On 7 Jun 2006 06:59:07 -0700, wrote:

Growing Phals in chunks of chopped up kitchen sponges. Aren't they
treated with mild anti-microbials anyway ?? Me thinks this is a good
idea.


People have grown orchids in chopped up tires and everything else.
Try it. I would fear the water holding capacity might be too great.
I use plastic peanuts (shipping peanuts) to hold my Ascda. upright in
vanda baskets. I have to add moss to the top to keep the water wand
from shooting peanuts all over the gh. It also adds a bit of moisture
retention that the peanuts don't have.

Please let us know how it works.

Anyone else want to tell what unconventional 'potting mix' you use?
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/main.php

How would you grow them, in a whole sponge or would you cut it up into
blocks?

If your going to cut it up in to blocks, you could just use rockwool,
but I had no luck with phals in rockwool, too wet it kills the roots,
I think that if you wanted to grow a phal in a basket or mounted a
sponge might work to keep the moisture.

Jack

On the subject - I don't recall ever seeing anyone advocating Loofa
sponge? Has anyone tried it? I have a piece from my wife's pampering
body stuff and am thinking of mounting an Angraecum calceolus to it -
but it's the only angreacum I have and don't want to risk it yet - I'm
a chicken!
Bob

Please let us know how it works.

Anyone else want to tell what unconventional 'potting mix' you use?
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/main.php

On 7 Jun 2006 20:02:22 -0700, "bobc" wrote:

On the subject - I don't recall ever seeing anyone advocating Loofa
sponge? Has anyone tried it? I have a piece from my wife's pampering
body stuff and am thinking of mounting an Angraecum calceolus to it -
but it's the only angreacum I have and don't want to risk it yet - I'm
a chicken!
Bob

I did not use that - I used a cactus spine that I picked up in a
garden center in AZ. But the problem is they decompose faster than a
sturdy branch... and a big hanging plant on a branch is at its best
just before the branch falls apart.

Loofa can decompose quite rappidly.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/main.php