Cypripedium / terrestrial orchids in hydroleca / clay granules

[Corrado & Rina]

[quon.te author=Anthony Darby link=topic=13122.msg332373#msg332373 date=1430558697]
Can you still get Seramis®?
[/quote]

Dear Anthony,

I was going through your old posts and discovered you were successfully growing Cypripedium in cat litter. Is that correct? Would that be the same as molar clay? (I have access to some cheap molar clay).

Regards

Corrado

[Anthony Darby]

Yes, although not for very long, as I had a good supply of Seramis®.

[SteveC2]

Where do you find perlite at £7.75 x 100l??

Regards

I used to be able to go up to Gainsborough and buy it direct from Sinclair's but they have now moved to Ellesmere Port so that is good news for those in the North West. I bought four huge bags before they moved and still have plenty left.

But I need not have bothered as I buy my Melcourt bark from a local Agricultural supplier who tells me he will still do me a 100 litre bag for well less than a tenner.  Perhaps I am  just lucky, living in the middle of an agricultural area, (there has to be a plus side to all the tractors and a constant aroma of leeks, cabbages and chicken poop) but I would advise bypassing the hydroponics shops, garden centres etc and find their suppliers.  The economy is such that they are now happy to deal with the public.  But even if you have to pay premium prices perlite is still far cheaper than seramis and far easier to get hold of.

[mark smyth]

Steve are you growing your Cyps in 100% perlite?

[monocotman]

I agree with Steve about deterioration in perlite. I don't see it even after five years.
However if you are in a wetter part of the country then maybe it could keep the plants too wet.
Neil tells us that it can hold 225 mls of water per litre.
This is a fifth to a quarter by volume in each pot when fully saturated.
One of the issues with alternatives is the cost. Super coarse perlite is so cheap.
Another possibility would be to use a more expensive and freer draining mix at the surface where the rhizome sits and cheaper perlite in the rest of the pot. This should reduce the risk of rot where it tends to happen.
On another note - losing plants is all part of growing cyps. I don't think I have ever gone a year without losing something, this winter I have lost four plants, all species.
Hybrids are more robust and I lose fewer of them. If you just grow species then you must expect losses every year whatever you grow them in.
David

[SteveC2]

David,
Thank you for your honesty with regards to plant losses.  Makes me feel so much better! 

We have just had some much needed rain here, it's filled a couple of water butts, but with the rain comes the slugs.  A lumberjack has been at work, felling a couple of good shoots.  I have seen people say that slugs don't cause their cyps any problems.  Either they have no Cyps or no slugs!

[monocotman]

Steve
I have few problems with slugs.
A couple of blue pellets into each pot seems to do the trick in the spring.
Maybe they don't like to climb. Most of my pots are on staging.
Maybe they do not like the hydroleca that acts as a mulch in each pot.
Maybe it is because we are in a drier part of the country.
As the shoots toughen up as they age they definitely become less palatable to slugs.
David

[SteveC2]

I think the staging might be the answer.  Mine are mostly on the ground.  Blue pellets seem to be punishment rather than prevention for me!

[brianw]

I noticed in the pet shop today that the "pink" cat litter had a rival own brand product alongside at £10 for 2 x 20 litres. The pink is still £10 for 30 litres. The cheaper felt smaller particle size through the packaging so stuck with the pink.

[Peter Maguire]

Steve,
I see that you mention that you buy your Melcourt Bark from a local agricultural supplier. Can I ask how you located them?
I have been trying to source Melcourt Propagating Bark here in the the Northeast (ideally Tyneside area) , but Melcourt's website lists or 'local' supplier (East Riding Horticulture) as somewhere southeast of York. I had hoped to call there yesterday as I was vaguely in the area, but having phoned them last week found that they do not open on Saturday. It would be useful to be able to collect the bark rather than paying delivery charges for a pallet load that only had 3-4 bags on it!

[SteveC2]

Steve,
I see that you mention that you buy your Melcourt Bark from a local agricultural supplier. Can I ask how you located them?
I have been trying to source Melcourt Propagating Bark here in the the Northeast (ideally Tyneside area) , but Melcourt's website lists or 'local' supplier (East Riding Horticulture) as somewhere southeast of York. I had hoped to call there yesterday as I was vaguely in the area, but having phoned them last week found that they do not open on Saturday. It would be useful to be able to collect the bark rather than paying delivery charges for a pallet load that only had 3-4 bags on it!

Can't really help you Peter.  I was lucky, the Melcourt website listed a supplier just down the road.  Sorry!

[Peter Maguire]

Worth a try, thanks anyway.

[Corrado & Rina]

Yes, although not for very long, as I had a good supply of Seramis®.

Where did you get Seramis from? I do not seems to be able to get it.

Best,

Corrado

[Corrado & Rina]

I agree with Steve about deterioration in perlite. I don't see it even after five years.
However if you are in a wetter part of the country then maybe it could keep the plants too wet.
Neil tells us that it can hold 225 mls of water per litre.
This is a fifth to a quarter by volume in each pot when fully saturated.
David

This is exactly the problem. I put a perlite potted plant under glass cover last October. It was never watered. When it came out at the end of March it was still drenched and of course everything in it had rotten. Of course, other plants which were in different media did not experience the problem and were much drier. Whilst I agree that perlite may be cheap a decent, multishoot C. segawae is worth well above £100 mark, let alone the fact it is critically endangered. If seramis is 10l at £15 it is still reasonable if it does ensure safe results.

Best,

Corrado

[Corrado & Rina]

Steve,
I see that you mention that you buy your Melcourt Bark from a local agricultural supplier. Can I ask how you located them?
I have been trying to source Melcourt Propagating Bark here in the the Northeast (ideally Tyneside area) , but Melcourt's website lists or 'local' supplier (East Riding Horticulture) as somewhere southeast of York. I had hoped to call there yesterday as I was vaguely in the area, but having phoned them last week found that they do not open on Saturday. It would be useful to be able to collect the bark rather than paying delivery charges for a pallet load that only had 3-4 bags on it!

Dear Steve,

I have a trade account with them and I buy Melcourt bark in reasonably large quantities. I have a shipment coming this week, if you need some let me know tonight, I may still be on time in changing the order.

The caveat is that you will have to pick it up in York, or you will have to wait for me to come up your way. If you drop me a PM I send you some prices (I do not have them with me I need to go home and check).

Regards

Corrado