|
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. |
Fast drying potting media
Diana: There's a place called Bushel Stop on W. Indiantown Rd that usually
has good prices on rock products [often cheaper than OFE for lava rock ...]. -- Kenni Judd Juno Beach Orchids http://www.jborchids.com "Diana Kulaga" wrote in message nk.net... 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
Thanks, Kenni. Found what I like at Lowe's the other day. Small, small
stone that I mix with Aliflor, or sometimes not. Most of my mature Catts and Dends are in rock or rock/Aliflor. I wouldn't do it with Phals, though, unless perhaps I had the situation that Dustin described at the beginning of this thread. Diana |
potting media
Todd,
Aren't you in Vero Beach? If so, Odom's is not far from you. As far as the peanuts, you can get 'em at Staples or other similar outlets. Diana "Orchidguy" wrote in message . .. One thing I do to save mony is to save styrofoam boards used in packing, and cut them to shape for adding extra drainage in the bottom of my orchid pots, the peanuts are cheap enough , but not having an orchid supply place close by , I have to use whatever means I can to keep my babies healthy and growing...... Bright days ! Todd |
potting media
On Tue, 13 Jul 2004 20:32:18 GMT, "Diana Kulaga"
wrote: Todd, Aren't you in Vero Beach? If so, Odom's is not far from you. As far as the peanuts, you can get 'em at Staples or other similar outlets. Diana I use them all the time. Be careful. The colored ones do not play nice. The figure 8 shape tend to collapse and get nasty. Some nice smooth S shaped ones I got once were the Corn biodegradable ones that melt when wet. Boy was that a shock. A friend had saved a whole big bag from "work" and they were all corn starch. SuE http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php |
potting media
Good point, Sue. Fortunately, I learned early on to test 'em out. The
figure 8's are usually brutal. Diana "Susan Erickson" wrote in message ... On Tue, 13 Jul 2004 20:32:18 GMT, "Diana Kulaga" wrote: Todd, Aren't you in Vero Beach? If so, Odom's is not far from you. As far as the peanuts, you can get 'em at Staples or other similar outlets. Diana I use them all the time. Be careful. The colored ones do not play nice. The figure 8 shape tend to collapse and get nasty. Some nice smooth S shaped ones I got once were the Corn biodegradable ones that melt when wet. Boy was that a shock. A friend had saved a whole big bag from "work" and they were all corn starch. SuE http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php |
potting media
Basically, the scheme behind polystyrene "peanuts" is:
white = virgin polystyrene and OK green = recycled and OK pink = coated for antistatic purposes, avoid like the plague light blue = coated to make the antistatic for handling only, apparently OK Avoid the figure-8's, avoid those that look like white/beige small dog turds. -- Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info! .. . . . . . . . . . . "Diana Kulaga" wrote in message nk.net... Good point, Sue. Fortunately, I learned early on to test 'em out. The figure 8's are usually brutal. Diana "Susan Erickson" wrote in message ... On Tue, 13 Jul 2004 20:32:18 GMT, "Diana Kulaga" wrote: Todd, Aren't you in Vero Beach? If so, Odom's is not far from you. As far as the peanuts, you can get 'em at Staples or other similar outlets. Diana I use them all the time. Be careful. The colored ones do not play nice. The figure 8 shape tend to collapse and get nasty. Some nice smooth S shaped ones I got once were the Corn biodegradable ones that melt when wet. Boy was that a shock. A friend had saved a whole big bag from "work" and they were all corn starch. SuE http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php |
potting media
I find the white polystyrene packing material broken into pieces takes some
beating,you should be able to get this anywhere, anytime. -- Thanks Keith,England,UK. "Ray" wrote in message ... Basically, the scheme behind polystyrene "peanuts" is: white = virgin polystyrene and OK green = recycled and OK pink = coated for antistatic purposes, avoid like the plague light blue = coated to make the antistatic for handling only, apparently OK Avoid the figure-8's, avoid those that look like white/beige small dog turds. -- Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info! . . . . . . . . . . . "Diana Kulaga" wrote in message nk.net... Good point, Sue. Fortunately, I learned early on to test 'em out. The figure 8's are usually brutal. Diana "Susan Erickson" wrote in message ... On Tue, 13 Jul 2004 20:32:18 GMT, "Diana Kulaga" wrote: Todd, Aren't you in Vero Beach? If so, Odom's is not far from you. As far as the peanuts, you can get 'em at Staples or other similar outlets. Diana I use them all the time. Be careful. The colored ones do not play nice. The figure 8 shape tend to collapse and get nasty. Some nice smooth S shaped ones I got once were the Corn biodegradable ones that melt when wet. Boy was that a shock. A friend had saved a whole big bag from "work" and they were all corn starch. SuE http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php |
potting media
On Wed, 14 Jul 2004 18:05:23 -0400, "Ray"
wrote: Basically, the scheme behind polystyrene "peanuts" is: white = virgin polystyrene and OK green = recycled and OK pink = coated for antistatic purposes, avoid like the plague light blue = coated to make the antistatic for handling only, apparently OK Avoid the figure-8's, avoid those that look like white/beige small dog turds. Thanks for the translation. But I beg to differ - The green are NOT OK. They killed the roots on the Ascda. It was green I was using. G Natural looking and all that. So my rule is ANY color avoid. I wonder if someone had hand sprayed the ones I got. They were recycled (how many times?) so I don't know where they came from or what treatment(s) they may have received. SuE http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php |
potting media
Todd,
Aren't you in Vero Beach? If so, Odom's is not far from you. As far as the peanuts, you can get 'em at Staples or other similar outlets. Diana "Orchidguy" wrote in message . .. One thing I do to save mony is to save styrofoam boards used in packing, and cut them to shape for adding extra drainage in the bottom of my orchid pots, the peanuts are cheap enough , but not having an orchid supply place close by , I have to use whatever means I can to keep my babies healthy and growing...... Bright days ! Todd |
potting media
On Wed, 14 Jul 2004 18:05:23 -0400, "Ray"
wrote: Basically, the scheme behind polystyrene "peanuts" is: white = virgin polystyrene and OK green = recycled and OK pink = coated for antistatic purposes, avoid like the plague light blue = coated to make the antistatic for handling only, apparently OK Avoid the figure-8's, avoid those that look like white/beige small dog turds. Thanks for the translation. But I beg to differ - The green are NOT OK. They killed the roots on the Ascda. It was green I was using. G Natural looking and all that. So my rule is ANY color avoid. I wonder if someone had hand sprayed the ones I got. They were recycled (how many times?) so I don't know where they came from or what treatment(s) they may have received. SuE http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php |
| All times are GMT +1. The time now is 04:07 PM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
GardenBanter