Potting media are a matter of choice, but I would stick with what works for you, bark. The bark over sphagnum is a bad combination because if it is watered as if it were all bark, the plant would die very quickly.

Phals are commonly grown in Sphagnum moss or bark. Sphag works well, but for one potential problem. It tends to become compacted and remain soggy for long periods. If that happens, the roots can smother and die. Fir bark also has a potential disadvantage, which is that it may not hold sufficient moisture to suit Phals.

There are variables involved in finding the best medium for a particular growing environment. Growers experiment with different media and/or by mixing different things together to find what works best in their respective conditions.

I agree that putting a layer of bark over Sphag serves no practical purpose, and I also agree with using bark alone, if that is what has been working for you.

For even better results, consider trying coconut husk chips (CHC). In my opinion, this is the best Phalaenopsis medium. CHC holds both water and air very effectively, maintaining an excellent air-moisture balance. This property makes it much more foolproof than either bark or sphag because overwatering or underwatering issues are greatly reduced. Phals love it because it provides an ideal environment for their roots.

Hi, Kit. I'm with richard here. If bark has worked for your other phals for four years, use bark.

A little superthrive in your watering solution for a month or two won't hurt.

Good luck with your beautiful new phal.

Thank you all very much for the input. I think I will repot these into bark but I would love to know where to get the coconut husk stuff. Do you have a source recommendation? Thanks. Kat

Kelly's Korner has it already mixed and my adult phals love the stuff. I know Calwest offers it but don't remember if it is pre-mixed or if you have to buy the pieces and parts and mix your own.

Calwest would be a shorter shipping distance for you.

Brooke

I am not sure what you mean by CHC being "pre-mixed", Brooke. In any case, the CHC from Kelly's and Cal-West comes in identical format: 2cu/ft bags full of 1/2" or so pieces of CHC. The only other way I know of CHC being sold is as large 'bricks' of the same 1/2" pieces tightly packed together.

H

A good source I began dealing with recently is repotme.com - a wide selection of orchid media, fast devlivery, and very nice people to deal with. They have CHC in three grades, large, medium, and small. I like the medium grade best for mature Phals.

Some vendors that sell CHC say it is pre-rinsed. Whether they state that or not, it should be soaked in several changes of water before use to ensure that any salt residue is washed out.

Here is a link that might be useful: repotme.com

H by premixed I mean it has sponge rock and diatomite added to it. You can buy plain CHC and then buy sponge rock and diatomite and charcoal or whatever else you wish to use. The premixed is the medium size chunks of CHC as opposed to the fine (seedling size type) or the large chunks.

I agree to soak and rinse the mix several times before using it. I usually prepare a large batch and after the multiple rinsings, let it air dry and then store it in a large plastic bag so I always have some on hand ready to use.

I have used this CHC mix on some phrags and paphs and have been very happy with how well it holds up in a saturated environment after a year. I'm also trying it on some of my catts that have finer roots and dends that prefer more moisture. Come to think of it, I'm also using it on some oncidium, coelogyne and psychopsis. I guess I like it.

Brooke

Wow, you guys are the 'bomb' as my son would say. :) Thank you so much for all the info. I will visit the repotme folks and the others. Thanks a million again.. Kat