Watch Me Water Orchids Growing in Moss and in Moss/Bark Layers! + Discussion & Explanation.

My channel is sponsored by: orchidsupplystore.com
For a 12% viewer's discount, use my coupon code, 'Amy'
Thank you to Teresa Brockett for the question that led to this video.
For more information on repotting, please see my repotting video playlist with many different scenarios.
Happy growing!
Amy

[@rickl.orchids]

Amy, I hope your viewers take good notes or watch this video several times....its full of some very good tips......Your media sandwhich is a great idea and your tip about getting used to the weight of a dry pot vs a damp pot is subtle yet so important.....Your blessing at the end always touches my heart and I thank the good lord for sending us such a sweet, talented, orchid grower to help us with our plants........Blessings back for you and your family!

[@OrchidWhisperer]

Rick, I want you to know your comment made my year. So kind of you to say. Your input and encouragement in my life and into my channel means the world to me. I'm a better person from knowing you, and so are my orchids! I'm so glad you're doing well and pray God will continue to bless you with good health and beauty. Thanks again, my day is happy now! 😇🙏🌺🌞

[@virginiadendy]

Oh my goodness Amy. You have outdone yourself with this one! The *best* watering video ever, and thanks for the Catt tips. You are a remarkable teacher! And having just retired from teaching English as a second language to Adults, I know a great teacher when I see one. Thanks, as always, for doing what you do! 😇🎉🥳👏🎊🙌😇

[@OrchidWhisperer]

Thanks so much for your awesome comment...I appreciate it more than you know! 😊 I've been in education all my adult life, and I appreciate people like you who have devoted their careers to teaching others. My husband took English as a second language classes, btw. He's from Bulgaria. I'll be including more Cattleya info in my videos for you, and please know your comment made my day! Many blessings to you, dear friend. 😇🌸🐶💐♥️

[@virginiadendy]

@@OrchidWhisperer 😇🩵💜🩵😇

[@virginiadendy]

Oh, and BTW, I’ve taught a number of students from Bulgaria and they were all awesome?

[@mollys1584]

Hi Amy! This is a great instructional video and tour of your beautiful orchids and sun room. I am an over watered by nature too! Thank you! Blessings on the rest of your week! ❤

[@OrchidWhisperer]

👋 Hi Molly! Thanks so much for the great feedback! It's always a treat to hear from you, dear friend 😇 Have a blessed week! 💐🌺

[@mollys1584]

@OrchidWhisperer Hi Amy! You are so sweet! I really loved that video...I learned so much! I saw your beautiful Magic Art Phal on a short. Could not believe the beauty of it! I wouldn't get anything done...I'd just want to sit and look at it all day! Have a wonderful rest of the week my friend and keep on growing! 😃

[@DDawe-yc7xn]

Thanks for all the great tips, especially the paper towel tip. I will use that! Early in my orchid growing I had roots rotting in the center of the pot growing in bark with just a bit of sphag. I found that if I put inverted 2” or 3” basket pots in the bottom of the pot, it really helps to dry out the center of the plant more evenly. I find it helpful with bark especially in transplant when you are not sure how much of the root system will survive. I’ve also seen people that use very large clay pots to grow specimen size plants use a smaller inverted clay pot the same way. God Bless you!

[@OrchidWhisperer]

Thanks so much for watching and for the tip about the basket pots! I'll be using that! Blessings, Amy

[@suzisaintjames]

10:40 some people who have a plant that stays too wet in the center and too dry in the perimeter, use bark in the the center and moss in the perimeter, instead of a sandwich. Since moss and bark dry at different rates. 💖🌞🌵😷

[@OrchidWhisperer]

Thanks for sharing! 😇 Moss is really versatile...it can be used many different ways! 🌵💐

[@pirvclaudiamaria2342]

Useful video , thank you ! I’m new to growing orchid and im still trying to figure out how to water them . Most of them are in bark and two catasetum in sphag. I’m I the only one who notice the squirrel jumping on your lawn ?😂

[@OrchidWhisperer]

Lol, I didn't notice the squirrel! 🐿 You're very observant! ☺️. It sounds like you have your orchids set up just right. Learning to water is a little challenging, but you'll get it. Happy 😇 growing!

