Hello From the Beautiful Missouri Ozarks

[SunsetChris]

So happy to find this forum. I have been growing orchids for the last 38+ years and just the last few years have become interested in paphs and phrags. I need to repot a couple of my phrags and wondered if anyone has a favorite "recipe" for a good potting mix?
I have grown orchids from Ohio to Savannah and Germany. Retired now back to the Ozarks and loving it. I have approximately 200 orchids. I have a small greenhouse for most of the orchids, but also have a sunroom and two light tables. I have a Bimini Orchidarium and have two of my phrags in it.
I had tried paphs and phrags in the past and they did not like my softened water. I lost two beauties before I realized the problem. I now buy "drinking" water by the gallon for the few phrags that I have in my collection.
Any suggestions as to a favorite potting mix for phrags would be most welcome.
So happy to be a member of this forum!
Chris

 

[big923cattleya]

Welcome welcome welcome!!!
You may find as many slipper media recipes as you find slipper growers.
I basically use two recipes myself. For smaller species like the brachypetlaum group and Phrags like besseae, I use a mix of about 2/3 fine bark or orchiata. I add some fine perlite and charcoal. Both of those in my care enjoy more frequent waterings.
For some larger Phrags and Strap leafed Paphs. I incorporate some medium grade bark and even medium grade charcoal and perlite. My percentage of fine bark drops to around 25%. Those for me seem to enjoy a more complete drying between waterings.
My fertilizer is 20-20-20 with micro-nutrients and I add a little extra calcium and magnesium. I fertilize with three waterings and at the fourth watering I use just plain water.
I buy the ingredients in bulk and mix accordingly.
Enjoy!!!
And again, welcome!

 

[GuRu]

Hello Chris and a warm welcome to ST from Germany.

 

[SunsetChris]

Hello Chris and a warm welcome to ST from Germany.

Thank you! Love your beautiful country.

 

[NYEric]

Welcome from NYC. We grow a few Phrags. I'm slowly moving them from bark into a non-organic mix of growdan cubes, coarse perlite, leca clay balls, and diatomite in semi-hydro pots.

 

[SunsetChris]

Welcome from NYC. We grow a few Phrags. I'm slowly moving them from bark into a non-organic mix of growdan cubes, coarse perlite, leca clay balls, and diatomite in semi-hydro pots.

 

[SunsetChris]

Thank you! I am not familiar with growdan cubes. I did find them for sale. Do you just cut them into cubes and mix all together? I have some semi hydro pots that I could use.
Thank you!

 

[Duck Slipper]

Hello from Kentucky!!

 

[Ray]

I had tried paphs and phrags in the past and they did not like my softened water. I lost two beauties before I realized the problem. I now buy "drinking" water by the gallon for the few phrags that I have in my collection.

Phrags can really benefit from pure water, maybe more than most other orchids, but they all do.

It was likely the sodium chloride in the softened water that was your prior issue, but "drinking water" may-or may not be particularly "pure". For about less that $100, you can pick up an "RO Buddie" reverse osmosis system (not one with a deionizing filter afterwards), and pay pennies a gallon for pure water.

Thank you! I am not familiar with growdan cubes. I did find them for sale. Do you just cut them into cubes and mix all together? I have some semi hydro pots that I could use.
Thank you!

The Grodan Mini-Cubes I sell are 1 cm on a side, and while I may mix them (~25%) with LECA for some plants, all my phrags are in semi-hydroponics.

 

[SEMO-Cypr]

Hey Chris! I technically live in the Ozarks, but here in Southeast Missouri they are more rolling hills near the Mississippi.

In regards to mixes, I’ve had success with a couple different mixes and really depends on your schedule and how often to can water and what you are keeping your humidity and temps at. I grow in a grow tent and have humidity 80% during the day and goes up to 90+ at night sometimes with a lot of air movement. Winter temps L55-H68 and summer L80-H85+sometimes hard to bring temps down in grow tent in the basement garage.

I use a mix of equal parts of chopped sphag, fine fir bark, fine charcoal, and little perlite. Some species I’ll add some calcium carbonate powder. I also have some in an equal mix of fine fir bark, charcoal, perlite. I also have a few in semi hydro with only leca. They all do great. I keep them all in trays and top water everything and leave the water in the bottom of the tray. 1/2-1” when I water next 7-10 days later the tray is dry and I do it again. In winter I’ll go 10-14 days when it’s really cold or just do a light watering.

