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#1
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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 |
#2
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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 |
#3
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Thanks, i'm glad you mentioned that bit about washing out the salts
first!! |
#4
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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 |
#6
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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 - |
#7
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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 - |
#8
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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 - |
#9
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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 - |
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