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Fast drying potting media
I am looking for some suggestions on a very fast drying potting media.
The majority of my plants are mounted, probably 95% of them. I built my "shade house" a few weeks ago and I want to move the rest of my potted orchids in there. The problem is, I water the mounted plants very heavily every morning. I know this will be too much water for the plants that are potted in a fir bark mix. I was thinkiing something like aliflor or hydroton maybe mixed with perlite and some tree fern fibers? Thanks Dustin |
Fast drying potting media
Dustin wrote:
I am looking for some suggestions on a very fast drying potting media. The majority of my plants are mounted, probably 95% of them. I built my "shade house" a few weeks ago and I want to move the rest of my potted orchids in there. The problem is, I water the mounted plants very heavily every morning. I know this will be too much water for the plants that are potted in a fir bark mix. I was thinkiing something like aliflor or hydroton maybe mixed with perlite and some tree fern fibers? How about just pea gravel? If you use aliflor or one of the more porous kind of rock, you will trap moisture. A smooth gravel will dry out more quickly. Rob -- Rob's Rules: http://www.msu.edu/~halgren 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 purchase more orchids, obtain more credit |
Fast drying potting media
How about just pea gravel? If you use aliflor or one of the more
porous kind of rock, you will trap moisture. A smooth gravel will dry out more quickly. For mature Catts & Dends (and a few other things) I use plain old river rock from HD. Diana |
Fast drying potting media
Thanks for the suggestions, I will see what I can find around here.
Dustin Diana Kulaga wrote: How about just pea gravel? If you use aliflor or one of the more porous kind of rock, you will trap moisture. A smooth gravel will dry out more quickly. For mature Catts & Dends (and a few other things) I use plain old river rock from HD. Diana |
Fast drying potting media
"Dustin " schrieb im Newsbeitrag
... Thanks for the suggestions, I will see what I can find around here. Diana Kulaga wrote: How about just pea gravel? If you use aliflor or one of the more porous kind of rock, you will trap moisture. A smooth gravel will dry out more quickly. For mature Catts & Dends (and a few other things) I use plain old river rock from HD. How about looking for a river? -- Reka This is LIFE! It's not a rehearsal. Don't miss it! http://www.rolbox.it/hukari/index.html --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.654 / Virus Database: 419 - Release Date: 06.04.04 |
Fast drying potting media
Not many rivers around here, just a whole lot of sal****er. I am on the
east coast of Florida. Dustin Reka wrote: "Dustin " schrieb im Newsbeitrag ... Thanks for the suggestions, I will see what I can find around here. Diana Kulaga wrote: How about just pea gravel? If you use aliflor or one of the more porous kind of rock, you will trap moisture. A smooth gravel will dry out more quickly. For mature Catts & Dends (and a few other things) I use plain old river rock from HD. How about looking for a river? |
Fast drying potting media
Be cautious when using "gravel." Sometimes it is crushed limestone.
Paul "Diana Kulaga" wrote in message nk.net... How about just pea gravel? If you use aliflor or one of the more porous kind of rock, you will trap moisture. A smooth gravel will dry out more quickly. For mature Catts & Dends (and a few other things) I use plain old river rock from HD. Diana |
Fast drying potting media
Not many rivers around here, just a whole lot of sal****er. I am on the
east coast of Florida. So am I. I would like to find the pea stone that Rob mentioned, at a decent price, to mix with the Home Depot river rock. I can get it at various growers, but at prices more suited to folks with only a few orchids. The good news, of course, is that I can reuse the stuff after soaking in a chlorine solution and rinsing well. Diana Dustin Reka wrote: "Dustin " schrieb im Newsbeitrag ... Thanks for the suggestions, I will see what I can find around here. Diana Kulaga wrote: How about just pea gravel? If you use aliflor or one of the more porous kind of rock, you will trap moisture. A smooth gravel will dry out more quickly. For mature Catts & Dends (and a few other things) I use plain old river rock from HD. How about looking for a river? |
Fast drying potting media
Diana Kulaga wrote:
Not many rivers around here, just a whole lot of sal****er. I am on the east coast of Florida. So am I. I would like to find the pea stone that Rob mentioned, at a decent price, to mix with the Home Depot river rock. I can get it at various growers, but at prices more suited to folks with only a few orchids. The good news, of course, is that I can reuse the stuff after soaking in a chlorine solution and rinsing well. 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. If you walk in with a bucket, they might even give you some for free.... Usually they sell it by the yard, and a yard would probably keep you in business for a while. If they didn't have that particular stone available, you would be able to find something equivalent, I'm sure. Rob -- Rob's Rules: http://www.msu.edu/~halgren 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 purchase more orchids, obtain more credit |
Fast drying potting media
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 |
Fast drying potting media
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 |
Fast drying potting media
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 |
Fast drying potting media
I wasnt having a problem with rotting roots. I just wanted to be able
to water all of my plants on the same schedule that I use for my mounted plants. Only my largest phals and 4 or 5 other plants are potted and the bark stays wet for days and days. Dustin Ray wrote: 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. |
Fast drying potting media
Makes sense to me!
I visit several orchid forums, and this seemed like a familiar subject, and I apparently erroneously connected a root rot question with yours. -- Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info! .. . . . . . . . . . . "Dustin " wrote in message ... I wasnt having a problem with rotting roots. I just wanted to be able to water all of my plants on the same schedule that I use for my mounted plants. Only my largest phals and 4 or 5 other plants are potted and the bark stays wet for days and days. Dustin Ray wrote: 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. |
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