Mark this date for Basket culture.
- Thread starter Rick
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Rick
Well-Known Member
It very's a bit but since I'm generally a bit heavy handed when watering I would generally say I keep them damp.
The baskets generally dry evenly and more quickly than pots, so I dribble a little water on them every day. Your air humidity conditions will dictate how fast they dry. So with my GH always greater than 70% I'm not worried about skipping a few days too.
That's crazy-talk!
It's OK, 
ity: Let's see some of your work!
ity: Let's see some of your work! 
Rick
Well-Known Member
Kovachii update
New leaves, fast growth and big fat roots poking out the slats. This little guy went from 9 to 12" in LS. Newest leaf is 7" and still growing.
New leaves, fast growth and big fat roots poking out the slats. This little guy went from 9 to 12" in LS. Newest leaf is 7" and still growing.
J
Jim Toomey
Guest
Looks great!
Any more pics of your paphs?
Any more pics of your paphs?
Rick
Well-Known Member
Waiting for more spikes and buds to mature, but getting lots of leaf and root growth in paphs too. I highlighted the kovachii since its considered a high $ risky plant.
Rick
Well-Known Member
Basket update
There's a couple of plants that I originally put in small baskets that are starting to out grow them. One is this Paph tonsum. I dropped the 4 inch basket into a new moss lined 6". Roots still doing great.
There's a couple of plants that I originally put in small baskets that are starting to out grow them. One is this Paph tonsum. I dropped the 4 inch basket into a new moss lined 6". Roots still doing great.
SlipperFan
Addicted
What are you going to do when you have to un-pot it???
Rick
Well-Known Member
I'm not going to un-pot. If it really seems constrained by the old basket, then I clip the wires and pull out a few of the slats in the direction the plant wants to go. I've also seen some rot on some of the slats, so they may just disintegrate on their own anyway.
naoki
Well-Known Member
The plant is looking great. So Rick, you don't repot them (meaning remove old media) for a long long time? I know you are watching the EC and pH, but don't you have problems with decline of pH in sphag? I saw a horticultural paper with puzzling results: pH of sphag goes up if it's in the pot without plant and irrigated, but the existence of plant roots (I think it was Phal) causes the pH to go down. Oh here it is:
http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/content/46/7/1022.full.pdf
Maybe low-K doesn't cause the similar decline in pH?
http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/content/46/7/1022.full.pdf
Maybe low-K doesn't cause the similar decline in pH?
Rick
Well-Known Member
Part of that pH drop may be a time frame issue. Since I couldn't access the paper in supplied, I can conjecture that the test duration is relatively short. Maybe less than a year.
And then need to consider the amount of moss relative to the amount of water passing through, and the amount of buffer in irrigation water.
The amount of organic acid in a set amount of sphagnum moss is finite. Subsequently, the acid buffering capacity of the "acids" in moss is also finite. So the more you water with some minimal amount of alkalalinty will neutralize the organic acid of the moss. Eventually you will also wash out the organic acids and end up with a fairly neutral matrix. The old celluose skeleton of the moss I doubt is that acidic.
Add to the acidification by nitrifying bacteria. This could be a bigger driver to substrate pH with high ammonia feeds than what the sphagnum is doing. Feeding low concentrations of a low ammonia feed (nitrate based) isn't going to produce a high density of nitrifrying bacteria for sustained utilization of alkalinity by bacterial action.
Now the wild card is actual effects by the orchid roots in the moss matrix. Until it turns into solid roots I'm not sure how influential the gas and ion transfer from roots to substrate is. But CO2 is exhaled at night , and picked up during the day. Alkalinity is released during uptake of NO3, and H released by uptake of NH3. My guess is that net balance of effects due to the orchid in the pot is pretty negligable compared to what bacteria and moss organic chemistry controls.
My "moss baskets" are maybe only 50% moss by volume. The rest is coarse limestone gravel from my driveway and some sand. I offer very tiny amounts of ammonia, and water alot (more than I used to). So I for the handful of times I checked pH, I just wasn't seeing a big pH drop over time.
And then need to consider the amount of moss relative to the amount of water passing through, and the amount of buffer in irrigation water.
The amount of organic acid in a set amount of sphagnum moss is finite. Subsequently, the acid buffering capacity of the "acids" in moss is also finite. So the more you water with some minimal amount of alkalalinty will neutralize the organic acid of the moss. Eventually you will also wash out the organic acids and end up with a fairly neutral matrix. The old celluose skeleton of the moss I doubt is that acidic.
