Orchids are without a doubt one of the most beautiful exotic plants we can keep in our home. The pretty houseplant with the impressive flowers is a wonderful addition to any home and with the right care you can admire the beautiful flowers for a long time. Orchids always come in a suitable substrate, but when the time comes to repot, you should know what to look for when choosing orchid soil.
The main difference between orchids and other houseplants (in terms of substrate) is that 70% of all orchids are not planted in soil. Their substrate is designed exclusively for them, and if you plant orchids in regular potting soil, they will not survive.
The orchid substrate in its natural habitat
And in which substrate are orchids planted? Various mixtures can be used, e.g. B. from pine bark, peat moss, perlite, charcoal, zeolite, coconut fibers and others. When preparing your own orchid substrate or choosing a mix from the store, try to mimic the exact conditions in which the orchid grows in nature.
Think of orchids in their natural habitat. These exotic plants do not wash on the ground, but their seeds nest in the bark of tall trees. There they find the right conditions to grow, namely:
- Fixation
- moisture
- Licht
- Temperature
- Air circulation
- and sufficient nutrients.
Orchids are primarily native to tropical and subtropical rainforests, where hot and humid days are usually accompanied by unpredictable rainfall. The humidity is constantly high and is between 60 and 80%. The temperature is also high and drops to around 15°C at night.
In search of support and fixation, the plants extend their roots outwards: some to absorb nutrients, others to attach themselves to the bark. High above the ground and far from the soil, orchids rely on the micronutrients suspended in the air and the condensation that drips from the leaves of the trees above them.
Their flowers grow towards the light and seek the fastest and most direct route. Their leaves will also move in this direction. Light is extremely important for orchid roots. Therefore, when choosing the substrate, make sure that it is not compacted or so thick that light cannot penetrate.
If you create the same conditions in your pot, your orchid will thrive.
What makes good orchid soil?
To choose good orchid soil, you should consider the following points:
Fixation: the substrate should provide good hold
The orchid substrate needs to provide your plant with something solid to hold onto and wrap its roots around. Since the large, thick leaves and long flower spikes weigh down the orchid, its small root system needs a substrate with firm elements that provide sufficient support. Good variants include pieces of bark, lava rock and clay granules (expanded clay).
Texture: coarse vs. fine orchid soil
The condition of the soil is very important for orchids. Before you buy the substrate, you should consider the size of the roots. An orchid with smaller roots prefers a fine-grained substrate. Older orchids, on the other hand, tend to cling to a coarse substrate. But note: the finer the medium, the harder it is for the water to flow through freely, resulting in a wetter environment in the pot.
Choose a substrate with good air circulation
In its natural habitat, the source of nutrients for an orchid comes not from the soil, but from the air. For this reason the plant formsthe so-called aerial roots. To thrive, orchids need a substrate that ensures good air circulation. Oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen must be able to circulate freely.
The orchid soil must provide good drainage
The orchid substrate must allow irrigation water to drain away quickly. The roots need to have access to water and when they have enough of it, drainage helps so they can breathe again. If your orchid takes too long to drain water, you will need to transplant it into a substrate with coarser elements.
Humidity also plays a role
In addition to water, orchids also need moisture to thrive. Your orchid soil must therefore be moist, but also allow for a quick drying time. If the orchid dries out too quickly between waterings, you can either water it several times a week or replace the soil to add more moisture-promoting elements.
A difficult task for the substrate is to provide just the right amount of moisture for the roots to absorb, while aerating it in a timely manner so as not to promote root rot. This is where softer materials like peat moss, charcoal and natural fibers like coconut fiber come into play.
Sufficient light for the orchid roots
Orchid roots also carry out photosynthesis using chlorophyll. When wrapped around a tree, they are blessed with constant sunlight filtered through the tree's leaves.
This is the main reason why orchid lovers use clear plastic pots. But the substrate also plays a role. If there is enough space between the individual elements, the roots receive the necessary light and the plant feels comfortable.
Would you like to know when and how to repot an orchid?In this articlewe answer your most frequently asked questions.
Recipe: Mix your own orchid soil
You can make your own orchid substrate by considering and replicating the substrate characteristics for your orchid species. We offer two variants for homemade orchid soil - a fine-grained mixture for young plants and those with small roots and a coarse-grained medium for older plants and species with large roots such as Cattleya and Phalaenopsis.
Mix your own fine orchid substrate from:
- 4 parts fine pine bark or fine coconut husk chips
- 1 part charcoal in small, fine pieces
- 1 part perlite or expanded clay balls
Make a coarse mixed substrate from:
- 4 parts coarse pine bark or coconut fiber chips
- 1 part charcoal
- 1 part perlite or expanded clay balls
You can also make your own mix with other ingredients. It is important that the special soil meets the conditions mentioned above so that the roots receive sufficient light, air and water, but not waterlogging.
