Do you HAVE to use polystrene chips when repotting an Orchid?
NO. You do not need polystyrene peanuts at the bottom of your orchid pot. As a matter of fact I would advise against it. The potting medium should be all the same – from top to bottom. Many but NOT ALL ‘greenhouses’ and ‘nurseries’ use the polystyrene peanuts to save money on their potting media. If you purchased a packaged ‘orchid mix’, it will be all you will need to have healthy beautiful orchids. I have collected seven orchids over the years and the ‘orchid mix’ is what I have been using for years – sometimes I will plant them in straight shredded/chipped redwood bark. My orchids bloom every year – sometimes twice a year (rarely).
