The main purpose with cultivating in a non-decomposing substrate, is the fact that plants in general, and orchids above all are not dependent on the substance they are growing in, in order to provide water and nutrition support. The substrate only serves as an intermediary for it.

In many cases the substrate can be a major problem factor for the plant due to dangerous substances and gas produced while decomposing. Also the traditional substrate is an inhabitat for several noxious bugs. When cultivating in a non-decomposable material You avoid these negative factors. Essentialy, this kind of material has an ability to intermediate nutrition and water and to give structure. And also that these characteristics are maintained under a longer period of time. A growth substrate that changes when time pass results in continous alteration in the abilitys for waterkeeping, releasing of nutrition and air supply. The irrigation and nutrition patterns that initially was correct will be altered to.

The grower will probably not discover this in time and will get a growth rate decrease. In worstcases he will lose plants. If You have a substrate with invariable characteristics, that maintain the same abilitys You´ll get a lot of advantages. The grower will learn the plants irrigation intervals and nutrition concentrate etc.