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philpet

problem with phals after repotting to bark mix

philpet
10 years ago

Hi everyone. So my phals were in a spagnum mix which rotted their roots so I repotted them to a bark mix they now seem to be sulking. I am watering every seven days because they don't have a lot of roots and I don't want to rot the rest but the leaves seem a bit soft not badly but I don't want them to get worst. Do you guys think I should water every six days instead or what should I do? I don't want to loose them. VELLETA.

Comments (15)

  • arthurm
    10 years ago

    Velleta, you are in the tropics where bark mixes are considered unsuitable because of the excess of warmth and humidity.
    Here is a pic. of a Phalaenopsis photographed in Vietnam. Note the type of pot, sorry cannot tell you what the potting mix was/is but the sorts of materials used in the tropics are more arid than those used in cooler climates.
    {{gwi:199410}}

    Pebbles, Lava Rock, Pumice, Basalt Chunks, Broken up roof tiles....whatever you can find locally mixed with some organic material and perhaps some Polystyrene used to make fruit boxes.

    Find some complete culture notes written for tropical places.

    You should be watering your Phals more often than every seven days, that fact says that your current mix is retaining too much moisture.

  • philpet
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks Arthurm. But I honestly think it not holding enough moisture. I just started using the bark mix. I am not sure I understand your last sentence. You said" you should be watering your phals MORE often thanevery seven days that I understand but this part I don't. "The fact says that your current mix is retaining too MUCH moisture". Now if my mix is retaining too much moisture wouldn't that mean I should water less often and not more? Thanks for your responce and please be kind enough to correctly explain what you mean. Should I water more to retain more moisture OR less to let it dry out. Thanks again. VELLETA.

  • westoh Z6
    10 years ago

    VELLETA,

    I've always found it difficult to go from straight spagh to straight bark, it can be done but it's a pretty significant change to the orchid. Testing the weight of the pot when dry and freshly watered is usually the best way to tell if it needs watered until you figure out the pattern. If it seems light a few days after watering, I'd either water more often or water more thoroughly when I did water.

    Also, I feel fresh bark is notorious for not holding water, but as it ages (starts to break down) it seems to hold water longer in my experience. So usually there is lots of watering initially with new bark, but the frequency can change over time.

    Good luck,

    Bob

  • philpet
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks Bob, I agree with you. I think my best bet would be to start watering every five to six days and keep adjusting until it starts to hold the moisture. The mix I use contains bark, perlite and charcoal. I honestly want this mix to work because spagnum is definetly a no, no here in jamaica. As I said the root system is not very good so I was afraid to water more often. But now I realize seven days is too far apart so I will try to adjust. Thank you for your suggesions. VELLETA

  • raistlyn
    10 years ago

    I sometimes find that my orchids "sulk" a little after i repot them. I have had a few lose a leaf right after i repot, and then perk right up after they adjust to their new home.

  • philpet
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks for your encouragement Raistlyn. I know a bark mix is better suited for phals. I guess they are just like kids take their favourite toy away they sulk, buy them a better one and it becomes their favourite so I suppose I will just water and allow them to get comfy in their new home. Hopefully next year they will be happy and blooming away. :). Thanks again VELLETA.

  • terpguy
    10 years ago

    Arthur, can you elaborate please on what you mean about bark not being suitable for tropics? I've never heard that before and if I'm to be honest doesn't make much sense to me. High heat and humidity strike me as perfect for that scenario given how fast it would dry out.

    But like I said I've never heard it before and have never lied in the tropics so am definitely curious about the argument against bark in tropical areas.

