Keith,

Another thing to keep in mind is that the RHS recommendations are based upon
experience of a few individuals in England, where pine bark is likely
totally different from pine bark in the US, or Australia, or...

Another factor to consider is the age of the advice. In the US, the norm
was fir bark, not pine bark, but the stuff that's available today performs
poorly in comparison to the material available as recently as ten years ago.

Then there's your conditions. Your medium should be tailored to the needs
of the plants in the environment you typically provide. Not only are
windowsill conditions vastly different from greenhouse conditions -
resulting in the need to entirely different properties in the medium for
each - but the conditions in the northeast are vastly different from those
in the southeast, in California, etc.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

.. . . . . . . . . . .
"keith" wrote in message
...
Thank you Gene, you are the only one who has really answered my question
,on
using pine in the potting media!If I am asking questions about which
potting
media it is quite obvious that I am new to the orchid world & haven't
potted a orchid before!So straight forward answers would be nice
sometimes,surely there is a starting potting media ,that with time I will
learn what works best within my environment for the orchids that I have.
so
if there is one thing I have learned is there is no right answer for what
potting media to use,because everyone is using different methods,one says
don't use bark mulch,other says they use it & so on!So all I can do is buy
what material I can get hold of,& make a mixture that I think will suit my
orchids & learn from there ,I wish someone had of gave that answer about
15
threads ago!I will start with the mixture that is in the RHS encyclopaedia
which by the way has a excellent orchid section!One other thing I have
learnt is not to be overly obsessed with the care of looking after
orchids,a bit of neglect sometimes works wonders.
thanks all
keith
"Gene Schurg" wrote in message
link.net...
Keith,

You need to get something that is more specialized to growing orchids
than
a
general gardening publication.

The reason you don't want pine bark is that it breaks down too fast.

When you repot your plants you don't want to disturb them in a few
months
later and do it again when the medium breaks down. Personally, I don't
use
bark anymore except for a few specialized plants that like it on the wet
side.

I have switched to a cocohusk mixture with alifor (clay marbles). I
find
this medium allows air to the roots which is essential because plants
breath
through the roots. The coconut husk also does not compact in the pot
allowing the roots to penetrate the medium. Best of all the Cocohusk
mix
lasts 2 to 3 times longer than bark mixes.

Good Growing,
Gene