Add to the acidification by nitrifying bacteria. This could be a bigger driver to substrate pH with high ammonia feeds than what the sphagnum is doing. Feeding low concentrations of a low ammonia feed (nitrate based) isn't going to produce a high density of nitrifrying bacteria for sustained utilization of alkalinity by bacterial action.
Now the wild card is actual effects by the orchid roots in the moss matrix. Until it turns into solid roots I'm not sure how influential the gas and ion transfer from roots to substrate is. But CO2 is exhaled at night , and picked up during the day. Alkalinity is released during uptake of NO3, and H released by uptake of NH3. My guess is that net balance of effects due to the orchid in the pot is pretty negligable compared to what bacteria and moss organic chemistry controls.
My "moss baskets" are maybe only 50% moss by volume. The rest is coarse limestone gravel from my driveway and some sand. I offer very tiny amounts of ammonia, and water alot (more than I used to). So I for the handful of times I checked pH, I just wasn't seeing a big pH drop over time.
Rick
Well-Known Member
I posted the results of a quick experiment with sphag in bottles of DI water with varying amounts of buffering aragonite sand.
The pH of the unamended spagh bottle dropped to less than 5 over some days. But the ammended sphag stayed within normal pH values for orchids.
I think the most surpising part was how little aragonite sand it took to keep the pH up. (way less than I was adding in anticipation of the moss acidification effects). This indicated that moss on its own has acidification potential, but the acid is very weak, and easily offset by small amounts of buffer.
If you are using a surface water for irrigation (rather than pure RO) that should supply enough alkalinity to offset the moss aciditiy without the use of bicarbonate based potting ammendments.
The pH of the unamended spagh bottle dropped to less than 5 over some days. But the ammended sphag stayed within normal pH values for orchids.
I think the most surpising part was how little aragonite sand it took to keep the pH up. (way less than I was adding in anticipation of the moss acidification effects). This indicated that moss on its own has acidification potential, but the acid is very weak, and easily offset by small amounts of buffer.
If you are using a surface water for irrigation (rather than pure RO) that should supply enough alkalinity to offset the moss aciditiy without the use of bicarbonate based potting ammendments.
naoki
Well-Known Member
I remember your post about aragonite. It is mainly CaCO3, right?
Sorry I didn't notice the link was limited to my institution (I emailed PDF to you just in case it is something interesting). And you are right, it is relatively short term study (30 weeks). From my half-ass understanding, the authors are suggesting that the pH drop is mainly due to the excretion from root. According to the other papers, concentration/composition of fertilizer could influence the acidification, but this paper was trying to show the existence of root is more relevant. The rhizosphere chemistry seems to be pretty complex (and the cited studies are not from epiphytes), but the discussion section talks about other studies which showed that pH decline also happens with deficiency in K, P, or Fe. So, if you are not seeing pH decline in your low-K, this may be a good thing (i.e., not deficient in K?).
Sorry I didn't notice the link was limited to my institution (I emailed PDF to you just in case it is something interesting). And you are right, it is relatively short term study (30 weeks). From my half-ass understanding, the authors are suggesting that the pH drop is mainly due to the excretion from root. According to the other papers, concentration/composition of fertilizer could influence the acidification, but this paper was trying to show the existence of root is more relevant. The rhizosphere chemistry seems to be pretty complex (and the cited studies are not from epiphytes), but the discussion section talks about other studies which showed that pH decline also happens with deficiency in K, P, or Fe. So, if you are not seeing pH decline in your low-K, this may be a good thing (i.e., not deficient in K?).
Markedg
Member
Aquatic pots
Hi, I am thinking about trying basket culture to see how I get on. I am in europe and baskets are not that easy to find, and are expensive, would the baskets you would put aquatic plants in, suffice
Hi, I am thinking about trying basket culture to see how I get on. I am in europe and baskets are not that easy to find, and are expensive, would the baskets you would put aquatic plants in, suffice
SlipperKing
Madd Virologist
I would think so, you may not need to line the interior with much moss if the holes are small enough to keep your potting mix in.
Trithor
Chico (..... the clown)
They don't look as authentic, but they work just fine. I have used plastic crates as baskets for my bigger bulbos. Wooden baskets can become a bit bulky when they get too large. Plastic works just fine.
Stone
Well-Known Member
The Orchid pot Co. sells plasctic baskets which last forever. I don't know if they export. http://www.orchidpotco.com/products.htm
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