Orchid media setup

 One of the important requirements in orchid cultivation is the use of growing media. Good media must meet several requirements, namely:

• Not easy to rot and decompose

• Have good and smooth aeration and drainage

• Able to bind water and nutrients optimally

• Not a source of disease or pests

• For the growth of orchids, a medium pH of 5-6 . is needed

• Easily obtainable in the desired quantity

•Affordable prices

 

Growing media that are often used include ferns, moss, charcoal, pieces of wood, pine bark and coconut fiber. Each has a different effect on the growth of orchids. Depending on the type, environmental agro-climate, and land allocation. For example, the factor of altitude and humidity. The use of various media in cold, humid and high rainfall areas is certainly different from hot areas. In cold areas, you should choose a medium that is very porous and slightly absorbs water. Increased humidity due to excess water can invite disease and the roots become less healthy. On the other hand, in hot areas, choose media that can store water. Also consider the resources around the land. If pine forests are found near the planting area, then pine media can be a top priority. The media used are generally singly or mixed.

Here are media characters

Fern

This medium is commonly used in all phases of growth, from compote, seedling, juvenile, to flowering. Ferns are preferred because they have a number of advantages, including:

- Has good water and fertilizer storage

- Optimal aeration and drainage

- With enough cavities, roots are free to develop

- Ferns rot slowly

For media, the fern compote is mashed. The larger the figure of the orchid, the size of the chop is getting rougher, according to the needs of the roots. Some orchids even use ferns in the form of plates because the roots are easy to grip.\

Fern media preparation stages

· Chopped ferns, for seeds or fern compote, finely chopped 1-1.5 cm long. For juvenile orchid plants, the size is 3-5 cm.

· Minced or chopped, added 10% zeolite stone. This stone removes odors and stretches the medium.

· Chopped ferns then put into a basin or tub that has been filled with water. Put fungicides and fertilizers into the water. For 10 liters of water, enter 10-15 cc of pesticide. Soak the ingredients for 24 hours.

· Remove the media and air dry.

After drying, it's ready to use

· Media that has not been used is put in a sack and tied tightly

 

Calliandra humus

 The rest of the weathered calliandra leaves are quite favored by orchids, especially when seedling. Orchids planted in Calliandra are bigger than other media. However, calliandra humus can only be used for one segment, for 4-6 months, after which it is destroyed. In addition, calliandra humus is only suitable for use in the dry season. During the rainy season, it rots easily and is very humid so it becomes a comfortable place for fungi and bacteria

Before use, calliandra humus is dried in the sun to dry. It is feared that the moist media is easily overgrown with fungi. The use of this medium is usually combined with ferns or with charcoal

wood charcoal

Wood charcoal media is not easily weathered and not easily overgrown with fungi or bacteria. Therefore it is the main choice of orchids that live in high humidity areas. This media is the most durable compared to other media, this type of mangrove charcoal can even be more than two years. At the time of seedling, especially compote, charcoal is not used. In addition to lack of moisture, plant roots have not been strong enough to grip it. Because of that, charcoal is eyed after the plant grows up to become an adult. Other characteristics of charcoal are difficult to store water, and poor in nutrients. Therefore, planters, must often water and fertilize the plants.

Before using wood charcoal should be reduced in size first. In its use this media can be mixed with ferns or with calindra.

Coir

Waste from old coconut is also the main choice of orchids. It can store water so that the humidity of the media is quite high. As a result, plant growth becomes more rapid. Unfortunately, this media is easy to rot and rot before the time to move the pot so that it becomes a source of disease. The destruction of the media causes the growth of the tillers to not be upright so that the stems are curved. If the handling is not good, it can become toxic because of the high tannin content.

 Stages of media preparation,

• Cut the coconut coir 3-4 cm long and 2-3 cm wide

• Soak the coconut husks within 2-3 days, changing the soaking water every day, so that the tannins disappear.

• Then it is dried for 1 day and the media is ready to be used.

At the time of compote, the part used is the fiber that has been separated from the powder. After growing up, the whole coir is used which is not separated from the powder.

Mos

Mos media is suitable for seeds and seedling. It can store moisture so it's good for seedlings that don't like too much watering. In juvenile to adult orchids, mos is rarely used because it decays quickly, especially in lowland areas.

Shavings or wood chips

The shavings media or wood pieces have good drainage and aeration, which is due to the large number of air voids in the two materials. The disadvantage is that this organic media has a weak water holding capacity. Media containing cellulose, lignin and hemicellulose compounds is easily weathered. This compound causes shavings or pieces of wood to be difficult to decompose. Naturally, if the weathering process is slow. This medium is widely used for cut orchid plants that require 100% irradiation, for example vanda douglas, renanthera
 
The use of mixed media tends to encourage orchid growth better than single media. Each media with its advantages and disadvantages can support each other. This means that deficiencies in certain media can be covered by other media, and vice versa. For example, tiles are commonly used for pot bottoms because they facilitate drainage and aeration. However, its ability to absorb nutrients and water is very less. That weakness is covered by a layer of fern and pine bark on top.

Pot Setup

The container affects the growth of orchids, because the container is a container for media and a place for roots to attach. Orchid roots need good aeration. Therefore a good container / pot must have enough holes or pores. The hole serves as a drain to drain excess water. Preferred potting materials include clay, ferns, branches or logs.
Earth Pot

Clay pots are preferred because they have good aeration and darenase. In addition, plant roots are very easy to attach to the surface of the media. This pot can also absorb water and fertilizer so as to maintain moisture. Besides that, the clay material is also able to remove excess water quickly, especially because of the pot holes. This pot is not easy to break, the durability of the pot can reach the age of the plant. The disadvantage is that it is easily overgrown with moss, so it looks dirty.
Fern

Fern containers are mostly used by hobbyists to grow dendrobium. Not in the form of a pot but in the form of a slab. Orchid roots are very easy to hold so they grow like trees. The pores can hold more water and nutrients than the bark.
 
Branches of wood/trees

This natural container is also favored by hobbyists for attaching orchids. Plant roots can hold tightly and absorb nutrients directly from the tree bark, similar to their natural habitat. The shady environment and the breeze make the orchid live optimally.

Plastic Pot

Generally, plastic pots are used for seedlings. For adult plants this pot is not recommended, because the roots can not attach well. Another drawback, when the temperature is hot outside, the plastic tends to be hotter than the earthen pot. The advantage is that the pot looks clean / easy to clean, the price is relatively cheap, easy to get.

For moon orchids (phalaenopsis) the use of transparent plastic pots with mos media is highly recommended, because the roots can photosynthesize, so their growth will be faster