What are the requirements of orchids for growing media? Explained clearly in one article

Wildorchidsgrow on shady, well-ventilated mountain slopes where water does not accumulate, socultivationmedia requirements: airy, soft, well-drained, and slightly acidic. For outdoorcultivationthe most commonly used is mud flower soil. Orchidmud refers to the soil attached to hollows in rocks on mountains, formed from plant leaves rotted through wind, rain and sun, with a soft, airy, slightly acidic texture. In the Jiangnan region of China, it is customary to dig orchid mud from places such as Kuaiji Mountain in Shaoxing, Yanwo Ridge in Yuyao, Shiniu Mountain in Fuyang, Baoshan in Hangzhou, Tongguan Mountain in Yixing, Junshan in Nantong, and Yushan in Changshu. Before liberation there was a saying, "one load of flower mud for one load of rice." Weathered mountain rock gravel soil can also be used as acultivationbase. Farmers in Cangyan Town, Shengzhou, use the gravel soil of the local Cangyan Mountain as a growing medium; "Cangyan Su" has been cultivated with this soil for over a hundred years. Recently, some people have also used red soil brick gravel and red soil mountain mud as a cultivation base, and some have used soil with clumps of weeds that has been roasted in a fire to form crushed roasted soil as a medium. Both of the above conform to the characteristics of being airy, permeable and slightly acidic, and are rich in phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, so they can serve asorchidgrowing media, but nitrogen fertilizer should be supplemented appropriately. In recent years, with the introduction of orchid growing from Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, China and abroad,orchid growingindoors,orchid growinghas been greatly promoted, so the use of sphagnum moss, perlite, volcanic ejecta, granular bricks, granular xiantu, granular peat, etc. has become ideal media. Their greatest advantage is that they make water management easy.