Why does everyone say to remove your orchids from the moss and replace it with bark? I've had both of these orchids for a little over a year. Both were in bloom when purchased, both have bloomed twice since I've bought them. The right one is in it's original moss, the left one came with coconut husk bark which I repotted with premium orchid bark. They both are healthy and seem content growing in the medium they are in. I don't water the moss one but every 2 weeks and test the moss to see if it's dry before I water it. I water the bark one once a week no matter what. I soak the bark orchid but pour and drain the moss one.
Why do most orchids come in moss if it's not recommended? And again, why does everyone say to remove the moss?
by Conscious-Oil-7328
23 Comments
Moss is not by itself bad. Phalaeonopsis grow epiphytic and need to get air to the root as well as dry between watering. Only moss as substrate hold a lot of water, which can lead to root rot, if it doesn’t dry fast enough. A mix from bark and moss is best in my opinion. You can mix both parts according to your watering routine and humidity
Most of the store-bought ones i have seen have the moss so dense that the roots suffocate and are rotting in the center. Loose moss can work for homes that dry out faster, but i would still add bark to keep it from compressing over time.
I have a couple in moss, and most have been repotted into a bark/moss mix. Like you, I water the moss ones generally every other watering. Moss isn’t the enemy but people need to know to treat it differently
I have a mix of moss and bark for all of mine and they do well. I don’t hate moss. The ones you get in the store are so tightly compacted into those seedling plug containers that it can cause issues. That tea why generally nice the blooms fall it is recommended to repot them.
Moss breaks down faster than good bark (orchaita for example). Most growers don’t replace the moss soon enough and that leads to overly wet media, which leads to root rot.
Consider your own watering schedule. Moss will need to be rewatered appropriately every 7-14 days, as it nears complete dryness. The bark will need to be watered every 3-7 days, based on amount of roots vs media, ambient airflow, and ambient humidity.
Hope this helps and happy growing!
I grow mine in moss and terra-cotta pots🫶🏻
You mean the seedling plug in the center that kills phals over time? Moss is not recommended if your environment is humid as it takes a long time for it to dry out and if you’re a heavy-handed waterer, it stays wet too long and breaks down faster becoming less airy for the roots to stay happy. Bark is more forgiving and does not break down as fast so it’s good for beginners. It’s good for nursery in moss due to not having to water often before customers buys them.
Nothing wrong with moss. Of course all orchids have different care and some I would suggest to not use moss but for phals they really aren’t picky. Just watch the roots and water appropriately and you’ll be good. With growing plants we all live in different climates and even inside each room is its own climate pretty much. What works for some people may not work for others. It’s all about adjusting and problem solving.
Everyone is not against moss. But it’s important that you understand that commercial locations have substantially more air flow than your house (so plants for sale in any kind of supermarket or big box store need to retain more water to thrive in that environment) and aren’t prioritizing the future health of the plant (or they wouldn’t start them in the plug of death and leave it there to rot).
Moss is fine if you’re using it appropriately for your conditions.
Every substrate decomposes at a different rate and holds moisture at a different rate, same could be said for pots. A plastic pot with only a hole at the bottom will keep a plant wet longer than a clay pot and a clay pot longer than a wood basket type planter. Find a combination that works for you and your plants and don’t worry what other people are doing. I personally keep cattleya in pure sphagnum moss packed in tight in clay pots and have great success. Others would call me crazy.
I grow my Phals in moss. I find it much easier with the way I grow
I always get root rot when it’s in moss. Even though I live in a dry climate it always takes too long for the moss to dry out (yes, I use orchid pots with the slits on the sides). I personally always switch all of my orchids over to bark, with maybe 25% moss.
I grow my cataleyas in moss. No problem. You do have to stick your finger in the moss to make sure it is dry underneath before watering.
I love moss. It’s like a foolproof way of knowing when your plants are dry. I mix it in with bark.
I moved my mini to bark/moss mix and it got hella root rot, granted I think that was mostly on me but I am scared of doing it again lol
I have many orchids, and if your orchid is having a trouble with dehydration, put it in moss don’t listen to all these naysayers. I will also say, although I do grow mine in a bark substrate I am thinking about transplanting them all to moss. I did notice the orchids that stayed in the moss grew faster more roots, more leaves more flowers. They looked much better. You do have to transplant them every year though because moss breaks down but it’s very good for your orchids and it will work just fine if that’s what you like. Oh and it upside you don’t have to water as much.
It has quite a few drawbacks and not many benefits. The main benefit is water retention/humidity increase.
However, the humidity comes at the cost of air flow, a necessity for the roots.
Moss is often overpacked around the roots, retaining moisture for too long. This combined with lack of air flow – leads to root rot.
It also makes the root health harder to eyeball. Since your pots have no air flow and are not see through, the moss obscures your site from above. And traps moisture within the pot.
If moss works for you then keep using it.
I use spagnam and bark. I layer them together and it works great.
I like moss for a self-watering setup, where a strip of microfiber wicks water that gets distributed through the moss
This is a great response from all who have replied. Thank you to all that have. The take away I’m getting is this.
Tightly packed moss on an orchid is a killer, especially if it’s in a plastic pot since plastic holds the water in while a clay leaches it. Mine is in a clay pot so I have that to my advantage. I also pulled some of the moss out to expose the tops of the roots so I could see their color.
There is a difference between wet and damp. Wet to me is watering it then being able to squeeze water from the moss a few days after being watered. Damp is watering it then feeling the dampness a few days after but not being able to squeeze any water out. I think I achieve the latter by not soaking it. I just use my water can and let it drain. It’s also in a room where the ceiling fan runs 12 to 14 hours a day so the air is always moving. I’ve also forgotten to water for a month and it didn’t seem to bother it.
I did learn that I need to repot the moss every year as it breaks down. I guess once the flowers fall I’ll be doing that. Maybe I’ve been lucky but it’s got me thinking about how long I’ve had it in it’s original moss.
I guess I hadn’t considered the growing, shipping, and selling aspects of an orchid. It does make you think about how resilient these plants are that they can go from a happy place in a greenhouse to a store shelf for an unknown amount of time before being bought and moved again to somebody’s house.
I’m not against moss. I’ve learned the hard way how to water orchids planted in moss, after losing a few to rot and having issues with mold. Orchids that come packed in compacted moss with poor drainage are very susceptible to rot and it can be easy for beginners to overwater and not know any better. So when people are new to orchids I try to caution them to water carefully and don’t bury the stem too deep if repotting with moss.
Personally, I have way too many plants and not nearly enough time to water them all, so moss works well for me, as it helps the subtrate retain enough moisture to keep them alive when they go long periods of time without watering. I have actually been amazed at how long some have survived without water. Moss is also very good for recovering “ICU orchids” that need a gentle substrate while they re-root.
Also, to answer your question, I think most phals come potted in moss because it’s better for shipping– lighter (less expensive to ship), less messy if plants get turned upside down in the box and easier to contain by packing down, less likely to damage roots when they get jostled around, increases how long they can go without water, and makes it way easier to up-pot (vs re-pot). Many growers don’t actually repot and change out the media when a plant gets too big. They just stick the rootball, moss and all, inside a bigger pot and pack more moss around it. This is quicker and easier than changing out the bark.
Not everyone has the same conditions. Greenhouses with a lot of light, a lot of airflow, high humidity, and regular use of anti-fungals can probably get away with things that people keeping plants in cold, dry, drafty northern windows cannot.