Inorganic neo media

[Pilot]

So I hate moss. And I don't mean I don't like it-- I despise it! Loathe it... maybe even more. I hate how it grows algae better than my orchids and I hate that is rots and dries to a crisp and is uneven.

I just don't like it but love the look of a finely potted neo in this dreaded stuff.

Well, I'm not one to throw in the towel. Unless I'm physically incapable of something, I won't stop (even then I'll take it to the limits). So I decided enough was enough of this disgusting moss and I needed something new.

Aquamat is sold by Ray and when cut into long strips and rolled with the neo roots in the center and then stuffed in to a neo pot with a quarter turn, you get a snug fitting, water retentive but airy media that will dry out nicely between watering and best of all, it only grows orchids and will not rot!

I've been experimenting with this stuff for a few weeks now and I'm ready to report out initial findings-- it works well. The roots that touch this stuff don't stall. The roots already grown stay moist but not wet inside the roll. Watering is a cinch! Dousing them with fresh water cleans the plant quickly, dunking them in fertilized water feeds them just as easily.

But... its no nicely sculpted moss mound...well not exactly. If top-dressed with long strands, I'm able to recreate the look of those wonderful japanese moss mounds! If they get gross, I toss them, or rather, I don't top dress unless I mean to show them (or so that's my plan). I didn't have any long strands to demonstrate so the effect isn't quite what I had in mind, but the potential is there, I can see it.

Aquamat is unproven. Most of my neos remain in moss and I'll struggle through keeping them there until aquamat proves its worth.

I will post pics when I get to my ipad. This forum is jerking around with my Tapatalk app like it means to kill my app!!!!!!

Pics.

[AnonYMouse]

I hate moss, too. Since I'm not showing mine, I've transferred some Neos to CHC.

The top dressed one looks good. Middle one looks like it's wearing an athletic jersey, ready for some serious running or something.

What is the original use for this stuff? Seems they should be able to design it to look sphag-like.

[Pilot]

Originally Posted by AnonYMouse

I hate moss, too. Since I'm not showing mine, I've transferred some Neos to CHC.

The top dressed one looks good. Middle one looks like it's wearing an athletic jersey, ready for some serious running or something.

What is the original use for this stuff? Seems they should be able to design it to look sphag-like.

I don't know what the original use is. It's sold for a varieties of reasons but when Ray advertised that this stuff wicks really well I decided to experiment. I have my seds in this stuff now in an attempt to save them and so far they seem to be stable though losing older leaves... Which could be a natural process if it stops! The second one isn't done well. Lol. And yes it sort of feels like a jersey.


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[coffeecup]

Interesting, Ryan. Keep us posted.

[Bud]

Its like putting a turtle neck sweater on the plants....LOLZ!
I love it! I have the materials= I will try this too !

[Leafmite]

I think it looks cool! I agree with you about moss. I use moss for a few orchids but I am not fond of it, either, and I don't like any media that rots. If straight lava rock only worked for everything!!! I hope you will keep us posted. I am looking for an alternative to moss for my angraecum leonis, bulbo, and zygos (mix of rock and moss).

[rangiku]

Ryan, the first one looks great. And, I love your pot so much!

If they could make it moss colored, I bet it could almost pass as moss.

[Pilot]

Originally Posted by Bud

Its like putting a turtle neck sweater on the plants....LOLZ!
I love it! I have the materials= I will try this too !

Bud some things I learned-- use good shears... weak scissors won't do much but frustrate you cutting this stuff. Also, measure how high you want the material to sit and then shorten the height by 1/3-- as you roll it and form it to "mound" it'll naturally get tall and decreasing it's original size by 1/3 will do the trick.

Also cut the strips long! Rolling this stuff up means a lot goes a little way.

---------- Post added at 10:36 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:34 AM ----------

Originally Posted by Leafmite

I think it looks cool! I agree with you about moss. I use moss for a few orchids but I am not fond of it, either, and I don't like any media that rots. If straight lava rock only worked for everything!!! I hope you will keep us posted. I am looking for an alternative to moss for my angraecum leonis, bulbo, and zygos (mix of rock and moss).

Amen...lol

Another alt to moss is eco web. I have planted a few phals in this stuff. I take the ecoweb in cubes and pack them in between the existing roots as tight as I dare without breaking roots and this aquamat is cut and unrolled inside the new container/pot and the plant with ecoweb cubes stuffed inside.

Neo hybrids LOVE THIS STUFF and the phals seem to be responding now, too, in a positive way.

---------- Post added at 10:38 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:36 AM ----------

Originally Posted by rangiku

Ryan, the first one looks great. And, I love your pot so much!

If they could make it moss colored, I bet it could almost pass as moss.

Thanks, Adrienne-- that first one is a later attempt and the care going in to sculpting the aquamat was obviously refined over earlier attempts. The underside of this set up in the pot is domed-- as the top is-- so there is able air movement, and I'm hoping, superior to that of moss. In fact it may be so much so that those planted like this will need a home under the auto misting system.

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[AnonYMouse]

Went to look at the stuff at Ray's and that part of the site is "not found"!

[Pilot]

Among other parts of his store. I bet its tech difficulty.


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