Does any know of a very small, ground medium to plant Phals?
Bought a plant a few years ago that was planted in that sort of
medium. It is very porous. It has been too long between replanting.

Is this sort of medium sold in small bags?

Thanks,
George

You may be talking about coconut "dust" or coir which may be used as a peat
substitute. The dust is actually finer than coir. It allows excellent water
penetration yet holds water almost as well as peat or sphagnum moss. I've
been using it experimentally for about 6 mo now and really like it alone or
in mixes. Claims are made that it lasts 3-4 years without breaking down. I
obviously haven't used it that long to know. I haven't seen it for sale in
small bags. I bought it by the block or brick from
http://www.coconutstuff.com/index.htm and was very satisfied with the
product. A block measures about 1 ft square by 4" thick and will expand to
fill a 20 gal container by adding 5-6 gal of water (makes 2.5 cu ft - a
brick makes .33 cu ft). So far, my phals love the mix as do the bletillas,
pleione, cymbidiums, zygopetalums. A coarser mix is great for odontoglossum
and most of their intergeneric hybrids (watch the water -your mix may need
more or less sponge rock). Seedlings out of flask do well in 1/3 coconut to
1/3 seedling bark mix to 1/3 perlite. Hope this helps.
Gary
"g g" wrote in message
...
Does any know of a very small, ground medium to plant Phals?
Bought a plant a few years ago that was planted in that sort of
medium. It is very porous. It has been too long between replanting.

Is this sort of medium sold in small bags?

Thanks,
George

g g wrote:
Does any know of a very small, ground medium to plant Phals?
Bought a plant a few years ago that was planted in that sort of
medium. It is very porous. It has been too long between replanting.

Is this sort of medium sold in small bags?

Thanks,
George



do a search for charley's greenhouse online. They have all sorts of
potting mixes.
Karen

Or you could be talking about Diatomite or Dyna Rok II We recently discussed
it: http://www.geocities.com/brassia.geo/0122203.html If not, it still is an
interesting idea.

K Barrett
If that link doesn't work try going in teh front door
http://www.geocities.com/brassia.geo/OSTA.html and look for the link to
Diatomite

"Gareth Wills" wrote in message
...
You may be talking about coconut "dust" or coir which may be used as a
peat
substitute. The dust is actually finer than coir. It allows excellent
water
penetration yet holds water almost as well as peat or sphagnum moss. I've
been using it experimentally for about 6 mo now and really like it alone
or
in mixes. Claims are made that it lasts 3-4 years without breaking down. I
obviously haven't used it that long to know. I haven't seen it for sale in
small bags. I bought it by the block or brick from
http://www.coconutstuff.com/index.htm and was very satisfied with the
product. A block measures about 1 ft square by 4" thick and will expand to
fill a 20 gal container by adding 5-6 gal of water (makes 2.5 cu ft - a
brick makes .33 cu ft). So far, my phals love the mix as do the bletillas,
pleione, cymbidiums, zygopetalums. A coarser mix is great for
odontoglossum
and most of their intergeneric hybrids (watch the water -your mix may need
more or less sponge rock). Seedlings out of flask do well in 1/3 coconut
to
1/3 seedling bark mix to 1/3 perlite. Hope this helps.
Gary
"g g" wrote in message
...
Does any know of a very small, ground medium to plant Phals?
Bought a plant a few years ago that was planted in that sort of
medium. It is very porous. It has been too long between replanting.

Is this sort of medium sold in small bags?

Thanks,
George