Misting question

[Jane]

I just replanted a phal. The planting medium that I got is some kind of bark chips. It appears to dry out very quickly and when I water it, the water just runs out the bottom immediately.

The plant is doing fine. It has a flower spike that is growing so the replanting when well.

Should I mist the wood chips? I'd rather not start misting the plant because I have had really good luck with the other five plants that I have and I've never done any misting.

I'm just concerned that this repotted plant is drying out too quickly.

By the way - I LOVE this newsgroup. You guys have given me such great advice and I'm slowly becoming addicted to the wonderful plants.

[SuE]

Let the water run. Make sure the wood chips on all sides of the pot have a chance to get moist. The water going thru just says that you have good air space in the pot. Air is important to the roots. You may have to check this one more often. It may take extra watering. Use a bamboo Bar-B-Q stick and see if the bottom of the pot is damp before re-watering. Stick it in and let it sit for 30 seconds to a minute. When you remove it does the bottom appear damp? Then wait at least a day to water. Also check the weight of the pot. You will become accustomed to the heavy wet pot and the light dry pot.

Next time soak the bark chips over night or for at least an hour, then drain and use to pot the plant. You can use warm water to facilitate a more rapid absorption during this soak. Some bark will not absorb water if it is bone dry, thus pre-wetting with a soak breaks the 'bone dry' cycle. SuE