Oyster Shell for Orchids

[Ray]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

What I have learned is that sometimes, professional growers have learned a few tricks over the years about growing certain plants and they might generously, helpfully, share this information as they pass along the plants.

That may be true more these days, but unfortunately often, “the tricks” those professionals share are merely the repetition of old myths they were taught when they were new, and not anything based in science.

Just because someone does something and recommends it doesn’t mean it’s sound advice.

“I spread salt at the end of my driveway to keep away tigers.”

“Does it work?”

“Have you seen any tigers?”

[Onomaya]

I can call Schwerter on tuesday (monday is a holiday here in Germany) and see if I get an answer. You know, sometimes it really depends on which employee you get to talk to.

I personally got rid of the oyster shells when I repotted because there was no care sheet anywhere suggesting those for the plants I bought.

[WaterWitchin]

I highly doubt it will matter either way. If we were talking about getting a better egg from our chickens, I'd heartily approve a mix of oyster shell in the grit. The difference is quite obvious in practice.

To improve one's orchids... there's a myriad of things much more important than adding fertilizers or supplements to one's regime. Unless one's talking about adding too much; that's a different subject in and of itself.

Adding oyster shell, crushed eggshell, worm tea, etc, is more of a "feel good" thing to the grower. If one gets all the other things more important to the particular orchid down pat for growth and wants to do more, adding a bit of oyster shell to the mix won't hurt anything. Will it help? Yes, if it makes one feel like they're doing something productive while not actually harming all those other much more important worries.

[Leafmite]

Originally Posted by Ray

That may be true more these days, but unfortunately often, “the tricks” those professionals share are merely the repetition of old myths they were taught when they were new, and not anything based in science.

Just because someone does something and recommends it doesn’t mean it’s sound advice.

“I spread salt at the end of my driveway to keep away tigers.”

“Does it work?”

“Have you seen any tigers?”

Alright, I just thought that established orchid growers/vendors were like those of other plants and knew their stuff. We have all these speakers at our Orchid Society that claim they know what they are doing so it is a legitimate view. And yes, some have mentioned oyster shell!

I was into the pond hobby for thirteen years and the pond store people always could help me resolve every problem I had. I grew fruit trees and those nurseries always were very knowledgeable and gave excellent advice. The instructions from the places where I get all my crazy tropical plants always seems to yield great results. Then there was my grandmother who was amazing with plants and gave me very interesting off-the-wall advice that proved to actually work.... So, thus my reply to this.

[SADE2020]

First of all, I appreciate all the advice and opinions; in the end, it is about learning based on a mix & match of the information, takes or not an action or just simply try. Not everything is black or white ... right? And how would @Roberta say ... what is the goal? ... in my case learning a little be more.

It is clear to me that Ray's advice or opinions are based on science (that I love to hear) however, I have groups of OrchidFans that are 100% ecological and would never use products that come out of a factory if they can make it themselves from natural sources. In these cases, the shells or dolomite for these growers' profiles would serve the purpose mixed with rainwater, which definitely will be slower. And, of course, then there is what WW says; what you would like to do? No matter what.

After this pleasant conversation, if you asked me, what I am going to do with the shells that I have right now? I would tell you that I would save them to use them with the repot of the same plants that already have them ... And MAYBE help or it might not, changing their starting growing fundamental that much if I don't change the whole medium components.

PD: We might as well drop this conversation and talk about just adding Milk to the water!!

[Fairorchids]

The oyster shell idea seemed logical, when it first came out - especially for those Paphs growing on limestone hills.

However, with the extremely limited release from oyster shells/limestone nuggets, it really doesn't fly.

I do not know any commercial slipper growers still using it.
Personally, I never did (I do not jump on fads quickly)
Neither do the two major Paph growers in the society I go to.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by SADE2020

We might as well drop this conversation and talk about just adding Milk to the water!!

Don’t laugh!

Back when I was importing about 500 cymbidiums per month from Taiwan, the grower there grew in a “semi-inert” medium (pumice and sticks) and watered with diluted, spoiled milk. That’s all.

They were some of the nicest plants I’ve ever seen.

[SADE2020]

Originally Posted by Ray

Doon’t laugh!

Back when I was importing about 500 cymbidiums per month from Taiwan, the grower there grew in a “semi-inert” medium (pumice and sticks) and watered with diluted, spoiled milk. That’s all.

They were some of the nicest plants I’ve ever seen.

I wasn't laughing at absurd...by the contrary, I am a true beliver in Milk & Orchid, but some others disbelieve or found it gross for apartment growing.

