The best soil for orchid cactus is also different than other soil mixes. Oftentimes, cacti are grown in the ground in dry soil, and receiving adequate drainage is important to prevent overwatering. This might shock you, but I’ve actually started growing my cacti in coconut coir! It’s been working very well!
Orchids are a symbol of purity and elegance. They are one of the hardest to grow and one of the easiest to kill, but if you get the right conditions, they can be prolific. The Soil you choose will not only affect how it looks and grows, but it may be the thing that ends up killing your precious orchid.
Finding the best soil for the Orchid cactus has always been a challenge. There are so many choices from Miracle grow to potting soil. I decided to test some of the top brands to find out which one you should use.
Succulent Soil and Cactus Soil Great for Succulent Planter and Succulent Pot | This Potting Soil is Perfect for Smaller pots. Bonsai |Cactus| Succulent| Orchid—Best Overall
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- Repot Bonsai and other plants with a premium, fast-draining Bonsai potting soil mix.
- Growers are always looking for the perfect mix, they want it tailor-made and that’s why we’ve done research on what is needed to give your orchid cactus a long and healthy life. It’s the ultimate air-to-water ratio and the optimal blend of nutrients for your new or existing orchid cactus.
- It is not an overstatement to say that we have tweaked this mix in a multitude of ways to arrive at one common goal: optimal plant growth. Through trial and error and by using specially-made soil laboratory equipment (that’s where our geeky side comes out!), we’ve been able to determine the perfect blend of ingredients that will produce beautiful small trees with rich coloration, plentiful leaves, and symmetrical growth.
- It contains all of the necessary components needed to keep your plant healthy such as soil, organic fertilizer, coconut fiber, and sphagnum moss.
- Resealable Ziplock Standup Pouch made from recycled material.
- It was specifically designed to blend quality ingredients while offering an extremely affordable price.
Pros
This soil is vastly different than typical potting soil.
It has lots of goodies that plants need, like nutrients and water. If you mix it in with your soil or dirt, your plants will grow better.
It’s a combination of chunky materials, about a quarter-inch or less in size.
You can use this stuff in your garden to keep your plants from dying.
Cons
The particle size is not as consistent and is a bit larger.
Why Best
There are black rocks and sandy stuff you can put in your soil so that plants will have nutrients.
This 1:1:1:1 ratio of pumice, lava rock, pine bark fines, and turface/calcined clay does the trick.
The contents are exactly as described, with large particles for good drainage.
This stuff works really well for tropical flowers.
rePotme Phalaenopsis Monterey Dark Imperial Orchid Potting Mix – (Mini Bag)—2nd Best
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- Comes in a High-Quality Resealable Pouch for Future Use – 2 Quarts.
- Excellent Monterey Imperial Orchid Potting Mix by rePotme – Protects the Phalaenopsis Roots and the Growth Stem and Promotes Greater Flowering Potential by Allowing the Plant to Breathe.
- A fresh batch of rePotme’s Monterey Phalaenopsis Orchid Mix is made every day from the finest ingredients from around the world.
- It is a great choice for the orchid grower in your life. It makes a great gift for the gardener and plant lover who tends special plants like orchids. Although it doesn’t have any fancy packaging, it really will brighten up their day and cheer them up.
Pros
Instead of lots of dust and crumbly chunks of bark, this blend was very “clean”, as clean as a potting mix can be anyway.
This is very high quality, and the pieces of bark and mix are a good size.
It is worth the money!
Cons
The product drives out so fast and is messy.
Why Best
There is also sphagnum moss and leica (porous clay balls) in the mix.
Orchid Potting Mix, Hand Blended All Natural Potting Soil Media for Orchid Plants, Fast Draining Healthy Media for Planting or Orchid Repotting- 4qts—-3rd best
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- All-Purpose Orchid Potting Mix- A great orchid potting mix for plating or repotting a multitude of orchids including Cattleyas, Phalaenopsis, Dendrobiums, Paphiopedilums, Oncidiums, and All Epiphytic Orchids. Great for repotting your already root-bound or nursery pot size store-bought orchids.
