How to choose orchid potting media? Choose the right medium to grow orchids well

What medium to useGrowing orchids, this is everyorchid grower's most direct and closest concern, and also the key question of whether one can grow orchids well. According to different environments, using different potting media is the only way to achieve twice the result with half the effort. For thousands of yearsgrowing orchidshas been inseparable from soil. The types generally used include mountain soil,orchidsoil (humus soil), pond mud, peat soil, etc. You can use local materials and spend no money. According to your own orchid-growing environment, choose suitable soil, mix it in proportion with some weathered rock, brick granules, sawdust, pine bark, etc., to make a three-in-one or four-in-one potting medium. But the soil must go through sun-drying, pan-frying and other disinfection procedures to avoid contamination by pathogens. Growing orchids in soil is absolutely good, and it is especially good for growing weak and small orchid seedlings. When growing orchids in soil, it is best to use clay pots, which have good air permeability and do not easily accumulate water. With the development oforchids, more and more people are using Xiantuto cultivateorchids. Xiantu is pollution-free and suitable for growing orchids on urban balconies and rooftops. It is best to use authentic Xiantu from Mount Emei in Sichuan. Before use, the Xiantu must be soaked in water so that it fully absorbs water, then taken out and drained of excess water before use. If you cannot use it all at once, you can seal it in a plastic bag to prevent drying out. Growing orchids in Xiantu is convenient to manage, does not accumulate water, and contains a certain amount of fertility and trace elements, but it also has some disadvantages. For example, once it dries out, the granules can never be watered through, so you have to soak the whole pot, and it cannot be soaked through in a short time. As a result, before the medium is soaked through, the orchid roots swell from the soaking instead. If this happens repeatedly, it easily causes the orchid roots to turn black and even rot. Therefore, some amateur orchid growers who cannot water in time during dry seasons are not suited to growing with Xiantu, especially in places with very strong ventilation such as rooftops and balconies. It is suggested that those who grow orchids with Xiantu had best use purple clay pots from Yixing, because they have better heat retention. Some orchid growers also mix part of the soil into Xiantu, and the effect is also very good. Many people also grow orchids with brick granules and ceramsite. Brick granules are easy to obtain, absorb water quickly, have water retention, and contain some inorganic salts. After crushing, the medium must be sieved, the powder discarded, and divided into several grades by size. Before use, soak it through. Especially for brick granules fired from sea silt mud, because they contain too much salt, they must be exchanged through several changes of water to soak out some of the salt before use. During management, watering and fertilizing measures must be strengthened. There are also some methods like nutrient solution hydroponics, but ordinary orchid growers cannot meet the technical and equipment requirements, nor are they suitable for ordinary orchid growers. However, any potting medium introduced in books, if used properly, can grow orchids well. Now I will introduce my own method of growing orchids over many years with weathered rock and humus soil (orchid soil). Growing orchids with orchid soil is indeed good, especially for traditionalCymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi and other petal-type flower varieties. The plants grow robustly, and the petals of the flowers they produce are thick, with high ornamental value, which other potting media cannot compare with. The specific method of use is: first sieve the humus soil that has been dug up, remove impurities, then sun-dry the soil for three to seven days, or pan-fry it in an iron wok to sterilize and disinfect it, and then make it into granules. Weathered rock can be used as soon as it is collected. Because weathered rock is clean and hygienic, contains no pathogens, and has good water permeability, it needs no processing; just sieve it into three grades - large, medium and small - for later use. Generally, for growingCymbidium goeringii, mix 2 parts weathered rock with 1 part orchid soil; for growing Cymbidium faberi, 3 parts weathered rock with 2 parts orchid soil is better. When planting, first place the large weathered rock granules at the bottom of the pot, put in the orchid seedlings, then fill the pot with the mixed medium, shake it firm, gently press on the surface with your hand, then sprinkle medium granules on the pot surface, and you can water to settle the roots. You can also plant some Selaginella uncinata on the pot surface, and then the job is done. With orchids cultivatedby this method, the pot does not need fertilizing for two or three years; just spray fertilizer on the leaves as needed. Weathered rock can also be used alone for growing orchids. Finally, a reminder to beginners at growing orchids: growing orchids requires patience. Do not change your methods morning and evening, and do not apply fertilizer indiscriminately, otherwise you will get the opposite of what you want. When your heart and the king are dissolved together, you will certainly be able to grow orchids well. (Wang Cheng)