As you said 3rd world countries growers use what they have more accessible. My sister recommends to her clients. I heard that many times in my trip to South Asia and Ecuador, not only for Cal but antifungal as well, but not for all orchids or it has to be balanced with Mag and there is when I get lost.. I prefer one thing for all!

---------- Post added at 06:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:57 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Fairorchids

The oyster shell idea seemed logical, when it first came out - especially for those Paphs growing on limestone hills.

However, with the extremely limited release from oyster shells/limestone nuggets, it really doesn't fly.

I do not know any commercial slipper growers still using it.
Personally, I never did (I do not jump on fads quickly)
Neither do the two major Paph growers in the society I go to.

@Kim.. I don't know about shells but here is a grower in Colombia, huge nursury in the Hills of Medellin (alma del bosque) that grows 40% in limestone and 60% in 5mm bark. The Phap tour in his video is woow, and I have friends that did visit them (they have a day tour). The limestone is in every Pahp, Masdi, Drac...

[Maryanne]

Hi Folks:
I couldn't resist adding a couple of anecdotes...of course, 'your mileage may vary' ; -)
My grandparents and parents used to raise a couple thousand chickens at a time on our tiny New England farm. Crushed Oyster shells were provided regularly to the egg layers. A chicken's digestive system is highly 'corrosive' and they easily extract the calcium...now I just make a batch of mussels for dinner and turn the shells over to my tiny flock. They love them. But oyster shells aren't going to dissolve very quickly in ordinary tap water.
I visited my cousins in Lithuania a few years back, and we visited a region where the land was underlain by "karst" or limestone. It dissolves in rain water and leads to "cowholes" in local pastures...your cow is heavy enough to step on a piece of ground made hollow by the dissolving karst, and oops, cow-hole. But why do I mention this? because when we made our way around that little town, the phals in the windows of the cottages were show-quality and dripping with blooms. They were being watered by the water from wells drilled in karst which had been dissolving for years. Bingo, calcium. Florida Limestone is probably doing the same.

Now, I live on gravel/granite so I started to use my eggshells from baking. Bake the cake, bake the empty shells at the same time in another pan, then powder the shells in a coffee grinder. I add the pulverized shells to Paph media and low and behold a fussy P. insigne finally put out 3 rather than one measly flower. So, I've continued with this ritual on various other plants. (no Phals, I don't keep them) None seem to have come to any harm, and most have produced a bit better. Maybe it's my imagination, but it seems to have done something and it costs nothing. (I'll spare you my use of chicken manure tactics, which I think I posted a few years ago). hahaha
Happy growing and experimenting
Maryanne

[tmoney]

Originally Posted by Maryanne

Hi Folks:
I couldn't resist adding a couple of anecdotes...of course, 'your mileage may vary' ; -)
My grandparents and parents used to raise a couple thousand chickens at a time on our tiny New England farm. Crushed Oyster shells were provided regularly to the egg layers. A chicken's digestive system is highly 'corrosive' and they easily extract the calcium...now I just make a batch of mussels for dinner and turn the shells over to my tiny flock. They love them. But oyster shells aren't going to dissolve very quickly in ordinary tap water.
I visited my cousins in Lithuania a few years back, and we visited a region where the land was underlain by "karst" or limestone. It dissolves in rain water and leads to "cowholes" in local pastures...your cow is heavy enough to step on a piece of ground made hollow by the dissolving karst, and oops, cow-hole. But why do I mention this? because when we made our way around that little town, the phals in the windows of the cottages were show-quality and dripping with blooms. They were being watered by the water from wells drilled in karst which had been dissolving for years. Bingo, calcium. Florida Limestone is probably doing the same.

Now, I live on gravel/granite so I started to use my eggshells from baking. Bake the cake, bake the empty shells at the same time in another pan, then powder the shells in a coffee grinder. I add the pulverized shells to Paph media and low and behold a fussy P. insigne finally put out 3 rather than one measly flower. So, I've continued with this ritual on various other plants. (no Phals, I don't keep them) None seem to have come to any harm, and most have produced a bit better. Maybe it's my imagination, but it seems to have done something and it costs nothing. (I'll spare you my use of chicken manure tactics, which I think I posted a few years ago). hahaha
Happy growing and experimenting
Maryanne

this is great! i was just gonna suggest something similar when sade asked what to do with all her shells. but i was gonna go more the approach of pulverize it with a nice mortar and pestle, then research ways to make it palatable to her orchids in some sort of solution. just speculating, but yeah, there’s gotta be some creative things she can do! great story! i mentioned how my grandma always fertilized with sugar water, but i left out how she would periodically spread the spent coffee ground onto her houseplants and her tomato garden.