Bolero ) wrote:
: That's interesting because the nurseries that I buy my orchids from (and
: whom grow champion plants consistently) use nothing but sphagnum moss for
: certain types of plants.

: They say nothing grows better in it. I don't know if that's true but I have
: seen the results of moss and I use it myself without root rot.

One grower (Gold Country Orchids) told me that some batches of bark may have
toxins in them (arsenic IIRC). This grower uses moss exclusively at least
partly for that reason (or so he says). A Cattleya I got from him has done
well in moss for me. That said, I'm not very comfortable with moss either so
when I re-potted it recently (it outgrew the pot) I put it in CHC. FWIW, the
root mass was far larger than those that were grown in bark. Of course that
might more a function of my husbandry tha the media so who knows? :-) We'll
see what difference the CHC makes when it comes time to repot again.

: It may depend on your climate but it works for me.

The extra moisture retention is probably a good thing in my situation since
my orchids are not in a greenhouse.

Dave