- Drainage is the holy grail of bonsai. It ensures that your tree’s fine roots never sit in stagnant water. To help protect against overwatering. It pumps out excess water from the pots and draws attention to any problems you have with the fine roots.
- This mix is used to repot orchids and/or as an orchid potting mix for growing on. For quality control and consistency, all batches are laboratory tested to ensure the highest quality orchid potting mix available anywhere – This 1-gallon size allows for the repotting of several small orchids, 2-3 medium, or just one large orchid.
- Our All Natural blend is a custom blend of all-natural ingredients that bring the highest quality nutrients to your garden. Our blend provides plants with everything they need to achieve optimal growth. No need to worry about symptoms of nutrient deficiency.
Pros
Easy to use.
Not too small, not too large bark sizes with perlite.
Good drainage.
The package is thin and does not allow for resealing.
Cons
A little more expensive than other brands.
Why Best
Perfect soil for repotting.
It is easy to handle and saved me much time.
Orchid Soil Premium All Purpose Blend | Large 2.2 Quarts | Ready to Use for Orchids, Bromeliads, Epiphytic Plants | Lava, Calcined Clay and Pinebark |
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- Orchids love to be nourished by the natural environment. Provide your orchid the perfect mix of moisture and air with this full, premium soil-mix that contains everything your plant needs for maximum growth.
- This blend is made from non-organic components of peat moss, glass, and calcium which ensure that it provides great support for your orchid. The ingredients have been hand-selected by an experienced gardener to provide your orchid with the best care possible.
- If you are growing orchids, bromeliads, ferns, or any epiphytes, this soil is for you. For years, growers have used a mineral-based (carbon base) potting medium to grow their epiphytic plants but we’ve found that in many cases that creates an overly alkaline growing environment which is bad news for your plants. A safe and adaptable potting medium that will maximize roots’ strength, nutritional uptake, and aeration. So no matter the species you’re growing, you can be sure this medium is well suited to promote healthy growth.
- Orchid Soil Blend is specifically designed to promote the drainage of excess water while providing the optimal amount of moisture for healthy roots.
Pros
. It has a much better ratio of larger pieces and small pieces.
It’s a great quality soil for smaller pots and orchids with smaller root sizes.
Holds a lot more water.
It was easy to use.
Cons
Why Best
The package goes a long way for orchids and has a seal so you can keep it fresh.
Miracle-Gro Succulent Potting Mix: Fertilized Soil with Premium Nutrition for Indoor Cactus Plants, Aloe Vera and More, 4 qt.
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- If you love succulents as much as we do, you’ll want to know about Miracle-Gro Succulent Potting Mix! This soil mix contains everything succulents need because it’s been specifically formulated for growing these easy indoor plants.
- This succulent potting soil is fast-draining and features a blend of sphagnum peat moss, forest products, and fertilizer. With this relatively inexpensive soil mixture, you can grow any type of cactus, such as the orchid cactus. The soil has the right amount of moisture retention to allow the roots of the plant to breathe.
- Great for helping to grow happy and beautiful succulent varieties like Burro’s Tail, Echeverias, Houseleek, as well as orchid cacti
Pros
Cons
Why Best
Organic Potting Soil, Cactus and Succulent Soil Mix, Professional Grower Mix Soil, Fast Draining Pre-Mixed Coarse Blend (2 Quarts)
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- If you are an indoor gardener like me, or just looking to pamper your outdoor plants during a dry season, we strongly recommend you consider trying Canadian Soil. Canadian soil is not just normal dirt you can find at the nursery. It is different from other soils because it contains a lot of organic matter that makes any plant grow faster and better.
- Our soil is the best for flowers, cacti, and other plants. It is from Canada, so it’s really special. It’s good for irrigation because it goes through a lot of testing to be sure it will not rot. The soil has good breathability and good draining. It can be used by most plants to help them grow better.
- The soil contains 75% natural substrate and 25% perlite.
- The soil we use is mostly made out of compressed earth, and the mix is made to be just the right pH level for plant roots. It has lots of nutrients in it so the plants can grow really fast and healthy. You could use it for lots of different types of plants, like cacti and succulents, or any kind of seeds like tomatoes and cucumbers.
