As phals and phrags like a pretty constant moisture supply, misting heavily in the morning might not
be sufficient - on gray days, sure, but in sunny, warm conditions they might be dry totally be noon.

You might try filling a few pots with the gravel, put them along side of the plants and water them
via your misting. Wait a couple of hours and dump one out. If it's still damp, you're OK so far.
Wait a couple more hors and dump another, then another, etc., and you can develop a drying rate
curve for yourself. Then carefully note the conditions so you can compare it to extremes in your
normal range of growing conditions.

If you are looking for a "fast drying medium" equating it with "no root-rot," you're focusing
incorrectly on the moisture-holding capacity of the medium, rather than the airiness of it, and the
medium' tendency to decompose.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

.. . . . . . . . . . .
"Dustin " wrote in message ...
I moved several of my phals and a couple of there NOID plants that I
have into pea gravel today. Im a little leary about it though. They
will be in my shadehouse/greenhouse setup that gets sprayed very heavily
for 10 minutes every morning. I am sure it will soak them good, but I
think I will increase the amount of time to 15 or 20 minutes.

Is it possible to grow paphs or phrags in pea gravel?

Dustin



Diana Kulaga wrote:

Don't know about where you live, but here you can buy pea gravel
(called such for its size and 'smoothness' more than anything else, I
imagine) at any landscape supply

Good idea, Rob.

Diana