Orchiata and Water/fertilizer

[abax]

I don't think Orchiata has actually been around for many years. I've been using Orchiata and K-Lite exclusively for
Paphs. and Phrags. for a couple of years and find it more
than satisfactory. My water is very close to neutral and I
use rain water for the Phrags. Oh, I also use K-Lite for
species and primary Phals. However, I fertilize only about twice a month this time of year.

 

[paphioland]

I don't think Orchiata has actually been around for many years. I've been using Orchiata and K-Lite exclusively for
Paphs. and Phrags. for a couple of years and find it more
than satisfactory. My water is very close to neutral and I
use rain water for the Phrags. Oh, I also use K-Lite for
species and primary Phals. However, I fertilize only about twice a month this time of year.

It has been around for at least 5 years

 

[Ray]

Orchiata has been available in Hawaii and on the west cast for a while. I started using and carrying it in April 2009, and it had been available on the east coast for a short while before that.

The proper way to use the "pour through" method of pH determination is to water the substrate completely, and let it stand for about an hour. Then, trickle a small volume of pure water (distilled, RO, etc.) over the surface of the medium, and capture the small volume that drains through for testing.

 

[paphioland]

Orchiata has been available in Hawaii and on the west cast for a while. I started using and carrying it in April 2009, and it had been available on the east coast for a short while before that.

The proper way to use the "pour through" method of pH determination is to water the substrate completely, and let it stand for about an hour. Then, trickle a small volume of pure water (distilled, RO, etc.) over the surface of the medium, and capture the small volume that drains through for testing.

Do your roots grow through the media? Do you have root bound plants ever?

 

[Ray]

Certainly they grow throughout the potting medium, and yes, the roots fill the pots quite readily.

 

[abax]

Yep! I have excellent root development all the
way to the bottom of the pot.

I didn't know Orchiata had been around that
long. I didn't know about it until Ray began
talking about it. I'm glad he did!

 

[paphioland]

Yep! I have excellent root development all the
way to the bottom of the pot.

I didn't know Orchiata had been around that
long. I didn't know about it until Ray began
talking about it. I'm glad he did!

How long have you been using it? Do the roots go to the side of the pot and down or all through the media? Most of the positive comments I hear are from people who have financial stake in orchiata. I can tell you in my experience for 4 yrs is that root growth is good in the beginning then the roots start looking to get away from the bark. They go to the sides bottom and top. I never saw this with fir bark.

 

[Ozpaph]

Certainly they grow throughout the potting medium, and yes, the roots fill the pots quite readily.

That is my experience over 2-3 yrs. Great roots. This might not be quite what you meant -


image upload with preview

 

[gonewild]

That is my experience over 2-3 yrs. Great roots. This might not be quite what you meant -

I think his question is are the roots evenly growing all through the pot. Like root bound making a solid mass of roots and not roots thick near the pot edge leaving the center of the media with few roots. Your picture tends to support his complaint that the roots are trying to get away from the bark by leaving the pot rather than filling the center. (I'm neutral on the subject but very interested in the outcome).

 

[Ozpaph]

does it matter? Good healthy roots are good healthy roots. They happen to grow out the bottom because I have them on a constantly damp surface.

 

[Ray]

I don't view roots growing around the perimeter of the pot as a negative either, and certainly don't see it as "trying to get away from the medium". Instead, I view it as a way the plant is attempting to get itself mechanically stabilized in the pot.

Orchiata is not nearly as compressible as softer ingredients, like steamed fir bark and CHC, so if used dry, or with minimal pre treatment, it may move around in the pot more easily, so cannot provide the stability the plant needs. I find that if I pour very hot water on it (not soaking, but just enough to wet it thou roughly with minimal runoff), wait 15-30 minutes, then repeat, it "opens up" the structure, making it softer and easier to pack in the pot, and it holds water better going forward.

