| The debate continues; many
growers advocate putting some sort of drainage material in the bottom of
orchid pots whereas others prefer to fill the whole pot with medium. Although
the choice is ultimately yours, we recommend that you use drainage.
The purpose of putting pieces of broken crock in the bottom of orchid pots is to prevent the medium from compacting and blocking the drainage holes. It also serves the purpose of providing air space to the critical interior of the pot. Indeed certain pot manufacturers have created pots with drainage built right in as upside-down slotted cones. This consideration is more important as pot size increases and becomes critical when growing specimen-size plants. The interior of a 12" pot can become very dank if no drainage is provided. Any coarse, inert, inorganic material can be used as drainage with broken clay pots (sterilized), styrofoam peanuts and landscape lava rock all being good choices. Lighter materials are good way to lighten large specimen plants and heavier drainage like smooth river rock can add stability to a Phal. or Dendrobium in a plastic pot. The most important qualities are that the material is coarse enough to provide adequate air space and that it does not break down.
clockwise from top left: landscape lava rock, broken clay pots (crock), styro packing peanuts |
