Choosing the Right Potting Mix

What potting mix is best for growing orchids? Bark, moss, lava rock? Well, the answer depends on the type of orchids you are growing, the location of your orchids, and how you care for them. 

For example, if you're in an area with a very dry climate, you should select a mix that retains moisture. If you grow your orchids indoors and tend to over water your plants, you will want potting mix that drains well. So how do you know which mix retains moisture and which ones do not? 
 
First, let’s look at the ingredients found in orchid potting mixes and their specific traits:

• Fir Bark: Maximizes Air Flow
• Charcoal: Cleans Naturally
• Coarse Perlite: Drains Quickly
• Chunky Peat: Retains Moisture
• Lava Rock: Aerates Roots
• Sphagnum Moss: Holds Moisture

Of course, we don't expect you to find these individual ingredients and make your own orchid mix. Thankfully, our head grower applied his many years of research and experience to develop our line of Better-Gro Orchid Potting Mixes. The following products are the exact same mixes that we use in our greenhouses to grow thousands of plants each year. 

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Better-Gro Special Orchid Mix contains fir bark, charcoal, and coarse perlite.

• Fir bark is a natural product that orchid roots can grow on.
• Charcoal acts as a cleanser so minerals found in plant food or water don't build up in your pots.
• Coarse perlite helps keep the mix open to provide great water and air permeability.
• Our Special Orchid Mix is formulated for orchids that like to be watered, yet also like their roots to dry out quickly.
• Cattleyas and Oncidiums grow well in this type of mix.

Better-Gro Phalaenopsis Mix is just like our Special Orchid Mix but with the addition of chunky peat.

• Chunky peat holds moisture and nutrients.
• It is great for low humidity growing areas such as arid outdoor environments and indoor growing.
• Although this mix is formulated for Phalaenopsis plants, it may be used for growing most other types of orchids including Paphiopedilums and Intergenerics.

Better-Gro® Dendrobium Mix contains fir bark, charcoal, coarse perlite, and lava rock.

• Lava rock does not break down easily, so it prevents the potting mix from condensing to allow optimum water and air flow for healthy root growth.
• This all-around quality mix was designed for Dendrobiums but can be used with orchids that like to be watered and whose roots can dry out quickly.

Better-Gro Orchid Bark 

• This mix can be used by itself or mixed with other ingredients.
  
• It includes our specially sized western fir bark nuggets to provide maximum air flow to promote healthy root growth. 
• Our Orchid Bark also works well as a decorative soil cover for all types of plants.

Better-Gro Orchid Moss 

• This is a high quality, five-star rated, natural imported sphagnum moss.
• This material is ideal for young orchids and orchid seedlings.
• It’s soft, feathered appearance makes it aesthetically ideal for use in wire baskets or cedar baskets.

We hope you have found this information to be helpful in selecting the right potting mix. We invite you to watch our Repotting Your Orchid Video for more tips and step-by-step instructions.

Happy Blooming from Better-Gro!