Is a bark medium possible for Phals without increasing watering frequency?

[cythaenopsis]

It had seemed to me like sphagnum moss is generally looked down upon as the cheap orchid potting mix that is inferior to bark based mediums. I kept going with moss up until this year, when I felt like my phals were suffering from root rot too much due to the moss.

So I switched exclusively to a fine bark medium. Initially everything seemed to be fine, but as of late my last remaining phal has been suffering. Not only did it abort the largest leaf of the few it had (it is almost completely yellow now), but the next largest leaf is showing the beginning signs of shriveling. I give the medium a good dunking once a week and periodically give a drenched misting. The roots look OK, but there are few of them. I apply fertilized water about once every two weeks since the blooming season is over.

Does using bark require more frequent applications of fertilizer?

Is it advisable to use a combination of mediums, such as mostly bark with a moss layer over the top to help hold in moisture?

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[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Growing Phals in Sphagnum moss generally tends to lead to problems with root rot for most people. This is why I generally don't advise most people use it for a potting medium to grow Phals. I wouldn't necessarily call it an "inferior" medium, and I don't look down upon the use of moss as an orchid potting mix in general. Sphagnum moss as a potting medium may be necessary in certain cases, but with Phals, I generally don't advise it, unless you live in an area that is extremely arid.

I also tend to find Sphagnum moss to be rather expensive compared to bark.

With that said, there is no need to compensate fertilizer application frequency or concentration with the use of a bark medium.

[Skayc1]

Where I live there is alot of humidity & Moss tends to stay wetter longer plus my watering habits make me prefer bark/leca over moss. plus I can see the roots, if they are still green looking 1 week from watering I wait till the roots are silvery looking.

[silken]

As Philip said, there is nothing wrong with moss. It just depends if it is right for your conditions. I find a mix of medium bark chunks and moss (approx. 50/50) keeps my Phals happy with lots of roots. Add a clear pot to that and they seem even happier. This way there is some water retention but also nice open air pockets. New bark especially will dry out faster and would likely need more frequent watering. For me, I wouldn't use fine bark for Phals since they have big fleshy roots that need air and to dry out in between watering, although not stay dry for long.

But everyone has different growing conditions.

[cythaenopsis]

Thanks for the advice!

I'm in northern NJ but I tend use use open windows whenever possible, which causes orchid potting mediums to dry out faster on low humidity days.

The orchid potting mix I bought is more of a medium grade bark but jostling around apparently caused some of it to break apart into a finer grade. I like the idea of mixing bark and moss together, silken. Do you combine it together and mix, then add, or do you alternate layers?