Going Full Sphagnum Moss for My Orchids
Disclaimer: I used AI tools to assist with editing and streamline the writing process when creating this blog. Nonetheless, all shared concepts, ideas, and experiences are entirely my own. This collaboration with AI improves efficiency but does not compromise the authenticity of the voice behind this blog.Hey, fellow plant enthusiasts! In this blog post, I share why I use sphagnum moss for my orchids.
I was gifted my first orchid in 2017, and I believe they were potted in sphagnum moss. Back then, I had no idea how to tell if a plant was dehydrated or how much light it needed. They eventually died in my care. Fast-forward a few years, and the houseplant bug bit me hard. Then, the orchid obsession took hold, and I haven't looked back.
If you are here because you googled “orchid” or “sphagnum moss,” then I am sure you’ve come across MissOrchidGirl's YouTube channel. She's my orchid guru, and I devour every video she posts. I've also joined my local orchid societies, which are fantastic for seeing other people's setups and sharing tips in person. But sometimes, one wants to skip the meeting and get straight to the good stuff, right? That's where YouTube comes in.
It's been fascinating to watch MissOrchidGirl's journey. Her earlier videos show her experimenting with different mediums and pots, and it's like watching a master refine their craft. I've been there with her, trying different things, even briefly wading into water culture. (Let's say some experiments are best left in the past!)
I was happy with a bark chip and sphagnum moss mix. It worked well, but it just didn’t sit right with me. Then, I stumbled upon MissOrchidGirl's videos about growing orchids in pure sphagnum moss, and something clicked.
Here's the thing: I live in a dry climate. We crank up the heat in winter, and the air feels like it's sucking the moisture out of everything. So, the idea of a medium that retains moisture, like sphagnum moss, was incredibly appealing.
Phalaenopsis NOID RP 111
Click on the image to YT video of me repotting this girl
Why Full Sphagnum Moss? Let Me Break It Down:
Watering Woes, be gone! With a growing plant collection, watering was becoming a chore. Sphagnum moss's moisture retention property means I don’t need to use as much water. With a bark chip/moss mixture, I find myself soaking the pot, counting the minutes, and then dumping the used water out. It took too much time waiting and inspecting and wasting too much water.
My Lazy-But-Effective Watering System: I use a simple pot-in-pot semi-self-watering system. My inner pots have drainage holes and ventilation slits, and I add water to the outer decorative pots, just enough to reach the bottom drainage holes. The sphagnum moss wicks up the moisture and distributes it evenly throughout the inner pots, keeping my orchids’ roots happy. Bottom watering also reduces the risk of water accidentally getting into the crowns and leaves; as we all know, orchids do not do well with water pooling in the crowns.
Battling the Dry Air Blues: The dampened sphagnum moss acts like a mini humidity tray as the moisture slowly evaporates.
Repotting? No Problem!: Orchid roots love to cling to bark chips for stability. Yes, I try to soak the medium well before repotting, but still, some roots stick to the bark chips, and having to pry them off makes me cringe. Sphagnum moss is clean, easy to work with, and gentle on those delicate roots.
Simplifying My Life: Let's face it, life's busy. I want my plants to bring joy, not stress. Sphagnum moss helps me achieve that.
My Personal Touch:
I'm all about keeping things simple. I water all my plants – orchids, succulents, you name it – once a week. Since I do bottom watering, my goal is that the water in the outer pots will be dry in one week. I check both the inner and outer pots before watering, and if the medium is still wet or there is water left in the outer pot, I skip a week. I would also adjust how much water I put in the outer pot (essentially, it acts as a water reservoir of a self-watering system), depending on the size of the pot, how many ventilation holes the inner pot has, etc. It's a system that works for me, and I'm hoping it'll work even better when I switch all of my orchids to sphagnum moss.
Of course, I'm expecting some bumps along the way. I'm sure I'll have a few orchid casualties. But that's part of the learning process, right? I'll document my journey on my YouTube channel, so anyone is welcome to follow along and learn from my (hopefully not too many) mistakes.
Ultimately, it's about finding what works for you. What works for me in my dry, indoor environment might not work for someone living in a humid tropical climate. That's the beauty of gardening – it's a constant experiment.
So, here's to my new sphagnum moss adventure! Remember, don't be afraid to try new things and find what brings you joy in your plant journey. Happy growing!
