Heads up about that orchid soil test I ran last week

I tested the pH of three different orchid bark mixes I bought from a local nursery in Atlanta. Two of them came back at 6.8 and 7.1, which is way too alkaline for most epiphytic orchids. I found out from a 2023 study by the Atlanta Botanical Garden that bark pH can shift dramatically after bagging. Has anyone else checked their mix before potting?

2 comments

2 Comments

rose_hart25d ago

The pH thing is interesting because it feels like one of those small details that can mess up a whole season. I noticed a similar thing with my soil tests for my veggie garden last year. Store bought potting mixes all had different pH levels depending on the brand and how long they sat on the pallet. It's like we trust the bag but the stuff inside changes once it's sealed up, especially with organic materials breaking down. Checking a batch before you pot everything makes sense.

thea85725d ago

Bought a bag of "premium" orchid bark last month and it was basically mulch with moss chunks, pH was way off. @rose_hart is right, you really gotta test before you commit.