What's new
TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Going to repot

I have charcoal, sphagnum, peat, pool filter sand, perlight, vermaculite, and orchid bark. It seems to me that Orichid bark, Charcoal, Sphagnum and Peat are what I usually see good Neps planted in, but since I haven't mixed my own nep soil before I though I would ask for some examples of what different people use and in what ratios they use them
smile.gif
I'm replanting an N. ventricosa btw. The more responces the better. Even if someone else posts your mix could you second it or whatever? I want to get an idea of what is most popular etc. Thanks
smile.gif
 
1.peat with a dressing of sphagnum
2.pure sphagnum
 
I've been using pure NZ lfs and it seems to be working well for me. No mixing necessary...
smile.gif
 
Hey Darcie,
I pot most of my neps in LFS and orchid mix, roughly 3:1 or 2:1 (depending on my mood). I put in the orchid mix to lighten the LFS a bit, which I find can compact over time. My plants seems happy, so I guess it working....
cool.gif
 
Orchid mix is 50-50 bark and charcoal right?
 
Hey Darcie,
I think it depends on the orchid mix you buy, honestly. Not sure. I do know there is bark and charcol in there, but I don't know the ratio. Also, there may be other stuff, too. I think mine has these yellowish "rocks" in it...I should look at the bag an figure out what everything is.
 
'Orchid mix' is mostly bark with perlite and charcoal.

I don't use charcoal.. I think it's a waste of money and doesn't add much.

I like a mix of fine bark/chips (I use coconut husk chips instead of bark now), perlite, sphagnum cut up a little, and just a little peat. Ratio??? hmm beats me.. 2 chips:1 perlite: 1 sphagnum: .5 peat I wouldn't go by any specific ratio.. but instead mix something up and if it looks like it needs a little more of this or that then go for it. I am looking for something fairly loose that won't compact but will also hold a good amount of moisture.

Tony
 
I would guess, from looking at the bags, that orchid mix around here is 50% bark 25% charcoal and 25% perlite(or sponge rok).
This is one of those questions where you will get 100 answers if you try for a specific recipe.
Is the sand fine or coarse? Pool filter is silica, correct?
Anyway, it is pretty safe to use 50% LF sphagnum and a combo of those course materials. A portion of peat kind of makes the mix cohesive.

Regards,

Joe
 
Hi Darcie

Here's what I use

Long Fibered Sphagnum, soaked and squeezed out (around 2 parts). If I have any, I'll chop up and mix in some live LFS with it.
Vermiculite (1 part)
Perlite (1 part)
Sand/Peat Mix (1 part)
Orchid Bark, Chopped to 1/2 inch pieces, or 1/4 inch pieces for very young plants (1 part)
Orchid Charcoal, smashed a bit with a hammer (1/4 to 1/8 part)
A few lava rocks, also smashed up good with a hammer ( since I can never find pumice)
A few small granite rocks, also smashed up with a hammer
A pinch of Osmocote on top after it's planted.

I hope this helps. Good luck with it.

WildBill
 
  • #10
Dang, Bill! That's a lot of work! I'm WAY to lazy to put that much effort into potting media...
 
  • #11
Indeed! I would be smashing rocks and charcoal all day to make enough for when I do potting hehe But if it works it works!

I like to keep things as simple as possible so I can reproduce them reasonably accurately and keep preparation time to a minimum. My situation is a bit different though since I can't monitor each plant and water when each is in need.. The overhead sprinklers are set based on what the majority of the plants are experiencing so it needs to be consistent.. otherwise I end up with some too wet some just right and some too dry = not very happy plants.

I think the main point is to fiddle around... try different blends and ingredients until you find one that gives healthy root systems and good plant growth in your conditions. SO take what you read in these posts as a starting point and build on it from your own experiences. Also never be afraid to try something new .. you might find an improvement in the plants respsonse! Just do it cautiously and with a few test subjects first.
T
 
  • #12
I mix like Tony: add the components until it looks and feels right: loose and open, yet water retentive. When wet its kind of spongy. I vary the ratios depending on the species: ie. merrilliana mix is much coarser than typical. Ventricosa is not very fussy about mix. We use our "standard".
fir bark-fine
aliflor-fine or medium, depending on size of plant
lf sphagnum moss
pumice-fine
Canadian sphagnum peat moss- its the "glue" that holds it all together.
For the coccineas, Mirandas, and ventratas I mix sponge rock into the sphag peat moss.

Schloaty, those "yellow" rocks are Dynarock- sold by Dynagrow. It's a porous sedimentary deposit from Australia that has water retention like fir bark-but without the breakdown that occurs with time. A lot of orchid growers are switching over to it. Cattleyas and Dendrobiums love it.

Trent
 
  • #13
The only difference for me is that I've never used peat, and I use charcoal mostly because it looks good mixed in there. My ingredient list:
LFS, perlite, pumice, lava rock, charcoal, coconut huck chips, and orchid bark. I usually use lfs and two or three of the others.

Capslock
 
  • #14
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Capslock @ April 22 2004,9:31)]The only difference for me is that I've never used peat, and I use charcoal mostly because it looks good mixed in there. My ingredient list:
LFS, perlite, pumice, lava rock, charcoal, coconut huck chips, and orchid bark. I usually use lfs and two or three of the others.

Capslock
wow.gif
SO THATS WHAT YOUR SECRET IS!
tounge.gif
Did you use that for your sanguinea? Its diong very well now, that new pitcher is getting bigger and bigger by the day
cool.gif
 
  • #15
"That's the sound... of Wild Bill working on the chain gang..."
Seriously, the lava pebbles are too big around here and I can't get pumice either. Does that work pretty well? I tried a regular hammer to some course charcoal and got black hands out of the whole deal.
Maybe I can raise my wife's eyebrows by asking for a sledge hammer for my birthday, lol.
laugh.gif


Regards,

Joe
 
  • #16
Joe,
The pumice we use is about the same size granule as perlite. We get it from a large orchid supply company down in Kendall (sw. Miami). Good luck with the sledgehammer. You'll need a broom and dustpan to collect the pieces.
biggrin.gif


Trent
 
  • #17
Phil Faulisi was the one who suggested adding granite chips when I asked him about N. villosa. I couldn't find the chips anywhere, but there were little rocks all around....so, WHAM!!, with the hammer. I already had a big bag of lava rocks - the size of apple cores like for the inside of a BBQ grill. So, I smash em up and sweep them up with a dustpan into the Nep mix.

Tony - that N. burbidgea x edwardsiana is just stunning. It's already formed 2 new pitchers!!

WildBill
 
  • #18
Trent,

Sometime I hope to go thru a supply place in Topeka, Kansas. But in Lincoln, the only pumice I have ever seen is "Ladie's Aid", a pumice stone for feet, lol.

Regards,

Joe
 
  • #19
Here is my oh so complex mix:

2 parts peat
1 part perlite

There is another varition that I like to use:

1 part peat
1 part perlite

Or, if I'm feeling very productive:

2 parts peat
1 part perlite
1 part silica sand

biggrin.gif
tounge.gif

Peter
 
  • #20
I planted mine in a mix of: 2 parts peat,1 part perlite,and 1 part crushed pine bark. and mine are doing well:)
 
Back
Top