# Aircone pots and Phrags



## RNCollins (Jul 19, 2015)

Hi,

I need to repot a couple of my Phrags that I have sitting in a saucer filled with a small amount of water. Does anyone do this with the Aircone pots? Right now the Aircone pots are what I have on hand, and I wanted to see if I could put off ordering new pots and supplies right now.

Thanks for your help.


----------



## Linus_Cello (Jul 19, 2015)

The phrags won't mind, but I think using the air cones would be better "spent" for paphs (or caudatum type phrags). You could make your own "pots" with plastic containers. (especially if you want to do s/h).


----------



## gonewild (Jul 19, 2015)

The aircone pot design defeats the purpose of standing the Phrag in water.


----------



## RNCollins (Jul 19, 2015)

Other than repotme and Kelley's Korner, where does everyone get their pots?


----------



## mrhappyrotter (Jul 19, 2015)

RNCollins said:


> Other than repotme and Kelley's Korner, where does everyone get their pots?



If you have any local orchid vendors in your area, they often carry supplies as well as plants. That's how I usually buy mine. You can find them cheaper online, but pots are inexpensive (relatively) as it is. Plus, it helps support the mom and pop grow operations AND gives me an excuse to stop by the greenhouse more frequently than I would otherwise.


----------



## papheteer (Jul 19, 2015)

For some reason, i dont have much luck with Aircone pots. Bottom stays too wet and the top dries easily. I think they're meant to hold some water at the bottom. Ive solved this by putting some perlite at the bottom.


----------



## NYEric (Jul 19, 2015)

I use both aircone pots and S/H style (soup quart pots from the Chinese restaurant with holes drilled in the sides). I use Aliflor in the bottom and mixed media above the water line. I have found recently that using S/H style pots with just Aliflor in the trays of flowing water is working well.


----------



## Happypaphy7 (Jul 19, 2015)

papheteer said:


> For some reason, i dont have much luck with Aircone pots. Bottom stays too wet and the top dries easily. I think they're meant to hold some water at the bottom. Ive solved this by putting some perlite at the bottom.



I'm with you. I am not a big fan of aircone. It's supposed to be more airy, but the design allows more water collected at the corners of the bottom of the pot. This is because the bottom center is elevated. It should be either flat or the slits or holes should be located on the corner for better drainage.

I only have one aircone, a gift from a vendor years ago, and I had no desire to buy any.


----------



## Happypaphy7 (Jul 19, 2015)

RNCollins said:


> Other than repotme and Kelley's Korner, where does everyone get their pots?



Many vendors get the same stuff from whole sale dealers, so you will notice that same stuff will be available at different prices as you shop around, although of course different places will feature certain unique things that others do not have.

Look up Tindara orchid supply also.
They are not orchid specific but they do have lots of good stuff for orchid growing as well. 

Last, you can use any pots with drainage holes for s/h or sitting pots and plants in water.


----------



## papheteer (Jul 20, 2015)

Happypaphy7 said:


> Many vendors get the same stuff from whole sale dealers, so you will notice that same stuff will be available at different prices as you shop around, although of course different places will feature certain unique things that others do not have.
> 
> Look up Tindara orchid supply also.
> They are not orchid specific but they do have lots of good stuff for orchid growing as well.
> ...



Glad I'm not the only one! They're so pretty and pricey I wanted them to work! But alas plants I pot in it stall and don't grow roots at all.


----------



## NYEric (Jul 20, 2015)

Hmmm, have to check mine.


----------



## Happypaphy7 (Jul 20, 2015)

papheteer said:


> Glad I'm not the only one! They're so pretty and pricey I wanted them to work! But alas plants I pot in it stall and don't grow roots at all.



Well, I have Paph. Hsinying Delight ( Stone Lovely x spicerianum) in the aircone pot which grows like a weed, but not because of the pot but the plant is a weed in any setting I found. lol

That's the only aircone pot I have and I do spend extra minutes to completely drain the water every time I water it.
Imagine I had many plants in this pot and all the extra time spent above what I already spend on watering. Oh, no. No~~~


----------



## NYEric (Jul 20, 2015)

Everything seems fine. I use aircones to get extra air-flow.


