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Utricularia alpina

  • #21
Good! I like confirmation. The scary part is that WE are the newbies to these Utrics!
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Now if we get the thumbs up from Tim, Travis, Tony, and Tamlin (the 4 T's), I'll feel a lot better.
 
  • #22
Jim,

My only comment would be that I personally think your media might be too dense. If you are very careful about watering I am sure you can get away with it but something more open, like a mix with sizable portion of orchid bark or perlite or clay pellets, would probably make life easier. The key is to not keep them sodden and peat mixes tend to compact and do just that.
 
  • #23
Thanx! Orchid bark. I should be able to get that at Home Depot? I still have perlite as well. I plan to use the plastic Sterilite containers I have seen at Target that has holes in the sides, starting at 3/4" from the bottom. this way I can get great drainage and still maintain open tray. Is LFS just a little too dense?
 
  • #24
I have my U. alpina in primarily spahgnum (NZ) perlite,coco chips and a touch of peat for acidity. New leaves are emerging!
 
  • #25
I am ordering orchid bark for my orchids anyway!
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Shall I mix it 1:1:1 peat, spaghnum moss(live) orchid bark?
Thank you for your help,
Dino
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  • #26
You could, I wouldn't overload the mix with the bark chips or peat. Peat will weigh it down and the orchid bark will make it "chunky" for such a finely rooted plant.
 
  • #27
[b said:
Quote[/b] (jimscott @ Aug. 04 2004,6:18)]Is LFS just a little too dense?
LFS can be depending on the type and I almost always find that any LFS compacts over time, requiring yearly repotting to keep the plant from rotting. I am hoping my new method will remedy that though, time will tell I guess.
 
  • #28
I see that both of you use perlite as a common medium.
 
  • #29
If I can avoid it I try to. I hate perlite as its shock white nature is distracting and it always seems to promote algae growth.
 
  • #30
Tamlin also made that comment about algae. I don't like the texture because it reminds me of nails on a chalkboard. The common denominator is that it needs an airy (Arie?) media.
 
  • #31
If you don't like perlite, then try a mix of sphag and orchid bark. I have never used peat with any of my Sec. Orchidiodes plants.
 
  • #32
How would live sphagnum fare? I have some that is live.
 
  • #33
Live does fine. I use live mixed with LFS as the top layer in my pots, the live takes over and the plants seem to really enjoy that. And at ABG they had a number of alpina and asplundii in live sphag.
 
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