Can anyone recommend a good source for ready-made orchid potting mixes?

Thanks

--
Peter Aitken

Peter A wrote:
Can anyone recommend a good source for ready-made orchid potting mixes?

Thanks


Your nearest orchid nursery would be happy to sell you potting mixes in
small quantities, most likely. If you really want to mail order,
orchidmix.com is a good source, but it could get expensive if you are
shipping a long way.


--
Rob's Rules: http://littlefrogfarm.com
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a) See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to obtain more
orchids, obtain more credit

Yes Peter, Rob is correct in usually local nurseries that sell orchids
have orchid potting mix available.
Or......another place would be at your local orchid society.

--
Cheers Wendy

No Spam Email Address Invalid

Peter A wrote:
Can anyone recommend a good source for ready-made orchid potting
mixes?

Thanks

Peter, there are so many options for orchid media! I'd do some research and
decide which types are best for your plants and conditions. Google should
bring up tons of information.

Diana

"wendy7" wrote in message
...
Yes Peter, Rob is correct in usually local nurseries that sell orchids
have orchid potting mix available.
Or......another place would be at your local orchid society.

--
Cheers Wendy

No Spam Email Address Invalid

Peter A wrote:
Can anyone recommend a good source for ready-made orchid potting
mixes?

Thanks

Not only is a local nursery convenient, but they might have something more
attuned to the conditions you might have for your plants.

A good mix for a greenhouse cattleya grower in Florida is probably not
appropriate for a windowsill paph grower in Chicago.

--

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


"Rob" wrote in message
...
Peter A wrote:
Can anyone recommend a good source for ready-made orchid potting mixes?

Thanks


Your nearest orchid nursery would be happy to sell you potting mixes in
small quantities, most likely. If you really want to mail order,
orchidmix.com is a good source, but it could get expensive if you are
shipping a long way.


--
Rob's Rules: http://littlefrogfarm.com
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a) See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to obtain more
orchids, obtain more credit

In article t2cth.2573$Kf.1716@trndny07, says...
Not only is a local nursery convenient, but they might have something more
attuned to the conditions you might have for your plants.

A good mix for a greenhouse cattleya grower in Florida is probably not
appropriate for a windowsill paph grower in Chicago.


Except that the closest orchid greenhouse is a 2 hour drive!

--
Peter Aitken

Without any particulars on your orchids, a basic bark mix is available
at most box stores that sell orchids. Locally Walmart stocks Schultz.
Lowes stocks Better-gro, New Zealand sphagnum as well as other orchid
suplies. Both bark mixes are roughly 5 parts bark, 1 part perlite, 1
part charcoal. That works well for most epiphytics.

Terrestrial and Semiterrestrials may need an ammendment. A 60-40 (or
70-30) bark mix with African violet mix or a better potting mix
(Miracle grow or Moisture control) have worked well for me in the past.
It isn't complicated and any potting medium you select will need to be
soaked before you repot into it anyway.

Otherwise, an online search of ingredients you may want to use will
give several sources. Most will have a mix available as well as
individual ingredients. Shipping charges will often exceed the cost of
small quantities of the mix. Specialty mixes, i.e. Coco husk chips
(CHC), coir fiber, Clay aggregates for Semi-hydro (S/H), coarse
perlite, or charcoal isn't readily available at the box stores.

I've ordered different potting mediums from different suppliers because
they specialize and I get better value. Even if you could get to a
garden center that had supplies for orchids, the prices may be higher
because of the quantities they order and the shipping prices they pay.

The big issue is whether you can match whatever you use to your growing
conditions, or reverse that statement. Do whatever you do, evaluate
the progress and refine it based on your results. It's embarassing to
have an orchid grow on the compost bin after you threw it out because
you were sure it was dead from your best intentions.

Best wishes,

Nancy


Peter A wrote:
Can anyone recommend a good source for ready-made orchid potting mixes?

Thanks

--
Peter Aitken

On Mon, 22 Jan 2007 23:47:37 GMT in t2cth.2573$Kf.1716@trndny07 Ray B wrote:
Not only is a local nursery convenient, but they might have something more
attuned to the conditions you might have for your plants.

A good mix for a greenhouse cattleya grower in Florida is probably not
appropriate for a windowsill paph grower in Chicago.

OTOH, some folks on this group sell a couple options
for potting media that seem to work well for many people in
many locations.

Speaking of which, all of the tolumnias are much happier in
the epiweb the wife got me for xmas than the spagnum that
C&H likes to put them in.
--
Chris Dukes
elfick willg: you can't use dell to beat people, it wouldn't stand up
to the strain... much like attacking a tank with a wiffle bat