papheteer
Well-Known Member
At least you're not using it on other orchids.
On the use of CHC as substrate
- Thread starter Brabantia
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At least you're not using it on other orchids.
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Eric Muehlbauer
Guest
Compost....hmmm.....all my bark based media either goes into the composter or is used as a mulch on my rhododendrons. CHC just gets dumped over the side of my deck. I don't compost it, as it doesn't break down in the compost. Note: stuff that breaks down readily in an orchid mix doesn't necessarily break down in compost. For those of us who've been in this hobby for many years- remember the cork chip mixes? They were so highly touted...until people actually used them and found that they rotted super fast? Well, if I toss wine corks in my compost, they never, ever, break down...so I stopped doing that. Wine corks in my vandas? They disappear ....It must be the fertilizer. Take care, Eric
papheteer
Well-Known Member
Back to CHC. I do have some plants in CHC. I find plants that tolerate higher pH and more minerals do better in it, like my parvis. No stunting so far.
TheLorax
Awardless studette
Come to think of it, you're right. The wine corks never do decompose in the composter. I still find them out in flower beds from time to time along with the tops of pineapples and avocado pits. Those don't decompose either. Doesn't really matter if everything I offer to the compost gods fully decomposes or not for what I'm using it for. The big problem with composting old medium for me is the perlite in any mixes. That stuff doesn't look the greatest in my flower beds and if we get heavy rains it sort of floats to the edge of the bed and looks like snow. Then I have to bend over and try to scoop it out with my hand from where it has collected.
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Bolero
Guest
I have written an email to a number of nurseries that I deal with and they haven't noticed any stunting problems yet. Some have been using it for a long time and some for a short time. I guess time will tell.
I don't often fertilise though and they suggested that for the 2 plants that have stunting (were stunted before CHC) that perhaps I haven't fertilised enough so I thought I would increase over the rest of summer slightly the regularity with which I do it. Maybe this will fix it and maybe it won't.......will let you know the outcome.
I don't often fertilise though and they suggested that for the 2 plants that have stunting (were stunted before CHC) that perhaps I haven't fertilised enough so I thought I would increase over the rest of summer slightly the regularity with which I do it. Maybe this will fix it and maybe it won't.......will let you know the outcome.
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goldenrose
Guest
I've known of some that grow vanda alliance & use them exclusively as the media!
Roth
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It is unlikely to solve the problem actually. Do they have picture of their growing area out of curiosity, especially for paphiopedilum ?
I remember those following pictures posted by a CHC promoter. To me the plants looks at least unhealthy...
http://merklesorchids.com/1Images/1JPEGS/paphorchilla.jpg
Note the dehydrated, dull, yellowish looking leaves ( Flowering is very nice, but has nothing to do with the plant healthiness)
http://merklesorchids.com/1Images/10JPEGS/paph_purpuratum.jpg
The chlorosis ( I will post pictures later of my purpuratums, very dark green leaves in high light). To many people some years ago those two plants looked 'wonderfully grown', whereas they are not at all.
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Bolero
Guest
I'm not sure they have pictures of their growing areas. I honestly don't think many of mine have an issue with the stuff (maybe one or two do though).
I will keep an eye on them and continue doing my research on it. Who knows, next time I repot I will change to something else but it will need to be better than bark for my growing conditions.
I will keep an eye on them and continue doing my research on it. Who knows, next time I repot I will change to something else but it will need to be better than bark for my growing conditions.
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Ed M
Guest
Hi. Actually, those are very old photographs on my website and they pre-date my use of CHC potting media. Those plants in the photos were potted in a fir bark mix at the time. In addition, the "chlorosis" and dryness in the leaves is not actual but rather an artifact of my poor photographic and uploading skills at that time. These plants are currently very healthy and happy. However, I did have some problems starting about two years ago when I over-applied Physan. I found that repotting of the affected plants into fresh mix turned them right around.
I currently use a mix of CHC, charcoal, and spongerock...heavy on the charcoal. I think its 7 parts CHC, 3 parts charcoal, 1 part spongerock.
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Eric Muehlbauer
Guest
This thread has gotten me inspecting my paphs very carefully....and I'm definitely noticing some patterns. Most paphs do fine in CHC....particularly parvi's and most of the multiflorals, insigne and its relatives do fine as do the complex paphs...but....the Maudiae types are the ones that are bleaching. Not only that, but their hybrids do just as badly, even when crossed with parents that love CHC...philipinense thrives in CHC even with no repotting (blooming is another story though....) as do its hybrids...but the crosses with mastersianum and Maudiae hybrids tend to bleach. lowii doesn't seem to appreciate CHC, and haynaldianum doesn't grow as well as it did in bark...although hybrids aren't affected in the same way as Maudiae hybrids. So...I'm gradually going to repot many of my paphs...the ones that are fine in CHC will stay there, the others will be shifted into bark...yet again....Take care, Eric
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goldenrose
Guest
Ed M your animated avatar is darling!
NYEric
Well-Known Member
Repot!??
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Eric Muehlbauer
Guest
OK...yesterday I did a load of repotting. My Maudiae types had lousy roots in CHC...bottom roots were dead, in many cases all were dead, but in most there were live roots at the top. These were all repotted into bark. The cochlo's I repotted had good roots, growing normally, so I potted them back into CHC. I wonder if its a pH issue. Through all my years of bark growing, I got into the habit of adding Pro-Tekt to raise pH in my fertilizer....I add only a trace since I switched to MSU, but it may be just too basic for the barbata paphs in CHC....Take care, Eric
Scooby5757
lightly hirsute
What about mixing CHC into a bark mix? I swear I just read this whole post, but I don't remember reading it. I grow underlights and watering isnt an easy task (I imagine NYEric has some idea what Im talking about) and I appreciate how the CHC holds more moisture than the bark, because for years of reading "Don't over water" I was/maybe still am an under-waterer. I know sphag as a addition might do the same thing, but it breaks down fast and I can't stand how messy it can be. Does using, lets say, 3 parts bark to 1 part CHC help diffuse the problem enough.
On a side note - Crap, now i gotta go buy bark. I thought i was all cool and moving into the 21st century with my CHC.
On a side note - Crap, now i gotta go buy bark. I thought i was all cool and moving into the 21st century with my CHC.
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Corbin
Guest
This is interesting. This past summer after my Maudiae orchids finished blooming I potted one of them in CHC. Within a couple months the new growth started becoming very pale (as in cream colored) and the leaves of the new growth started twisting. When I became convinced it was the CHC I re-potted in bark. The new leaves are still twisted but the color is very slowly returning to the proper color. The one that I did not put in CHC has a spike that is about 4" tall while the one that was in CHC has a sheath that is just barely discernible down among the leaves.
I will point out that they are two different Maudiae types but last year they bloomed within a week of one another.
I use a mix 50/50 bark CHC and a little charcoal to grow all my paphs and phrags. I sprinkel them two times per week in spring and one time in winter. I prefer also CHC versus sphagnum because CHC are more rigid.
NYEric
Well-Known Member
I went away from bark mix after reading about problems when the mix breaks down. Now I'm going to start adding a little to the mix, the problem is which type of bark? Also is Reptibark suitable? I'm sure there are some chemicals added to it.
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Eric Muehlbauer
Guest
Reptibark is the same bark sold for orchids...just more expensive. I look for Sequoia brand bark, rather than Rexius. I've had horrible experiences with Rexius, but that was many years ago...maybe now they've fixed it. Take care, Eric
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