How to deal with sawdust to grow orchids (Does pine sawdust need to be decomposed to grow orchids)

Can pine sawdust be used to grow orchids?

In fact, using pine sawdust as an auxiliary material for planting orchids requires full fermentation and decomposition. The fermented sawdust has the advantages of looseness, air permeability, water permeability, moisture retention, cleanliness and light weight.

Sawdust not only contains various trace elements needed by plants, but also provides plants with a large amount of organic nutrients.

Sawdust is the debris of various woods, and its main components are cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. Cellulose and hemicellulose are easy to rot and ferment, while lignin decomposes and rots slowly.

Therefore, the fermentation process of sawdust is relatively long, and it will not ferment in the pot in a short time to generate a lot of heat and burn the root system. Therefore, unfermented sawdust can also be used in small amounts for potted flowers and trees.

However, for cultivated perennial orchids, they must be fermented and decomposed before use, which orchid lovers need to pay attention to.

Due to the wide variety of wood types, the pH value of sawdust (common pine sawdust) is also different, so it is necessary to choose the correct one.

Generally speaking, most of the sawdust from hardwoods is neutral, which is suitable for cultivating flowers and trees such as Clivia, Strelitzia, and Peony that prefer neutral soil; while the sawdust from pine is slightly acidic, which is suitable for cultivating perennial flowers such as orchids that prefer slightly acidic soil.

In short, the fermentation of sawdust can be done by retting. When the temperature gradually rises in late spring and early summer, mix 50% sawdust, 30% horse manure, and 20% weeds for pile fermentation .

First, dig a pit about 30 cm deep in a corner of the yard, place a mixture of sawdust, horse manure, weeds, etc. in the pit, pour a small amount of rice water and organic fermentation agent, and then put a thin layer of soil on the top.

During the stacking process, the pile should not be compacted too tightly. Some air should be allowed to enter, which is conducive to the activity of aerobic fungi and can accelerate the decomposition of organic matter.

Also, the pile must not be allowed to be too wet, as this will produce toxic gases, cause nutrient loss, and affect the quality of the sawdust.