[quote="PamelaLynn77"]<snip>
I decided what soil mix I wanted to use. Im going to use a simple mix I got for orchid its mixed with some mulch looking wood chips and I added a little vermiculite and just very little soil is in this mix..
Being Very new to orchids myself, the one thing I ask you is please do not use regular soil with orchids even a small about. Potting soil contains Peat moss. Peat moss is sphagnum moss that has basically rotted and compacted over time. While they both retain moisture, they are different. Its like the difference between a sand shovel and a snow shovel. They're both are shovels and useful but not interchangeable
All plants need air to get at their roots because they do a certain amount of gas exchange through their root system besides anchoring the plant and/or gathering water/nutrition. Orchids have evolved to need more those air spaces for their roots to "breath" than a typical tropical house plant. If you put potting soil in the media it first fills in those air spaces so less air get to the roots and it holds more moisture which everyone has explained causes your roots to rot.
