Paph potting mix items

[smartie2000]

I will contact the vendor to figure out where my coconut came from. I know someplaces have better quality. I think it is low in salt or already washed by the vendor though because I have used it straight out without washing without problem yet (at least no deaths yet).
It's coconut chucks with husks. small and medium sized is what I bought

 

[Heather]

Mahon doesn't act that way anywhere else.

I would encourage you to say that over at Orchid Source Forum and see what responses you get. :rollhappy:

 

[smartie2000]

I would encourage you to say that over at Orchid Source Forum and see what responses you get. :rollhappy:

Is he banned from that one too? I haven't registered in that one yet. I just see him in OrchidTalk and Orchid Board. I haven't been on Orchid Board for long either, and I know OrchidTalk would ban anything like this(which is why he PMed me I assume)

 

[Roy]

On CHC, here in Aust', we have about 4 or 5 suppliers of the stuff. Some of it comes in shrink rap plastic, some in open cubes. The variation in the material is vast. Dust and fines and rubbish sold as Medium Grade, fist size as coarse, very high salt content etc. It is marketed as "Mulch" or "Orchid Mix" but I think only the labels are changed for the purpose. A talk given on the product enlightened all to the fact that the raw product is stored in 'Salt' water ponds near the coast where the processing takes place. The best 'Brand' available here comes as an open cube, it still needs to be washed but the consistancy is much better than the others. One company here has now opened a processing plant in one of the producing countries "inland" and uses only "fresh" water in the processing. This will help greatly. With all this, many growers are having to learn the hard way on how to best use CHC, as a blend with other product/s or on its own ie ( loss of many plants ). Greenhouse conditions are also a factor ie, warmth, watering habits, fertilizing practice, air movement, benches open or closed, Ph alteration etc. Too much drama for me. I think that I will be relooking at the "inert" media more closly, like in Japan. I can afford to water and feed on a regular basis and it appears to be a good way as root rot is rare.?
Roy.

 

[kentuckiense]

I think that's what it all comes down to. A single type of mix isn't going to be the best in every situation. With my conditions, bark stays too wet on the bottom half and too dry on the top half. CHC just seems to be better for Paphs in my conditions.

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

CHC is far from a perfect medium. For what it does well, it does very well....I won't use anything else for epiphytic orchids (except phals, which don't seem to like it....or me either, for that matter). I use it exclusively for paphs, except for delanatii and small seedlings, which prefer bark. I soak it at least 3 times...1 gal CHC to 5 gal water...Ca nitrate and epsom salts for the 2nd soaking. That said, it is imperative that a lot of extra inert media be added to the CHC...lava rock, sponge rock, etc to keep the mix very open and aerated. Over time, the CHC holds more and more water. Although Catt's can stay in CHC for years, paphs really should be repotted yearly. The stuff just gets too saturated...but with enough extras, it can last 1.5 years. I think the problem was that because the stuff resists decomposition, it was heralded as such great stuff...paphs wouldn't need repotting for 3 years, etc...Experience has shown that its not the case. I still prefer it to bark for paphs...bark rots as well as getting water logged, and gets too acidc. On the other hand, if acidity isn't a problem, bark is better...my phrags greatly prefer bark to CHC, as does P. delanatii. Take care, Eric