urethane foam

[Hien]

Recently I repot some of the new GNYOS purchased plants (which I guess originally from Hawaii). I found pieces of what look like urethane foam around some of the roots (the very tiny cell foam type that you see with electronic/camera merchandise shipping)
Does anyone use these as medium? specially for seedling?
And if you do, what is the benefit or draw back?

 

[likespaphs]

it may have been a product called oasis or something similar...
i've never used it for orchids, but it's great for rooting other plants

 

[NYEric]

I've had some plants w/ foam pellets in the bottom of the pot. They take up space.

 

[Candace]

Hien, I've also received quite a few plants with this oasis type product in it. You said it, many Hawaiian growers are using it. I think it would cut down on labor costs for them. It doesn't rot so can they can pot up a plant to the next pot size in organic medium, withough removing the oasis, and sell out the door quickly. Most of the ones I've repotted have an inner oasis and then the next potting is done in an organic mix around it. Either spag. or a bark mix. I've also noticed that most of the roots that are in the oasis are usually dead and the outer roots in the mix are what are alive.