ORCHIDS
Growing and Helpful Tips
Please recognize that all information is given as good faith and as a lot of growers know, what works for us may not suit your growing conditions or climate. The same as what works for you may not suit our conditions. To give you an idea of our conditions Temperature ranges from approx -2 to +40 Degrees. We do get normally a few light frosts a year. Rain normally when it does happen can get falls up to 200mm in a day but we may go for 8-10weeks with no rain at all. This makes a big difference for how one picks their potting mixes especially if plants are in un-covered houses or growing conditions. For any locals we are very similar growing conditions as Ipswich Qld
Potting Mix (Mediums)
Bark:- We use either Debco or Aus-Grow orchid bark (typically 25-50 Litre bags) both are very similar products to use some orchid clubs will sell this in a smaller bags or just give us a call we don't normal list small bags on price list but this is not a problem . Without going into types of bark of what we have tried and tested these are the best orchid barks available to us. There are also various sizes or grades of these barks
Small or Mini Size Bark:- We use this only in our tubes (baby plants) mixed in with other mediums
Medium Size Bark:- We use this for smaller plants coming out of tubes or just a small growing size plant that may need a bit more moisture (smaller bark generally won't dry out as quick due to less airflow).
Large Size Bark:- We use this in lager sized orchid plants like Cymbidiums and mixed with medium size bark for Cattleyas,
Perlite:- There is a few different brands of perlite generally sold in 100 Litre bags we mostly use a coarse bag mix (approx 5mm in size) some orchid clubs will sell this in a smaller bags or just give us a call we don't normal list small bags on price list but this is not a problem
Charcoal:- Medium size is a good all rounder approx 10x15mm in size some orchid clubs will sell this in a smaller bags or just give us a call we don't normal list small bags on price list but this is not a problem
Coconut Husk/Chip:- There are a few different brands of this and of what we have found you have to be careful when buying chip as there are big differences. This normally comes in a dry and compressed form and before you use it, it needs soaking to expand and hydrate. Some available brands will need to be washed, this is more to remove unwanted salts. We mostly use 8-12mm chips, that is pre washed and PH ready. In uncovered locations never pot directly in chip as we found out if you get wet/rainy conditions over a long period (2-3weeks) it holds too much moisture and may rot your orchids and bromeliads. We have been trying a mix of approx 5-10% to the pot chip with some orchids. A lot of growers use coconut husk/chip as it is a bit cheaper and also takes up less room in the shed being compressed. We don't use a lot of it due to the market of people we sell plants to. Most may not have a covered growing area etc..therefore bark gives them a much greater success growing orchids when they get them home.
Peat:- We only use Canadian peat moss this is used in a covered shade house on tube stock (baby) plants. Bag size is 60kg. I do know some growers that use a peat and perlite potting mix using typically 5x perlite to 1x peat and that's it. The main disadvantage for us is the pots are light and if your growing area is not well sheltered your beautiful pots might fall over etc... and it does not ship/travel real well. some orchid clubs will sell this in a smaller bags or just give us a call we don't normal list small bags on price list but this is not a problem
Sphagnum Moss :- We use this on some tubes (baby) plants and Phalaenopsis orchids with great results. The biggest problem I have seen is some people compact (push in tight) the spag when potting. This means when wet it holds too much moisture and may rot your orchids. We pot lightly and in a way wrap the spag around the roots. We now have a small 100g compressed Spag which when mixed with water makes a 300x120mm pot full, this is great for people that would like to just give it a go or need to pot just a few orchids also great for when tying orchids to the side of a tree to help hold a little moisture around the roots till it holds onto the tree itself.
Our all rounder general mix 1 bag of medium bark, 2 bags Large bark, 3/4 bucket (10Litre) coarse perlite, 1/4 bucket of charcoal (Trying for some orchids/bromeliads approx 5-10% to the end mix coconut husk 8-12mm in size)
With this mix we water in winter once every approx 10 days and in the heat of summer sometimes every 2nd day and if we get over 5-10mm of rain this is counted as a water