Coir pots

[Katherine]

I am very curious about Coir pots. They seem very sensible for phal, oncidiums, and probably many others. I can see using Sphagnum moss and the Coir pots for great aeration.

I would like others opinion on this, I desperately need to buy my first batch of pots and really have no idea....

Also, what do you think of the clear plastic pots? I have heard some negative comments because the inside of the pots turn green.

[catttan]

Sorry Katherine can't help you as I'm not familiar with coir pots. Coco coconut coir is used quite extensively here for young plants as they don't stay in the medium for any considerable amount of time before they are transplanted. The medium tends to rain too much moisture in our growing conditions and causes a lot of problems for the root system. I don't like to grow mature plants in the coco coir but prefer the better drained charcoal pieces. Yes the inde walls of clear plastic pots turn green with the growth of algae; unsightly yes but harmful... not sure.

[eircsmith]

“cattan” I totally agree with you. Coco coir is quietly extensive for young plant as they don’t stay in medium of growth for any considerable time.

[tucker85]

The coir pots that are made with some type of resin mixed in are fine but they're basically just like plastic pots. They're hard to the touch and relatively airtight. The pots made with loose coir fibers often have a piece of plastic in the middle of two layers of coir. The problem with those pots is that the roots get into the loose coir fiber and it's impossible to remove them. Orchids will grow in coir pots but I never found any advantages to using them over other pots.
As for clear plastic pots. I use clear plastic pots for phals and I've had very good results with them. For pots 4" and up, I use clear plastic with slots in the sides. Plastic holds the right amount of moisture for phalaenopsis under my growing conditions. The clear sides allow me to see what's happening with the roots instead of guessing. I can also tell how much moisture is in the pot by the color of the roots. I've found I have good success with phals growing them in the smallest clear plastic pot that the roots will comfortably fit in. The plastic pot can be slipped inside a ceramic pot when the plant is in bloom and I want to display it. I don't use plastic pots for orchids that like to dry out, like cattleyas.

[eircsmith]

Thanks “tucker85” for sharing informative information about coir pots which can be beneficial in future.

[eircsmith]

You should prefer Coir pots for orchids. Coir pots show higher resistance to mold; so no fungicide is needed and the pots last up to 5 years. In coir pots, orchids grow faster with stronger root system. It is rich in nutrients like copper, iron, magnesium and zinc.