cheap(er) epiweb substitute? and engineered 'composites'

[Ray]

Sure. Neither Epiweb nor EcoWeb are black. Brown is the new "norm", although I recently acquired an Epiweb "branch" and it was purple (ugh).

On the airy-but-water-holding side of the conversation, I am growing a few potted plants in a combination of EcoWeb and AquaMat, and it seems to work quite well.

I'm considering wrapping a piece of EcoWeb in AquaMat, then putting a small slit in the middle of the fabric, and sticking a plant in it. Hopefully it will hold the plant in place while it gains a hold on the mount.

[nutgirl]

I have experimented with a swamp cooler pad material called Dura-Cool.

It sells at Home Depot for about $9 for a 3x3 mat.
I have several small Phalaenopsis mounted on it. I also use it as a drain material in the bottom of larger pots.
It drains well yet holds water to a degree. On the downside, it is a bright blue color so not very asthetic for orchid growing.

Maureen