 

[paphioland]

I think his question is are the roots evenly growing all through the pot. Like root bound making a solid mass of roots and not roots thick near the pot edge leaving the center of the media with few roots. Your picture tends to support his complaint that the roots are trying to get away from the bark by leaving the pot rather than filling the center. (I'm neutral on the subject but very interested in the outcome).

This is exactly what I'm asking. I am neutral as well. I'm hoping I don't have to chuck the rest of my pallet of orchiata.

 

[paphioland]

does it matter? Good healthy roots are good healthy roots. They happen to grow out the bottom because I have them on a constantly damp surface.

So when you repot do the roots go through out the pot? If so can you share what you put in the bark.
I think it does matter. Id rather have roots through out the whole pot. After awhile the plant stops trying to drive new roots in the medium as much as other mediums Ive used. This problem seems to be the worst for seedlings. Again this is my experience. I am going to try to add some other supplemental material to the bark in addition to the perlite charcoal and lava.

If orchiata only gets good root growth for one year through the medium then you need to repot there is not any advantage in my mind.

 

[gonewild]

I am going to try to add some other supplemental material to the bark in addition to the perlite charcoal and lava.

Commercial Phal growers add about 10% peat moss to bark. I have read and been told that this helps keep the roots in the pot as opposed to growing out looking for a more favorable environment. Rather than outward the roots grow into and fill the center of the media in theory.

We started adding peat moss and I do notice the roots do stay more in the pots. (I'm not using bark, but a similar material)

Roots not filling the center of the media may mean the media is to dense without enough ventilation. Keep in mind roots of epiphytes normally grow on living bark not dead wood.

 

[Stone]

Commercial Phal growers add about 10% peat moss to bark. I have read and been told that this helps keep the roots in the pot as opposed to growing out looking for a more favorable environment. Rather than outward the roots grow into and fill the center of the media in theory.

We started adding peat moss and I do notice the roots do stay more in the pots. (I'm not using bark, but a similar material)

Roots not filling the center of the media may mean the media is to dense without enough ventilation. Keep in mind roots of epiphytes normally grow on living bark not dead wood.

Bark is alive?

 

[Ozpaph]

So I unpotted this plant just for you, Ken.
Orchiata + jumbo perlite + some charcoal.


image hosting over 10mb

 

[naoki]

Bark is alive?

It seems weird, but bark of living trees contains living cells (under the botanical definition of bark). Technically, bark is anything outside of vascular cambium, so secondary phloems (living cells) are a component of bark. What we casually call bark is botanically "cork", which is dead cells! Pretty confusing, and its a good exam question for my intro botany class!

 

[gonewild]

Bark is alive?

When bark is attached to a living plant it is alive and growing.
When bark is detached from the plant it is dead like wood.

As dead wood decays it looses it's ability to support the orchid plant.
Roots can detect this decay and will grow "outward" in search of a solid object to anchor the plant to so the plant does not fall.

Because a mass of bark in the center of the pot is dead the roots may be growing outward and attaching to the solid pot wall rather than into the center of the mass of decaying "dead wood".

Maybe Orchiata works well because it is fortified with mineral lime and that hides the decay from the roots, tricks them into thinking the bark is actually a rock. :rollhappy:
But when the lime is finally leached out the roots leave (die and rot away).
Add another component to the bark media like perilite, charcoal, or moss and the roots feel more secure to live in the center of the pot so they stay. (I said maybe).

 

[Stone]

So I unpotted this plant just for you, Ken.
Orchiata + jumbo perlite + some charcoal.


image hosting over 10mb

Nice! What is the plant?

 

[Stone]

The outer bark on trees (the stuff we use to grow orchids) is dead. In Pinus radiata, (orchiata) anything up to 15 layers (years) thick is dead tissue. In other species it can be just a few cells thick.
It probably resists attack from bacteria because it does not stay wet for long enough on the tree. Possibly some compounds get absorbed into it from deeper tissue???? But certainly not alive.
http://www.botgard.ucla.edu/html/botanytextbooks/generalbotany/barkfeatures/fulltextonly.html