Using stone af only media?

[Erce]

I have been reding a blog
And this guy using stone as only media for orchids - you know stone like small diffrent colord stone fra ex. the drive-in at the house!

can this realy do it? and what orchid will bennefit from this?

[Zoi2]

I would think using small pebbles or stones would
be a bit heavy for orchid roots. Does he say just how long he has been growing this way?
Joann

[Erce]

since 1999 - so qiute some years

i was thinking of using it on chids like dendrobium phal, kinganium and nobile - they like to dry out

[Brotherly Monkey]

Originally Posted by Erce

I have been reding a blog
And this guy using stone as only media for orchids - you know stone like small diffrent colord stone fra ex. the drive-in at the house!

can this realy do it? and what orchid will bennefit from this?

Santa Barbara Orchid Estates does this with all their Cats and most of their Encyclia

[Erce]

Originally Posted by Brotherly Monkey

Santa Barbara Orchid Estates does this with all their Cats and most of their Encyclia

do you know if they have ahomepage with info on it?

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by Brotherly Monkey

Santa Barbara Orchid Estates does this with all their Cats and most of their Encyclia

is it lava rock, or plain ordinary rocks?

[Brotherly Monkey]

Originally Posted by Erce

do you know if they have ahomepage with info on it?

No, but it seemed pretty strait forward. I've gotten plants from them that used a more uniform round stone that was between 1/2-3/4 of an inch in size and then other with more irregular pieces that were in the same size range. When I asked Alice, one of their employees, about it she said they never disturb the roots when potted like this, unless they are dividing. And the stone probably needs to be non-reactive and PH neutral

[Brotherly Monkey]

Originally Posted by WhiteRabbit

is it lava rock, or plain ordinary rocks?

regular stone. She said they buy it from a specialty supplier that manufactures "fancy" decorative stone for drive ways

[Erce]

Originally Posted by Brotherly Monkey

regular stone. She said they buy it from a specialty supplier that manufactures "fancy" decorative stone for drive ways

like medium pea gravel?
when you say ph neutral, i were thinking on cooking them in hotwater to stearilise them!

but my main concern is if the roots can grow in it? are they stones maybee to heavy for dendrobium roots?

[Brotherly Monkey]

Originally Posted by Erce

like medium pea gravel?
when you say ph neutral, i were thinking on cooking them in hotwater to stearilise them!

but my main concern is if the roots can grow in it? are they stones maybee to heavy for dendrobium roots?

I would say they are about the same size as Leca, maybe a bit bigger. Can't really answer the question about root strength, but from general observations, roots on any plant seem to be pretty persistent