Anyone using coconut husk for phals?

[Gage]

I use chc in some way with all my potted orchids. I have 1 phal that has TONS of roots, so it gets straight chc (with lots of styrofoam in the center). Other orchids get chc and charcoal, and still others get mostly hydroton with just a little chc.

[RosieC]

Originally Posted by Jennyfleur

Ha ha! It's all Rosie's fault She put me on to a site earlier to buy some sphagnum moss and they have a min order of £10, so I was looking around for things that could make up the amount! So, it was a question out of curiosity perhaps more than anything, but it's been interesting reading people's experiences/ opinions/ replies

The stuff they sell IS good quality, very very dry so it keeps well. It you get some go for the fine CHC though, I got the medium and I find it a bit big really. Also it does need rinsing well.

I just found that while many people find it lasts longer than bark, for me it decays faster and once it goes needs changing quickly.

[dounoharm]

i find it a pain in the tookus to wash and rewash the medium.....after much experimentation, in my greenhouse and under my conditions, i find it only works well for dendrobiums and epidendrums....gl

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by dounoharm

i find it a pain in the tookus to wash and rewash the medium.....after much experimentation, in my greenhouse and under my conditions, i find it only works well for dendrobiums and epidendrums....gl

The chc I have gotten is washed - I do give it a rinse and soak and another rinse before using - I was advised to, so I do, but I do the same for bark. But like you, I have some orchids I do better with bark or even sphag, than with chc - depends on pot size too - Recently I potted up a Catt x Laelia, and one went into an 8" plastic pot, so used bark for that one - chc would stay wet too long in the center most likely.

[NYCorchidman]

I use bark and sphagnum moss for my phals. I do use CHC, so I'm here to add my opinion.

I mainly use chc mixed with charcoal and hybroton for some of my paphs and oncidiums. The vendor I bought the mix from said it is of high quality and no salt in them.
So I used them without rinsing.

Eveything grows very well in that mix. For some reason, only one pot had some white fungus at the bottom of the pot. It didn't seem to hurt the plant at all. All grow and flower just fine.

[orchidsarefun]

also depends on the type of pot. I have found that the clear pots with side slits dry out too quickly and don't retain moisture for long at all - despite the coco chip/sphag mixture I use. I have to water more often.
The mix used in pots with bottom holes are fine.

[elaines]

Hi!

I've been using the classic mixes from repotme.com since I repotted my first orchid 3 years ago. The one my phals are in now is the Cattleya Classic Mix which used to contain:
-medium coconut husk chips
-medium charcoal chunks
-medium sponge rock

The mix now contains and I just ordered enough to repot all my orchids suitable for this mix:
-medium coconut husk chips
-medium sponge rock
-medium stalite
-medium granite chips.
The one thing I just noticed with the new blend is that it doesn't have charcoal and I know from my short experience that charcoal is helpful - even with my houseplants. And I'm NOT an over-waterer.
I can get the charcoal from a local nursery, though.

I've had 2 of my phals in the old blend since spring or summer 2010. They both need repotting. One, the bigger one with so many aerial roots, is blooming gorgeous big fuschia blossoms right now so I'll probably wait until it's done blooming to repot it. I should obviously water it sooner, tho.

Here are 3 pictures of how the coconut mix is doing after 2 years. I don't overwater - actually WAY underwater. Both these 2 phals are my best bloomers. The close-up of the roots is a small view of what the roots have done in this mix. The bigger orchid is root-bound (I'd have turned the pot but it's got roots everywhere and it's hard to get a pic from another angle without much fuss) and the roots started growing and growing and growing in this mix as soon as I put the plant in it. This orchid (phal tai lin redangel) has always had aerial roots (which obviously have needed much more water/misting than I've given). The plant lost its lower leaves due to my poor watering. Like I said, it's still blooming, though - despite removal of 1/2 of the spike by a kitten (who nearly lost one of his 9 lives for that) as the buds were forming.

Anyway, hope these pictures help some!

-Elaine

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[Trini Kjeldz]

coconut husks turn to "soil"rapidly....also hold too much moisture....i use dem whole as mounts for smaller species...but never in pots

[PaphLover]

Find more and more phals come potted in coconut husk chunks and so thought I'd try it. Only place I could find it was at the pet store and not sure if this will work, is the right size, or suitable for orchids.

Expert input please...

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by PaphLover

Find more and more phals come potted in coconut husk chunks and so thought I'd try it. Only place I could find it was at the pet store and not sure if this will work, is the right size, or suitable for orchids.

Expert input please...

I have heard of others using (or planning to, anyway) the chc from the pet store - I haven't myself, so I hope some with experience with it can chime in. I have found chc at hydroponics supply stores.