Help, I want to use clay pot...

[DeafOrchidLover]

I do not have stove. I do know it needs to be bleach and learned that I have to heat it up. Is there other way to do it? I really want use it very much.., any advices please.. I truly do appreciate it.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[NYEric]

If you clean and use bleach or another chemical cleaner like Physan, why do you need to heat sterilize it also?

 

[gonewild]

Why do you need to sterilize it at all?

 

[mrhappyrotter]

Is this a new clay pot or are you planning to reuse the pot after there have been other plants in it?

If it's new, don't worry about sterilization.

If you had another plant in it, and are concerned about viruses or other pathogens, then unfortunately, I don't think that bleach alone is going to be good enough to completely rule out any chance of contamination.

That being said, viruses are not that common, and most anything else will be obliterated by soaking in bleach.

 

[DeafOrchidLover]

It's new, got it from walmart.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[DeafOrchidLover]

Ahh thank you so much.... So what are the pros and cons about clay pot? Someone mentioned that it could cause rot inside. Hmm. I'm very well with watering, I don't overwater, thought.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[abax]

I'm a confirmed clay pot user and I get everything out of plastic as soon as
I can. Clay pots allow air movement through the potting medium and will
stay firmly upright for tall plants too. I use clay pots with holes all around
the sides and in the bottom. Depending on your potting medium, you may
have to water a bit more using clay pots. I've never heard anything indicating
rot in clay pots. If you're worried, go to WalMart kitchen section and buy a bag
of bamboo skewers and put one skewer into each pot. When you want to know
the condition of the moisture in the potting mix, just take the skewer out and
feel the end of the skewer. Works like a charm!

Con: they break if you drop them on a hard surface and they're heavier than
plastic.

Addendum: if the pot is new, I usually soak the pot in warm water for a few minutes
before potting up.

 

[DeafOrchidLover]

I'm a confirmed clay pot user and I get everything out of plastic as soon as
I can. Clay pots allow air movement through the potting medium and will
stay firmly upright for tall plants too. I use clay pots with holes all around
the sides and in the bottom. Depending on your potting medium, you may
have to water a bit more using clay pots. I've never heard anything indicating
rot in clay pots. If you're worried, go to WalMart kitchen section and buy a bag
of bamboo skewers and put one skewer into each pot. When you want to know
the condition of the moisture in the potting mix, just take the skewer out and
feel the end of the skewer. Works like a charm!

Con: they break if you drop them on a hard surface and they're heavier than
plastic.

Addendum: if the pot is new, I usually soak the pot in warm water for a few minutes
before potting up.

Thank you sooo much. I though it's air thing that goes through. It does have holes on sides , only one hole on bottom. I've seen lot of people using clay pot, thought.. Thank you soo much. I'd have to look for terra cotta clay pot(plain) , not the shiny paint ones.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Ozpaph]

i would not soak clay pots in bleach - they will absorb some and that migh affect the roots.
If they look clean, use them. Forget about 'sterility'.

 

[DeafOrchidLover]

i would not soak clay pots in bleach - they will absorb some and that migh affect the roots.
If they look clean, use them. Forget about 'sterility'.

Thank you so much! .


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[abax]

Yes, stay away from painted or dyed clay pots. Plain terra cotta is perfect.

 

[orchideya]

I don't bleach them, just wash with dishwashing liquid and thoroughly rinse them when reusing from old plants.
I use terracota pots a lot but not for slippers,
for cattleyas and vandas with chc and for phals with sphagnum.
I grow slippers in bark mix and found that it gets too dry for slippers in terracota pots.

 

[RNCollins]

Thank you sooo much. I though it's air thing that goes through. It does have holes on sides , only one hole on bottom. I've seen lot of people using clay pot, thought.. Thank you soo much. I'd have to look for terra cotta clay pot(plain) , not the shiny paint ones.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I found some clay pots from this vendor:

http://shop.greenbarnorchid.com/category.sc?categoryId=3

 

[DeafOrchidLover]

It's for my phals, thought. Yes I have new plain clay pot, no paint nothing ... I've thought of using it for my paph maudiae red and it's bud growing now. It's in clear soft plastic pot with moss. Would it be okay if I use fir bark n moss like 50/50? I do have history of overwatering, rather be safe instead of killing my orchids. Thank you, orchideya, and RNCollins.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[NYEric]

If you overwater, as we do , that mix could be too moisture retentive to be good for your roots. We use orchiata, coarse perlite, horticultural charcoal, with moss.

 

[DeafOrchidLover]

Thank you NYEric. Yea, prob so.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Secundino]

Just remember that Phals in clay pots adhere so firmly, that in case of repotting and changing the pot, you'll damage most of the roots. Own experience! It depends a lot of the clay pots. The thin, very smooth one are easier and break easier, too) the 'robust' clay pots are much more porose and the roots adhere very strongly to them.
I like clay pots too, but just use them for orchids who love cool roots, terrestrials, Restrepia, Odonto-hybrids and so on.
Luck with your plants!

 

[DeafOrchidLover]

If you overwater, as we do , that mix could be too moisture retentive to be good for your roots. We use orchiata, coarse perlite, horticultural charcoal, with moss.

Thank you for advice, I won't overwater, thought...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[DeafOrchidLover]

Just remember that Phals in clay pots adhere so firmly, that in case of repotting and changing the pot, you'll damage most of the roots. Own experience! It depends a lot of the clay pots. The thin, very smooth one are easier and break easier, too) the 'robust' clay pots are much more porose and the roots adhere very strongly to them.

I like clay pots too, but just use them for orchids who love cool roots, terrestrials, Restrepia, Odonto-hybrids and so on.

Luck with your plants!

Thank you for advice, I did go and did researching...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk