Epiphyllums can be grown the same as orchids, in pure bark or sphagnum as you mentioned. If you see otherwise then it's because whoever planted them did not really know.

In terms of other species, you want it simple but you're asking the impossible. We don't know anything about what you're growing and where. There are too many variables to keep it simple. One thing's for sure: do not use peat moss. And drainage must be excellent, which means that water starts to come out the drainage holes within a few seconds after watering.

Your answers are out there, keep reading and learning.

x

Thanks X! I tend to do well with orchids in sphagnum, so for now I think I'll keep my epis in it as well. I've done quite a bit of internet searching on epis over the last coupla days, and what I keep finding are all these complicated mixes -- very little mention of sphagnum as a pure medium. But I like sphagnum, so I'll give it a try with these guys.

For the other species, I know it's hard to make an across-the-board recommendation. I think the hardest part for me is the "no peat" rule. I'm gonna have to spend some time looking around town to find any kind of pre-made medium without peat, or to find pumice, or to find coir. But I do know two places in town that sell Farfad, so I'm going to start there. I'm not quite dedicated enough (yet) to pay for shipping costs, so it's gonna have to be local.

As for my growing environment -- in warm weather, I throw everything outside. Very little true full sun, mostly dappled shade to a few hours full. Knoxville, TN -- warm and humid, but not as bad as many other parts of the country. In cold weather, shelves in front of very large south-facing windows. I have had some trouble with rotting in the summers, because I haven't in the past done enough to protect the plants from watering. I gotta work on that next summer!

My biggest succulent buddies right now are agaves and haworthias, especially a few variegated ones of each that I just bought. I would be very sad if I killed them this winter!

Thanks for your input!

for Epi's I use 1/2 fine orchid bark and 1/2 regular potting soil or cactus mix. Sometime I use wire to anchor them until they are well-rooted, as cuttings or branches of epi's tend to be unbalanced.

The big box stores around here carry cubic foot bags of cactus potting soil. Quality varies among brands. You can always amend any mixes you buy to get better drainage or the qualities you desire.

Yeah, but the commercial mixes are peat-based -- which everyone here on GW says is a big no-no. :-/

Thanks for the info about how you pot your epis!

I might be the only one, but I use some peat in my epi mix. I use a product called nutrapeat, it is a peat/coir mix. I use it along with bark, sand, perlite, pigeon grit, compost, soil, etc. in varying proportions. Very fast drainig is important. The reason I use peat is to obtain some acidity in my mix. Forgive me if I'm mistaken, being epiphytes they subside on the nutrients provided by the breakdown of organic matter in the recesses of trees. When this happens hummic acid is formed, acidifying the substrate (some). I know a gentleman that uses large % of peat for some of his rhipsalis, they are dynamic.

Once again, this works for me, I live in a hot/dry climate, your results will vary.

-Ethan

Peat is fine for epiphytes, their requirements are very different from terrestrial succulents.

Sorry, two different potting issues are getting conflated here. My confusion with epis is just over all the complicated mixes I see out there, when it seems to me that sphagnum should be as suitable for them as it is for orchids. The peat question relates to my other succulents, not the epis.

X is 100% correct, no peat w/terrestrials.

-E