phrag potting questions

[cnycharles]

I've got a few phrags I'd like to repot, but am not sure about what media to use, considering that these plants are in my ebb-flood tank (it waters a few times a day). I have a few slippers, but they are definitely outside of my experience set (both paphs and phrags) so need some advice

plants are:

phrag pearcii - this plant is in spagnum but I see some growths looking unhappy at the base of the growth

phrag schlimii - I think I need to move this one out of the tank that has incan treasure in it, since the i.t. is a feed-hog I give it more but then the excess goes into the common water and I think this is poisoning the schlimii (which is now in small lava stone, charcoal and sponge rock). maybe I just have to flush the schlimii pots with clean water more often

phrag d'allesandroi x kovachii small seedling - this plant is in some chopped sphag, but don't know if I should have some higher pH stuff since it has kovachii in it's background?

phrag besseae flava

phrag sargentianum x besseae

phrag d'allesandroi

phrag ecua-bess

phrag sedenii


I also have two paphs I'd like to repot, these are under lights, no auto irrigation (regular pots and watering)

niveum

emersonii

thanks in advance
charles

 

[lindafrog]

when I was growing and sell phrags I used these basic rules,

Keep them in a small pot, water them alot, with the best water you got.Phrags love drainage so I used large chunks of perlite in the bottom for seedlings, hydite would be good for larger plants.. The potting mix was a mix of good grade fir bark,and/or coconut chips, charcoal, perlite and a bit of coconut peat. I added some bird grit gravel for calicium, green sand is also good. You want a loose well drained mix that will accept freguent watering. If I was making up flask to seedling mix I would cut the coconut into smaller chips.
Hope this helps... Happy growing -Phrags are beautiful plants worth the effort!
Lindafrog:rollhappy:

 

[Rick]

I think this group of phrags would be good candidates for semi-hydro.

I have longifolium, pearcei, caricinum, and richteri in SH. I also had a schlimii cross in it that did great. Besseae and its hybrids should also do good in it.

I also have pearcei in sphag moss. Long petaled species in bark mixes.

Marilyn LeDeux uses a bark mix not unlike LindaFrogs, but she adds a dash of bonemeal for her calcereous addition.

I have emersonii in a chc based mixed (heavy on the perlite), with a dash of oyster shell.

I've used similar for brachies in general, but I do have a good growing niveum in a "fasfa" (like potting soil) mix. I only pot water once a week on that one.

 

[NYEric]

I have a some Leca, you want 1/2 CF or so?

 

[cnycharles]

I've got more than I need (leca) but thanks. maybe if I take up hunting with a slingshot...

 

[NYEric]

It's too light, doesnt fly far!

 

[cnycharles]

ah, you've been testing it on the squirrels that get after your cyps?