Miracle Mulch?

[Medelia]

I went to Rona today to see if I could find some Coir or Coco Peat...

But to my surprise (not) they didn't have any but I found this instead and it seems to be pretty much the same thing, then again, I don't know since I've never bought Coir before.

So, here is the link to the product. Do you guys think it is orchid safe and could be used as a replacement for Sphag?

Oh and by the way, is it ok if I post a link to another site here?? ( it's in no way intended for advertising, promise)

GrowOrganic: Miracle Mulch Compressed Brick (2.1 Cu Ft Once Expanded)

[berniep]

G'Day Medelia

Looks much the same as I use, I always soak it first in the wheelbarrow to get rid of acid and tannin, then add good handful of perlite and goodly amount of small charcoal, works for me!

Cheers
Bernie

[Brooke]

It is the same coconut product but chunky instead of ground up to resemble peat moss. Many people on the forum use it in place of bark. My adult Phals are potted in it and I love it.

Soak and rinse it three times to make sure any salts still remaining in it are removed. It is a wonderful media for many orchid species.

Here's a thread Ron posted about his use of the coco chunks.

Phallies & potting mix

Brooke

[Medelia]

Well, thank you for reassuring me, I will definitely use it for my three remaining Phals who seem a little more difficult and see if they like it.

Again, than you for the tip.

[Medelia]

One more question, how long should I leave the Coco fibers/coir (I've opened the package and it's a mix of both) to soak before rinsing it? As stated above, I should do this three times?

[kid a]

How cool! I never knew they sold the chucky stuff in bricks!!!! Wha hooo! I gotta get some lol!

[Brooke]

I soak at least 12 hours per soak. When you dump the rinse water, also rinse out the rinse water of the soak - hope that makes sense. Use your hottest water to soak will also help.

Brooke

[Medelia]

Originally Posted by Brooke

I soak at least 12 hours per soak. When you dump the rinse water, also rinse out the rinse water of the soak - hope that makes sense. Use your hottest water to soak will also help.

Brooke

Thank you

[PhalPal]

Let us know how this works for you. I love my coco husks and grow many different orchids in them. I wasn't aware they were available in a brick either!

[koshki]

I switched all my phals from sphag to Mike's coir fiber mix, and have been very happy with the results. The main reason being that I can really tell when I need to water, and when to wait, which is why I used to kill all my orchids.

Now that I'm feeling a bit more confident (and because some of my new orchids are planted in it and doing well), I'm considering using the coco chunks. However, I still don't feel confident about knowing when to water.

Can anyone give some advice on this?

[Medelia]

Originally Posted by koshki

I switched all my phals from sphag to Mike's coir fiber mix, and have been very happy with the results. The main reason being that I can really tell when I need to water, and when to wait, which is why I used to kill all my orchids.

Now that I'm feeling a bit more confident (and because some of my new orchids are planted in it and doing well), I'm considering using the coco chunks. However, I still don't feel confident about knowing when to water.

Can anyone give some advice on this?

How can you tell?

[koshki]

Originally Posted by Medelia

How can you tell?

Sorry, I don't understand your question.

[Brooke]

PhalCattPal does CalWest sell coco chunks? I just got a bale - honest it is almost as big as a bale of hay - from Robert Orchid Supplies in OH but it would probably be expensive to ship.

Katherine you have coir peat type mix in Mike's recipe. Fiber is like a string. The fiber is the stuff basket liners are made from that you buy for your annuals.

I think Medelia wants to know how you can tell when to water.

Brooke

[koshki]

Medelia, sorry I thought you were asking how I knew my phals were doing better! I confuse easily!

When you water the coir fibre mix, it changes color from a light coco brown to chocolate. I use clear pots, so I can also see the color change throughout the pot as well as the medium expanding and touching the sides of the pot.

When the top of the medium gets lighter, I can tell that it's getting close to watering time. If the top is light but inside it's still dark and touching the sides, it's "water soon" or "water tomorrow", depending on the species. If it's light all the way through, it's "water now".

