I actually have my sandie potted in straight bark, which is what all of my paphs are potted in. The weather is weird here in PA...it gets very damp in the fall and the spring, and I have to be careful not to pot things in mixes that retain too much moisture, or I get fungus problems. I also have my paphs in glazed pots, which I know scares a lot of people because of the chemicals in the glaze, but I was assured by a chemist that the glaze would not leach chemicals because it was, in fact, coated with a fine layer of glass. I find that the glaze helps retain moisture as well and keeps the fungus away (anything in an unglazed clay pot turns into a science experiment after a damp, rainy week here...I'm forever battling mold and fungus on the outsides of my plain clay pots, but the fungus doesn't adhere to the glaze).
I've had a lot of success with my paphs (all different kinds) with just using high-nitrogen fertilizer and bark. They grow like weeds. I think I give them a bit higher light than most people, though. They are right next to a window, and they get kissed by the sun for a brief time each afternoon. It seems to be a perfect combination for them...they are suffering no ill effects from the small amount of direct sun, and they are putting out leaves like crazy.
I was debating adding some calcium to my mix, but then I ordered a Paph Micranthum, and when it showed up, it had yellowing leaves that were falling off on all the little growths. I was baffled as to what the problem was...then I did a little research, and I learned that mixes that are TOO rich in calcium can cause yellowing and leaf-dropping. Basically it's like over-fertilizing. A couple of my other paphs from the same vendor arrived showing signs of overfertilization too, and that vendor had been using oyster shells in his mix. So I'm a bit cautious about putting oyster shells in the mix after seeing what it did to these few plants. (Of course, it could have been that he was simply dumping too much fertilizer in...then it wouldn't necessarily be the oyster shell issue)....but anyway, I repotted all of the plants that came from that vendor and they are all looking better in the straight bark.
I will definitely look into the oyster shells if my sandie starts looking tired, though. Right now I'm fertilizing it with a high-nitrogen mix, and it seems to like that just fine. Lots of new growth.
I'm curious to see how yours likes your bark/sphag/oyster concoction! Definitely keep us posted! :-)
Oh, and where does one buy crushed oyster shells, anyway? Are you going to the store and buying oysters and then just whacking away at them with a mallet in your kitchen? That sounds messy.... LOL ;-) Although I imagine it's a great way to relieve stress! Hehee!
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