Anyone tried a ‘growing vase’

[ArronOB]

I was watching a YouTube video today on a Dutch phalaenopsis grower (worlds largest, apparently) and they showed a potting innovation that they use that got me very interested. The narrator called it a ‘growing vase’ or something similar. It’s here at the 4:40 mark SO natural bedrijf.wmv - YouTube .

The purpose of this is to keep the plant compact and stop them spreading out all over the place - important for a commercial grower with limited space - and useful for me too for the same reason - and maybe to keep the plant looking a bit tidier.

Essentially they are tall clear plastic pots/vases, about twice the height of the actual growing pot, with the majority of the lower sidewalls and base cut away. The actual growing pot fits snuggly inside, but airflow to the pot is not impeded because it fits within the cutaway portion. The upper portion of the vase has the only function of supporting the leaves in a neat shape.

Obviously they are using them for Phil’s which have to fall within fairly narrow shape parameters to be fit for mass markets, but I’m wondering whether they could be used to tame some of my unruly cattleyas which just want to lay down, take up too much space, and look scrappy.

Maybe they are quite common on the commercial side - I guess most Phal growers have to deal with the same problem.

So has anyone tried these, seen them for sale, know what they are called, have any thoughts on how well they work outside a mass production environment?

Cheers
Arron

I attach a sketch in case it’s easier then going to YouTube.