# Orchiata



## abax (Dec 3, 2018)

I need at least sixty litre of Orchiata and have been shopping around for
prices. I use the coarse grade for my Phrags. with coarse perlite.

Has anyone tried the Best Grow from Amazon? It's the best price I can
find, but doesn't specify grade.

HELP!!!!


Addendum: Amazon has the best price on said Orchiata and free shipping

if you order as much as I did...3 40 litre bags. They also have the coarse

sponge rock as well.


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## Ray (Dec 4, 2018)

The seller is Besgrow, not "Best Grow", and they are the producer.


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## littlefrog (Dec 4, 2018)

Besgrow is what it says on my bags... Not that I use orchiata anymore - it messes up my phrag seedlings.


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## mccallen (Dec 4, 2018)

littlefrog said:


> Not that I use orchiata anymore - it messes up my phrag seedlings.




Uh oh. I just bought some...for phrag seedlings.  In what way does it mess them up?


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## abax (Dec 4, 2018)

'scuse me! I read the bag upside down and made a mistake. Mcc, I've never
had any trouble with Orchiata with seedlings. Perhaps it depends of the grade-
size you order. I use clay pots with lots of holes and use the largest grade and
a good bit of sponge rock. My seedlings do quite well.


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## orchid527 (Dec 5, 2018)

Several weeks ago I repotted a group of several dozen phrag seedlings. Some were in a Promix based blend that I have been using for years and others were in the smallest Orchiata with perlite. All of the ones in Orchiata had better roots. I moved all of the seedlings into the Orchiata and so far they look great. These were 3 inch solid plastic pots. I also set up an experiment where I put divisions of plants into both mixes to see which works best for larger plants, but I won't know for a year or so.

I do believe the issue is much more complex than medium alone. I'm sure that humidity, temperature and watering frequency are just as important, but for me, with my conditions, this small Orchiata seems to be working. Mike


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## Ray (Dec 5, 2018)

orchid527; said:


> I do believe the issue is much more complex than medium alone. I'm sure that humidity, temperature and watering frequency are just as important, but for me, with my conditions, this small Orchiata seems to be working. Mike




THIS!


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## mccallen (Dec 6, 2018)

orchid527 said:


> I do believe the issue is much more complex than medium alone. I'm sure that humidity, temperature and watering frequency are just as important, but for me, with my conditions, this small Orchiata seems to be working. Mike



Makes perfect sense, we all produce our own microclimates and nutrient environments, even if we're using the same substrate!


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## tomkalina (Dec 7, 2018)

littlefrog said:


> Besgrow is what it says on my bags... Not that I use orchiata anymore - it messes up my phrag seedlings.



Ditto.


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## littlefrog (Dec 10, 2018)

All I know is that I used the same size orchiata as my regular sequoia bark, and better than half of my seedlings died or nearly died... Set my growing back the better part of a year before I figured it out.

No difference in the mix ratios, pots, watering, etc, just different bark. So I'm pretty comfortable avoiding orchiata for my phrag seedlings. It didn't affect the paphs, or if it did it wasn't dramatic enough to notice. Larger plants using larger bark were unaffected. 

Could have been a bad batch, could have been coincidence... I switched back to Sequoia brand bark and I sleep better at night.


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