How to mix orchid potting soil? A detailed guide to the latest soil mixing methods
Orchids originally grow deep in mountain forests, in slightly acidic soil rich in leaf litter and humus. This kind of forest-floor soil is generally loose, airy, and excellent at holding nutrients. So when growing them by human cultivation, it is best to mix a potting soil, because orchids have strict soil requirements, and they grow best only in this kind of soil environment. In cultivation, potting soil has many kinds of materials, and different planting soils are mixed. Now let us look at how orchid potting soil is mixed.
1. Sand and gravel materials
Orchid growing soil needs to be airy and have a certain amount of gaps, so most of its components are hard materials, such as peat, coarse sand, river sand, vermiculite, crushed tile granules, broken firebrick residue granules, or burned coal briquette granules. The advantage of these materials is that they are permeable and drain well. About 65% of orchid planting soil is made up of these components, which are quite important. Which ones to choose needs to be decided together with the other plant materials, and at the same time the materials must be disinfected.
2. Plant materials
The main materials include sawdust, peanut shells, pine needles, fallen leaves, and tree bark, all of which can be used as potting soil. Note that these generally need to be composted, treated, and then used. They need to be cooked and then fermented; fermentation is relatively fast, and it can also sterilize and disinfect. The fermentation time of these materials differs, and they can be chosen according to need. Generally, peanut shells are very good for growing orchids, and tree bark that has naturally fallen off for several years does not need to be fermented.
3. Fertilizer
Collect forest-floor humus soil from the mountains; after disinfection it can be used directly, its fertilizer effect is quite good, and it can reduce other ingredients. The residues left after pressing various oils, such as soybean cake and tea seed cake fertilizer cakes, are very good fertilizers, with obvious results in use and good growth. In addition, fully rotted dry cow dung residue can be used as a base fertilizer; its fertilizer effect is quite direct and it is absorbed very well.
4. Mixing methods
Different orchid species can be given different planting soils, mixed mainly according to the characteristics of the variety. 40% humus soil, 20% peat, 30% river sand, and 10% vermiculite are suitable for growing Cymbidium sinense; 50% humus soil, 30% coal briquette granules, 10% cow dung, and 10% peanut shells are suitable for Chinese cymbidium cultivation. The commonly used ones are mainly humus soil, river sand, peat, vermiculite, cake fertilizer, cow dung, peanut shells, pine needles, and sawdust. In fact, you can combine them freely, or refer to other people's mixing experience.
There are many materials for mixing orchid planting soil, and you can combine them freely or mix them according to the flower variety; you can refer to other people's, or try a formula others have not used, but if it is a precious orchid, it is generally best not to try blindly, and you can consult an expert.