I have also found that when I switched from using softened well water 300ppm to my rain barrel my plants exploded in growth. Being east of most of the Ozarks my PPM ranges 6-15 to a high of @25 in spring when there is LOTS of pollen or an extended dry spell and then my water is literally yellowish/brown. I figure it’s natures fertilizer. I picked up my rain barrel for about $75 and it holds 65gallons. Almost always gets me through dry spells.

If you’re closer to SEMO than Springfield let me know and we could swap some divisions sometime if you’d like. All the best!

Jason

 

[SunsetChris]

Thank you for the information! I live on the Springfield side of the Ozarks!

Phrags can really benefit from pure water, maybe more than most other orchids, but they all do.

It was likely the sodium chloride in the softened water that was your prior issue, but "drinking water" may-or may not be particularly "pure". For about less that $100, you can pick up an "RO Buddie" reverse osmosis system (not one with a deionizing filter afterwards), and pay pennies a gallon for pure water.

The Grodan Mini-Cubes I sell are 1 cm on a side, and while I may mix them (~25%) with LECA for some plants, all my phrags are in semi-hydroponics.

Thanks! I will have a look.

 

[SunsetChris]

Thank you for the information! I live on the Springfield side of the Ozarks!

Thanks! I will have a look.

How long do the Grodan Mini-Cubes last when used in semi-hydro? I have used LECA and know it lasts for ever.
Thanks for the information on RO. I may get one, but not sure where I would put it.....

 

[Ray]

How long do the Grodan Mini-Cubes last when used in semi-hydro? I have used LECA and know it lasts for ever.

Generally, I don't use rockwool cubes in S/H culture. The only necessity for it I've seen is when your RH os so low that it dries out the LECA too fast, then, keeping a layer on the top moist can slow the evaporation rate from the LECA.

Grodan rockwool is basalt rock that has been melted and spun into fiber; it will not decompose.

Thanks for the information on RO. I may get one, but not sure where I would put it.....

The one I was referring to is compact and not meant to be mounted. Instead, you use it to fill up some jugs with pure water then put it away until next time.

 

[hkunberger]

Hello and welcome from Virginia!

 

[southernbelle]

Hey Chris! I technically live in the Ozarks, but here in Southeast Missouri they are more rolling hills near the Mississippi.

In regards to mixes, I’ve had success with a couple different mixes and really depends on your schedule and how often to can water and what you are keeping your humidity and temps at. I grow in a grow tent and have humidity 80% during the day and goes up to 90+ at night sometimes with a lot of air movement. Winter temps L55-H68 and summer L80-H85+sometimes hard to bring temps down in grow tent in the basement garage.

I use a mix of equal parts of chopped sphag, fine fir bark, fine charcoal, and little perlite. Some species I’ll add some calcium carbonate powder. I also have some in an equal mix of fine fir bark, charcoal, perlite. I also have a few in semi hydro with only leca. They all do great. I keep them all in trays and top water everything and leave the water in the bottom of the tray. 1/2-1” when I water next 7-10 days later the tray is dry and I do it again. In winter I’ll go 10-14 days when it’s really cold or just do a light watering.

I have also found that when I switched from using softened well water 300ppm to my rain barrel my plants exploded in growth. Being east of most of the Ozarks my PPM ranges 6-15 to a high of @25 in spring when there is LOTS of pollen or an extended dry spell and then my water is literally yellowish/brown. I figure it’s natures fertilizer. I picked up my rain barrel for about $75 and it holds 65gallons. Almost always gets me through dry spells.

If you’re closer to SEMO than Springfield let me know and we could swap some divisions sometime if you’d like. All the best!

Jason

May want to have each in its own saucer/tray. Having plants in shared run off will spread viruses. I have had some virused phrags.

 

[southernbelle]

How long do the Grodan Mini-Cubes last when used in semi-hydro? I have used LECA and know it lasts for ever.
Thanks for the information on RO. I may get one, but not sure where I would put it.....

Many sit under the sink.mine does and makes 3 gal/hr. R/O

 

[SunsetChris]

May want to have each in its own saucer/tray. Having plants in shared run off will spread viruses. I have had some virused phrags.

Thanks! That is good to know! I am dealing with box store phals now with virus! I hate to toss them, but afraid to get them near other orchids.

 

[NYEric]

Grodan cubes come in bags of small cubes, as well as other sizes. We mix with the other naterial and it looks like this after a while.