Orchids? Anybody?

[CapricornFarm]

Define "substrate." Mine are in a chopped woody substance in plastic cups. When I remove them from the wood chips there is a small, damp root ball about the size of a golf ball. Which of these is "substrate?"

Substrate is what they're planted in. Always use one made for orchids. If it holds too much water, the roots can rot.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Substrate is what they're planted in. Always use one made for orchids. If it holds too much water, the roots can rot.

Thank you! What do you think about sphagnum moss?

 

[Rambling Iris]

Thank you! What do you think about sphagnum moss?

I use it sparingly in an orchid mix I bought at Walmart. I found this information helpful:

Top Substrate Types and Their Pros/Cons​

• Fir Bark (e.g., Better-Gro Phalaenopsis Mix)
  • Best for: Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, Dendrobium
  • Pros: Long-lasting, porous, excellent drainage and airflow
  • Cons: Degrades slowly, may need supplementation for nutrients
• Sphagnum Moss (e.g., Halatool Premium Sphagnum Moss)
  • Best for: Moisture-loving orchids (e.g., Paphiopedilum, some Vandas)
  • Pros: Superior water retention, natural acidity, promotes root growth
  • Cons: Breaks down quickly (1 year shelf life), prone to compaction and pathogens if not leached, requires soaking before use
• Coconut Husk (Coco Coir)
  • Best for: Beginners, general orchid use
  • Pros: Affordable, sustainable, good water retention with breathability, retains shape, pH-neutral
  • Cons: Can harbor salts if not pre-washed, less durable than bark
• Perlite & Pumice
  • Best for: Adding aeration to any mix
  • Pros: Lightweight, pH-neutral, improves drainage and airflow
  • Cons: Not suitable alone; used as an additive
• Lava Rock & Clay Pellets (LECA)
  • Best for: Improving drainage and root access to air
  • Pros: Non-decomposing, long-lasting, excellent for moisture regulation
  • Cons: Sharp edges (lava rock) can damage roots; must be leached to remove salts
• Horticultural Charcoal
  • Best for: Preventing root rot and filtering impurities
  • Pros: Antibacterial, reduces salt buildup, improves drainage
  • Cons: Only used as an additive; not a primary medium

Key Selection Tips​

• Match the substrate to your orchid type: Epiphytic orchids (e.g., Phalaenopsis) thrive in bark-based mixes; terrestrial orchids may prefer moss.
• Consider your climate: In humid areas, use more bark or lava rock to avoid over-saturation; in dry climates, moss or coco coir helps retain moisture.
• Repotting frequency: Bark and mineral substrates last longer (3–5 years); sphagnum moss and peat degrade faster (1–2 years).
• Avoid traditional soil: It retains too much water and suffocates orchid roots.

For a balanced, ready-to-use mix, consider Duspro Orchid Potting Mix (bark, moss, perlite, coco peat) or Better-Gro Special Orchid Mix (bark, charcoal, sponge rock), both designed for aeration and root health.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Thank you, Iris! Do you have orchids?

 

[Rambling Iris]

Thank you, Iris! Do you have orchids?

I don't have any at the moment, but have grown them when we lived in Florida. They did not survive our move to Tennessee. Pa and I used to photograph events for the Orchid Society in the county we lived in and became friends with a local grower. He had 6 greenhouses full of various kind of orchids. He even propagated them from seed and air layers. He had a purple vanda orchid that was secured to the overhead beam of one of the greenhouses and trailed the ground! It had to be 8 or 9 feet long.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

So I actually have three orchid plants. Pretty sure they are all the same type, the "moth" type. Two, as you have seen, are currently blooming. The third... well, has been sitting here frowning at me for quite some time. Months. So today I decided to get brave and repot it. What's the worst that could happen? I didn't take pictures, sorry! I removed it from its clear plastic pot that it came in and shook it free of all the bark. There was a little walnut-sized glob of something sort of like soil that fell off of it. What was left was a bunch of spidery roots and I started cutting off everything that did not look alive and healthy. Everything, that is, that looked dried up, silvery or grey. There wasn't much left but I put the remainder in some fresh wood chips ("orchid potting soil") and then mixed up a batch of orchid fertilizer. This stuff (pic below) smells like sewage. But it's potent! You mix half a capful into a quart of water and use it to soak the matrix the plant is in. I'm letting mine soak for half an hour, that should do it. You don't do this very often though. It says once every 2-4 weeks but I think I might do it once a month but not while blooming. So now we wait.

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

So I actually have three orchid plants. Pretty sure they are all the same type, the "moth" type. Two, as you have seen, are currently blooming. The third... well, has been sitting here frowning at me for quite some time. Months. So today I decided to get brave and repot it. What's the worst that could happen? I didn't take pictures, sorry! I removed it from its clear plastic pot that it came in and shook it free of all the bark. There was a little walnut-sized glob of something sort of like soil that fell off of it. What was left was a bunch of spidery roots and I started cutting off everything that did not look alive and healthy. Everything, that is, that looked dried up, silvery or grey. There wasn't much left but I put the remainder in some fresh wood chips ("orchid potting soil") and then mixed up a batch of orchid fertilizer. This stuff (pic below) smells like sewage. But it's potent! You mix half a capful into a quart of water and use it to soak the matrix the plant is in. I'm letting mine soak for half an hour, that should do it. You don't do this very often though. It says once every 2-4 weeks but I think I might do it once a month but not while blooming. So now we wait.

From what I’ve heard, the roots are silvery gray when they need water, and green when they’re happy.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

From what I’ve heard, the roots are silvery gray when they need water, and green when they’re happy.

Oh man. Did I just murder my plant?