hello,

Wich is the compost is good for seedlings ?? small bark, sphagnum, some mix and how do you care your seedlings water, fertilizer.

Pahiogrower,

I have used Sphagnum moss for the roots of the seedlings, with a little humus on the bottom of the pot..... Jane (bidding on my Paph. malipoense x liemianum) has gifted me some seedlings, in which are doing great. The one micranthum lost a leaf that yellowed, I think that was normal. I was execting to loose leaves on my armeniacum, though....

Anyways, I think it depends on your growing conditions and which plants you have. What I post is what works for me, but may not work for you. Don't keep too damp, as they rot very easy.....

-PM

I find the best medium to use for seedlings whether just out of flask or up to 2 1/2" pots is 60% fine fir bark and 40% perlite or fine diatomite (I much prefer the diatomite as it gives weight to the mix and is very easy to work with). The frequency of watering depends on your growing conditions, but if you use an open mix, such as the one mentioned, you should be able to water every three days. Fertilize with every watering, even it the seedling are just out of flask at approximately 1/4 tsp per gallon. I find it best to water with pure water before using the fertilizer solution. Try to keep the humidity to at least 65% and light at 1000 fc. Obviously these are just general guidelines, but it is a starting point and works well for me.

Your mileage may vary :?

At the moment the only "real" seedlings I have - ones that I took from the flask and potted out - are my wardii. I've potted these in a mix very similar to that mentioned by consettbay2003. The seedlings, when compared to others deflasked late last year and in perlite and peat, are doing gangbusters. My seedling are easily twice the size of the others.

I suspect some of that is that I water twice a week too.

Cheers
Stephan

I use a similar mix for small deflasked seedlings: 60% very fine bark, 20% fine horticultural perlite, and 20% fine charcoal.
Then, when the wife is not at home, I finely chop some New Zealand sphagnum moss in the Cuisinart and add a little to the mix. I think the final ingredient helps in my drier home environment. If the seedlings coming out of flask are larger and have good root systems, I usually pot them into my small CHC mix.

My seedling (and P. besseae) mix is as Ross's is. Minus the sphag, though I have thought of adding this in. I don't have a Cuisinart, how about a good blender??

(My mom has a Cuis, and ohhhh, wait! I take it back, I have a mini one! :love: forgot about that!!!! Ahhhh, another kitchen tool goes over to the dark side...) :twisted:

Thank you for everybody !!!! Now I have some ideia what I will do. Bye bye

My seedling (and P. besseae) mix is as Ross's is. Minus the sphag, though I have thought of adding this in. I don't have a Cuisinart, how about a good blender??

(My mom has a Cuis, and ohhhh, wait! I take it back, I have a mini one! :love: forgot about that!!!! Ahhhh, another kitchen tool goes over to the dark side...) :twisted:

Some blenders have a small coffee grinder attachment. I used that until the blender broke. :(