Can you define that?It's very nice for repotting.
Sure. First thing is that I keep forgetting that we're supposed to be talking about paphs. This time I'm preparing it for a cattleya that needs repotting. If I were using medium bark and charcoal for a big paph to go in a larger pot, I'd do the same thing. Second, I grow in my house, not a greenhouse. It's dry this time of year. Even running humidifiers and trying to remember to keep doors closed, humidity doesn't rise much above 40 except on the odd day. Not terrible but one likes to help it when possible. That extra little surface conditioning on the bark helps the pot remain humid longer, without watering. i could be wrong, but to me this seems better for roots than going continuously from dry to wet with not much in between. Third, I don't "cook" it really. After hand sieving it to get rid of the dust and other stuff that tends to fall to the bottom, I put it in a stock pot in cold water, bring up to simmer, take it off the heat, cover and let sit for a few minutes. I drain and cool it on toweling and it's ready. Quick and easy. No excess water, surface tension is gone, structural integrity is maintained, and it pots up nicely and is more supportive for the new plant with some of the harder shaper edges softened up. It offers instantly humid conditions with no excess water inside the pot. I'm aware that in some conditions, bark breaks down faster than a grower might wish (hence the popularity of Orchiata(?) That isn't a problem for me. Anyway that's my thinking FWIW. Thanks.Can you define that?
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