When we buy our first orchid, it's not just the tropical flowers that amaze us. Phalaenopsis and other types of orchids only seem to thrive in pieces of wood. At the very first repotting, the question becomes obvious as to whether an orchid will also grow in conventional soil. Read the answer here.
Do orchids thrive in conventional soil?
Orchids cannot grow in conventional soil because they thrive as epiphytes on jungle giants. You need orchid soil made from pieces of bark and inorganic and organic additives for airy permeability and nutrient supply. Potting soil, on the other hand, leads to rot and disease in orchids.
Potting soil kills every orchid
When we talk about orchid soil, it is not commercially available potting soil. Orchids thrive on epiphytes of jungle giants. With their numerous aerial roots, they hold on to the branches and extract vital moisture from the rain. As a result, tropical plants cannot survive in soil.
The main component of orchid soil is pieces of bark to simulate natural conditions. Inorganic additives such as lava granules, expanded clay or zeolite ensure airy permeability. Organic additives such as sphagnum, coconut fiber, peat or nut shells provide valuable nutrients. If you pot orchids in potting soil, rot and disease are inevitable.
