"Cool pots"

[grasshopper]

I was prowling eBay today just for the fun of it (it's my birthday and I've been all over the web today looking for a gift for myself!), and I came across a seller that offers pots made specifically for cool-growing orchids. They call them "cool pots" and I was wondering if anyone on OB has tried them out. I love cool-growing orchids but live in Dallas, TX and struggle to keep the temps at an acceptable range for the orchids without breaking the bank (specifically in the summer). These pots give me hope, but I want to ask around and see if anyone has any experience with them.

Thanks!

[peeweelovesbooks]

I've seen them in person and they are well made. However, I can't comment on the efficacy thereof. They are pretty though.

Good luck!

[Becca]

I ordered a three pack of the smallest ones. While I believe they keep the root system cool, I still think my intermediate to warm temps are still just to much for my Dracula and Masdevallia that I have. I currently only have a Dracula potted in it....it doing ok...but I have a lot of brown leaf tips and all spikes seem to die off on me. My Masdevallias seem a little on the small side to put into the smallest size of their pots. Otherwise I like them!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by Becca

I ordered a three pack of the smallest ones. While I believe they keep the root system cool, I still think my intermediate to warm temps are still just to much for my Dracula and Masdevallia that I have. I currently only have a Dracula potted in it....it doing ok...but I have a lot of brown leaf tips and all spikes seem to die off on me. My Masdevallias seem a little on the small side to put into the smallest size of their pots. Otherwise I like them!

What kind of Masdevallias and Draculas do you own?

Not all of them are all that cool growing.

I'm growing a couple Draculas outdoors and so far no problems, yet...

Ever since the weekend hit, it's been over 100 F (I think it was 117 F at one point during the day today).

[Ray]

The mere use of clay pots, rather than plastic, will offer some evaporative cooling of the root zone. Using them for semi-hydroponics makes the cooling even greater.

If you don't grow in S/H culture, you can still use the concept by "nestling" the pot in another pot of LECA (the image is from my article titled "Stretch" Your Growing Conditions:



I have several customers growing cold-loving pleurothallids in EcoWeb cubes set up this way.

[grasshopper]

Thanks everyone! Ray, as always, you are a fountain of unbelievably useful information!

[jrodpad]

Happy Birthday!

[RosieC]

I saw them when I was investigating growing masdies and I really like the idea... but as Ray said the mere fact of growing in clay gives cooling.

I simply use porus clay. Porus is important... some of the ones in the UK are 'frost proof' meaning that even unglazed pots are not porus... I had to hunt arround to find porus ones.

Anyway the cooling effect even without Ray's "nesting" idea is good as long as you keep them moist... if they dry out too much they can actually get warmer.

UK conditions are not the warmest but still too warm for my really cool loving veitchianna, but it seems to have loved it in a clay pot, growing wonderfully and it's been in flower for 20 days now with another bud growing fast.

I really like Ray's idea though, temps have dropped now but I may well try that in the summer.

[grasshopper]

Thanks jrodpad! I had a great day and I found 2 lovely orchids to give to myself.

I wish I had stumbled across these pots earlier this year when I was really battling the Texas heat. Oh well...next summer I'll be armed with a plan and will definitely try out the one I purchased and also try out Ray's suggestions.

[Donald]

Great info Ray. What a "cool" idea.