Phrag Suzanne Decker

[Chuck]

Very nice!! What is the plant potted in?

For a second I thought the flower doesn't have a staminode! It's so light in color, so special

Hello Jorch,

This plant is grown in a peat based terrestrial mix that is based in part on a mix that the late Harry Johnson from Vancouver Island used. It is more or less

Sunshine Mix #4 20 parts
silica sand 1
bone meal 1/2
dolomite lime 1/2
composted manure 1/2
fine charcoal 1 part
zeolite 1 part (soil conditioner, substitute coarse sand)

Some crushed limestone gravel (1/4 inch or so) is used as drainage material and as a top layer to reduce evaporation. A little limestone is also mixed into the potting material when the plant is potted up. Sunshine Mix #4 is a peat based soilless gardening mix that has a fair amount of perlite in it.

Chuck

 

[chrismende]

Wow. I guess I'd better learn about terrestrial mixes! And what to put in them.

 

[Kevin]

Very interesting mix, Chuck. I would never have thought of that. Have you used it for long? What is it like in the long-term? How often do you hve to re-pot and change the mix? Are the plants sitting in water with this mix, or do you water often?

 

[smartie2000]

hey Chuck, are you going to use this bloom to make hybrids?
I don't know if you are still doing breeding.

PS. thanks for posting the mix, I should try it, esp on those phrags definitely needing change!

 

[Chuck]

Very interesting mix, Chuck. I would never have thought of that. Have you used it for long? What is it like in the long-term? How often do you hve to re-pot and change the mix? Are the plants sitting in water with this mix, or do you water often?

Kevin,

I've been using it on some plants for a couple of years. Most do well, but, caudatum types and some of their hybrids object. I grow them in bark or CHC mix. The nice thing about the mix is that it cuts the watering in half. Instead of watering every two or three days, I water plants in this mix every 6 or 7 days depending on the time of year. I hunt and fish a lot. My wife waters my plants when I'm away. This has reduced the amount I have to ask her to do and that's a good thing.
Harry just moved plants on rather than repot as such. When a plant out grew a pot, he placed it is a bigger pot and added some mix. I have done that as well for some but I like to check roots so I tend to clean the mix off a bit when I repot.
When a plant gets multiple grows and demands more water, rather than watering more often I place a shallow dish under the pot and leave enough water in it for a couple of days, but, the plants don't sit in water all the time. Harry used clay pots and sat plants in water but I like the idea of drying the media a bit between watering for some reason.
I hope I have answered your questions. If you have more, feel free.


Chuck

 

[Chuck]

hey Chuck, are you going to use this bloom to make hybrids?
I don't know if you are still doing breeding.

PS. thanks for posting the mix, I should try it, esp on those phrags definitely needing change!

Fren,

Yes, I put pollen from Phrag (kovachii X Andean Fire) on this flower, and I took the pollen from this flower and put it on Phrag Eric Young ' Slim Creek', AM/AOS. I sure you recall that plant. It was Grand Champ last year at the show. We'll see in a couple of days if there are pods.

Chuck

 

[Jorch]

Thanks Chuck. I'll repot some of my not-so-good-looking phrags next year in this mix and see what happens

Do you use clay pot or plastic with this mix?

 

[Chuck]

Thanks Chuck. I'll repot some of my not-so-good-looking phrags next year in this mix and see what happens

Do you use clay pot or plastic with this mix?

I use plastic and tend to over pot a bit (I'm told by the experts).

 

[Jorch]

ah ok Thanks Chuck!