# Coco husk as media



## Anca86 (Oct 21, 2020)

Hi everybody 
I have to repot my Phragmipedium kovachii because the media molded. 
What are your thoughts on coco husk? 
Thanka


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## Paphluvr (Oct 21, 2020)

I don't grow kovachii but I do use a coconut husk based media for my Paphs and Phrags. It's a mixture of small and medium CHC, large perlite and horticultural charcoal. I've been using this mixture for years and have had good luck with it. Good aeration but holds the moisture.


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## Tlynnt66 (Oct 22, 2020)

I have pretty good success growing not just paphs, but just about everything under the sun with coco husk including all sorts of tropical plants. I mix it with perlite and peat, along with some broken terra cotta pieces for anything that needs some extra airflow. Even my phals seem to like it, although I give them a few big chunks of bark to cling to inside their pots.


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## Anca86 (Oct 23, 2020)

Paphluvr said:


> I don't grow kovachii but I do use a coconut husk based media for my Paphs and Phrags. It's a mixture of small and medium CHC, large perlite and horticultural charcoal. I've been using this mixture for years and have had good luck with it. Good aeration but holds the moisture.


How often do you repot?


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## Anca86 (Oct 23, 2020)

Tlynnt66 said:


> I have pretty good success growing not just paphs, but just about everything under the sun with coco husk including all sorts of tropical plants. I mix it with perlite and peat, along with some broken terra cotta pieces for anything that needs some extra airflow. Even my phals seem to like it, although I give them a few big chunks of bark to cling to inside their pots.


Your answer gives me courage because I heard mostly negative things about coco husk. Thanks


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## Paphluvr (Oct 23, 2020)

Repotting, generally every other year. Maybe one of the bad things you've heard had to do with the salt content, even with the stuff that is "pre-rinsed". I generally give it a soak in at least two changes of RO water and another of rain water and than check the hardness of the resulting rinse water before I use it for my mix.


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## Anca86 (Oct 23, 2020)

Paphluvr said:


> Repotting, generally every other year. Maybe one of the bad things you've heard had to do with the salt content, even with the stuff that is "pre-rinsed". I generally give it a soak in at least two changes of RO water and another of rain water and than check the hardness of the resulting rinse water before I use it for my mix.


Thanks! I already soaked the coco husk once. I shall do it 3 times to be sure.


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## werner.freitag (Oct 25, 2020)

best is to check the conductivity after soaking


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## Ozpaph (Oct 25, 2020)

everytime i try using coco things die; the alternate opinion. It stays too wet, for me.


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## Anca86 (Oct 25, 2020)

Ozpaph said:


> everytime i try using coco things die; the alternate opinion. It stays too wet, for me.


What do you use as potting media?


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## emydura (Oct 26, 2020)

Ozpaph said:


> everytime i try using coco things die; the alternate opinion. It stays too wet, for me.



My experience too with Paphs, CHC stays too wet. 

Having said that, I was looking for a new medium for growing Cymbidiums as it is basically impossible to find a good cheap Cymbidium mix in Australia at the moment. So I have just started trying a CHC mix. Given Cymbidiums love being wet, I am hopeful it will work out well.


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## Ray (Oct 26, 2020)

emydura said:


> My experience too with Paphs, CHC stays too wet.
> 
> Having said that, I was looking for a new medium for growing Cymbidiums as it is basically impossible to find a good cheap Cymbidium mix in Australia at the moment. So I have just started trying a CHC mix. Given Cymbidiums love being wet, I am hopeful it will work out well.


Have you considered semi-hydroponics with cymbidium?

Many years ago, I imported about 500 Chinese species a month from Taiwan. They arrived as bare-root divisions, consisting of two old growths and one new one in-spike. Dropped ‘em into S/H pots and rarely even lost a bud.

My recent experience with Grodan mini-cubes suggests that rock wool is another good option.


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## emydura (Oct 30, 2020)

Ray said:


> Have you considered semi-hydroponics with cymbidium?
> 
> Many years ago, I imported about 500 Chinese species a month from Taiwan. They arrived as bare-root divisions, consisting of two old growths and one new one in-spike. Dropped ‘em into S/H pots and rarely even lost a bud.
> 
> My recent experience with Grodan mini-cubes suggests that rock wool is another good option.



Thanks Ray. I hadn't considered it but I will keep it in mind.


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