Aircone pots

[Ray]

After Ray Rand passed, Jan and Ulla Jurrisen (Kelley’s Korner Orchid Supplies) bought the inventory and molds. When they sold KK, they kept them and continued as wholesale distributors.

If I’m not mistaken, one of them has now passed on.

 

[Duck Slipper]

Kelly's Korner still has them. I believe they still have the best price.

 

[orchidlife]

Kelly's Korner still has them. I believe they still have the best price.

Thats where I bought mine

 

[southernbelle]

I used them for a few years—liked them for some things but found cattleyas instead of the roots growing around in circles above the rim, grew down the sides in the corners! In the larger pots if I had trouble getting a plant out (even after soaking), the pots were very hard to cut off (it took tin snips). Because of viruses, I don’t re-use plastic pots, so they were not worth it to me.

 

[Tom-DE]

Because of viruses, I don’t re-use plastic pots, so they were not worth it to me.

Why not soak them(plastic or clay pots) in bleach solution for a couple of days if you worry about viruses? I am sure that will kill the viruses.

 

[CarlG]

After Ray Rand passed, Jan and Ulla Jurrisen (Kelley’s Korner Orchid Supplies)

They must have bought the business from Shirley Kelley. I remember her from when she was in (or near) Morristown, NJ.

 

[southernbelle]

Why not soak them(plastic or clay pots) in bleach solution for a couple of days if you worry about viruses? I am sure that will kill the viruses.

You can soak plastic in bleach, but just soaking clay won’t kill the viruses as they are porous. So that requires baking clay at 400 degrees for 2+ hours. Some soak clay first then bake.
I do soak some things but grow under lights in my basement so dealing with Clorox is not worth it for pots. I usually have to cut a plastic pot to get the plant out anyway, so it’s a moot point. With clay, I break them. Dave Off does not advise re-using any pot (even after disinfecting) from a plant known to be virused. Not worth the risk.

 

[Ray]

FWIW, Air Cone pots are apparently not all THAT UV resistant. I was outside plucking leaves out of the plants and doing a general cleanup before bringing them in for the winter and had a couple crack on me.

I suspect the thickness is the greatest boon to durability.

 

[Duck Slipper]

FWIW, Air Cone pots are apparently not all THAT UV resistant. I was outside plucking leaves out of the plants and doing a general cleanup before bringing them in for the winter and had a couple crack on me.

I suspect the thickness is the greatest boon to durability.

I have had a few crack. It does happen to be the larger plants in a 5” or 6” pot.

 

[Ray]

Yep - 6” pot containing heavy, wet, LECA + rockwool cubes.

 

[jtrmd]

Rand's Aircone pots cost 3-4X more money than other clear pots...are they worthy?

I’ve used them before, and I didn’t really notice a big difference between them and the regular green plastic pots.

 

[Califoutdoors]

Rands Air were once state-of-the-art orchid pots, around 25 years ago, and they are still damn fine pots. But many newer designed pots, incorporating air cones and side slits and heavy drainage, have saturated the market, making the Rands pots not as unique and hard to find nowadays. But I still really like the Rands for phrags/paphs. The square design holds more media than round pots and therefore dries out slightly slower, but doesn’t stay too moist. For some orchids, like my Phrag pearcei which is over potted in a 4” Rands (which unlike 4” rounds is a fairly big pot), it’s a great combination for keeping roots moist longer, requiring less watering.

One annoying thing about Rands is the jump from 3” to 4” sizes is huge. I’m often in the situation with Paphs were the 3” pot is too small, and the 4” pot is too big.

I was introduced to Rand’s Aircones at an orchid show within the San Diego zoo around 25 years ago; I noticed that most of the blooming Paphs/phrags were in these pots.