Repotted with Coir and Perlite

[morphiii]

I repotted my 3 Phal today into mixture of Coco Coir/Perlite/Charcoal.

Just from my observation, the coir feels kinda dry compared to the New Zealand moss that the Phal. was originally wrapped into.

Should I adjust the watering schedule to twice a week compared to once a week with New Zealand Moss?

How wet do they stay compared to the New Zealand Moss?

Any insight will be appreciated.

[Leisurely]

Watering is not a matter of how often you should do it but a matter of when you need to do it. I am growing in the same mix that you are using (1/3 of each) and I water when the surface of the mix is dry to the touch and down to a depth of about one inch. In Florida this averages about every four or five days in the summer and every week or so in the winter.

[sandra]

Originally Posted by Leisurely

In Florida this averages about every four or five days in the summer and every week or so in the winter.

Every 4 to 5 days Leisurely? In coir/charcoal/perlite? I recently potted a few phals in this mix also and I'm totally amazed at the moisture retention, lasting well over a week and I'm in Florida also.

Morphiii, coir's moisture retention is anything other than short lived. It's not heavy like sphag and doesn't get weighed down like sphag when wet because there's a lot more aeration in the mixture, it's very light but you have to be careful because it can be very easy to mistake wet for dry and over water or too frequently. If you take a little of the mixture that you say is dry and rub it between your fingers, you'll be able to feel it's moisture. Coir doesn't have to stay dark such as it gets right after watering to necessarily to be retaining water, it's not like soil.

[mayres]

Yea Sandra! You sound like a pro already. In my conditions I rarely water my phals in this mixture more than every other week. It would take a week straight of 90 degree weather for me to need to water in just a week. In the dead of winter I can go three weeks and even an entire month with a few plants! The clear pots help a lot to see the moisture retention down in the pots. Good luck! mike

[morphiii]

Thanks guys for your feedback. I also have them 3 sitting on a humidity tray on around 60% to 75% humidity. I think that should lower the watering frequency as well.

[sandra]

Originally Posted by mayres

Yea Sandra! You sound like a pro already.

I'm trying Mike! I've decided that I like coir best as an addition, not solely the main ingredient for the phals. I'm keeping the one I potted up where I posted the pic and so far, so good. The one phal that's in trouble is potted in Hydroton (clay pellets) and coir/perlite/charcoal on top. The nursery where I was just at told me that while the phal is so stressed (one good root), to keep it dry for now and just moist where rooting should occur, we'll see... My oncidiums love the coir and believe it or not, so do my cacti. I'm conducting an experiment now with my Christmas Cactus...I cut off a few leafs and have them in the coir and they are stiff and growing beautifully. I'm onto something here with this coir.....love, love, love the stuff!

[cupcake]

I used to grow ordinary plants in coir and loved it ( tho you had to feed after about 3 weeks) Now we don't seem to be able to get it over here. Orchid composts in the garden centres are worse than useless and I am sure contribute to folk in the UK thinking orchids are difficult ( if not impossible to keep!) I have fine bakk for small plants ( donated by a kind grower in the UK) and coconut husk from a specialist grower, which seems fine, Judi