Inorganic soil mix for Nepenthes

[Clint]

Are synthetic sponges inorganic? I dunno. I've often wondered if small pieces of sponge would be useful for anything.

 

[CP_dude]

maybe it could help airflow in the soil

 

[phissionkorps]

Synthetic sponges are inorganic, but commercial sponges (unless they say synthetic on the package) are Demospongiae. These would be bath sponges, etc. The kind you use to wash dishes with I think are synthetic, but some have a hard pad on one side, and some are coated with chemicals/soap.

 

[cpjungle72]

Synthetic sponges are inorganic, but commercial sponges (unless they say synthetic on the package) are Demospongiae. These would be bath sponges, etc. The kind you use to wash dishes with I think are synthetic, but some have a hard pad on one side, and some are coated with chemicals/soap.

Yes that is true. And they are also excellent breeding grounds for fungus/mold, and who knows what else.

 

[Tropics]

Although I've never tried it on CPs, a product called Turface is used by some people who grow non-CP plants in pots. It's clay pellets made to be used for baseball infields, and it's not expensive. Perhaps it can be used as an ingredient of an inorganic mix.

 

[Clint]

It's the same thing as Schultz's Profile for aquatic plants, and it's a good substitute for perlite. Schultz's orchid mix contains much larger pebbles of this, and I like it, too. Good Nepenthes media ingredient.

 

[cpjungle72]

Hey I just found a product called AquaRocks water retaining crystals. Has anyone used this or heard of it? http://www.megagro.com/aquarocks.htm?source=aquarocks&gclid=CNmUrtv35ZECFQKzPAod2S2FeQ
If it works it would be great for keeping the all inorganic mix hydrated!