coconut fibers as media

[Halloamey]

I am another staunch advocate of coco husk chips. Except for the yearly repotting (which I love to do) I have found no other problems. I have never had problems with the husk accumulating salt etc. If you have problems with the drying, simply use bigger chips and mix in some charcoal or LECA., as for tipping, I always secure my plants to a supporting rod, tied with wire to the pot base, this way the plants remain erect and there is no tipping over.

[stefpix]

I left chips in a bucket of water for weeks and no mold / foul smell as it could happen with bark.

I started growing orchids by buying closeout dendrobiums for a buck at the home improv store. the one that was potted in a chopped coco husk [not chips but slices] is the one that is thriving.
In my apt gets dry and hot in the winter.
old bark smells moldy, never get that with coco husks.
actually if potted in clay it can dry in a couple of days.

[BearWithMe]

Not new, but this is a great discussion! I have not used coconut husks, but they are interesting because of the environmental issue. I have used coconut fiber for seed starting, both as a replacement for peat moss and for peat pots, and I liked it a lot. A little different, but not difficult. That was tomatoes, beans, and peppers, not orchids of course. If I can find some good coconut fiber medium I might try. I have lots of clay pots I can break to weigh down the bottoms of containers.