Potting Medium

[etex]

Recently potted a few paphs in a coco husk chips mix with aliflor, small sponge rock,coir, chopped spagnum, charcoal, and white marble chips sold as Paph and Phrag Mix. They rinse it several times , and report that there vendor had also washed and rinsed it several times. I soaked it overnight before potting. I notice the mix dries out faster than new bark. Maybe I should have soaked it longer? I am receiving some of my beloved complex hybrid paphs in the mail, bareroot that I want to give the best start. Do growers on this forum grow paphs in coco chips mix or had any problems with it? Or problems with any other plants grown in coco chips?

[navyderek]

I've had problems with Coco Husk in that it stays wet-as-all-getout in the middle of my larger pots. I try to avoid it......with bark chips and sphagnum I can easily tell how wet the medium is, but with coco it dries very unevenly in my conditions.

[smwboxer]

I love coco husk mix. Try keeping a scewer in it. You might find that it's not drying out as quick as you think it is.

[delphiguy]

i use coco chips for my dends and catts, and also for my non-orchids plants. I dont
usually soak them overnight, what i do is that i just soak them for a few minutes and then
squeeze them, change the water and do the process again for about 3 - 5 times.

[Brutal_Dreamer]

We use it here in most of our orchids mixes as well. For small paphs, we use the smaller pieces. Cattleyas get the large chunks as part of their mix. Just remember to soak it over night, rinse it, and soak it again. Then use the mix that floats. The stuff that sinks to the bottom will rot too quickly.

Cheers,
BD

[navyderek]

We use it here in most of our orchids mixes as well. For small paphs, we use the smaller pieces. Cattleyas get the large chunks as part of their mix. Just remember to soak it over night, rinse it, and soak it again. Then use the mix that floats. The stuff that sinks to the bottom will rot too quickly.

Cheers,
BD

Hmmm.....might be part of my problem! If I ever try it again, I'll need to do this.....

[etex]

Great information. I knew I could count on this forum. Thank you so much.