Well, let me tell you about this orchid soil. It ain’t just regular dirt, you know? Orchids, they’re kinda fancy, need special stuff. Orchid soil, that’s what you need. Not that muck from the back field, no sir.
You see, these orchid flowers, they don’t like to sit in water. Gotta have that soil that lets the water run right through. Like when you pour water on gravel, it just goes whoosh! That’s what you want for these orchids. Keep their feet dry, like a chicken on a hot tin roof.
Now, what goes in this orchid soil? Well, it ain’t just one thing. It’s like making a good stew, gotta have a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Some use bark, you know, like from a fir tree. Shred it up real good. That’s important, that fir bark. Makes it so the water don’t just sit there.
Then there’s this other stuff, called… uh… perlite. Yeah, that’s it. Perlite. Looks like little white stones, but it ain’t stones. It’s light and airy. Good for the roots, lets them breathe. Like giving them a little room to stretch their toes, you see?
- Bark chips, yep, that’s good stuff. Fir bark.
- That perlite, makes it airy.
- Sometimes, folks put in moss. Sphagnum moss, they call it.
Then there’s charcoal, you know that black stuff left after a fire. It’s good for keeping things clean and helps with keeping good stuff in, not too much but just enough. Some folks like to mix in the charcoal. That’s one way to keep them orchids happy.
And then there’s this other thing, kinda like moss, but… different. Sphagnum moss, I think they call it. Or maybe peat moss? One of them mosses. It holds onto the water a little bit, not too much, just enough to keep things a bit damp, not soggy. Orchids like that. They don’t like wet feet, but they don’t like to be bone dry neither.
Now, you can go out and get all these things separate, mix ’em up yourself. Like baking a cake, you gotta get the flour, the sugar, the eggs… But, honestly? It’s a whole lot easier to just buy the orchid soil already mixed. They sell it at them stores, you know. Saves you a heap of trouble, specially if you ain’t got a lot of orchids. If you are like me, got a lot on your hands, this is the best.
I got mine from that store, Re… Repotme. Yeah, that’s it. Repotme. They got good orchid soil. Looks like a bunch of bark and little white things all mixed up. My orchids, they seem to like it just fine. They’re blooming real pretty, all sorts of colors. You can see them bloom with your own eyes.
If you do want to make your own, you gotta make sure you get the right stuff. Don’t just go digging in the yard and think that’ll do. You gotta get that bark, that perlite, maybe some moss. It’s not too expensive to buy, but it’s about doing it right. And mix it up good, like you’re making dough for bread.
Remember, the most important thing is that it drains good. Orchids, they don’t like to be sitting in water. Their roots, they need to breathe. If you ain’t careful, you can have them orchids die on you. Just keep the roots airy. That’s the best way.
So, if you’re gonna grow orchids, you gotta have the right orchid soil. Don’t just use any old dirt. They won’t like it. They will probably die on you. It’s like wearing shoes that are too tight, you know? Makes your feet hurt. Well, bad soil makes orchids hurt. Get the right stuff, and they’ll be happy as a clam. And you’ll have pretty flowers, too.
Some folks use coco husk too. That’s that brown stuff from coconuts. I hear it’s good, but I ain’t never used it myself. Maybe I’ll try it sometime. But for now, my orchids are doing just fine with that bark and perlite mix. Coco husk is another good thing to keep in mind. Just make sure you are getting the right stuff for your plants.
And there is this other stuff, called Leca. Leca is good for orchids. I don’t know what it is made of but it is great for them orchids. It is not cheap, but it is good. I know some people use this.
So that’s about all I know about orchid soil. Remember to have good soil that drains well. Just remember that. It is important. Just get the right stuff, and your orchids will thank you for it. They’ll grow big and strong and have lots of pretty flowers. And that’s all that matters, right? Pretty flowers make everyone happy.
