Coconut Coir
 

Has anyone grown orchids using cocnut coir as a medium? I was
wondering if it holds too much water for orchids. Thanks!
Billy Duncan
www.indoorfarmsupply.com

Alone, I find coir is too heavy for most all orchids. Mixed with CHC or bark
and/or sponge rock it's a valuable substitute for peat. It lasts longer and
drains more freely than peat. I use it in mixes for paphs, phals,
chondrorhyncha hybrids, cymbidium and zygo, miltonia and the numerous
hybrids of vuyl, odm, oda, odcdm, mtssa, wils, etc. I find it very useful
for gesneriad and fern epiphytes that pepper the greenhouse. It drains too
freely for large Boston ferns. I also find it useful adding a bit to
seedling mix to prevent seedlings from dryng out too fast before the bark
has had time to mature.
You must make sure that the coir is well washed of salts before using. I
find the easiest way is to fill an old pillowcase 1/4 to 1/3 full and put it
in a 15-20 gal bucket to soak a few hours. Let it drain in an empty bucket
awhile before repeating 2-3 more times. The last time, I soak in Physan. I
partially dry it before storing it away in covered containers. But after the
Physan soak, I've never had any problems with mold or other fungus in
storage even stored wet.
The best price I've found on coir is Rolanka, Inc near Atlanta GA. Service
was great and shipping was very reasonable.
Gary

wrote in message
oups.com...
Has anyone grown orchids using cocnut coir as a medium? I was
wondering if it holds too much water for orchids. Thanks!
Billy Duncan
www.indoorfarmsupply.com

Thanks, i'm glad you mentioned that bit about washing out the salts
first!!

If I remember correctly, the term coir refers to several products made from
the outer husk of the coconut, with the ground powder (often sold as
"coco-peat"), fiber, and chips being the most commonly used in orchid
culture.

Assuming you're referring to the first, Gary gave some good advice, and you
might also look at the article Rob Halgren and Harvey Brennaise published in
the AOS Orchids magazine:

http://www.msu.edu/user/harveyb/mud.htm

--

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


wrote in message
oups.com...
Has anyone grown orchids using cocnut coir as a medium? I was
wondering if it holds too much water for orchids. Thanks!
Billy Duncan
www.indoorfarmsupply.com

On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 12:11:06 -0800, wrote
(in article .com):

Has anyone grown orchids using cocnut coir as a medium? I was
wondering if it holds too much water for orchids. Thanks!
Billy Duncan
www.indoorfarmsupply.com

I have done, using clay pots, and those I tried, mainly Catts, seemed to
thrive as long as the water ran through quickly and they were not watered
before they had largely dried.

Tom
Walnut Creek, CA
Nikon CP 5700

Just as a note, I have been raising a number of cattleyas in what phal
growers call "mud" -- just plain, old soilless potting mix (ProMix HP
-- the HP for high porosity). They're happy as clams so long as I am
really careful about letting them dry out thoroughly before watering.

Jim

On Sat, 29 Jan 2005 18:51:59 -0800, tbell wrote:

On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 12:11:06 -0800, wrote
(in article .com):

Has anyone grown orchids using cocnut coir as a medium? I was
wondering if it holds too much water for orchids. Thanks!
Billy Duncan
www.indoorfarmsupply.com

I have done, using clay pots, and those I tried, mainly Catts, seemed to
thrive as long as the water ran through quickly and they were not watered
before they had largely dried.

Tom
Walnut Creek, CA
Nikon CP 5700

============================================
James Aldridge - Fort Worth, Texas, USA
www.JamesAldridge.com -

As long as I have come out of lurkdom I'll toss in my 2 cents. I've been
growing catts, catasetums, paphs and lord knows what else in coir since
about 2000. Its good stuff if handled well (like Jim says). Remember that
plant roots need air and you'll be OK. See the OrchidSafari archives
http://www.geocities.com/brassia.geo/OSTA.html

K Barrett

"James Aldridge" wrote in message
...
Just as a note, I have been raising a number of cattleyas in what phal
growers call "mud" -- just plain, old soilless potting mix (ProMix HP
-- the HP for high porosity). They're happy as clams so long as I am
really careful about letting them dry out thoroughly before watering.

Jim

On Sat, 29 Jan 2005 18:51:59 -0800, tbell wrote:

On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 12:11:06 -0800, wrote
(in article .com):

Has anyone grown orchids using cocnut coir as a medium? I was
wondering if it holds too much water for orchids. Thanks!
Billy Duncan
www.indoorfarmsupply.com

I have done, using clay pots, and those I tried, mainly Catts, seemed to
thrive as long as the water ran through quickly and they were not watered
before they had largely dried.

Tom
Walnut Creek, CA
Nikon CP 5700

============================================
James Aldridge - Fort Worth, Texas, USA
www.JamesAldridge.com -

It all depends on the other factors of your culture...

--

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


"K Barrett" wrote in message
...
As long as I have come out of lurkdom I'll toss in my 2 cents. I've been
growing catts, catasetums, paphs and lord knows what else in coir since
about 2000. Its good stuff if handled well (like Jim says). Remember
that
plant roots need air and you'll be OK. See the OrchidSafari archives
http://www.geocities.com/brassia.geo/OSTA.html

K Barrett

"James Aldridge" wrote in message
...
Just as a note, I have been raising a number of cattleyas in what phal
growers call "mud" -- just plain, old soilless potting mix (ProMix HP
-- the HP for high porosity). They're happy as clams so long as I am
really careful about letting them dry out thoroughly before watering.

Jim

On Sat, 29 Jan 2005 18:51:59 -0800, tbell wrote:

On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 12:11:06 -0800, wrote
(in article .com):

Has anyone grown orchids using cocnut coir as a medium? I was
wondering if it holds too much water for orchids. Thanks!
Billy Duncan
www.indoorfarmsupply.com

I have done, using clay pots, and those I tried, mainly Catts, seemed to
thrive as long as the water ran through quickly and they were not
watered
before they had largely dried.

Tom
Walnut Creek, CA
Nikon CP 5700

============================================
James Aldridge - Fort Worth, Texas, USA
www.JamesAldridge.com -

Thank you, Yoda.

Murri

"Ray" wrote in message
...
It all depends on the other factors of your culture...

--

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


"K Barrett" wrote in message
...
As long as I have come out of lurkdom I'll toss in my 2 cents. I've
been
growing catts, catasetums, paphs and lord knows what else in coir since
about 2000. Its good stuff if handled well (like Jim says). Remember
that
plant roots need air and you'll be OK. See the OrchidSafari archives
http://www.geocities.com/brassia.geo/OSTA.html

K Barrett

"James Aldridge" wrote in message
...
Just as a note, I have been raising a number of cattleyas in what phal
growers call "mud" -- just plain, old soilless potting mix (ProMix HP
-- the HP for high porosity). They're happy as clams so long as I am
really careful about letting them dry out thoroughly before watering.

Jim

On Sat, 29 Jan 2005 18:51:59 -0800, tbell wrote:

On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 12:11:06 -0800, wrote
(in article .com):

Has anyone grown orchids using cocnut coir as a medium? I was
wondering if it holds too much water for orchids. Thanks!
Billy Duncan
www.indoorfarmsupply.com

I have done, using clay pots, and those I tried, mainly Catts, seemed
to
thrive as long as the water ran through quickly and they were not
watered
before they had largely dried.

Tom
Walnut Creek, CA
Nikon CP 5700

============================================
James Aldridge - Fort Worth, Texas, USA
www.JamesAldridge.com -