Do pine cones need to be fermented to grow orchids? The truth is actually very simple

Whether orchids grow well or not, the potting medium is key. Orchid growers spare no effort in searching for all kinds of potting media, all so their orchids can grow better. But being too obsessive about anything easily leads you into pitfalls, and the same principle applies to potting media. Actually, there are many kinds of potting media for growing orchids, and there is no need to get hung up on which one is best, since each has its own advantages.

Because wild orchids mostly grow on mountains where there are pine trees, everything on the pine tree has become a favorite potting medium for orchid growers, for example: pine bark, pine needles, rotted pine trunks, and so on. Pine cones are no exception. What benefits do pine cones actually have for growing orchids?

Pine cones are indeed very good for growing orchids. Their physiological structure determines that they can retain water and fertilizer well. If mixed with leaf mold, the gaps in the pine cone can hold a lot of soil, and because this soil is wrapped by the pine cone, its fertility will not easily leach away. Moreover, their structure can make the potting soil more breathable and more ventilated.

So, how should pine cones be fermented? Haoshe Farmer himself rarely uses pine cones as a potting medium, and has not done experiments on fermentation, so next time he will definitely make a video. There are two kinds of pine cones on the mountain. Haoshe Farmer often goes to the mountains and sees many pine cones. Pine cones are the fruit of pine trees that fall naturally after ripening. The scales of pine cones that fell that same year are tightly clamped together. After two winters and one summer, their scales will open on their own. At this time, the pine cone has actually already naturally decomposed and is fully ready to be used directly as an orchid potting medium.

A pine cone like the one in the picture above is from two years ago. Its oils have decomposed and volatilized, and after natural rotting, it can be used directly in a pot to grow orchids without any problem. When we go up the mountain to collect pine cones, we just take this kind. Those unrotted pine cones from the current year can be left until next year to collect, so there is no need to worry about how to ferment them.

But this kind of pine cone is one that fell this year, with tight scales, and its oils have not decomposed or volatilized. This kind of pine cone generally cannot be used directly to grow orchids, because it will continue to ferment in the orchid pot, producing heat and harmful substances that affect the growth of the orchids. So please put this kind of pine cone back where it was and come back next year.

Friends, what do you think? If you have better opinions and suggestions, please speak up actively in the comments section, thank you.