Use of burnt earth as media

[Cindy]

The local CPers started a year ago with the use of burnt earth (aka burnt clay or burnt soil) with their Neps. This media is used in general gardening to increase drainage. Here is the thread on the local forum if anyone is keen to take a look. http://www.greenculturesg.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=11805

The change was wonderful for N. northiana, which responded exceedingly well. Then we decided to use it for N. campanulata and N. merrilliana as well. The results are amazing!

I have got no idea what is the pH is or the mineral content is(pretty high from the salt build-up). But well, it works.

N. northiana - arrived bareroot in June this year, now pitchering on the leaves formed here.

N. campanulata - arrived bareroot in June and July this year

N. campanulata - these are plants grown in sphagnum moss and large pieces of orchid media (similar to pumice) under the same conditions as the ones above; I changed them into burnt earth yesterday

 

[upper]

wow, that' really cool.
so do you use burnt earth as an addon or as a media by itself?

 

[Chunkyhunks]

Interesting! I may try this out myself at some point.

 

[Cindy]

The media is 100% burnt earth. I have some northiana in a mixture of shredded sphagnum, pumice and burnt earth but I have not noticed any difference in growth yet.

 

[Jefforever]

Fantastic campys! I used your media recommendation for them off the other forum (1:1:1 LFS, perlite, coral) but mine isn't doing so hot.

Your burnt earth looks just like what we call lava rock.

 

[Cindy]

The media is sold as Indonesia burnt earth. I assume it simply means it is from an Indonesian source. The media is heated rather unevenly so there are some chunks which will crumble once you water it. Other chunks are rock solid and are rather similar to bricks.

 

[Pyro]

This kind of harkens back to Rob's photos of the fields of N. rajah. I wonder if there is some trace elements in the clay that the Neps really like??

I may have to do a little tinkering with some of the local clay here... Wonder if I can "burn" it in my spare grill?? Oh fun tinker time...

 

[Fryster]

Burnt earth??

Is it a type of Fuller's earth?? It looks more like lava rock and/or pumice.

 

[Not a Number]

Aquatic Plant Soil from Schultz is kiln fired Fuller's Earth. APS is supposed to be neutral but it does leave some sort of residue. I don't have pH paper or a meter to test it though.

If someone had access to plenty of cuttings or TC specimens a little experimentation would be in order

 

[seedjar]

Schultz APS/Fuller's earth works great for Neps in my observation. I use orchid mix and fill the gaps with Fuller's earth and some loose live sphagnum and my plants have never done better. Almost all of my highland Neps are potted that way. Also, I've been using it with H. heterodoxa with promising results, in a mixture of peat and sand (and some perlite at the bottom for fill, since the pot is really tall.) I think the ceramic holds/attracts air better than similar media, but I'm not sure; my wet plants also seem to love it.
NaN, I think the residue from the APS is dust caused by the granules flexing as they absorb water. I've tried vinegar, baking soda in water, and hydrogen peroxide to see if I could get a reaction and it's the same with each; a little dust floats off as the particles saturate and then nothing. You can let the same batch dry out and do it again and you get almost the same amount of dust.
~Joe

 

[Pyro]

I have been playing with APS on rajah and have not noticed anything plus or minus with it other than it needs closer attention to watering.

Have not tried the APS on anything larger than dime to quarter sized plants though...

 

[cmm889]

this is an awesome idea, I'm anxious to see how it plays out

 

[Crissytal]

This seems to be a really great idea! I know that APS has made all the difference for me with growing Pings in general and getting leaf cuttings to sprout. I've never thought about using it with Neps. That might be an interesting experiment.

It looks like to me the burnt soil Cindy is using is a bit more 'raw' than the APS.

Crystal

 

[Cindy]

Burnt earth is soil from hills which is heated. I think this type of media is common in Taiwan and Japan for ornamental plants or even horticulture.

The following is my meek attempt at trying to offer an alternative to growers who may be keen to try burnt earth for some of their Neps.

On the left is a burnt earth particle, on the right is a Seramis particle.

Using a TDS meter, my tap water measures 78ppm.

Burnt Earth:
Unevenly heated
Porous
Releases loads of minerals when flushed with water (380ppm)

Seramis:
Evenly heated (high grade)
Porous
Releases some minerals when flushed with water (120ppm)


My merrilliana didn't do well in LFS/perlite for 2 years until I repotted it in burnt earth.

Sept 2008

Oct 2008

Another idea of what burnt earth may contain (very likely similar to APS).

 

[Cindy]

I forgot to add...next, I'll be growing a Mexican Ping on Seramis as well as testing the burnt earth for presence of specific minerals. Stay tuned!