Kool-Logs culture information

[greenpassion]

Something like the way s h helps keep humidity around the roots with the lecha clay Pebbles?

[estación seca]

Something like that, except the more often you water a plant in S/H, the better for the plant. I think the three big advantages of Kool-Logs are supposed to be constantly moist roots, evaporative cooling of roots and a water reservoir to decrease watering frequency.

[greenpassion]

Huh. I used to grow all my phals in sh. I can't remember why I graduated back to using bark. I remember they did pretty well. I had put them in various glass vases and drilled holes myself for drainage8. I still have the drill bit and many glass vadas, and I also have hydroton.. I have my own reverse osmosis water pump also, so it wouldn't be much of a jump to start back up again. Food For Thought I guess.

[SaraJean]

Originally Posted by Ray

Buy an unglazed flower pot, and silicone glue it, inverted, to a non-porous tray. Fill it though the hole in the pot bottom, and you now have the same concept in action.

need to do this... I have three masdevallias growing on kool-logs and doing surprisingly well. No blooms yet but the fact that they survived (and grew!!!!) July-September outdoors in New Orleans says something. The terra-cotta pot sounds like a great idea for my larger
Masd. veitchiana

[Ray]

Many years ago, I grew a maxillaria on an inverted flower pot, and it took over so well, that I had to insert a piece of Tygon tubing in the hole to keep it open for watering. It was left there permanently...

By the way, you may have to experiment with pots, as the porosity varies with the manufacturer. In some, the porosity is too large, so the clay weeps, rather than wicks.

Stick a cork in the hole and fill the pot with water, and let it stand. You can pick the winners from losers in short order.

[niki_nicole]

I have a few Kool-logs and Ray makes a good point about porosity. They do weep and need refilling frequently. I use them for masdevallias and orchids without roots and they seem to work, although it may be too soon to say as I haven't been using them long. But none of the masdevallias lost leaves in the summer and they now have a lot of new growth and I also haven't had any of the no-roots lose more leaves--so win so far!

Also, I tried the clay pot idea, but I had a hard time getting them to stay since the string I was using wanted to slide down and off. Also, it was harder to hang. The cool-logs look neat and are all ready to go.

I do wish they were a bit wider. Most are just an inch wide, meaning that it doesn't hold much water. As they get bigger, they get taller but hardly wider.