Parvis and Oyster Shell

[MorandiWine]

Hello all

I would like to think that I am quite well versed at growing my favorite group of Paphs, but a recent conversation with a friend has be thinking that I might need to tweak my growing more. Oyster shell is added to my mix with Parvis and Brachys in the amount of 1 tbsp per 4” pot incorporated in the mix and a light top coating. My water at the faucet is 75 ppm and after adding nute’s and and CaMg it is 250 ppm.

My friend uses roughly 10x the amount of oyster shell. His water is all rain catchment and 200 ppm after same additions of nute’s.

Am I under cutting the oyster shell??

thanks

 

[Ray]

Personally, if you’re adding the calcium via cal-mag, I see no reason for oyster shell at all.

I’d be afraid of overdoing it.

 

[Duck Slipper]

Maybe I’m overdoing it...

 

[Happypaphy7]

Crushed oyster shells don't readily dissolve at all, do they? I do have some plants that came with crushed oyster shell in the potting mix, but they never go away so I get the impression that they take a very long time to ever dissolve away.

I don't use them because I use fertilizer that has calcium and magnesium in it as Ray says above. I find my plants do well overall.

 

[Duck Slipper]

I have been using K-lite, Kelp Max and topdressing with 1 tsp.- 1 tbs. of ground oyster shell, depending on the size of the pot. Also 3-5 times a year, 1 tbs/gallon of Epsom salts...I have been doing this for over a year, and seems to be good.

 

[Stone]

If it was coarse enough, you could grow in 100% shells without any problem. I use canunda shell..... https://www.newcraft.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Canunda_Shell_Grit.png ........at about 30% in the mix for niveum thaianum and leucochilum and they are doing very well. It is a soft, mined shell with a few bits on ancient coral in there, very old and you can crush it to dust in your hands. I use it in all the limestone paph mixes and I don't worry about too much.

 

[Ozpaph]

thats interesting, Mike. Do you wash it of treat it first? (ie does it have salt contamination)

 

[Stone]

thats interesting, Mike. Do you wash it of treat it first? (ie does it have salt contamination)

No I use it as is. I doubt any salt would be present. I think it is very old and highly leached.

 

[Ray]

Most of the oyster shell sold as a calcium supplement for poultry (and a common source remarketed for horticulture) is washed and calcined.

 

[Ozpaph]

interesting, thanks.