Feedback wanted on Aussie Gold Orchid Mix, PrimeAgra, and EpiWeb

[Becca]

Hi! I am currently using Aussie Gold Orchid mix for most of my orchids. All of my seedlings are in the fine mix, and I have a mature oncidium that is in the medium mix, although it probably should be in the fine mixture.Previously my oncidium was in bark and it did just fine. I switched upon recommendation of a local grower. I also have cymbidiums in the large mix. So I haven't seen much of a difference in the plants I have potted in the Aussie and the plants I have potted in bark. The seedlings in the Aussie seem to be more fungus prone for some reason. The company claims you cannot over water with their product, but I am wondering if that is true, not that I am trying to over water. If anyone has any experiences they would like to share I would really appreciate it. I am almost tempted to try EpiWeb or PrimeAgra, so if anyone has any experience with the EpiWeb or PrimeAgra and more specifically I would love to hear your opinion!

[littlefrog]

You can over water in any product, if Aussie Gold says that they are either lying or they haven't tried hard enough. I wouldn't trust that statement at all...

I've had good success with prime-agra or similar products, but it is a very different way of growing. Same for epi-web, it seems to be nice for mounts and I have a couple baskets using the epi-web chunks that are doing well. But, both of these 'new media' are going to require a bit of experimentation on your part.

[Becca]

Rob,
I see there are EpiWeb pots available as well as hanging baskets. Would using the pots with the EpiWeb filling be similar to mounting? The reason I ask is I am interested in using it for my oncidium, but I know that in a pot, oncidiums like to be in tight living quarters and that it is not good to over pot them. There is only a 6 and 8 inch pot available and I am afraid this size would be to large for my oncidium. I really don't have room for actual mounts where I live, and I am using the nice humidity trays that are made of wood. Would it work to set an epiweb pot on a humidity tray?

[littlefrog]

I think the epiweb pots with epiweb chunks would be most similar to a hanging basket (even it it is sitting on a tray). You could use the chunks in a clay or plastic pot if you wished, then it would be similar (but not quite the same) as growing in tree fern chunks or osmunda fiber.

I think you might want to back up a step and evaluate why you want to try one of these newfangled products. If you were doing well in a bark mix with your oncidium before, why not use a bark mix? Experimentation is good, but I don't think chasing the newest fad is good for your plants. Aussie Gold isn't working well for you, it sounds like, so switch back to bark, not to epiweb.

Now, once you have mastered the fine art of growing in bark, and have more plants than you know what to do with (in about ... oh, three weeks? *grin*) then you might want to consider trying _a few_ plants in new types of mixes. A few at a time. You need to evaluate new mixes over a period of years, not months, to see how they do for you.

All that said, if you did want to try something new, I would try the semihydroponics (prime-agra or some other similar medium). If you read Ray's webpages about it, he does a good job of explaining the whys and hows. It seems to work well for a wide range of plants. But again, you want to try on just a few plants first.

[Becca]

Rob,
Thanks for the advice. To answer your question to why I wanted to try the EpiWeb, was because I read that is was very similar to mounting a plant, and I have also read that that is one of the best ways to grow a plant since it is closest to how most of the orchids grow naturally. The reason I am not wanting to go back to bark is because when I replanted my oncidium from the bark, while it is nice and healthy looking, the root system wasn't so, so I wanted to try and get away from the potting mediums that break down and contribute to root rot.

[cb977]

I have all my 'chids in aliflor which is a product similar to Prime-Agra, which I also have I'm expecting a package from First Ray's tomorrow with some EpiWeb products. It seems to me that it will be more like tree fern and I love the way 'chids grow on that stuff...but it breaks apart and is messy

Rob is right...read all you can on all the products you've mentioned and then decide which is right for you in your conditions.

Let us know how it goes

Ooops, I forgot...I tried Aussie Gold last year and had the same fungus problems. Didn't like it and tranferred everything out of it rather quickly.

[Ray]

In my opinion, the Aussie Gold claims are more marketing hype that fact. Is it a good medium? For some, sure. For all, absolutely not. It all depends on your growing conditions and personal habits.

If you were successful in bark, why change? (Unless you're like me and can't leave well enough alone.)

Moving a plant into PrimeAgra (it is a registered trade name, Rob, so at least spell it right) in "standard" culture would be a lot like being in straight bark, but it won't ever decompose.

EpiWeb (ditto Rob) will be a LOT drier. it holds almost no water at all, and what it does hold is in little trapped droplets in the web, not absorbed.

As far as the pots go, I can make pretty much any size, although they'll be square, not round, as I haven't gotten an effective hot-wire cutter going yet, and it's remarkably difficult cutting a circle with a carbide-tipped table saw blade....

[littlefrog]

Sorry Ray, I'm lucky to spell my own name right these days...

How do you cut the EpiWeb, anyway? I guess I could use a carbide tipped saw blade, but that seems excessive for just a few cuts... It is hell on scissors.