All Around Medium for Paphs?

[Cklinger]

That's so neat!! Thank you for the thorough explanation! I might have to try that out.

No problem!

 

[Cklinger]

Hahahha! Cklinger, we don't have a greenhouse. I give and trade orchids all the time. If you do the aquarium thing make sure it doesn't stay too moist.
masaccio, dolomite holds water, put a handful in water and you can hear the absorption. Put it next to sphagnum or rock-wool grow cubes and it will keep them wet. If sphagnum gets dry it can be worse than dry bark.

Good to hear! And yeah although the terrarium is set up, I check almost everyday to make sure the plants don't stay too moist for long periods of time.

 

[Cklinger]

I am curious, since I am having a hard time finding medium sized perlite, if it would be fine to use charcoal instead? I would think so because it would prevent compaction while also filtering the water of impurities.

 

[Junglejewel]

I am curious, since I am having a hard time finding medium sized perlite, if it would be fine to use charcoal instead? I would think so because it would prevent compaction while also filtering the water of impurities.

I got my medium #3 perlite on eBay from BayHydro. Great company and great product!

 

[Cklinger]

I got my medium #3 perlite on eBay from BayHydro. Great company and great product!

Thanks so much! I literally just ordered some after I read your post haha

 

[xiphius]

Life is too short to make my own mixes View attachment 14715 . I saw an appealing mix from Quarter Acre and ordered it. Blurb: "This orchid potting mix contains fine fir bark, fine horticultural charcoal, oyster shell, perlite and just a touch of AAA+ New Zealand Sphagnam... all excellent for healthy Paphs & Phrags!" Photo attached.

Interesting. This mix looks very similar to Hausermann's "seedling orchid mix" (minus the crushed oyster shell, it looks basically identical). When I lived near Chicago, I used to buy this in bulk and use it for all of my Paphs. Worked great for me as an "all around" medium. I actually used to add in crushed oyster shell myself for calcicolous Paphs.

 

[masaccio]

Interesting. This mix looks very similar to Hausermann's "seedling orchid mix" (minus the crushed oyster shell, it looks basically identical). When I lived near Chicago, I used to buy this in bulk and use it for all of my Paphs. Worked great for me as an "all around" medium. I actually used to add in crushed oyster shell myself for calcicolous Paphs.

I've always wondered how people do this. Did you buy it crushed? Did you crush it yourself? Have also read that seashells also work. The Quarter Acre mix looks good, but it's expensive. Is it overkill anyway, using a Cal-Mag fertilizing formula?

 

[tomkalina]

We've used Hausermann's seedling orchid mix for Paphs for many years right out of the bag. It's at least as good as any other mix we've tried, including Orchiata. For the larger Paphs, we use 50% Paph. seedling mix + 50% of their standard orchid mix which contains larger pieces of bark (Rexius - Heat Sterilized). For the calcium loving Paphs and Phrags, we add one cup of 100 mesh dolomite lime powder per bag.

 

[masaccio]

We've used Hausermann's seedling orchid mix for Paphs for many years right out of the bag. It's at least as good as any other mix we've tried, including Orchiata. For the larger Paphs, we use 50% Paph. seedling mix + 50% of their standard orchid mix which contains larger pieces of bark (Rexius - Heat Sterilized). For the calcium loving Paphs and Phrags, we add one cup of 100 mesh dolomite lime powder per bag.

Great. Looking at the Hausermann website, I see a paph/miltoniopsis mix but not a seedling mix per se. Same thing? Interesting that Hausermann doesn't list the contents of this paph/miltoniopsis mix. When you say you add a cup of the dolomite lime powder per bag, do you mean per "hobby bag"? Thanks!

 

[xiphius]

I've always wondered how people do this. Did you buy it crushed? Did you crush it yourself? Have also read that seashells also work. The Quarter Acre mix looks good, but it's expensive. Is it overkill anyway, using a Cal-Mag fertilizing formula?

You buy it crushed. It's super cheap. A 50 lb bag generally costs <$10 and will last you for years (unless you have an insanely big collection). You can find it at farm supply stores. They sell it for chickens (to ensure strong eggshells). I have heard of some people using seashells and crushing themselves, but it seems like a lot of work to save a very small amount of money. Plus, the stuff you buy has been heat treated and washed to remove impurities.

We've used Hausermann's seedling orchid mix for Paphs for many years right out of the bag. It's at least as good as any other mix we've tried, including Orchiata.

