What is the function of using pine bark to cultivate orchids?
Main text core guide: Discussing the function of using pine bark to cultivate orchids and sharing the benefits of using pine bark for orchid cultivation, the editor of this site will introduce the following content to everyone.
Orchids are rather delicate plants, with fleshy roots that have high soil requirements. Ordinary flower nutrient soil cannot be used to cultivate orchids; special soil, known as "planting material," must be used. Therefore, orchid enthusiasts usually need to research various planting materials.
Many experienced gardeners like to use pine bark to prepare orchid planting materials, saying it is cost-effective and effective. However, some orchid enthusiasts have reported that using pine bark to cultivate orchids has caused root rot, root burn, and other issues. So, is pine bark good or bad? Why is there such a difference in reputation? Today, let's talk about this issue.
Pine bark is beneficial for the growth of orchid fungi
When buying organic fertilizer for orchids, we often see vendors advertising that their fertilizer contains xx probiotics. This is because probiotics are very important for orchids, and the probiotics beneficial to orchids are called orchid fungi. Orchids cannot grow without the help of orchid fungi, and they support each other's growth.
Well-rotted pine bark contains a large amount of organic nutrients. Orchid fungi need organic matter to reproduce, so adding some pine bark to the planting material provides a "home" for the fungi to reproduce, which has a positive effect on both the fungi and the orchids.
Pine bark retains water and is breathable
Orchid roots are aerial roots that prefer a loose, breathable, and moist soil environment. Pine bark is the outer bark of pine trees, light in texture, and has many grooves on the surface. Since it is wooden, after watering orchids, pine bark can absorb a lot of moisture inside, providing a relatively moist environment for orchids. Because pine bark has a loose and porous structure, there is a lot of air in the pores, making the planting material both moisture-retaining and breathable, which is especially suitable for orchid growth.
What is the function of using pine bark to cultivate orchids?
Pine bark contains nutrients
Pine bark is formed during the growth of pine trees and contains some of the nutrients of the pine tree. After bacterial fermentation and decomposition, the nutrients in pine bark are fully released. Using pine bark as orchid planting material allows the orchid roots to absorb the nutrients, and its gentle fertilizer effect does not burn the seedlings, which is very beneficial for the orchid plants.
Misunderstanding of use
Since there are so many benefits to using pine bark to cultivate orchids, why do some orchid enthusiasts report problems with it? In fact, the problems with using pine bark to cultivate orchids are mainly related to whether the pine bark has been fermented. The benefits mentioned above are all under the premise that the pine bark has been thoroughly fermented. Some orchid enthusiasts directly pick up pine bark from pine forests to cultivate orchids without fermentation, which not only fails to provide nutrients to the plants, but the unfermented pine bark will continue to ferment in the pot, causing the orchid roots to be burned and showing various unhealthy signs.
If you want to use pine bark to cultivate orchids, you must use well-fermented pine bark. Pine bark planting materials sold on the market are usually well-fermented and can be used directly. If you collect pine bark from the wild, it must be fermented before use: find a sealed container, spray the bark with water, put it in the container to ferment. During fermentation, ensure the environment is warm and humid, and spray water promptly when it gets dry. It can be used after 4 to 6 months of fermentation. Generally, the proportion of pine bark in planting materials is 15% to 80%.
The above (Green Plant Enthusiast Network) introduces the functions of using pine bark to cultivate orchids and shares a comprehensive method of using pine bark for orchid cultivation, hoping to solve your green plant problems.