- The new soil that we make is easy to breathe in, which helps water drain, and it doesn’t rot the roots. It doesn’t weigh as much as traditional soil, so it is easy to carry.
Pros
It’s easy to take the soil with you, and it does not spill.
It’s easy to use for re-potting.
It drains fast.
It’s very lightweight and airy.
The soil seems to retain moisture for a while.
Dark, rich, and not clumpy.
Cons
Mixed in with pouring soil.
Why Best
The soil is very light and the bag has a zipper to close it.
Super fast shipping and perfectly packaged.
SunGro Black Gold Indoor Natural and Organic Orchid Potting Soil Fertilizer Mix for House Plants, 8 Quart Bag
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- We’re trying to make better potting soil for people who want to grow orchids at home.
- We’re trying to help orchid owners grow their flowers. The old way was to use peat moss, bark, and wood chips. The new way is to use coconut coir, redwood bark, and perlite.
- This bag of dirt is good for growing flowers on the ground or on the wall.
- CONTAINS: Contains Canadian sphagnum peat moss, bark, horticultural grade perlite, pumice, cinders, and dolomite lime; Added lime creates a balanced pH.
Pros
The mix seems just right – free draining, full of nutrients.
It retains a lot of moisture and is very loamy.
It’s a new way to feed lady slipper orchids.
Cons
This would hold way too much moisture.
Why Best
It is a very small fine bark that resembles potting mix.
It’s well-draining and you can visually see when it’s dry,
All-Purpose Orchid Growing Starter Kit – Includes Instruction Sheet
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- We’re trying to help people who grow orchids. The old way was for them to try to figure out how to repot an orchid without doing any permanent harm. The new way is for them to buy a kit that has everything they need, which can save them a lot of time and trouble.
- No delay in Shipping!
- This kit includes all the things you need to get started growing orchids.
- Makes for a great gift.
- From the leader in Orchid Supplies – rePotme.
Pros
- Enhances the root’s growth and thickness.
- Encourages the growth of lush plants.
- The product itself was great and very easy to use
- It is good for the environment.
- Helps orchids recover from damage caused by environmental stress and pests.
Cons
This is going to make it hard for moisture to escape.
Why Best
The soil ss composed of the three ingredients needed for orchids.
The plastic pot had appropriate holes necessary for water drainage.
Some Ideas
How to Know If Your Orchid Is an Epiphyte, Lithophyte, or Terrestrial?
Different species of orchids surely require different potting mixes. Both epiphytes, as well as lithophytes, will prefer a mix that will give more structural support and better drainage.
In contrast, terrestrials are the general houseplant. If you aren’t sure which kind of orchid you own, a look to the fundamental anatomy of the plant will possibly give you a few ideas.
The parts of epiphyte and lithophytes have a lot in common. They both have fleshy and thick roots that are able to absorb water as well as some substances from the atmosphere. These plants also are characterized by succulent, succulent-looking stems known as pseudobulbs which serve to store water and aid them through dry times.
However, terrestrial orchids will generally have below-ground tubers and corms, not pseudobulbs. The orchid roots also seem to be longer.
How to Make a Substrate for Orchids – Easy Recipes
Before you prepare your mix with substrates or soil suitable for orchids, it is important to determine whether your orchids are epiphytic, semi-terrestrial, or terrestrial plants as they have different features and components. Based on the type of orchid and species, here’s how you prepare your soil for orchids :
How to Make a Substrate for Epiphytic Orchids
For this orchid, it’s best to create an orchid-friendly substrate made of these elements:
- Three different parts of the pine bark (if feasible, Mediterranean pine bark).
- Three cork pieces.
- A component comprised of white peat.
- The final component of clay granules or ceramics.
- 2 g of acid limestone per liter of the substrate.
The cork and pine bark are the foundation of the substrate. they aid in giving the mixture a pH that is adjusted by the acid lime. White peat serves the task of storing water and giving the plant the humidity it requires to maintain its humidity as well as allowing the substrate becomes more well-ventilated.
Substrate for Terrestrial or Semi-terrestrial Orchids
In this case, use this orchid substrate or soil materials:
- Five parts of pine bark.
