Question about dual core pots?

[greenpassion]

I was looking around on Repot me recently looking at large clear pots. I have a Phal V3 that has gotten huge, and will need repotting I'm sure by spring. Anyway, I've seen these dual core pots many times on the site, but never really considered using them, until now. (No idea why ) My question is does this combo of a net pot inside a solid pot really make a difference? I am at the beginning of worrying about humidity levels, as winter is coming, and the description mentions that the dual concept increases humidity. Is anyone out there familiar with these pots?

[estación seca]

They may keep the medium in the net pot moist longer, and may increase the humidity around the roots. They don't do anything for humidity around the vegetative part of the plant. They might help you, depending on what you're trying to do.

[Ray]

You can save yourself a bundle by using Air-cone pots, instead, or really save by inverting a small mesh pot in he bottom of a regular pot, adding medium around it.

Part of the issue with large pots containing traditional potting mixes is that, while the top surface, and outside in contact with the pot, dry relatively quickly, the very center says soppy and can suffocate the roots. The "dual core" pot aims to dry out the whole medium mass more quickly, but it's still outside-in, while the other two designs address the center directly, but still allow the medium to stay moist and dry more uniformly.

[camille1585]

I have my Psychopsis in a dual pot (net pot inside plastic) and am unsure about their claim that it increases humidity, if they are comparing it to culture in standard pots. What I see is that it allows the benefits of growing in a netpot (medium dries very quickly and evenly) with the outer pot maintaining some of the humidity so that it doesn't dry out too fast either.

If you are repotting your large Phal and mean to put it into a larger pot, then do as Ray suggests. I just repotted 2 large Phals last weekend that had root systems too large to cram back into a 'standard' size pot. So I cut some slits into a small pot (had no net pots on hand), inverted it in the bottom of the large pot, and then repotted the Phal in that. I did 2 others with this home made aircone pot method a few years ago, and they are thriving. Despite the huge pot the medium dries out evenly.

[bil]

Or you can pot a phal in coarse bark that has been sieved to take the fines out. It won't care how big the pot is.

If you have to make special arrangements to keep the centre of the pot from staying too wet, then the medium is too fine.

[greenpassion]

Thank you all for your replies. I actually have many of my phals in air cone pots, but only a few of the large ones. I'm going to take your suggestions and use an inverted net pot in the center of my larger pots that are not air cone ones.

[VONDI]

I'm confused....'dual pot' 'Air-cone pot' "Net inner pot"?
What kind of pot do I have?
My orchids are both in plastic pots (they look like the deli-tubs you buy ham salad in.)They have several good sized drainage holes in the bottom and the one has tiny perforations all over the sides as well... Both of them are in larger clay pots with about a 3/4 inch air space in the bottom and maybe a quarter inch clearance on the sides....
The pots are filled with coarse bark medium that I saturate no oftener than once a week, sometimes longer.

Is that the type of pot you refer to? Or is there another type. I'm going to have to repot my larger orchid some day not far off. I want to know what kind of pot to be looking for when I do it.
Is there a website that offers potting materials designed specifically for orchids? Please post it if there is...

[greenpassion]

I actually make my own net pots, out of little plastic Med cups. I bought a soldering iron last week, and I put lots and lots of holes in these little plastic cups. I then turn them upside down and place them in the bottom of a larger pot that also has drainage and slits for air to get to the roots. I'm at work but I'll take a pic and show you. My understanding is that the purpose for an air cone pot (which is a pot that has a built-in cone in the bottom)is to give the center of the medium better airflow so that you don't get soggy or constantly damp medium in the center of your pot. But I don't have a lot of air cone pots and using a net pot, they're about the size of those little medicine cups that come with Robitussin, serves the same purpose. And I know that they're cheap enough to buy but it's kind of fun making my own. And as Bil posted, if you're using a chunkier medium that has sufficient air flow around and through it anyway, then there may not be a need for an air cone pot or using inverted net pots in the bottom.

---------- Post added at 02:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:14 PM ----------

others will chime in here and give a better explanation I'm sure.!

---------- Post added at 02:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:15 PM ----------

Originally Posted by bil

Or you can pot a phal in coarse bark that has been sieved to take the fines out. It won't care how big the pot is.

If you have to make special arrangements to keep the centre of the pot from staying too wet, then the medium is too fine.

Bil. I use chunky bark and as I said in a post I just wrote, I'm also using homemade air cones or net pots in the bottom. I'm wondering if perhaps things are going to dry out too quickly now. I'll have to wait and see I guess. I'm fairly certain I will need to increase my watering with all this air flow around them.

[bil]

Originally Posted by greenpassion

I actually make my own net pots, out of little plastic Med cups. I bought a soldering iron last week, and I put lots and lots of holes in these little plastic cups. I then turn them upside down and place them in the bottom of a larger pot that also has drainage and slits for air to get to the roots. I'm at work but I'll take a pic and show you. My understanding is that the purpose for an air cone pot (which is a pot that has a built-in cone in the bottom)is to give the center of the medium better airflow so that you don't get soggy or constantly damp medium in the center of your pot. But I don't have a lot of air cone pots and using a net pot, they're about the size of those little medicine cups that come with Robitussin, serves the same purpose. And I know that they're cheap enough to buy but it's kind of fun making my own. And as Bil posted, if you're using a chunkier medium that has sufficient air flow around and through it anyway, then there may not be a need for an air cone pot or using inverted net pots in the bottom.

---------- Post added at 02:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:14 PM ----------

others will chime in here and give a better explanation I'm sure.!

---------- Post added at 02:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:15 PM ----------



Bil. I use chunky bark and as I said in a post I just wrote, I'm also using homemade air cones or net pots in the bottom. I'm wondering if perhaps things are going to dry out too quickly now. I'll have to wait and see I guess. I'm fairly certain I will need to increase my watering with all this air flow around them.

Yeah, you might a bit. Air cones and suchlike are for people who have their fine medium too deep. I used to keep phals in coarse bark, in 14" diam, 14 inch deep pots. The phals loved it but they took forever to water. Pure coarse bark simply can't be too deep.