bit of yellow coloring to the petals. She planted it in the ground in her garden with lots of small rocks (stones) surrounding the root area. She used a large dried tree branch as support for the Orchid to grow on. And she watered the plant daily. We lived in a Tropical Country where it temperatures were always high. I would love to see more on these family of Orchids please. Love your articles. Thank you for providing them.💖
Hi Danny, I live in a cool temperate climate and grow indoors. I use coco peat mixed with bark or coconut husks as it definitely helps during the winter months when the heating is drying out the media fast along side my supplemented lighting. Because my orchids are in their first year with me, it’s still trial and error to see what best suits my environment. I was super lucky a couple of weeks ago, I found Rhynchostylis gigantea, spots and cartoon! 😀😎 I am going to try your potted method for them and my Vandas in wooden baskets. Thanks for your articles which have been a great help with repotting and problem solving. 🌺🌺💐
Hi Danny, I have been enjoying your articles for some time now. After perusal your article about semi terrestials I am wondering if my Zygonisia Roquebrune Seafoam falls into this category. It is in bark right now and is growing slowly but I think it could do a lot better. So far I haven’t been able to find anything about caring for it. Your comments would be appreciated. D.
Please do bring in more cymbidium articles on your website 😅 I’ve nevet had good luck with them. 😭 And yes, do try getting your hands on some phaius. I find that the tankervilliae and mishmensis are really easy. To the point that the tankervilliae has started to aggresively taking over the native habitat in my neck of the woods😅
Dani your orchid articles have been getting me through my overtime shifts! Been perusal your other website too, I also keep fish. I use some pothos rooted cuttings to help filter some of my plants, do you think experimenting with using phragmepedium orchids might be worth my time trying? I would be so excited to bring two of my loves together
Hi Danny, I just got the sapthulifera and it’s potted in what seems like very loose potting mix (bark, some vermiculite etc.) – i was wondering if you’d recommend replacing the mix with what you suggested or just keep it in the same potting mix for now? it’s been divided from the mother plant about a week ago