"Reka" wrote in message
...
Reka wrote:
Mick Fournier wrote:

http://www.northcoastjournal.com/041405/cover0414.html


It's also called "Palco wool", so try contacting Palco:
http://www.palco.com/

Also known as "gorilla hair" and used as mulch. Try your local garden
center!

--
Reka

That's what I was going to add. Its commonly used here in Calif. as weed
block in layers 3-4 inches thick in garden beds, and therefore is rather
cheap when bought in bulk.

Mick,
I have 2-3 chinese cymbidiums in the stuff, a mini cattleya (a yellow Hazel
Boyd) and 2 miltoniopsis. Fordyce was trying some other of his catts in it,
but hasn't madeup his mind about it. I think I had a few oddball species in
it. It is acidic. Very acidic. Its the only thing that has kept the new
growths of the Hazel Boyd from damping off. Whether that because it drains
so fast or what I don't know...but there you are. The miltonias hate it.
The chinese cyms haven't really responded well to it either. The Disa
growers use it in their mix, they put it on a blender to make a fine grind
of the stuff and then add perlite and charcoal (?) (don't quote me on the
last..if you are interested I'll look up their recipe for you) but they use
it because (being redwood) it doesn't break down fast in Disa's wet
conditions.

So IMHO there are better mediums out there, but YMMV. Try it on a few
plants and see how it works for you.

K Barrett