Sphagnum vs. Coconut Fiber

[K-Sci]

This last weekend I potted a few neofinetia in this coconut fiber purchased on Amazon. I like the tidy look of the mounds when using fiber (at least when new), but I have reservations using it for more plants until I see how the first batch works out. Based on the much smaller weight gain after watering, it seems unlikely that coconut fiber will retain sufficient moisture.

The last three bails of sphagnum I purchased were unsuitable for use with neofinetia. I would up using them as regular garden mulch. I can find the very long fiber moss at about $50/package, but can't find AAA-equivalent anywhere. Until I see how the coconut works out, are there any suggestions on finding good quality bails of sphagnum.



-Keith

[WaterWitchin]

I have no source for the long sphag, but I have serious issues with the coco fiber. Can't STAND that stuff! It gives me the willies. Like having long pieces of hair in your meatloaf that twine around and you can't get it off. Like cat hairballs mounting.

My neo mount wrapping skills are abysmal, as evidenced elsewhere here. But could you maybe put shorter pieces of sphag in the middle then an outer wrapping of the fiber? It might work as a stop-gap until you can source what you need? I doubt the fiber itself will provide the water retention you'd want or the neo would require.

[Ray]

Keith - You're correct that "Gorilla hair" doesn't hold a lot of moisture within the strands, but if a bit compressed, it'll hold more between them - not a lot, so the roots can still "breathe" - and it still dries relatively quickly, so it might be worth experimenting.

[rbarata]

When using pots coconut chips might be what you're after.

[K-Sci]

Originally Posted by WaterWitchin

I have no source for the long sphag, but I have serious issues with the coco fiber. Can't STAND that stuff! It gives me the willies. Like having long pieces of hair in your meatloaf that twine around and you can't get it off. Like cat hairballs mounting.

Before I started using it, I potted one neo with coconut fiber on my potting bench. That was enough. There were fibers in and around everything; the bench, floor, clothing, and supplies. It was a lot of work to clean it all up. Now, I only pot with coconut fiber outdoors.

-Keith

[Leafmite]

Long-fibered moss is quite expensive lately. I got a good deal on Zoo Med not long ago so I used that (it is good quality).

[smweaver]

I have three neofinetias that were recently potted in coconut husk chips. So it's still a little too early to tell if this will be a successful experiment (I'm using three of the standard no-varietal-name plants, plants that I would be sad to lose--but nothing like any of the fancy and expensive bean-leaf type, which would cause me to lose a little sleep to lose to an experiment like this). I don't like NZ sphagnum, and anytime I get a new neofinetia that's potted in it, I immediately want to transfer it to something else, which usually ends up being large pieces of orchiata bark. The coconut fiber does look a little like a recycled version of one of my mother-in-law's old wigs, which is enough to steer me away from it.

[WaterWitchin]

Originally Posted by smweaver

...The coconut fiber does look a little like a recycled version of one of my mother-in-law's old wigs, which is enough to steer me away from it.

Another excellent representation of the qualities of coconut fiber, and allegorical as well.

[smweaver]

I actually had a (very brief, although disturbing) vision of several old wig heads, with wigs made of coconut fiber with several neofinetias growing on top of them. I'm not sure how that would go over at any orchid shows you might try to display your neofinetias at (especially in Japan), but it would definitely be memorable. An enterprising individual could make their name in the orchid-growing world with something like this. Instead of Andy's Orchids trademark "Orchids on a Stick," we could have something like "Orchids in a Wig," which could be marketed as wearable orchids. Okay, I obviously need to go check my meds today.

[WaterWitchin]

Ummmm.... don't invest too much thought about becoming an entrepreneur with that particular idea. Ahem... if your day job is marketing, might also want to rethink it.

And now I have bizarre pictures floating around in my brain. Med check here as well!