- A part of white peat.
- A part of charcoal.
- A part of vermiculite.
- 2 grams of acid lime per liter.
The major difference with the substrate used for epiphytic orchids is that we include more pine bark and take out the cork and we also add charcoal to boost the pH that the substrate has. Vermiculite assists us in ensuring that the mix retains its beneficial salts.
In both instances, once you have the correct proportions of each substance the only thing you need to do is combine it all until it is all filled in the pot.
If you’re not certain about the kind of plant you have, then we suggest seeking help from an expert from a nearby garden store and showing them your orchid.
What are the Best Pots for Orchids and How to Prepare them?
There is a belief that orchids require containers that are transparent because they are able to photosynthesize via their roots. True that a transparent pot can assist us in taking better treatment of our orchids but not since the orchid is able to perform photosynthesis through its roots, which is completely false. The reason is that in these orchids it is very crucial to regulate the health that their root systems in particular when they are deciding the right time you should water orchids.
If the roots are green, it means that the plant has enough water. However, if they become whitish It is an indication that you have to take care to water them. Certain species are especially susceptible to these variations in humidity, such as the case of Phalaenopsis and the most typical is to find the plants within transparent containers.
Furthermore, It is important that the pot where the orchid will be placed has an elongated rim or legs that elevate the pot above the ground so that the plant is not directly in touch with water that drains from the holes for drainage. the excess moisture could cause waterlogging and can cause damage to the plant.
Epiphytic orchids, could also significantly benefit from using hanging baskets. They allow their aerial roots to be able to drain, which aids in helping the plant to better absorb moisture that it requires from the air, and thus improve its growth. Actually, there is an option to not need any basket and just hang the plant on the stem. This gives it an extremely striking and bold appearance.
When and How to Transplant Orchids
These plants need periodic transplants to grow properly. In fact, it is advisable to carry out the transplant every 2 years, between the end of winter and the beginning of spring, before the plant activates its rhythms.
In the case of transplanting epiphytic orchids, follow these steps:
- Prepare a new pot with a suitable substrate, filling it up to just over half.
- Water the pot with plenty of water 2 hours before transplanting.
- Extract the plant very carefully and take advantage of the moisture in the substrate to remove it from the roots more easily, paying special attention not to damage them.
- Plant the orchid in the new pot, add the rest of the orchid substrate, and water the plant.
If it is terrestrial orchids, follow the usual steps for a transplant but keep in mind that you do not need to moisten the plant so much before transplanting. Just be careful with the roots so as not to damage them.
Orchid Cactus Care
The care of this beautiful cactus is as follows:
- We must put our plants where they can get plenty of sunlight. It can also live in a shaded place as long as there is lots of light.
- If we purchase it in the summer, we’ll not transplant it until the spring arrives to make sure that the plant’s blooms are in the right place.
- It needs special soil so that it can grow. The soil should let the water drain out. We will make the following mixture: 60% sand and 40% peat. We will mix sand and peat in different ways depending on how much water falls from the sky in our area and on how much sun is shining where we live.
- We will always water letting the substrate dry between watering and watering.
- During the growing season, we can make it grow healthy by giving it fertilizer. You can fertilize the plant by adding organic fertilizer or slow-release fertilizer to the ground when you water it.
Epiphyllum is easily reproduced through cuttings in the summer. We’ll cut the leaves to at least 20cm long and then plant them in a pot using the substrate mix previously mentioned. Within a few weeks, they will be rooted and we will have new specimens.
Conclusion
I’ve put in a lot of work searching for the best Orchid Cactus soil and based on my research, I would recommend succulents Soil and Cactus Soil Great for Succulent Planter and Succulent Pot | This Potting Soil is Perfect for Smaller pots. Bonsai |Cactus| Succulent| Orchid. While there are numerous types of soil you can use to grow your own Orchid Cactus, I personally love this one due to the extensive growing experience I’ve had with it. It’s the high-quality product I’ve been looking for, and it has now become my go-to product for all my future Orchid Cactus endeavors.
Source:
https://homeguides.sfgate.com/orchid-soil-substitute-71391.html