How do you tell good orchid bark from bad, and how often should it be replaced?

Anyone who grows Phalaenopsis orchids knows that bark is the little home of a Phalaenopsis, and whether the bark is good or not directly affects the orchid's condition. So how do you judge whether the bark used for Phalaenopsis is good or bad, and how often is it best to replace this bark?

The first thing to do when you get your bark is to smell it. Good bark has no pungent odor, at most a faint natural woody scent. If you open the package and smell a sour, foul odor or the smell of chemicals, then absolutely do not use it. This kind of bark has most likely already gone moldy or been treated in a way that makes it unsuitable for growing flowers.

Next, look at the texture of the bark. Good-quality bark feels hard and firm, has resilience, and does not crumble easily when pinched. If the bark is soft and floppy and breaks as soon as you bend it, then it definitely will not last, and it will rot before long and affect the health of the Phalaenopsis root system. In addition, you also need to carefully check whether the bark has impurities. Things like soil and small stones all need to be picked out clean. If the bark is mixed with too many impurities, it easily retains water when you water, and the Phalaenopsis roots sit soaked in water and will quickly rot.

Besides smelling and touching, you can also test it by soaking it in water. Grab a handful of bark and drop it into water, and let it soak for a few minutes. If the water becomes especially cloudy and a lot of unidentified objects float in it, then the quality of this bark is no good. After good bark is soaked in water, the water only changes color slightly, and not much dirt dissolves out of it.

So how often should the bark be replaced? Generally speaking, the bark used for growing Phalaenopsis orchids1to2years needs to be replaced once. Why? Because after bark is used for a long time, it gradually decomposes and rots, and its air and water permeability get worse. Phalaenopsis roots naturally like to breathe fresh air, and if the bark is not breathable, the roots easily suffocate and go bad. What is more, after bark rots, it easily breeds pathogens, causing the Phalaenopsis to get sick.

Exactly when to replace it also depends on the condition of the bark. If you find that the bark's color has become especially dark, that it crumbles into fragments as soon as you pinch it, and that water seeps in especially slowly after watering, then it means it is time to replace the bark. Also, if the Phalaenopsis keeps growing poorly, with yellowing leaves and few flowers, then besides considering watering and fertilizing problems, you should also check whether the bark needs replacing.

When replacing the bark, your movements must be very gentle. First take the Phalaenopsis out of the pot, carefully clean off the old bark, and do not damage the roots. Then soak the new bark, disinfect it, and repot the Phalaenopsis. After replacing the bark, water it thoroughly once, and put it in a ventilated, shady place to let the plant recover, until it adapts to the new environment.

Now everyone knows how to choose bark and when to replace it, right! Choose the right time to replace the bark and operate carefully. As long as you get this bark business figured out, it will be hard for your Phalaenopsis not to burst with flowers and roots!