Which orchids do well in LECA? Planta says my ludisia discolor (currently in soil and doing fine) will love it, and it’s not recommended for my rhynchostylis (currently in bark). Is that because the rhynchostylis won’t ever truly dry out in LECA?
Leca can be tricky depending on your environment. Are you in a hot humid place? Cooler and dry? It is also my understanding that you would have to treat leca to maintain the correct ph, if you use it exclusively. Personally, I would stick with a good quality bark and sphagnum mix. While we are chatting- you said your ludisia was in soil and doing fine. Like dirt soil? Or a very fine well draining mix? I know jewel orchids are terrestrial, and therefore different from your standard epiphytic phal or cattleya, but I still wouldn’t recommend putting it in actual soil. There are very fine terrestrial mixes that long term won’t threaten to suffocate the roots like soil can. They are still made up of bark, perlite, etc, but in much tinier pieces. I’m afraid in time you’ll have root rot on your hands. Just my 2 cents given my experience with other terrestrials like Paphiopedilum and Phragmipedium orchids. Might be worth digging into (pun intended) for the sake of keeping that ludisia happy and healthy.
1 gilla It’s been in regular potting soil for literally years and has never given me a moment’s trouble! I’ll stick with bark for the rhynchostylis, though.
1 gilla