----------



## Happypaphy7 (Jul 20, 2015)

That is the idea of those pots, but I doubt they allow any more air flow than other types of pots. 

Especially people like me who place the pots on the saucer of some sort because I don't have a greenhouse where I could place all the pots on the bench without pots sitting in saucers, the "air cone" part of the pot is really pretty much blocked by the saucer only leaving those narrow slits on the pots. 

Pots with larger drainage holes that come slightly up on the side of the pots probably allow much better air flow.
For pots sitting in the bench without saucers, I think the pots with the mesh bottom probably lets the maximum air flow.


----------



## MattWoelfsen (Jul 21, 2015)

EBay and Amazon has Aircone pots. 

If you want to bulk up try Chula Orchids:
http://www.chulaorchids.com/html/clear_pots.html#Rand_Air_Cone_Pots

First Rays also sells these pots:
http://www.firstrays.com/cart/Horticultural-Containers/Air-Cone-Flower-Pots

I am on the fence regarding the use of these pots because of its supposed ability to provide more air to the root mass. So I'm hedging by putting a net pot on top of the central core to see if that will further increase air penetration.

That said, I do like these pots for stability and durability. The walls are thick and having four corners makes them difficult to tip over.


----------



## Happypaphy7 (Jul 21, 2015)

Uh,,,,it does not provide more air, which is the problem.
I also like how rigid it is, though. 

I wish they made holes on the corner for better drainage.
Well, there are better pots to choose from.


----------



## RNCollins (Jul 21, 2015)

Thanks Matt for the links.

What I would like to use is a pot with drainage holes on the bottom and holes wrapping up onto the side. I've come to the conclusion that I don't want to use the Aircone pots for these Phrags.

Thanks everybody for all your feedback!


----------



## gonewild (Jul 21, 2015)

It's easy to add drainage holes. Just get a cheap solder iron and melt holes where ever you want them.


----------



## RNCollins (Jul 21, 2015)

Here are the two Phrags that I need to repot:

Phrag Grande
I got it last year at Silva Shore Fest. I know with its parental background you don't usually let it sit in water but it seems to love it, sucks it right up fast.



IMG_2773 by cponsolle, on Flickr

Phrag kovachii ('Laura' x 'Ana')
I got this from Glen Decker/Piping Rock last fall. It was last repotted May 2014. The roots are coming out of the bottom and the top of the pot.



IMG_2774 by cponsolle, on Flickr


----------



## Happypaphy7 (Jul 21, 2015)

Nice looking plants, Carol!

They are already in the pots with drainage holes at the bottom it looks like?
If you want extra holes onto the side as you say, look up repotme or other vendors mentioned in this thread. 

Why drilling the holes with heated iron when they are great pots already made for you? lol

Hope you find good pots.


----------



## gonewild (Jul 21, 2015)

Happypaphy7 said:


> Why drilling the holes with heated iron when they are great pots already made for you? lol




Because then you can put the holes where you want them and as many as you want. And you can do it with one pot that you already have and not have to pay shipping to order only a couple pots. And you can add side drainage in a pot without even taking out the already established plant.


----------



## Happypaphy7 (Jul 21, 2015)

True.

I'm just saying that there are pots with holes at the right places out there and buy those instead of aircone pots only to make extra holes later.


----------



## daniella3d (Jul 22, 2015)

Exactly my thoughts!



gonewild said:


> The aircone pot design defeats the purpose of standing the Phrag in water.


----------



## Paphluvr (Aug 29, 2015)

RNCollins said:


> Other than repotme and Kelley's Korner, where does everyone get their pots?



Many years ago when I was a member of the local orchid society one of the members had a novel idea for this problem that had everybody aghast. He went to cemeteries that allowed live plants and checked their trash barrels or found their dump. I would imagine especially effective in spring.


----------



## abax (Aug 29, 2015)

What's wrong with clay pots? Lowes carries clay pots with
a hole in the bottom and holes all the way around the sides. Holes + clay pots= lots of
air movement. They're also fairly cheap.


----------