I don't usually test the weight (wheelchair/awkward position of plants/crowded table), but it certainly is important. I discovered my recuperating phal upside down on the floor next to the table. I had missed that it needed water, and because it still has more leaves than roots (but it is growing a bunch of new ones), it's top heavy. When I repotted it, I put some stones in the bottom to make it more balanced. There really is a marked difference in the weight between wet and dry! I plan on putting some stones in the bottom of all my phals whenever I repot them. But I am very happy with the medium.

That said, several of my new plants are in coco chunks, and seem to be quite happy. My biggest concern with it is how to tell when it needs to be watered. Until I wrote this, I hadn't realized how much I use the visual cues to know when to water my phals.

So, do the coco chunks give similar visual cues on when to water? I'd like to use that if it's best for the plants, but not if I have trouble knowing when to water. Any help?

[Medelia]

Brooke ---> Yes, that is what I meant, thank you

koshki --->Sorry about that, I should have been more...precise? And thank you for answering my question.

[mehitabel]

Originally Posted by koshki

Now that I'm feeling a bit more confident (and because some of my new orchids are planted in it and doing well), I'm considering using the coco chunks. However, I still don't feel confident about knowing when to water. Can anyone give some advice on this?

I grow in coco chunks. Except for one window where I have different size pots, I group all the plants of the same size pot and water all at the same time. That makes life much easier-- it eliminates the "dither over every pot" problem. I only have to dither over one pot

When to water-- I lift the pot, feels light = water. I also sometimes stick my finger in the top inch or so to feel for moisture. I also look at the bottom of the pot, where the side holes are to see if the bottom "looks" dry. If you have a lot of holes in the bottom of your pot, you can also feel moisture or not thru the bottom holes. ie I check all sorts of things til I've made my mind up.

Coco chunks do change color from dark to light brown when dry, and if you are used to reading that color change in coir, my bet would be that you can probably generalize it fairly easily to the chunks. There is an "I'm getting reeely dry" look the chips can get in a clear pot. I'm not sure what it is-- maybe the color goes a couple of shades paler than ordinary paleness, maybe also the spaces get a bit bigger. I always hurry to water when I see that.

I've had enormously better results since using coco chips.

[koshki]

Mehitabel, thanks, and what did you use before switching to coco chips?

[mehitabel]

Koshki: I first used s/h for a couple of years, then Aussie Gold, then sphag in clay pots, then finally coco chips starting summer a year ago. At least a year with each one. By the time I got to sphag I was doing pretty well, but I still got a big boost from the coco.

I'm an overwaterer if I'm not careful. I *enjoy* watering, and I get anxious letting a plant get very dry. I have found the coco chips more forgiving of this tendency-- they hold both air and water at the same time, so a little extra water if I just have to do it doesn't necessarily crowd out all the air. Also the coco chips make me less anxious when they start to get dry, because I know there's still a bit of moisture inside.

[koshki]

Ah! That makes sense! I too, get a bit anxious, since I'm still so unsure of my skills.

[PhalPal]

Thanks for the new name Brooke - it is definately appropriate!

koshi has anyone recommended the 'skewer method' for you??? I love it because it works no matter what media you are using. I put a skewer in just a few pots because I group them like mehitabel. It really takes the guesswork out of watering.

Here is is; it will definately help you! http://www.orchidgeeks.com/forum/orc...f-orchids.html

[Ben G]

sounds good

[koshki]

I just stuck a skewer in my B. nodosa 'Little Stars', which is one I'm particularly concerned about. I used the method with other mix, but haven't felt that the bark mixes gave very good readings. Too much space?

Also, I am always worried about skewering a root! But I will try again!

[PhalPal]

Originally Posted by koshki

Also, I am always worried about skewering a root! But I will try again!

If you roll the skewer between your fingers as you slowly push it into the soil it just bounces of any roots it may encounter.

[koshki]

Ahhh! The secret! Thanks!