orchid growing medium (bletilla/pleione too?)

updated wed 6 mar 02

Marge Talt on wed 6 mar 02

Arnhild,

My take on terrestrial orchids is that they like soil with leaf mold
and organic material, particularly leaf mold...so amend your sandy
soil and plant and don't worry about odd bits of this and that.

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
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> From: Arnhild Bleie

> This talk confuses me some .. does it mean that IF I grow some
orchids out
> in my garden - I should mix into my gardensoil all/some this
strange stuff
> that I even do not understand what everything is .. or is it only
for
> container .. or does it do good for other growing places as well
... huff
> polytryn in my soil .. well then I think I rahter let them die

> Asking because I have ordered Bletilla and Pleione - my first time
trying
> orchids in my garden .. they are both told to be hardy enough to
take
> winters here .. no talk about strange preparing of the soil

> .. wondering if I can only pretend like I never read this tread,
and just

Dorsett on wed 6 mar 02

There are all sorts of 'Orchids'. Some are happy to grow out of doors in northern
climes, given good drainage and woodsy soils with plenty of leaf mould. That's
all you need for your orchids.

Some orchids need to hang out in greenhouses or as housepets for most of us...they
are jungle denizens using tree branches for support...just support. Their natural
habitat varies too much from our natural climate for their survival out of
doors...and the potting mixes we've been discussing are supposed to mimic that
aerial environment.

Not read this thread? Or pretend to???
Gee, and it's even gardening talk...*how* could you not read this thread or even
say that you were going to pretend that you didn't even though you did?????
Hrumph!!!!


Barb in Southern Indiana Zone 5/6 dorsettm@scin.quik.com
Fortunate are they to whom gardening is a joy.
Gardens co-listowner gardens-request@lsv.uky.edu

Arnhild Bleie on wed 6 mar 02

This talk confuses me some .. does it mean that IF I grow some orchids out
in my garden - I should mix into my gardensoil all/some this strange stuff
that I even do not understand what everything is .. or is it only for
container .. or does it do good for other growing places as well ... huff
polytryn in my soil .. well then I think I rahter let them die

Asking because I have ordered Bletilla and Pleione - my first time trying
orchids in my garden .. they are both told to be hardy enough to take
winters here .. no talk about strange preparing of the soil

... wondering if I can only pretend like I never read this tread, and just
plant them directly in to the garden :) ??
Arnhild

George Shirley on wed 6 mar 02

I don't know about all the other folks who have grown orchids but I was referring to the ones that
live in trees and on rocks and generally don't get a lot of dirt. Terrestrial orchids generally grow
in plain old dirt.

George

Arnhild Bleie wrote:

Dorsett on wed 6 mar 02

> .... you silly :)

acourse. :)

> - don't you understand I meant pretending not reading it
> towards my orchids! Just plant them and say: grow!

That would work, and be better for your orchids. Just plant them and grow! If
you tried these potting mixes on them, it would be like growing apples as
oranges...which would not be the best for those apples. If you like them apples,
you'll do what's best for them and save the potting mixes for when you try to grow
oranges. ;-)

> Winter in march .. that is MEGA HUFF!
> Arnhild

Sunday was mega huff, with snow flurries and temperatures hovering near 20F. It's
60F now...the sun is shining and there's a light hint of clouds stretching across
the sky. Even so, I don't think winter is over yet...March or no.

Barb in Southern Indiana Zone 5/6 dorsettm@scin.quik.com
God made rainy days so gardeners could get the housework done
Gardens co-listowner gardens-request@lsv.uky.edu

Arnhild Bleie on wed 6 mar 02

> Not read this thread? Or pretend to???
> Gee, and it's even gardening talk...*how* could you not read this thread
or even
> say that you were going to pretend that you didn't even though you did?????
> Hrumph!!!!
>

..... you silly :) - don't you understand I meant pretending not reading it
towards my orchids! Just plant them and say: grow!
I have no idea of what that coal thing is and .. jaja perlite i know ..
but polystryn mixed into my soil .. that is a huff - and orchids were here
before polystryn were created.

Winter in march .. that is MEGA HUFF!
Arnhild