Coconut Husk Chips

[Outsiders71]

I'm going to be repotting all my CP's soon (yeah I'm a little behind). Anyways I was wondering for those who buy Coconut Husk Chips where do you get them? Where's the cheapest place to buy them?

I want to start using a mix of LFS/CHC. I'm done with pete/perlite, it just dries out too fast.

 

[rattler]

i think Tony P. has them in stock. some pet stores stock them for reptile bedding also, thats where i got my last batch

 

[srduggins]

Yeah, I just bought some today from the pet store. My local pet store was sold out, but found them at another one. $10 for 11 dry quarts.

 

[killerplantsguy]

If there is a hydroponics supply store in your area, they may have them as well. Mine supplies coco chips in bales, which is convenient if you have a lot of plants.

 

[Tony Paroubek]

You may want to consider something like perlite or charcoal or something else in your lfs/coconut husk chip mix. Both of those ingredients hold a tremendous amount of water. Or maybe try some with a 3rd ingredient and some without to see which does better in your situation. My mix of choice is lfs/fine coconut husk chips/perlite. Sometimes I also add just a little bit of peat to kind of bind it all together since the 3 former ingredients can be quite chunky and loose.
Tony

 

[Outsiders71]

Quote[/b] (Tony Paroubek @ May 30 2006,11:43)]You may want to consider something like perlite or charcoal or something else in your lfs/coconut husk chip mix. Both of those ingredients hold a tremendous amount of water. Or maybe try some with a 3rd ingredient and some without to see which does better in your situation. My mix of choice is lfs/fine coconut husk chips/perlite. Sometimes I also add just a little bit of peat to kind of bind it all together since the 3 former ingredients can be quite chunky and loose.
Tony

Thanks for the tip Tony.

 

[Outsiders71]

Well I went ahead and got the coconut fiber in a compressed bale instead. After picking at the block for about 30 minutes, I have 2 pales full and some left over. The coconut fiber is impressive, I'm loving it already.

Tony: How do you feel about just a 50/50 LFS/Coconut Fiber mix? Or do you think perlite is still needed? I'm going to start using this mix for all my plants.

 

[Tony Paroubek]

Quote[/b] (Outsiders71 @ June 22 2006,12:25)]Tony:  How do you feel about just a 50/50 LFS/Coconut Fiber mix?  Or do you think perlite is still needed?  I'm going to start using this mix for all my plants.

I think it would depend on how tight you pack the mix and how often you water as well as your environment, plant size etc..

The coconut husk chips are pretty good with drainage but both the lfs and the chips can hold a tremendous amount of water.  I really like to add some inorganic item such as perlite (with the dust and small particles screened out) just to reduce water holding capacity and increase drainage even more.  At least in my conditions I have to be careful to not overwater and since everything is run on sprinklers small pots/big pots all get watered together.  

If I were you I would try a batch 50/50 (1:1) lfs coconut husk chips and a batch 33/33/33 (1:1:1) lfs coconut husk chips perlite.  See how the plants react with your environment and care routine.. you may find that one works better than the other.  Even now I am always tinkering around and changing things a bit here and there.

One of the things you will have to get used to is balancing the pot size/plant size so that there is sufficient water stored in the mix for the plant to last between waterings. Generally I figure if I can water every few days and the mix is just getting a bit on the dry side when it is time to water then that is about right. Also keep in mind the coconut husk chips may look a little dryish on the surface, not too long after watering, but they hold alot of moisture inside them.

Tony

 

[Outsiders71]

I didn't get the chips though. I got the fiber

. If that changes anything

.

 

[Tony Paroubek]

Ohh ok.. I haven't used the shredded fiber.  I would think that it won't hold as much moisture but it may compact more?  So something to keep it more open might be good?

 

[Tony Paroubek]

I am always a firm believer that you can never have too much drainage and air flow in your Nepenthes potting mix! Of course if you end up having to water every 30 minutes that might be a bit excessive.. so there is a balance to be struck.

 

[Outsiders71]

Quote[/b] (Tony Paroubek @ June 22 2006,12:49)]I am always a firm believer that you can never have too much drainage and air flow in your Nepenthes potting mix! Of course if you end up having to water every 30 minutes that might be a bit excessive.. so there is a balance to be struck.

I'll let you know how successful it is. I'm also going to use a top layer of coconut, instead of LFS. Keeping the LFS alive and non-algea like is a chore for me.