What potting soil should I use for orchids?

Orchids need very well-draining and airy soil, like pine bark or pure orchid bark, because they hate waterlogging. If you can't find the specific stuff, you can also mix regular potting soil with perlite and bark to increase porosity.

Pine bark is really the foundation, but if you can find it at a normal price without getting ripped off by retailers, even better. The key thing is that water shouldn't pool up: orchid roots rot quickly if they stay wet. You can use pure bark or mix it with a bit of sphagnum moss (not too much, just 20-30%) if you live in a really dry climate and worry it'll dry out too fast. If you really can't find bark, a combo of light universal potting soil + coarse perlite + activated charcoal works, but it's not ideal.

A trick not many people know: soak the pieces of bark in lukewarm water the night before repotting. They swell up and settle better around the roots, and you reduce the risk of air drying everything out right away in the new pot. Then when you repot, the medium is already moist but not soggy, so the plant doesn't go into shock. And most importantly, pick a pot with decent drainage holes - not one of those "cute" pots without holes you find at garden centers, because you might as well be watering a bucket directly.

Honestly, orchids aren't nearly as fussy as they seem. Pure bark works fine, but frankly most people go overboard with substrate "perfection." What really matters is drainage and air circulation around the roots - if you use pine bark, sphagnum moss, and a bit of charcoal in reasonable proportions, the plant does great. You don't have to spend a fortune at the nursery on some "orchid special edition" product.

The most common mistake is watering too much, not the substrate itself. If you use something well-draining and water when the substrate is nearly dry, orchids thrive even with homemade mixes. People who say they rot easily usually water them like a regular houseplant - orchids in nature sit on tree branches, basically out in the open. So bark is a practical choice because it mimics that environment, but a balanced mix with moss and some bark works perfectly too.

Real advice? Check the pot's drainage and how moisture behaves inside. If those large bark pieces have space for air, you've already solved 90% of the problems.