Coco chips/orchid bark/the like

[obregon562]

Hi all!

I've been wanting to mass-repot all of my nepenthes from 100% pure LFS to a more "PK'ish" mix, consisiting of mostly/all either coco chips or bark or other products like them.

Anyway, im wondering were you guys get "safe" bark and coco chips.

Thanks in advance!

Frankie

 

[xvart]

Frankie - I use some standard orchid bark that can be found at Lowes or Home Depot.

xvart.

 

[D_muscipula]

To get coconut fiber, check American Agriculture or Rain-or-Shine.
They carry large bales of it. You can find their address in the phone book
or online.

 

[rattler]

Home Depot/Lowes/mom and pop garden centers.............if your worried about salt with the coconut products.....soak and rinse them a few times.

 

[phissionkorps]

Coco products!?!? NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

I'm sure you've heard they can have lots of salts in them, so you have to wash them really well blah blah blah, but they also break down VERY quickly and are intolerant of fertilizers (unless you regularly flush pots). Coco products have a tendency to look normal on top, but to turn to sludge underneath. Therefore, you don't know when you need to repot to avoid the sludge suffocating your roots. Unless you just loveeeee to repot everything every couple months, I'd stay away.

My highland/intermediate mix? The prepotted phal mix you can buy at Lowes. That's my secret. I pour it from the bag, into the pot. Lawlz.
Its perlite, charcoal, fir bark...maybe something else? Very free draining, but actually holds some water, even though you wouldn't expect it to.

I've also used pure fir bark, pure cedar chips/mulch, MESQUITE, etc. You could probably grow neps in Gak if you wanted to...or broken glass, or on a brick...they're really not that picky.

 

[rattler]

coco products work fine for me.............have had peat go bad before coconut products.........use the coco stuff more than peat anymore

 

[phissionkorps]

I know a grower here who continues to use it, even though it breaks down extremely quickly. I got my merrilliana from him, and though the top looked great, the inside was disgusting sludge. The plant was mostly yellow when I got it, and is now starting to perk up after a repot into something more open

 

[rattler]

you telling me after using the stuff for 3 years im not familiar with what it does? i have unpotted some stuff that was 2 years since i planted it......no breakdown other than what i thought was appropriate for the age and conditions. mix it with orchid bark, LFS, or APS and it lasts quite awhile..........

 

[phissionkorps]

The guy around here uses pure coco husk pieces. Stuff does not last (for him at least). It's killed or near killed a number of plants...
Just cuz it might not happen every single time doesn't mean it isn't a necessary precaution to consider. If he uses it and it works, cool. If not, well this is my warning.

 

[obregon562]

hmmm....

thanks for the input guys...i guess im going to Lowes!

Thanks again!

 

[D_muscipula]

coco products work fine for me.............have had peat go bad before coconut products.........use the coco stuff more than peat anymore

yeah it has worked fine for me and i know a great nursery that uses it too they reccomended i get it from American Amgriculture or Rain-or-Shine cause i emailed em and ask they said you can get it in huge bales from them if you want you cann add stuff to the coco products like peat or perlite of long fiber sphagnum i imagine a eqaul mix if all three would work well for pickier nepenthes and i do believe coconut husk last like 5 years so try what I reccomeneded dont listen to PK it you can get cypress mulch that works well get the natural like untreated kind

 

[herenorthere]

Coco husk chips last a long time, but get moldy if watering isn't regulated. Since my plants go outside for the summer and sometimes get rained on for several days in a row, that's a problem. I put my first Nep in them and won't do it again. As for coco peat (coir), that stuff is awesome and I use it in the seed-starting and potting soil mixes I blend. It blows sphagnum peat away for those purposes. But it does degrade to a kind of amorphous goo and, while that isn't a problem when in a mix with other things that can provide structure, I wouldn't want to use it by itself.

 

[D_muscipula]

if you can find substrate at lowes go for it

 

[Zero]

coco products aren't that great.
In my experience, they break down fast with fertilizer.
I am slowly changing all my neps to a mostly bark, pearlite, vermiculite, lava rock, mix with a little bit of peat for water retention. doesn't break down fast with fertilizer.
peace,
Zero

 

[obregon562]

Zero,

Thats basically what im getting from this post. And your mix sounds right up my alley...

Thanks!

 

[jm82792]

Well I think there are grades of coc since it is widely used in hydroponics,
I have never personally tried it though...