  • arthurm
    10 years ago

    The bark in the bark mix was never described in detail in the OP. It could be Fir Bark from the USA, Untreated Radiata Pine Bark, treated Radiata Pine Bark or some other type of Bark. Even the size of the bark chunks makes a difference.
    A mixture that remained wet for a week in tropical lowland conditions doesn't sound good to me.
    If I post a question here it is more in the hope of getting a few culture clues rather than getting a complete answer.
    Going north to Tropical Queensland, some of the guys up there pot their orchids in straight blue metal chunks (basalt). The orchids that I buy from up there as raffle plants for a local Orchid society are potted in 50% Polystrene 50% treated Radiata Pine Bark.
    This was the scene of a black rot disaster a year or so ago when it rained heaps. That is what it does here. No rain or heaps. The Cattleyas potted in Coco-Nut Chunks got black rot while the Cattleyas potted in the same mixture in my glass-houses escaped unscathed.
    {{gwi:144194}}
    The general rule is the closer the equator, the more arid the mix.

    Getting back to Phalaenopsis, they are regarded by most orchid growers here as extremely difficult.
    I have a small collection that I grow indoors all year. I wonder what the optimum watering period is. I water mine about once every three days.

  • jane__ny
    10 years ago

    Arthur is correct. When I moved from NY to Florida, I changed most of my orchids, to rock mixed with perlite and some sphag. Bark will break down too quickly in the heat and humidity and keep the roots too damp. I found most of my Catts started sending their roots out of the pots.

    I lost most of my Phals which were in sphag and small bark. I think Phals do not like this climate. Too hot for too long and the humidity is too high. I started mounting a couple and they seem to like it better. But that requires almost daily watering. I don't plan to buy any more Phals.

    Philpet, I would soak the bark for a day or two before using it. I don't know if you have high humidity this time of the year. If so, I would just sit the pots in a dish of water until you are sure the bark is holding some water. Don't water again until you are sure its dry. It is tricky getting new bark to hold water and you might have to water frequently until you see it is staying damp.

    Jane

  • terpguy
    10 years ago

    Decomp rates didn't enter into my calculus. That actually makes a lot of sense now. I actually feel like I used to know this once upon a time. Yet another literal reminder about cultural variability across climates.

  • jane__ny
    10 years ago

    I can assure you Terp, this climate is nothing like NY. I've been here a year and feel like I'm a new grower. Everything I thought I knew has gone out the window! I'm starting all over.

    Jane

  • philpet
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks guys I think what I have to do is water more often until the bark starts to retain the moisture. Phals arnt really hard here its just to figure out a proper media and water schedule. And as I inetially said the bark is new so its just that I might have to water every four or five days until it retains more moisture. Its so unique that each person lives in different part of the world, same plant but so many different ways we grow it. Thanks again to everyone. VELLETA.

  • shavedmonkey (Harvey in South Fl.)Z10b
    10 years ago

    lose the bark. I live in South Florida and all my phals are in lava rock. They have many roots that like to grow out of the pot. The roots are thick with translucent tips. I water daily. The roots change color when I water. It a few hours they return to white. To water daily use terra cotta pots. NOT PLASTIC. Generally, orchids need to get wet and dry by the end of the day. They like to go to bed dry. Water early to avoid mildew. I use fir bark for my cats, but the bottom of the pot has plenty of lava rocks.

  • allymarie
    10 years ago

    Hello all,

    I really enjoyed this discussion, such a wealth of info.I live in South Florida also and grow my phals indoors, they don't do so well outdoors as I found out.I usually grow them in bark with a little sphagnum.I'm currently reading a book by Dr. Martin Motes called Florida Orchid Growing - Month by Month.It confirms what some of you are saying about growing orchids in the tropics or sub-tropics.

  • shavedmonkey (Harvey in South Fl.)Z10b
    10 years ago

    I use lava rock for most of my orchids. It has evolved to that. I use sphagnum when I mount orchids on trees or cork or anywhere that a pot is not used. A large pinch goes in between the orchid and the substrate. Works like a charm. It drips all day on the roots. water or feed. The feedback is the roots.

    In the picture is a newly mounted orchid on a palmetto tree. I installed sphagnum and a few chunks of tree fern that was part of the original orchid pre division. The trick is to install the moss above where you anticipate the root to grow.

    This appears to be a successful mounting with a new cane with lots of roots, and a new shoot.

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