The planting medium for orchids contains a mixture of chunky ingredients that close to the environment that orchids use in the wild. The right orchids potting mix provides plenty of air circulation, drainage and moisture, depending on the needs of your particular orchid. Orchid potting mix consists of a variety of potting materials, you can create your own blend from the recipes below or you can buy commercial orchid potting mix which is available in garden center, most orchid stores and home-improvement stores.
Types of Planting Medium for Orchids
Orchids don’t have the same roots type as other houseplants. The orchid roots will rot if the roots are sit in moisture / water for any length of time. So it is important to have planting medium for orchids that provides good aeration and drainage.
Most of commercial planting mediums for orchids contain ingredients such as perlite, peat moss or fir bark. Each type of orchid will enjoys a different type of planting medium, so you need to know what the best planting mediums for orchid. If you plan to grow a large variety of orchid blooms, may be creating your own orchid potting mix is the best option.
Orchid Potting Mix
There are some factors that must be considered to create your own planting mediums for orchids such as the ingredients availability, the variety of orchids and the way your orchids perform when using your orchid potting mix. Of course to find the right blend of your orchid potting mix, you need to have an experiment / trial.
For example, the phalaenopsis should never be allowed to dry out completely, so you will need to incorporate more absorbent materials such as peat moss, perlite or tree fern into your orchid potting mix.
Orchid Potting Material
Keep in mind, no single potting material works best for every particular orchid or orchid grower. Below are the pros and cons of some common potting materials that you need consider in order to create the right orchid potting mix:
1. Perlite (sponge rock)
Pros: Lightweight; provides good aeration and water retention; inexpensive
Cons: Retains too much water if used alone
2. Aliflor
Pros: Doesn't decompose; provides good aeration
Cons: Heavy
3. Gravel
Pros: Drains well; inexpensive
Cons: Heavy; holds no nutrients
4. Hardwood charcoal
Pros: Very slow to decompose; absorbs contaminants
Cons: Holds very little moisture; can be dusty to handle
5. Coco husk chunks
Pros: Retains moisture while also providing sufficient air; slower to decompose than bark
Cons: Must be rinsed thoroughly to remove any salt residue; smaller grades may retain too much moisture
6. Coco husk fiber
Pros: Retains water well; decomposes slowly
Cons: Does not drain as well as bark or coco husk chunks
7. Fir bark
Pros: Easy to obtain; inexpensive; available in many grades (sizes)
Cons: Can be difficult to wet; decomposes relatively quickly
8. Lava rock
Pros: Never decomposes; drains well
Cons: Heavy
9. Osmunda fiber
Pros: Retains moisture; slow to break down
Cons: Very expensive; hard to find
10. Redwood bark
Pros: Lasts longer than fir bark
Cons: Hard to find
11. Sphagnum moss
Pros: Retains water and air; readily available
Cons: Can retain too much water if packed tightly in the pot or after it starts to decompose
12. Styrofoam peanuts
Pros: Inexpensive; readily available; doesn't decompose; rapid draining
Cons: Should not be used alone because doesn't retain water or nutrients; best used as drainage in bottoms of pots; can be too light for top-heavy plants
13. Tree fern fiber
Pros: Rapidly draining; slow to decompose
Cons: Expensive; low water retention
Make Your Own Orchid Potting Mix
You need to try a variety of potting mixes to see which ones is the best suitable for your orchids. Just try a new recipe of planting medium for orchid every time you repot an orchid until you find the best orchid potting mix blend for your varieties.
Below are recipes for two basic mixes that suitable for most orchids. The orchid potting mixes below are based on particle size or texture of the mix which is related to the size of the orchid roots and their need for water retention.
1. Fine potting mix
This orchid potting mix works well for smaller plants with small roots, slipper orchids, miltonias, most oncidiums, and any other orchids that like to stay on the damp side. To make this fine potting mix you can mix 4 parts fine-grade fir bark /coco husk chips / redwood bark, 1 part fine charcoal and 1 part horticultural-grade perlite / small-grade Aliflor.
2. Medium potting mix
This orchid potting mix is good for phalaenopsis, cattleyas and most mature orchids. You can mix 4 parts medium-grade fir bark / coco husk chunks, 1 part medium charcoal and 1 part horticultural-grade perlite / medium-grade Aliflor.
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