do you use broken pieces of Primeagra?

[glitchathon]

I notice alot of the pellets in my bag of Primeagra is broken into smaller pieces. Is it important to only use the full pellets and toss out the broke ones?

Just soaked in Epsom Salt for a few days and dried them and looking to possibly put a Phal in Primeagra soon!

[johnblagg]

I dont worry much about broken bits

[RosieC]

I know one of the advantages of the Primeagra which comes from Ray is that the pieces are uniform giving better air gaps. Broken pieces will break up that uniformity and could lead to smaller/blocked air gaps.

Having said that I can't get Primeagra in the UK so I have to use the locally available Hydroton and that is a much more mixed range of sizes, that being the case I don't worry if some of the larger broken bits go in.

[r.u.'chiding]

Here is a trick I do: I put my broken/irregular bits in the bottom at the reservoir keeping the moderately graded media for the upper, airy portion. This helps address air circulation and is aesthetically more pleasing with 'uniform' media being visible.

[Ray]

Just use it as is and don't sweat it.

[dendro photo]

what is this stuff i don't even know.

[johnblagg]

Originally Posted by dendro photo

what is this stuff i don't even know.

Ok it is a material called LECA --LIGHTWEIGHT EXPANDED CLAY AGGRAGATE comes as hydrotron and first rays prime agra ....plus a couple other brand names but I cant recall them . Semi-hydro growers use it as the medium , as well as some other stuff but leca seems the main one

[RosieC]

To add to what John said, it can be used for standard orchid growing as well as Semi-hydroponic.

I use it for both, some in S/H and some just using it as a standard medium. Both are doing well so far but I've only been doing this a few months.

[johnblagg]

Originally Posted by RosieC

To add to what John said, it can be used for standard orchid growing as well as Semi-hydroponic.

I use it for both, some in S/H and some just using it as a standard medium. Both are doing well so far but I've only been doing this a few months.

good point I allso have started using it as standard medium and have much better results than in bark that way ....and as a bonus if I do decide to go on to s/h I can start watering more and let them adapt in it before I do the transfer to full s/h. it works great that way for me and I can clean up bad roots before they go to s/h and usually have such nice roots already adapted to wetter conditions that they never slow down a bit.

[Cewal]

Originally Posted by RosieC

To add to what John said, it can be used for standard orchid growing as well as Semi-hydroponic.

I use it for both, some in S/H and some just using it as a standard medium. Both are doing well so far but I've only been doing this a few months.

What do you do differently when you use Primeagra for standard orchid growing.

I was going to order some PA, but I not sure now. I like the way the whole pieces look, but I don't know if I would like it as well if the pieces are broken up.