Growing in crushed terra cotta

[keithrs]

Anyone here grow Catt.'s and such in crushed terra cotta? There roots seam to like growing around terra cotta pots. The reason I ask is that I have about 200 terra cotta tiles left over from a job I did. Speaking of which I have some travertine left over too!

Would any of it be ok to use?

 

[Leo Schordje]

Especially some of our members in more tropical countries, where fir bark is not available, they frequently use broken or crushed terra cotta or crushed bricks as at least part of their potting mix. No reason why it would not work. Remember, each potting mix will have its own water holding properties, you will have to work out how often you water with the crushed terra cotta. Once you get the watering right, it should be fine.

Travertine, I am not familiar with it. Depending on whether it is inert, or slightly soluble (like some limestone) will determine how / if you can use it.

 

[Ray]

The only potential issue I can think of is that you're starting with flat tiles. Unless you really pulverize them well, the flat surfaces can help the particles stack too tightly.

Like Leo, I don't know the dissolution rate of travertine, but I imagine it's in the same realm as limestone, so could possibly be good as an additive or top dressing.

 

[Cheyenne]

Someone from my orchid society frequently brings in cattleyas potted in broken pieces of clay pots with amazing roots. Sometimes its hard to see the pieces because there are so many roots.

 

[goldenrose]

there are some bonsai enthusiasts that grow strictly in crushed terra cotta, it's available commercially, we use to buy 50# bags......
wonder if there's any sitting around in the garage?!

 

[keithrs]

That's good to hear.... I have been using crushed rock and hydroton... I works good but recently I had potted some Catts in bigger pots. The crushed rock holds alot of moisture toward the bottom of the pot and it's heavy as hell. My hope is that by using crushed TC I will have better air movement around the roots.

Travertine is a form of limestone. I was thinking it will be good to add into my paph mix and other rock dwelling sp.

 

[goldenrose]

the commercial crushed terra cotta is small almost granular sized pieces, so I'm doubtful about the potential for air circulation but certainly could be wrong. Any broken terra cotta pots that I have, I just whack the bigger pieces, leave them chunky & have been using them for my vandas, which do very well.
Here's some info http://greenscapeaeration.biz/terragreen/mediaapplications.html

 

[Clark]

Too bad they wouldn't work on top of sidewalk/patio/slab, in front of greenhouse.

 

[keithrs]

Too bad they wouldn't work on top of sidewalk/patio/slab, in front of greenhouse.

They could... But I'm not a fan of the look. Im more of a natural stone guy. May be I can use some as a cool floor in greenhouse that I keep planing to build.

 

[keithrs]

Travertine, I am not familiar with it. Depending on whether it is inert, or slightly soluble (like some limestone) will determine how / if you can use it.

Its my understanding that plants can't take up natural form of Ca intel fungi breaks it down into useable form?

 

[Ray]

Fungi do not break down limestone to a significant degree. I'd consider its decomposition more "geodegradation" than biodegradation. Acid solutions (as in rainwater that absorbs carbon dioxide and sulfur compounds from the air, or fertilizer solutions) will slowly decompose the stuff and release the soluble ions for plant uptake.

As to the terra cotta, let's not forget that LECA is more-or-less the same as crushed terra cotta pots in rounded pellet form, so we know it works.

 

[keithrs]

Fungi do not break down limestone to a significant degree. I'd consider its decomposition more "geodegradation" than biodegradation. Acid solutions (as in rainwater that absorbs carbon dioxide and sulfur compounds from the air, or fertilizer solutions) will slowly decompose the stuff and release the soluble ions for plant uptake.

I had read in an organic gardening book that it was important to add mycorrhiza when you added lime to break it down into usable food for the plants. Maybe that's for the fact that "geode-gradation" is slow to happen in soil with out the help of mycorrhiza. Whole different animal! Or is it?

As to the terra cotta, let's not forget that LECA is more-or-less the same as crushed terra cotta pots in rounded pellet form, so we know it works.

Ya... I was thinking that leca company's need to make 1" leca. It would probably cost an arm and two legs to ship.

 

[keithrs]

I was also thinking.... How come TC isn't more popular if it is a good potting media? Aside from leca....

 

[Rick]

If your humidity is fine you could probably grow Catts hanging from a wire with no media whatsoever. Lots of Vandas seem to grow fine this way. I've been finding roots from some of my mounted Phalaes and Oncidia types clinging to the PVC pipe and aluminum frame/shelf members in my GH. I see lots of well grown Catts in TC pots with a couple inches of organic media with the rest filled up with styrofoam peanuts. The roots grow in the styro as good as in the bark and on the clay pot itself.

The surface water in So Cal is full of dissolved Ca. So unless you are a strict RO user, there will be plenty of soluble Ca getting to your plants without worrying about how much comes from the mounting surface.

 

[Rick]

I was also thinking.... How come TC isn't more popular if it is a good potting media? Aside from leca....

It weighs a lot compared to styrofoam peanuts. Also if you ever decide to repot its really hard to get the old pieces out. But at that point I'd probably never really repot, and just keep moving it up into larger piles of TC (until the weight crushes my benches):evil:

 

[Rick]

I had read in an organic gardening book that it was important to add mycorrhiza when you added lime to break it down into usable food for the plants. Maybe that's for the fact that "geode-gradation" is slow to happen in soil with out the help of mycorrhiza. Whole different animal! Or is it?

mycorrhiza are probably important for breaking down old plant cell wall material to release the calcium locked up in that (which if you remember the tables on leaf litter composition is generally the greatest source of Ca in rainforest soils).

But rather than a source of Ca (or any other nutrient) limestone rock has a very stable pH over many years, while organic media tend to go acidic in a relatively short time.

 

[keithrs]

It weighs a lot compared to styrofoam peanuts. Also if you ever decide to repot its really hard to get the old pieces out. But at that point I'd probably never really repot, and just keep moving it up into larger piles of TC (until the weight crushes my benches):evil:

It's half the weight of crushed rock...

 

[keithrs]

If your humidity is fine you could probably grow Catts hanging from a wire with no media whatsoever. Lots of Vandas seem to grow fine this way. I've been finding roots from some of my mounted Phalaes and Oncidia types clinging to the PVC pipe and aluminum frame/shelf members in my GH. I see lots of well grown Catts in TC pots with a couple inches of organic media with the rest filled up with styrofoam peanuts. The roots grow in the styro as good as in the bark and on the clay pot itself.

The surface water in So Cal is full of dissolved Ca. So unless you are a strict RO user, there will be plenty of soluble Ca getting to your plants without worrying about how much comes from the mounting surface.

Your right... Some growers will just let the plant grow in the air once the plant reaches size to where it has reserves to take it to the next watering.

 

[keithrs]

mycorrhiza are probably important for breaking down old plant cell wall material to release the calcium locked up in that (which if you remember the tables on leaf litter composition is generally the greatest source of Ca in rainforest soils).

But rather than a source of Ca (or any other nutrient) limestone rock has a very stable pH over many years, while organic media tend to go acidic in a relatively short time.

Pot grower use mycorrhiza for lot of reasons, but one reason that come to mind is the coco guys that use it to help break the bonds between K, Ca, P and the coco mix. As you may know, they use lots of all three.

 

[Ozpaph]

I assume the terracotta tiles aren't chemically treated?
Many are treated as TC stains and grows algae.
I dont know if the sealant is plant toxic, so try a few first.