Date: Wed, 17 Dec 1997 08:09:01 -0500 (EST) From: Perry Malouf <pmalouf@access.digex.net> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg4743$foo@default> Subject: Nep. soil, 1 of 2
Posting 1 of 2.
Hello everyone,
Happy holidays! I have taken the liberty of compiling most of
the listserver responses to my request for recipes, regarding potting media
for Nepenthes. The responses are summarized in two separate
postings, starting with the information below. Unfortunately
I did lose a few (in particular Andreas Wistuba's recipe), sorry.
But I also added some comments from Cliff Dodd which were
either posted some time ago, or resulted from a "private" e-mail
exchange between us. His comments are at the end.
Jay Lechtman may put some of this material in an upcoming
CPN, as he asked me for permission to publish my original posting.
The various recipes are interesting. In some cases, location plays
a definite role as to what recipe is used--climate and available
materials help determine the choice.
I hope this information is useful and/or interesting to the readership.
Regards,
Perry Malouf
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I use a 1:1 mix (by volume) of New Zealand sphagnum and coarse perlite.
The perlite is rinsed thoroughly before use. The coarse grade contains far
less fluorides than the finer grades, according to OFE Orchids (the supplier).
The plants seem to do fine, and the mix lasts for a couple of years.
=======================================================
I use the following mixture (all ingredients are by volume):
40% pine bark chips (this stuff is easy to aquire here and comes in
large bags, used for mulching beds)
20% chopped osmunda fiber
10% peat moss
10% large-grained silica sand.
10% long-fibered sphagnum moss
5% perlite (horticultural grade)
5% horticultural charcoal
This mix drains well and seems to work great for both my lowland and
highland plants. The last time I potted up some neps I took a pH reading
from the above mix. It came in around 5.0-5.5.
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My 2 bob's worth on the Nep medium topic: 80% Orchid mix and 20% long-fibre
sphagnum moss seems quite good, since the mix contains barks and perlite. I
used this stuff first since Adrian Slack's book recommends it, and it's
readily available. ....
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I'm not a big Neps grower, I just have a few and they seem to be doing nicely.
I use 5 different mixes of the following:
1:1:1:1:1
Peat: Perlite: Dried Sphagnum: General Orchid Bark: *Burnt Pine Straw
Note: the pine straw is measured prior to burning. Once burned, I just
add the ashes to the mix, wet everything down and let it season for
two weeks before using it....
=======================================================
We have adapted an orchid growing technique for use in growing Nepenthes. It
seems to work well universally with all the species we grow in the greenhouse.
The base of the plant is wrapped into a ball of long fiber sphagnum moss the
size of a baseball. Two inches of White styrofoam (coloured peanuts are
phytotoxic) peanuts are placed on the bottom of the pot and the sphagnum
ball is set on top. The 1" space around the ball is filled with medium grade
orchid bark so that the ball is covered with the bark. We use plastic pots
to help maintain humidity within the pot.
Since the ball is not exposed to air, it dries out very slowly. This
maintains a constantly moist, but not sodden enviroment for the Nepenthes
roots. If water collects in the base of the pot only styrofoam sits in it
and the organic medium does not go sour. Large air spaces within the pot
supply roots with abundant oxygen as they would receive in the wild.
This method is used for ALL species with no failures to date. Some plants which
have not been repotted for four years are growing vigorously and pitchering
very well. ...
=======================================================
I have two mixes that I've been using with relative success.
1. 2:2:1 peatmoss, silica sand, charcoal (or fir bark)
2. 4:4:2:1 fir bark, charcoal, peatmoss, silica sand
The second mix is much airier due to the increase in fir bark and
charcoal. The charcoal is a substitute for perlite. I would like to obtain
pumice (not refined into perlite) or clay beads to substitute for the fir
bark and charcoal.
=======================================================
Continued in subsequent posting.....
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