Perlite is inert, Cheryl. All it does is "open" the soil, allowing more aeration and of course better drainage. Though I still use an awful lot of super coarse perlite, since I make my own potting soils (8 cu. ft. of perlite each year), I have also begun to use cypress mulch in my potting soils and in my orchid media. I buy the cypress mulch at Lowe's and it is a "clean type", with nothing added as far as I can tell. I get it in 2 cu. ft. bags and go through 6-8 bags a year. I also use cypress as my landscape mulch, but it is nothing like that I purchase bagged.

Ken I remember seeing a post by you seeking imexpensive small phals. Yesterday at HD I saw a groupf o three small phals artfully arranged in a pot for $19.98. These were very nice plants in a variety of colors. I did bring one home.

Post a photo of those plants, Gary. I am still hoping to latch on to some, but I still haven't seen them in the only big box store here that carry orchids, Lowe's. My only chance will probably be when someone happens upon them in their big box store when they are distressed (probably just through blooming), on sale, and remembers my wanting them. My wish is to have ten (or more) by spring, so that I can mount them and they have a chance to grow some roots onto the wood mounts.

Not able to do pics, but I will watch for them to be discounted. The store I saw them at had probably 25 or so pots. Very nice art shade and more common colors too. The one that attracted me most had a very nice orange and yellow candy stripe along with two purple ones. I was really impressed with the planters they had.