The Botanical Chick’s Jewel Orchid Potting Mix Recipes

When people hear the word “orchid”, the first image that comes to mind is the Phalaenopsis Moth orchid, or the flamboyant, flashy blooms of Cattleya orchids. However, most people are unaware of a subset of orchids that are not known for their flowers, but for their foliage. These are called jewel orchids, and unlike their epiphytic cousins, they are primarily terrestrial. As such, their care requirements are quite different. In this post, I will provide you with several recipes to DIY your own jewel orchid potting medium.

Root health, aeration and consistent moisture are a prime focus for jewel orchids. Never let your jewel orchids get bone dry! This will kill the growing tips on the roots. Similarly, keeping your plant soaking wet will cause root rot from lack of oxygen and fungal and bacterial growth. Finding a good balance between these two extremes is critical for successfully growing jewel orchids.

Depending on your watering style and your general environment, this may affect what substrate you want to use. Here are three DIY jewel orchid potting recipes that you can choose from.

Chunky Orchid Mix

• Orchid bark (40%)
• Sphagnum Moss (30%)
• Perlite (30%)

This is a chunkier mix and may work well for those who tend to overwater (or frequently water) their plants. It is a very well-oxygenated mix that will not suffocate your jewel orchids. It can be suitable for environments that are very humid as the chunky texture allows it to dry faster. After six months or so, I would recommend checking the substrate as the sphagnum and bark will break down and start to retain water much longer.

Terrestrial Jewel Orchid Mix

• Peat moss or coco coir (40%)
• Worm castings (10%)
• Perlite (50%)

This jewel orchid potting recipe most closely replicates the substrate in which wild jewel orchids would grow. Because there is less “chunkiness” to its texture, it’s not recommended for those who tend to overwater. It’s best for experienced growers who water their plants based on their observations and intuition. This potting mix is a happy medium between the fast-drying Chunky Orchid Mix and the water-retaining features of sphagnum moss.

Pure Sphagnum

Pure Sphagnum moss is perfect for those who tend to underwater, forget about their plants for several days or live in very dry, arid environments. When potting your jewel orchids in sphagnum, I would avoid packing the moss too densely. The roots need some aeration and ability to grow through the fibers. I have purchased numerous jewel orchids where they were essentially grown in sphagnum bricks because they were packed so tightly. I find that these also get root rot much faster due to the lack of oxygen and aeration. When potting in pure sphagnum, use smaller pot sizes and press firmly, but don’t compact it too densely.

In general, jewel orchids tend to have small, shallow and weak roots. Densely-packed potting medium will only make it that much harder for them to grow. It would be like trying to cram your own feet into shoes that are several sizes too small.

Tips for Using Sphagnum Moss

Some drawbacks that I have noticed when potting in pure sphagnum is that the moss can break down quite quickly at the bottom of the pot, which can lead to root rot if you’re not careful. I would recommend repotting with fresh sphagnum every 8-10 months.

Green alga is also another drawback to sphagnum. I find that it grows on the surface of the moss where it is most exposed to the light. There is not much you can do about this besides removing the algae-covered sphagnum and replacing with fresh substrate. This is another reason why I would recommend repotting every year.

One positive aspect of sphagnum is that it may possibly come back to life and start growing again. Just make sure it’s not algae that’s growing!

I hope this post is helpful! For my own jewel orchids, I use the Terrestrial Jewel Orchid Mix and pure sphagnum moss. Living in a relatively dry, arid environment makes both of these the best options for me. I also tend to underwater rather than overwater, so using moisture-retaining potting mixes works best for my watering style. When you choose which potting mix to use for your own jewel orchids, make sure you think about your environment and your watering habits.

Always Keep Growing,

Heather (a.k.a. The Botanical Chick)

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