coco piece coir

[josepi.13]

I am thinking about using some coco piece coir as an element in my potting mix. my plan is to take better grow special orchid mix and mix in some of the peice coir. I really like the chunks of piece coir and the finer pieces in it. i would have rather got the coconut chunks but they were out at the strore by me so i decided to try the piece coir. let me know if anyone has tried this and to what avail. please and thanky.
i forgot to mention on the first picture. its the upper part

[orchids4me]

When using Coir in your mixes just be careful and monitor your watering. The coir retains the water very well and if not opened up with larger media can smother roots on some types of orchids. Believe me I've learned this the hard way. It great during the summer months holding the moisture longer than most media's. But like sphag moss and coir you have to watch watering carefully especially in the winter months. I've killed phals and catts and went back to a chunky mix for those. And had to open up my media more for the Oncs also due to root loss. So just be diligent and montor your water regimins both summer and winter when using coir. I'm not saying its bad stuff its good stuff its human error that makes it an issue.
Good luck

[josepi.13]

I was planning and only adding it to my paph mix, do you think that would be fine? let me know. i was also concerned with the water retention and have never used it.

[orchids4me]

yes paphs love it I do use it in mine also, just a little bit of it though. To help retain some moisture.

[josepi.13]

thanks for the help sir. i used like 1/3 coco piece and 3/4 the better grow mix. i like how it looks and all. meets my approval, i hope it meets the plants approval. well thank you sir.

[orchids4me]

Lol I'm a miss. But its ok. I found it amusing lol no hurt feelings here

[Ron]

Originally Posted by josepi.13

I was planning and only adding it to my paph mix, do you think that would be fine? let me know. i was also concerned with the water retention and have never used it.

Personally for Paphs, they prefeer a open type of mix.
adding this to the mix would only make a dense pudding mix, most likely kill all the plants in a few weeks.
I would use the CoCo coir mix for mixing into the vegie garden.
Then look for the CoCo chunks or open bark mix.
look after your plants as they most likely cost you much more then cheap potting mix
Check out this site.
It for me is the holy bible of Paphiopedilum growing
http://www.ladyslipper.com/
while we may offer suggestions on the way we grow them, this is a comercial nursery with a great and long history of growing Paphs.
Taught me a lot in my early paph growing years
Best of luck

[josepi.13]

well when i mixed it into my mix i only used the clumps, like cubes of it, that were dime size and larger. i didn't mix in the little stuff that was similar to potting mix type size.

[Ron]

Originally Posted by josepi.13

well when i mixed it into my mix i only used the clumps, like cubes of it, that were dime size and larger. i didn't mix in the little stuff that was similar to potting mix type size.

Can you keep us updated on how it works, always interested in how others grow their plants
Thanks

[PaulB]

The Coir in the lower pic looks like moist Coir "Peat". If it came in a solid brick, it normally is soaked in water till it puffs up and becomes the lovely loose peat-like material. Basically, it's like peat moss take from bogs, except it takes longer to break down. The coco husks (chunks in various sizes), however, are more suitable for orchids, since they hold moisture very well, but still allow air movement around them. Better for your roots.

[solay]

I stay away from the peat cause I tend to overwater. Even with regular bark mixes I rot the poor things. I've used regular bark mix on my Paphs. and they do fine.

[terra_australis]

If I were using that I would be lightening the mix with perlite as well. That fine stuff soaks up water like a sponge and doesn't dry out if left in big clumps.

I use 60% perlite to 40% coir peat for Zygs, Calanthe, Phaius and other terrestrials which like to stay a little damp. Interestingly I find coir peat naturally seems to resist growth of fungii. Has anyone else noticed this?