[@TheOrchidSaGa]

Very nice Phals! And great tips, I do grow mine in self watering pots in pumice. I really enjoy growing Phals. For many years now. ❤

[@OrchidWhisperer]

Hi and thanks so much! I do love growing them. Have a great day! :)

[@nanettealsop]

Still no rain here in Florida. Just look at that Magic Art Phal 😲 Thank you for this tutorial on moss, as watering it is still hit & miss for me. I'm a s l o w learner 😁

[@OrchidWhisperer]

Hi 👋 Nanette! It's tricky to water in moss...I still have to remind myself not to overwater it. I'll be glad to send you rain, btw...☺️. Happy growing, dear friend! 💐🌺🐶

[@sharonholmes4444]

Good information Amy! Moss is tricky. I use cedar squares for my platforms...works great too. Many blessings from sunny Arizona 🌵😇🌵

[@OrchidWhisperer]

👋 Hi Sharon! You're a smart grower! Cedar squares as platforms...that's brilliant! I love the smell of cedar. And it repels Pests! Best of both worlds! 😇☺️🌵🌵🌵 Have a blessed day, dear friend! 🧡

[@LizE2654]

Great info. Very clear! Thanks

[@OrchidWhisperer]

Thanks so much for the great feedback! ☺️. Have a wonderful day! 😇💐

[@shirleyholt898]

Hi Amy. Really great information on watering orchids. I agree with you 100% about using New Zealand spagnum moss. It is the best. I tried the other one too and it’s awful. I’ve got all my Cattleya’s in spagnum moss topped with orchiata bark. They are doing great. Bella says hello to Jasmine 🐕‍🦺. Blessings my friend.🙏🏻🥰💐

[@OrchidWhisperer]

👋Hi Shirley! Thanks so much for the great feedback...NZ spagnum is the only one to use! I'm happy to hear you grow your Catts in moss too...I think it makes growing them so easy. Jasmine says hi to Bella...have a blessed day! 😇✝️🐶💐

[@ROlson-dx2jc]

Thank you, that was very informative!

[@OrchidWhisperer]

Thanks so much...have a great day 😇

[@monafries808]

Dear Amy 💝🌺 Thank you very much ! Blessings to you 💖🐕

[@OrchidWhisperer]

Have a great day, Mona! 😇💐🌺👋🧡🐶

[@lenorepeloso2378]

I have my Tolumnia in moss, but I have switched to bark entirely for my Phals. I seem to have done better with the phals this way. I found adding a layer of moss in the sandwich style too tricky for me to gauge the wetness factor. So far my phals are doing fine this way. I can more easily see if they need watering or not.

[@OrchidWhisperer]

👋 Hi Lenore! Some of my Phals are still in just bark. If they grow better in just bark, I'd keep them that way. You're doing the right thing staying with what suits you and your orchids best. Many blessings, my friend 🧡 😇💐

[@lenorepeloso2378]

I also wanted to tell you that my baby AV propagated from leaf have bloomed!!!!! I did it exactly as you suggested and two babies have flowers.

[@lenorepeloso2378]

And also I meant to say that I use the rim of a Ball Jar to lift my orchids from the bottom of the ceramic pots. The plastic pot sits atop the rim and drains really well. I threw out all my peanuts months ago in a fit of cleaning, so I had to think of another solution! And since I do a lot of canning, I had a ready supply of rims.

[@lenorepeloso2378]

Amy, thank you thank you thank for this video. I have decided to place four of my smaller orchids in the moss/bark sandwich. Mainly because my collection has grown too large to just do bark. So I have listened to this video several times to learn how to water correctly. Going longer between waterings makes it easier and using the little cup makes it also easier. I have Mason ball jar rims (I do a lot of cannning) in my ceramic pots to lift the plastic pots above any water on the bottom. I’ve got my Tumnia in bark so I’ve gotten use to bark now, which previously overwatering was my problem. So I’ll see how it goes with the orchids in the moss sandwich. I followed your video carefully. Your knowledge is so important to us in your orchid family. You are a blessing beyond words.

