Moss Experiment Goes Haywire--Help - Orchid Board

Blondie · #1 05-01-2009, 06:24 PM

I got some new phals lately that are in moss. They are doing GREAT, so I decided to put two new ones in moss.

I bought moss at the store and also some bark for the other new orchids (onc./dens). I put the two new phals in the moss. Given, the containers they were in were soft plastic with tiny holes at the bottom that didn't really let them breathe. So today I look and BAM, one is half dead. Had to cut off all the roots because the moss was so wet. It's pretty leaves are yellowing. The other one is "OK" but the roots are half black. And get this--the moss was still completely wet. Super wet. And I watered them 2 weeks ago and haven't since because the moss was So Very Wet. Adding to the drama, the new phals were being quarantined, so they were in an area with little light...oops.

I cut off all the roots of the Super Dead Phal and put it in a baggie with a little cinnamon splashed on and a little water. I'm afraid to put the moss I have in there because I think the moss is the problem?? I put the other one in a more breathable plastic container and removed half the moss. Then I put them in a sunny spot.

SO.

Am I using the wrong moss? Attached is a picture of the kind I used and the two phals. Then I'm attaching a photo of the bark I used in the onc/den pots. Question: Can I use that bark for the phals? I don't know if phals like the mix that has charcoal in it or not?

Many thanks!!

Ross · #2 05-01-2009, 06:36 PM

I use bark with charcoal mixed in for my one big Phal and, when I was into Phals, I used the bark mix. The bag of moss says "1/2 the water needed." That's a clue that it stays pretty wet. I know several grow in moss, but not me.

Paul · #3 05-01-2009, 08:15 PM

Moss can be used quite successfully but it truly depends upon your conditions. I have several phals in moss. HOWEVER, the one in a plastic pot has just a light fill of moss -- not packed in as so many BBS tend to have them. 2 are in baskets-- and for those, I do have the moss tightly packed.

Blondie · #4 05-01-2009, 09:34 PM

It's really confusing because the ones I have in moss that do well in it do really well and the moss totally dries out.

Why is this moss so different do you think? It's not packed nearly as tight as the moss that dries out each week...??

Lagoon · #5 05-01-2009, 09:43 PM

Quality of sphagnum moss is very important. And BOY there is a big difference between mosses!
New zealand & chilean are both the better choices. I prefer the chilean is does dry out faster the the NZ moss.

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #6 05-02-2009, 01:21 AM

There's more to this problem than just the kind of moss you're using. Yes, New Zealand, Chilean, and Super Sphag are the best but...that's just part of the deal.

You didn't show us before and after pics of the plants that were ruined (you don't have to, I'm just illustrating a point here). Prior to the damage, how extensive and healthy were the root systems?

Did you damage any of the roots while you repotted? I'm willing to bet there were at least one or two roots that got damaged a little. But that little bit of damage can cause problems.

How breathable were the pots? Did they have enough drain holes? How well did they drain? Not all pots drain equally well even if they were the same kind, made from the same plastic, the same mold, and came from the same company. How large were the pots compared to the root mass of the plants?

How's your humidity? Your house is most likely not uniformly the same humidity all throughout. Some places may be more humid than others.

Then consider how these plants grow in nature and make a comparison to how pot culture is different for the plant.

These are all factors to think about...

Of course the short answer is:

It is not recommended to pot a Phal in moss, because generally moss stays too wet for too long and can be tricky to water depending on your conditions.

This is why I don't pot Phals in moss at all anymore. And yes, I've tried growing Phalaenopsis potted in moss before, in a solid opaque, solid transparent, ceramic, and net pots, all failures. Plus, I didn't enjoy losing money, Phalaenopsis in general (rare species especially) are hella expensive (they can be $50 or more a pop depending on where you buy them from - and sometimes these are prices even after shopping around)!

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #7 05-02-2009, 01:46 AM

You know, I just thought about this...

Call me crazy, but here's another thought...

Every individual plant will behave differently from one another, even if they're of the same kind.

Consider this one other thing...

Depending on the parentage of your hybrid, it can generally predict the general trend of how much water the plant will use up. For example...(and yes, this hybrid does exist, it's not a commonly sold cross) Phal modesta x Phal javanica, this primary hybrid has parents that like a lot of moisture compared to a natural hybrid of say Phal x leucorrhoda.

Becca · #8 05-02-2009, 02:04 AM

I just want to comment that I use sphag moss, pretty sure it is the New Zealand type, and I still have problems with rotting roots with my phals. Some are fine and others I continue to have problems with. But what really amazes me is when I check out the roots of phals at the grocery stores and they are in the moss and they have the healthiest looking roots and the moss always looks sopping wet. It just amazes me!

Blondie · #9 05-02-2009, 11:51 AM

This is what they looked like when they first showed up. They were in a TON of moss. I took it all out and and looked at the roots. The one that is not doing so well did have some old dead roots, so I did cut all of those off. It's possible that my root cutting did do some damage. These were the pots they came in. I'm not sure what they are, but they were very bendy and didn't allow moisture to escape.

So it's OK to put the phals in the charcoal/bark mix then? I've never used charcoal in phals before.

And I KNOW. WHY do the big box store phals look so darn healthy in all that moss? And why are the ones I have that came in moss that I left alone because they are flowering (and still are two months later) doing fine in the moss? Such a mystery...

greenbean · #10 05-02-2009, 06:29 PM

Moss can be tricky. I like it because I underwater, but most people over water, so moss is a bad choice for them. My first phal (a big NOID with classic white flowers) was in moss, nearly dry to the bone with roots shriveling up, so I nursed it back to health. I kept it in moss and it seems to love it, even after moving from a clay pot to a fiberglass one that doesn't permit the same air movement. Conversely, my Onc. Twinkle nearly died of thirst in bark. I repotted it in CHC with some sphag around the base, but I think I need to remove the sphag and add some packing peanuts to the bottom of the pot for extra drainage. The CHC is more water retentive than I thought. It's all about finding the right balance for both you and your plants.

It's entirely a matter of your personal growing habits and conditions. Many people think I'm crazy for liking sphag. I just tell them thank you for the compliment, it's what works for me.