Preferred Medium - Page 2 - Orchid Board

Becca · #11 07-24-2008, 06:42 PM

I have been using a mix with CHC and I have some how managed to rot all the roots...and that is with watering about once a week....not sure what is going on...not sure if a couple will make it. Some of my paph's are doing great in s/h and aren't...been thinking of getting away from paph's because they just don't seem happy with me....but I just can't seem to let go of my paph. lowii and I really want a paph. dianthum....they are just to amazing to say no too!

Ross · #12 07-24-2008, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Becca

I have been using a mix with CHC and I have some how managed to rot all the roots...and that is with watering about once a week....not sure what is going on...not sure if a couple will make it. Some of my paph's are doing great in s/h and aren't...been thinking of getting away from paph's because they just don't seem happy with me....but I just can't seem to let go of my paph. lowii and I really want a paph. dianthum....they are just to amazing to say no too!

I think you've hit the nail on the head! CHC may be fine for those with great watering regimes and climates needing water-holding capabilities. For lots of folks, like me, that water with a heavy hand, and plant in Paph mix with fine bark, we tend to water less frequently and rely on clear pots to confirm the mix is dry before we water again.

Becca · #13 07-24-2008, 07:28 PM

I will give the bark mix a try as soon as I get my hands on some! Any recommendations on where to get some from Ross?

Ross · #14 07-24-2008, 07:34 PM

For Paphs I use Paph & Phrag Orchid Fir Bark Mix.

EdinAZ · #15 07-24-2008, 07:41 PM

I NOW use fine (in all cases, large or small plants) coconut husk (4 parts), fine-med charcoal (2 parts), diatomite (2 parts) with "some" soil-less potting mix thrown in (a fair amount - maybe 1-2 parts?). They do fine in this, and I don't really monitor the water closely.

I have grown some (and still have some of them this way) in PURE soil-less mix, and they did fine in that, but it just seemed "extreme" to me.

Jenn . . . your question about temperatures . . . the mottled-leaf varieties TEND to be more warmth tolerant than the green-leaf varieties. I have a warm-intermediate greenhouse and they all do fine in that, although the mottled-leaf types are somewhat better bloomers.

Ed

Lagoon · #16 07-24-2008, 09:46 PM

Jenn,

I wouldn't keep this type of paph nothing below 60 degrees' Anything lower you won't see much growth. If keep very moist below 60 you have a better chance at root rot.

I use a mix of peatmoss, small bark & coarse rok (perlite)

stonedragonfarms · #17 07-24-2008, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ross

I have 7 different Paphs (including one of yours). Mine are in temps similar to yours. I think you'll be fine. High temps in 80s don't seem to bother them. (My Raisin Pie is in double blossom right now.) Low temps, down to 60, don't bother them either. Adam (stonedragonfarms) grows his down to 50s at night in winter and gets great blossoms.

I'll chime in here as well...I don't like bark mix very well, as it seems to break down too fast for me, I agree with Royal on using Coconut Husk Chips, though I do not use them for mottled leaf paphs, only for the more robust growing strap leaved varieties. All others I put in a mix of tree fern fibre, chopped sphagnum (not peat) and perlite. This mix drains very fast, but holds quite a bit of water...and allows for plenty of air to cool the roots via evaporation. Anything in this mix will get repotted yearly as the moss breaks down rather quickly, but the plants seem to love fresh media. As for temps, Ross is correct, I grow all of my paphs very cool in the winter (my GH is set at 48F for night temp), I have lost one plant, a Paph. rosthschildianum, but I am convinced that the plant died of some other case than low temps, as I have another that does just fine. Remember if you are growing them cool, that they will not need very much water (I water about every 10 days in the winter), and should not get any fertilizer--they are semi-dormant at this time. Conversely, I do not put any of my paphs outdoors in the summer (too many slugs

), so they grow under 60% shade or so, and in temps near 90F if it's very warm outside--I don't cool the GH in summer, aside from the vents and exhaust fan, and occasional misting. Hope this is of some help to you--ultimately where you grow and what your watering habits are will determine what sort of mix to use for your plants.
Just my

Adam

justatypn · #18 07-25-2008, 12:16 AM

Jenn, so much information here and I have another choice of medium. I use aliflor, repotted all my paph's (16) several months ago with sphag on the bottom and water them 2 times a week (summer regimen) w/daily misting. They are all pretty acclimated at this time, doing well and 3 in near bloom. I am an indoor grower and have not taken mine for a walk to the patio. Just can't bring myself to do this, hate to interrupt what is working at this time. Prior to aliflor I used paph mix "Ross's choice" but seemed to break down to quickly for my liking, plus the fungus gnats seemed to be flying wildly around the medium.

unhappykat · #19 07-25-2008, 12:46 AM

I reccomend using a fine to medium bark mix, 2 parts bark 1 part perilite or fine pebble and 1 part charcoal, if you plan to leave them outside where they will get the rain. Use this mix with a slotted plastic pot if your plants are small or a clay pot if they are on the large side, I mean Rothschildianum big. Dont be afraid of the cool temps, i live here in California and my paphs stay outside until the middle of December when the first Freeze comes the nights drop to forty or less and I get spikes off any growth that is at least half mature. I wouldnt reccomend this for Sanderianum or Roth because they can be vengeful but most others do just fine. I grow with spag here because I cant water all the time and we dont get rain during the summer, but where it rains I would use this bark mix to allow moisture but not water logging. Put up some pics, I have the first cross with a spike on a growth only four inches across, weird.

Ray · #20 07-25-2008, 08:05 AM

First of all, we should keep in mind that your growing conditions and watering habits play a greater role in medium selection than does the plant. Secondly, what works well for one might be sure death in another's hands.

That said, the very first plants I ever experimented with in semi-hydroponics were mottled-leaf paphs, and they thrive in that culture. I have all of my slippers growing that way now.