# Paph. hirsutissimum var esquirolei



## abax (Nov 23, 2013)

('Carolyn Leonard' x 'Windy Hill') is just a very tiny freebie and it has very
few roots. I first planted it in a small plastic pot in sphag. and the leaves
look fine, but root development is lacking. I've been researching J's site and reading Birk. Should I move this one into Orchiata and add some
gravel. It seems this one can grow several different ways and I'm a tad
confused about potting medium.


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## AdamD (Nov 23, 2013)

I have a bunch of seedlings of this cross as well. I have them in CHC/ charcoal/ hydroton mix. They are doing, ok. Not great, but a few are starting their second growths. LS about 6" on the smallest and 12" on the biggest. Don't know if this helps


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## abax (Nov 24, 2013)

Adam, my plant is maybe 3" LS and few roots. Have you been tempted
to add gravel (or some source for limestone) to your mix? I potted mine
in Orchiata, chopped sphagnum, a bit of charcoal and a bit of hydroton.
Anything helps as I'm not terribly good with seedlings.


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## Carper (Nov 24, 2013)

I've got a couple of this species which are growing well with multi growths. Over the last year or so I've experimented on using the orchiata alone with only a small amount of large perlite. I use as large a size as I can get away with and top dress all the pots with the smallest size. All the plants are doing great. Once you get used to the drying times of the media depending on the size of the pots just water again as needed. It's definitely made the media process a whole lot simpler. 

Gary
UK


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## AdamD (Nov 24, 2013)

abax said:


> Adam, my plant is maybe 3" LS and few roots. Have you been tempted
> to add gravel (or some source for limestone) to your mix? I potted mine
> in Orchiata, chopped sphagnum, a bit of charcoal and a bit of hydroton.
> Anything helps as I'm not terribly good with seedlings.



I have not been tempted to but must say I am now. I've not done a whole lot of research on this species. I don't dress any of my plants as I water with MSU, which I feel fulfills the calcium needs of most plants. Also, MO water is notoriously high in Ca because of all the underground limestone. I do use a water filter on my tap but I still feel it is high in Ca due to seeing Ca deposits from humidifiers in the winter. Hope this helps


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## Rick (Nov 24, 2013)

I've been growing this species for years, and it is a very easy/tolerant species.

You don't need to add any calcareous pot amendments if you cut your K down and give it regular old Kentucky tap water.

They grow fine in any bark or chc based mixed as long as you cut the feed concentration way down.

I've put them in moss lined baskets with local limestone gravel or aircone pots in CHC based mix with some limestone gravel in the bottom for better drainage (and to weight the pot down).

They really don't care as long as you cut the feed rate way down.

The water in this part of the country is full of soluble calcium. I cut my well water to 10% with RO water and still has a hardness of 20 ppm.


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## abax (Nov 25, 2013)

Adam, sometimes research is more confusing than helpful in my experience.

Thank you, Rick. This tiny seedling looked like it was doing quite well
until I repotted out of sphag. The roots were virtually gone. I'm not
fertilizing much at all this time of year. I suspect that I've over-watered
the little thing. I hope it survives the mistreatment.


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