[@OrchidWhisperer]

Hi Lenore! You leave the best comments! How sweet of you to say. :) You will like the moss/bark sandwich. It requires so much less time and water. So far, all my Phals that have been in bark only for many years have adjusted to the moss and bark just fine. (That's a relief!) You have your orchids in a great setup so they drain well...that's a smart move. I hope they do beautifully for you. Have a great day, my friend! :)

[@lenorepeloso2378]

Do you use the moss sandwich with your sweet bellina? I thought I remember you saying the Bellina Ponkan was in small orchiata bark.

[@OrchidWhisperer]

@@lenorepeloso2378 one of my bellinas is in small bark, the other is in moss and bark. 😇💐🌸

[@lenorepeloso2378]

Ok tganks

[@lenorepeloso2378]

Amy, how do you decide which orchids to keep in bark and which to use the moss sandwich. I have several bellina coming and wondered.

[@joulandahabib6730]

I found my phal love being in clay pebbles but have to be in self watering pots and sometimes I put some moss on top that’s my advice 😊

[@jeanninemorgan3526]

Thank you for the information and examples 😊

[@OrchidWhisperer]

Glad it was helpful, Jeannine! Have a great 😇 day!

[@hillbillyorchids]

Great video Amy! Yea some have hard time watering moss. 😂 great way of doing it. 😊

[@OrchidWhisperer]

Thanks so much, Paula...that means a lot to me. Have a blessed 😇 day, my friend 🧡

[@catherinezareba1284]

Hi Amy 😊 ! Next August, I am moving to my new home .....and so are my orchids 😅 ! I'm planning to put them on a counter between the kitchen and the living room and to install special light rings to prevent them from escaping towards the windows ! Since I live in France, I can't purchase from your sponsors, but could you please sens me details concerning the size, the watts etc...of your light rings/bulbs ? And also a hint about the distance between the orchid and the bulb/ring ? The counter will be 120 cms X 60 cms. Tks so much for your tutorials, they 're so useful....and pleasant to watch ! ....such wonderful plants 'n' flowers 😊🥰 ! Have a good evening and take good care 😊 !

[@OrchidWhisperer]

Hi Catherine! I'm so happy to hear you'll be moving to a new home! Congratulations 🎊👏 I buy my halo LEDs from Amazon. I like the Yakoder plant lights for large plants. The product size is listed as 160×1420×15mm. Input 5V, power 15W. I did a video late January 2024 of how I have them set up and the distance away from the plants. If you're growing Cattleyas or Vandas, just LEDs won't be enough light. Great hearing from you and happy growing! 😇💐🌺

[@suzisaintjames]

Fun fact: Even if you can't buy from the same company, you can visit the products linked below and get all the specifics from the website and then shop for similar products in France. 💖🌞🌵😷

[@lenorepeloso2378]

Amy I have another question. Several of my smaller orchids, two bellina and a luedemanniana require partial shade. So I thought I would lower my LED light to 60% at 8 hours (instead of 12 hours at 100%) over these three partial shade loving ones. I’m not sure what “partial shade” means. They are small orchids, in 2-3” pots. Thoughts?

[@OrchidWhisperer]

@@lenorepeloso2378 they need 12 hours of LED light a day. 60% is fine, but mine also get filtered natural light. Light needs are hard to guage...i learned from trial and error. 😊 Have a great day, Lenore!

[@lenorepeloso2378]

@@OrchidWhisperer Ok thanks. I’ll switch to 12 hours but maybe bump it up to 75%.

[@OrchidWhisperer]

@@lenorepeloso2378 sounds good. 😇

[@aida087]

Hello Amy, it's been awhile but thank you for sharing especially, your BEAUTIFUL Orchids!! I've found that my three Orchids do well in a mix of bark, moss and alittle perlite but I think I'll do your method when I next repot them!! Love your content and calming voice, have s very blessed day Amy!!❤️🥰🙏🙏

[@OrchidWhisperer]

Hi 👋 Aida! So good to hear from you! If your orchids are doing well, I wouldn't change it! I truly believe they choose their media...and if they're happy, that's what matters. But it's always good to see different ways of growing things, and I think your way sounds good too! Thanks so much for your sweet comments...blessings to you my friend! 😇🐶💐💜