Yeah, it is pretty great (I'm actually still using it because I bought a couple big bags before I left and brought them with me, almost out though). Plus, I loved how cheap it was and that they could easily accommodate any quantity you needed (because they are such a huge operation, they always have a TON on hand). I really miss being nearby . Soon I shall have to figure out alternatives.

For the calcium loving Paphs and Phrags, we add one cup of 100 mesh dolomite lime powder per bag.

Is this coarser than regular dolomite lime? if so, where do you find it? I tried dolomite once, but it seems to just wash out the pot pretty quickly. The nice thing about oyster shell is that it seems to stick around.

Great. Looking at the Hausermann website, I see a paph/miltoniopsis mix but not a seedling mix per se. Same thing? Interesting that Hausermann doesn't list the contents of this paph/miltoniopsis mix. When you say you add a cup of the dolomite lime powder per bag, do you mean per "hobby bag"? Thanks!

Not sure, but probably. I know they grow pretty much all of their paphs in their seedling mix (at their greenhouse, it was just called their "seedling mix" - at least as of a couple years ago). Hausermann's isn't great about listing things on their website though. If you are in the neighborhood, I would just stop by in person and look. They always had a ton of paphs in their greenhouse that weren't listed online.

 

[tomkalina]

Great. Looking at the Hausermann website, I see a paph/miltoniopsis mix but not a seedling mix per se. Same thing? Interesting that Hausermann doesn't list the contents of this paph/miltoniopsis mix. When you say you add a cup of the dolomite lime powder per bag, do you mean per "hobby bag"? Thanks!

The Paph/Miltoniopsis mix is the one I referred to as "seedling orchid mix". We add one cup dolomite lime powder to a 2 cu ft bag of mix. A hobby bag would take much less; perhaps a tablespoon.

 

[masaccio]

You buy it crushed. It's super cheap. A 50 lb bag generally costs <$10 and will last you for years (unless you have an insanely big collection). You can find it at farm supply stores. They sell it for chickens (to ensure strong eggshells). I have heard of some people using seashells and crushing themselves, but it seems like a lot of work to save a very small amount of money. Plus, the stuff you buy has been heat treated and washed to remove impurities.
Yeah, it is pretty great (I'm actually still using it because I bought a couple big bags before I left and brought them with me, almost out though). Plus, I loved how cheap it was and that they could easily accommodate any quantity you needed (because they are such a huge operation, they always have a TON on hand). I really miss being nearby . Soon I shall have to figure out alternatives.
Not sure, but probably. I know they grow pretty much all of their paphs in their seedling mix (at their greenhouse, it was just called their "seedling mix" - at least as of a couple years ago). Hausermann's isn't great about listing things on their website though. If you are in the neighborhood, I would just stop by in person and look. They always had a ton of paphs in their greenhouse that weren't listed online.

Thanks for all the information! I have some of the mix on the way now. Yes, I noticed not a lot of information generally. Would love to visit them though. I probably will never be in the neighborhood, but it might be a fun bucket-list trip.

 

[masaccio]

The Paph/Miltoniopsis mix is the one I referred to as "seedling orchid mix". We add one cup dolomite lime powder to a 2 cu ft bag of mix. A hobby bag would take much less; perhaps a tablespoon.

Thanks!

 

[ostarraann]

That makes sense. Sounds great, too. I'm making a permanent note of it. I haven't gotten into orchiata yet, but I did just order some cone pots. By the way, I was reading a random on-line commentary on paph culture. I think it was an Asian vendor. He said he believed that paphs like to be "tight" in their pots, so pot in the smallest pot that everything fits into. Comment?

I watched a doco on Indian Paph growers. They said 'put the back of the plant close to the pot but leave room for it to grow forward in the pot'.

 

[Junglejewel]

That makes sense. Sounds great, too. I'm making a permanent note of it. I haven't gotten into orchiata yet, but I did just order some cone pots. By the way, I was reading a random on-line commentary on paph culture. I think it was an Asian vendor. He said he believed that paphs like to be "tight" in their pots, so pot in the smallest pot that everything fits into. Comment?

Yes for the most part. I pot them in one size larger than the root ball. Meaning, enough room for a year or two of root growth.

 

[Geek_it]

This is defenitely open to dispute, I use non organic potting mix except for rocks, pumus, and clay balls, that excludes breakdown of medium

Can you share details? % in mixture?