Our phrag culture

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Gilda

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North East Tennessee, Z6 , Sunroom, flourecent lig
Here is some "proof of the pudding"...we have been growing our phrags in a bark mix in a semi-hydro type plastic cup...2 holes approx. one inch from the bottom. We have been growing this way for approx 3 years. This method we utilized ,because in the winter I can not have phrags sitting in trays of water due to overwhelming humidity and the fact I have to run a dehumidifer to keep the "rain" for coming down.
We have had phenomenal results..great root growth, very little leaf tip burn if any ,blooms , multiple spikes...only positive results ! Now I know your gonna say.."but the medium breaks down too fast". Nope, the Phrag Brecko-Nitament pictured under "It's not bad getting older" has been in the same pot for 3 years..no repotting ! Pots we have undone the medium is fine...it does ot break down any faster ..go figure...maybe it's like submerged logs they find in a river that is not rotted ! When you think about this, it is the same principla as sitting in a tray of water..only the tray is not exposed to dehydration in the room.
This phrag pictured has been growing in this pot for appprox 6 months ..it is going into a qt pot because it is "drinking" the pot dry in a couple of days. They are fertlized every watering..some are under flourecent lights, some in my grow room, some in a window..all grow the same. These are all hybrids, except for a besseae(which love this method). I would not grow caudatum specie this method.

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where do you get your pots?

Dot is exactly right..this size shown came from Krogers..they are plastic drinking cups. The qt size you can find at delis(if you can get them to sell to you) chinese take out also has them or order from We Sell Coffee....23 cents for qt size...split an order with a friend, and save on shipping.
 
very interesting. I also grow several of my phrags this way (SH with bark + perlite) and they have fantastic root system !
 
Gilda, have you tried traditional S/H, using LECA instead of bark ??
I did have a few in leca...roots & growth were not as good ...those did much better after being placed in this method..I still have a giganteum that is in leca( 3/4 caudatum, right ?) it's growth is not as good either, I am thinking of placing it in this method but will let it go a little drier perhaps.
 
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Gilda I assume that being the mix is organic, you need to change it yearly due to the constant moisture, yes?

No, as I stated at the beginnng, the medium is not breaking down. The Phrag Brecko_Nitament pictured under phrag pictures subject " Getting old is'nt bad" has not been repotted in 3 years...phrags we have undone that needed repotting due to over growing their pot size the medium is fine..I know it goes against what we have been told & seen about bark mix breaking down etc.,but for us this has been a phrag growing miracle.:)
 
Well done. As I have stated before, I think the mix of materials [perlite-non moisture retaining, bark-moisture retaining] is better than leca. My experience w/most phrags grown strictly s/h has been a negative one.
 

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