---
title: "Orchid Soil What is your favorite material/soil to use vs for your…"
description: "Orchid Soil What is your favorite material/soil to use vs for your orchids. Is there a better mix…do you use different mixes for different plants…do you like…"
url: "https://getplanta.com/community/JmTUi1iSQr6-tX35luAMXQ/Yhfjl7_sSF-1KUGRthJusA"
community: "The Orchid Oasis"
author: "Our Home"
published: "2024-10-26T11:01:51.046735Z"
language: "en"
image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v2/cloudinary/global_data/communities/theOrchidOasis.jpg"
---

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# Orchid Soil What is your favorite material/soil to use vs for your…

_Posted by Our Home on 2024-10-26_

Orchid Soil

What is your favorite material/soil to use vs for your orchids. Is there a better mix…do you use different mixes for different plants…do you like small bark over large mix bark…etc. I would like to try to create my own blend and am looking for advice.

I have a Jewel Orchid, Ground Or chid and others…excited to hear your ideas and experiences.

## 5 comments

### Jen commented on 2024-10-26

Yes, absolutely, each type benefits from different materials. It’s also incredibly important to take into account your environment and watering habits. If you’re heavy handed and excessively attentive in your care in a humid environment, you can go with less water retentive material, with larger chunks. If you are in a kind of cool dry environment, and have a busier lifestyle, you might want something more water retentive.

I don’t know what you mean by a ground orchid. GENERALLY SPEAKING, and not taking into account the things above…If you are talking about phragmipedium or paphiopedilum, you are still going to want a mix with tiny little bark pieces for a little more aeration. Jewel orchids are different in their needs and I’ve seen them grown in tiny pieces of very small bits with lots of perlite etc, but NOT soil-like. Other terrestrial orchids, Bletilla, Cypripedium etc need a much more fine mix, ALMOST soil-like. but I don’t have any experience with those so I don’t feel comfortable giving advice about them. Just for a visual example, I’m attaching photos of the mixes that repotme.com recommends. They are a great place to start and incredibly reliable in their knowledge and quality of product.

#### Jen replied on 2024-10-26

![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/yzTKthJiLOlCUPKH-vsQ5NzOhcFfTrb-kTRTwJ_ViN0/oXq3Vr6ZQfyPe22ebZTNHA.webp?size=large)

#### Jen replied on 2024-10-26

![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/yzTKthJiLOlCUPKH-vsQ5NzOhcFfTrb-kTRTwJ_ViN0/fKGWXlM7QfqUgWaKnScWFA.webp?size=large)

#### Jen replied on 2024-10-26

![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/yzTKthJiLOlCUPKH-vsQ5NzOhcFfTrb-kTRTwJ_ViN0/-LWQDNC-RdODwxouE7Jx9A.webp?size=large)

### MeasomerPi commented on 2024-10-26

💯 what Jen said. I find her advice always solid.

I do a lot of research on the orchid variety, and tweak depending on my observations of the plant’s performance. This is what works in my house (right now):  
\- Phals: 100% bark (large pieces) or 75% bark (large pieces) with 25% sphagnum  
\- Paphs: Repotme blend  
\- Cattleyas: 50% bark (large pieces) and 50% charcoal (large pieces) or a Repotme blend  
\- Oncidiums: Repotme blend  
\- Dendrobiums: Repotme blend or a 50% bark (large pieces) and 50% charcoal (large pieces)  
\- Jewel: Repotme blend

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