How to choose orchid potting medium? There are finer points to selecting potting medium for growing orchids

A thousand yearsGrowing orchidscannot do without soil; the types generally used include mountain soil,orchidmud (leaf mold), pond mud, peat soil, and so on. Potting materials can be sourced locally at no cost; according to your ownorchid growingconditions, choose suitable soil and mix it in by proportion, such as 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 undergo sun-drying, pan-frying, or other sterilization procedures to avoid contamination by pathogens. Using soil togrow orchidsis absolutely good, and it is especially capable of growing weak and small orchid seedlings well. When growing orchids in soil, it is better to use clay pots, because clay pots have good air permeability and do not easily accumulate water. With theorchid ⟧13⟧development, more and more people are using Xiantu to plantFor its development, use Xiantu soil for planting.orchids. Xiantu is pollution-free and suitable for growing orchids on urban balconies and rooftops; it is best to use authentic Sichuan Emei Xiantu. Before use, the Xiantu must be soaked in water so that it fully absorbs water, then taken out and drained of excess water before it can be used. If it cannot all be used at once, it can be sealed and packaged in a plastic bag to prevent drying out. Growing orchids in other soils is convenient to manage, does not accumulate water, and contains a certain amount of fertility and trace elements. But it also has some disadvantages, such as that once it dries out, the granules can never be thoroughly watered through, so one has 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 instead become swollen from soaking. If this happens repeatedly, it easily causes the orchid roots to turn black and even rot. Therefore, some amateur orchid growers, in seasons when it dries out easily, if they cannot water in time, are not suited to growing with Xiantu, especially in places with too strong ventilation such as rooftops and balconies. It is suggested that those who use Xiantu to grow orchids had best use Yixing zisha pots, because they have better heat retention. Some orchid growers mix part of the soil into the Xiantu, and the effect is also very good. There are also many people who use brick blanks and ceramsite to grow orchids. Brick granules are easy to source, absorb water quickly, have water retention, and contain some inorganic salts. The crushed potting material must be sieved, the powder discarded, and divided into several grades by size. Before use, soak it through; especially brick granules fired from sea silt mud, because they contain too much salt, need to be exchanged through water several times to soak out some of the salt before they can be used. In management, watering and fertilizing measures should be strengthened. There are also some methods like nutrient solution hydroponics, which ordinary orchid growers cannot meet the technical and equipment requirements for and are not suitable to adopt. However, any potting material introduced in books, if used properly, can grow orchids well. The author has for many years used weathered rock and humus soil (orchid mud) to grow orchids. Using orchid mud to grow orchids is indeed good, especially for traditionalCymbidium goeringii、Cymbidium faberiand other varieties of petal-type flowers; the plants grow robustly, the petals of the flowers produced are thick, and the ornamental value is high, which other potting media cannot match. The specific method of use is: first sieve the collected humus soil to remove impurities. Sun-dry the soil for 3 to 7 days, or pan-fry it in an iron wok to sterilize and disinfect it, then form it into granules. Weathered rock can be used as collected, because weathered rock is clean and hygienic, contains no pathogens, and has good water permeability; it needs no processing, and is screened into three grades, large, medium, and small, for later use. Generally, to growCymbidium goeringii, mix 2 parts weathered rock and 1 part orchid mud evenly; to growCymbidium faberi, 3 parts weathered rock and 2 parts orchid mud is better. When planting, first place the large granules of weathered rock at the bottom of the pot, then put in the orchid seedling; next fill the orchid pot with the mixed potting medium, shake it firm, and gently press on the pot surface with your hand; finally scatter medium granules on the pot surface, and then water to settle the roots; you can also plant some Selaginella uncinata on the pot surface. Orchidscultivatedby this method do not need fertilizing in the pot 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 beginner orchid growers: growing orchids requires patience; do not "change orders morning and night," and do not apply fertilizer indiscriminately, otherwise the result will be the opposite of what you want. (Zhejiang, Wang Cheng)