When we buy our first orchid, it's not just the tropical blooms that amaze us. Phalaenopsis and other orchid species only seem to thrive in pieces of wood. At the latest when repotting for the first time, the question is obvious whether an orchid will also grow in conventional soil. Read the answer here.
Orchids do not thrive in regular potting soil
Potting soil assassinates every orchid
If orchid soil is mentioned, it is not commercial potting soil. Orchids thrive on epiphytic plants from jungle giants. With their numerous aerial roots, they hold on to the branches and take the vital moisture from the rain. Consequently, the tropical plants cannot survive in soil.
The main component of orchid soil are pieces of bark to simulate natural conditions. Inorganic additives such as lava granules (€13.99), expanded clay (€19.73) or zeolite ensure airy permeability. Organic additives such as sphagnum, coconut fibres, peat or nut shells provide valuable nutrients. If you pot orchids in potting soil, rot and diseases are inevitable.