Ok thanks, I am due to repot soon and am planning to use perlite. Most people around here use the media I am using but if you get better results with Leca then maybe I should use the perlite as it should produce similar results. I don't think the fertiliser has ammonia in it though. Specifically designed for orchids.

THanks for the information, you might be right about the acidity of the mix.

I have PlantProd Orchid fertilizer that I use only on slippers that are growing in a calcium-rich medium. It's 25-10-10, and it's 100% ammonia source nitrogen - I wrote the manufacturer and asked.

Miracle Gro Orchid fertilizer is part ammonia, part urea. Both are acidic. Don't know about Schultz, but I suspect that none is nitrate source.

Look for the manufacturer's website on the label and write to them, asking about the breakdown of the sources of nitrogen in the product. For organic media, you want to use primarily nitrate source nitrogen, as it is least likely to acidify your water and your medium.

Ok thanks again, I have written to the manufacturer. I have also called up 3 nurseries today that use perlite exclusively on their plants and they have also given me some advice. With my climate in Australia I may find myself watering up to twice a day if I use hydro or semi-hydro products so I am not sure.

I am going to change from coconut to Bark and have a high proportion of perlite and vermiculite to even out the mix. I might also include charcoal.

Hopefully this will improve my growth. Actually everything you have said makes sense, I have Phrag seedlings growing from flask and they are amazingly slow but now I know why. I will change how I grow them and fingers crossed things speed up a little.

I use same mix as I do for Paphs = Mostly bark (50/50 intermediate & seedling size), with some charcoal and perlite mixed in. Then, I place the pots in my Phrag tray, which is at a slight slant.

Big pots are in the deep end = 3" of water.
Small pots are in the shallow end = 1.1/2" of water.

They get watered from the top twice a week, and fertilized every two weeks.

I switched to this deeper tray (from 3/4-1") about 6 months ago, and plants have been going like gangbusters ever since.

Some great tips. I am repotting mine out of coconut this weekend and using perlite and bark with a little charcoal. I am thinking of do the same with the larger Vanda's I have. Thanks a lot guys, hopefully this summer (which is going to be a hot one) will see more growth.

Great story!!! Excellent save!! My experience with rotted paphs with good roots is they die, unlike phrags that come back, thank you for sharing!!!

I bought a phrag grande in the spring last year, young plant. It had 2 new shoots in September and currently 5 more are just peeping out of the medium.
It is a drier growing phrag, I grow it in leca, mixed with
Pumice and charcoal in a clear slatted pot. A bit of spagnum on the top so it doesn’t dry out too fast. Water every 3 days or so. It is living outside right now and growing like a bad weed. I only water with rain water. Hardly any fertilizer at all. Mine can take full sun, at least right now, will have to shade it starting soon.
I use an old sheer panel for sun protection. I just drape it over the top between 11 am and 4 pm. Had it in full sun on a south windowsill all winter.

---------- Post added at 01:46 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:41 PM ----------

Sorry didn’t realize this is an old threat.

It's OK, How I Did It is always very important.

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