What's the general view on plunging?

[fosterpapillon]

Originally Posted by Optimist

That is why I observe (not scientific) that inorganic medium is much better for the root systems of epiphytic orchids.

This is an interesting thought, one worthy of more research. Whilst epiphytes in nature grow on bark, that medium mostly falls off the tree when it starts to break down and a fresh growing medium emerges. Is there any more information on this idea?

When I lived in Papua New Guinea, where I had a huge collection, the preferred medium was broken terra cotta pots and even small pieces of concrete - certainly nothing that could decay. The exception was my Vandas which grew in long wire cages full of coconut husks (which do rot but very slowly) replete with funnel-web spiders.

Should this topic be moved to a new, renamed thread if we continue the discussion?

[fosterpapillon]

a

---------- Post added at 01:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:44 PM ----------

I posted a reply but it didn't appear, so I [posted another. Then there were two so I tried to delete one and now nothing is there again. Very confusing

[kg5]

With a solid shade cloth over my bush house I water by the clock.

Have to look at my over all water usage as over the 3 months of summer I used $120 of water.

[fosterpapillon]

Wow, you Queenslanders pay through the nose! We're on tank water with 90,000 litres of storage and over a metre of rain a year so water is free.

[estación seca]

We get 200mm of rain on average - some years a lot less. That $120 monthly water bill would be considered VERY low here for anybody with a garden.

I collect rain from my roof. I have a 1,134 liter / 300 gallon plastic collecting tank, and I pump it into ten 121 liter / 32 gallon lidded plastic trash barrels for storage.

[Subrosa]

Since we're discussing gardening, you should be aware that the word "plunging" already has been taken and attached to a different concept in the hobby. "Plunging" is the act of digging a hole and burying a potted plant, pot and all in a surrounding substrate.