potting in "mud'

[Fxxy]

Is anyone using the potting medium made of fine peat moss and perlite and vermiculite??? Looks like soil. A grower near here (NYC) uses it for several species and swears by it. I am interested, but am looking for some info rom others who have used it. Name of grower is Stony Brook Orchids. Quite a long explanation on website.

[kmarch]

It depends on the needs of the plant. What species is it being used for?

[Phalcycle]

different orchids have different needs. maybe this grower is using it for species that need to constantly be moist?
most growers have different mediums according to the plant's needs

[Ron]

Is anyone using the potting medium made of fine peat moss and perlite and vermiculite??? Looks like soil. A grower near here (NYC) uses it for several species and swears by it. I am interested, but am looking for some info rom others who have used it.

A couple of years ago it went through a lot of clubs on the south coast as a wonder fix it all mix.

Did just that, fixed a lot of orchids dead.
be carefull on what you use it on

[evagentry]

I have purchased a couple of plants potted in mud. A Cattleya and a Phalaenopsis. The Catt I re-potted right away, the Phal I tried for awhile but the mud held the moisture for too long in my conditions.

[Fxxy]

It was used for phals and (I think) some catts

[whalloper]

I bought a phal potted in that stuff and I repotted it as soon as I brought it home. I dont know how a phal could survive in something like that. Roots at the top were ok, but they were all dead below that.

[Brooke]

It is the same texture as the mix Mike uses plus some other members on the forum. If you learn to water it correctly, they do fine in it.

Brooke

[whalloper]

Originally Posted by Brooke

It is the same texture as the mix Mike uses plus some other members on the forum. If you learn to water it correctly, they do fine in it.

Brooke

I think you are right, but still a very difficult media in how to learn growing phals. It is incredibly easy to overwater which I think is the most common mistake of all. Youre right I admit, it would just be more of a challenge, and in this hobby, I dont need more challenges lol

[jayfar]

Originally Posted by Brooke

It is the same texture as the mix Mike uses plus some other members on the forum. If you learn to water it correctly, they do fine in it.

Hmm, are you sure. If you mean the 75% coir (coarse), 20% perlite, & 5% charcoal that we commonly call Mayres Mix, I would think anything with fine peat moss would be somewhat denser and muddier, but it would depend on the proportions.

EDIT: I see the website for Stoney Brook Orchids describes their potting mix as a 1:1 mix of Canadian sphagnum peat moss and perlite, so it may not be so dense as I was thinking.

Here's the original thread for Mayres mix:

Phal Repotting & Media

[Brooke]

Jayfar I was going for a general description, not the specific proportions of Mike's mix. The 1:1 mix of peat and perlite is a much looser medium than the coir mix of Mike.

I use coir and perlite in a 50/50 ratio for all my terrestrial 'chids. I used to use it for all my plants I grew from seed before my 'chids took over the space. Coir does not become a home for fungus gnats and peat based mixes do.

Brooke