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Woodchips?

Hello,
I am trying to find a cheap way to fill my large pots with a growing medium for tall sundews---Binata, Filiformis, etc. I heard you can use woodchips, but wouldn't that decompose and leave minerals and stuff behind? I know moss can grow from trees but am wondering about that.
Also, are all varieties of woodchips the same? i.e. cedar vs. cypress, etc.
Thanks for the help,
Aaron
 
I've never used woodchips on my carnivorous plants before so I can't help much, but I guess the best wood chips would be the ones not treated by chemicals since that'd be harmful to the plants besides that I'm not sure sorry I hope someone who's more experianced with this can help you better.
 
I have experience using cypress bark mulch. I use them for potting certain plants like D. regia, some highland neps and all heliamphora. It is a nice alternative to peat/perlite in my opinion.
 
Great info! Thanks. How long does the mulch last before it decomposes? Does this pose any problems later, or does it last for a long time? Also, do you use the water tray method or water them from the top? I've heard that if the wood chips are too wet, there can be problems, but I figured it couldn't harm it all that much.
 
The decomposition depends on your growing conditions. I have not measured the time it takes to break down, but it is not dramatically different from peat from what I have noticed.

I try to keep it damp all the time and I top it off with live LFS to help hold the moisture and increase the humidity for the plant.

The cypress bark does not breakdown and rot easily when soaked in water. I typically top water and do not use the tray method, unless I am growing cps outside.

I would suggest trying it for a plant to see if you like it.
 
sounds like i'll have to do a little experimenting...
thanks a lot for the info,
Aaron
 
cypress mulch?
want to water your plants everyday?
it's great for nepenthes clipeata and maybe things like wooly drosera and cephs, it dries out rather quickly. well if you want to use cheap media I suggest just order a bale of LFS and rehydrate it.
oh oh maybe you can buy an old farm which the soil has been depleted of nutrients by crops.
then you can pot your cp's up with soil from the field.
 
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