Here comes probably a stupid question. :embarass:
What are aircone pots? I've seen the name mentioned several times. Is it just a certain design/shape or is there more to it?

Thanks.

RZu.

Not stupid at all, Rob.
Here's a link w/ a picture and description.
http://www.kkorchid.com/aircone.asp

They are square opaque pots with a cone in the center that has drainage holes in it, plus each corner has drainage holes as well.

Benefits (at least to me) include:

Better airflow (though I almost always drill even more holes in the sides.)
I can monitor moisture in the pots and root growth due to their opaque nature
Square pots allow me to fit more plants in my rectangular growing space. :twisted:

I LOVE them!

Here's what the original ad looked like when Rand's had the patent. I think you can save the image to your cpu and view it larger.
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a218/jonbar2/DSC05683.jpg
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a218/jonbar2/DSC05684.jpg

Jon

I love :love: the aircone pot that came with the Phrag Lucy that I won from Heather at auction on the SOF. It is taller, much sturdier, & wider than my normal 3.5" clear pots.

I think Lucy likes it too.

Jon!!
Who's got the orchid memorabilia collection huh? :poke:
That is AWESOME!
Loved reading that!

They are a bit more expensive now of course.
I plant to move the rest of my collection into these in the next few weeks - month.
The VAST majority is already in them, I just have 15 or so plants still in round pots.

Ah me

Yet another orchid novelty that isn't available to me here in Australia and is probably way to expensive to import in "small" lots.. I'll just have to make do with the old fashioned black plastic variety :) (although I've been known to experiment to "make do")

Cheers
Stephan

Oh c'mon, sure you can get some especially if you buy in bulk since they're not heavy and you can get discounts. Check out this site...

http://www.kkorchid.com/1containers.asp

And, I'm sure you can find some other sites which may give you other discounts.

Ah me

Yet another orchid novelty that isn't available to me here in Australia and is probably way to expensive to import in "small" lots.. I'll just have to make do with the old fashioned black plastic variety :) (although I've been known to experiment to "make do")

Cheers
Stephan

I know how you feel

Sorry guys! Don't mean to make you all feel so left out!
:(

I just had an email that the 5" are delayed until the end of the week, so I asked about international shipping. Will let you guys know when I hear back. :)

From Ulla at Kelley's Korner
We do ship to other countries items that are allowed. It is up to the
receiver to find out on their side if there would be a problem. I don't
think there would be with American made plastic pots and we would be happy
to send them. We get hydroponic pots from Holland ourselves without any
problems to this country.

So, I still don't know what shipping would cost, but it looks as though it is at least possible, though I would contact your customs officials about it before placing any orders. I am expecting a box of 25 5" pots next week and will let you know what the shipping was on that, so at least we can have some info on the weight to ship these pots.

Perhaps some enterprising Australian or South African could become the distributor for Rand's Aircone Pots in their countries... :poke:
Or just convince their local potting supplier that they really need to get these.
I imagine sea freight costs might be reasonable when you start looking at importing a pallet.

From what I've read in this forum there are definite possibilities for someone "already" in business here to add some healthy proven items to their itinerary.

One of my problems is that I generally do things for the "love" of it. I don't have a business mind. Then again I can be the customer from Hell if you do the wrong thing by me :evil: I've found that successful business people generally have extreme personalities There's another way to say that (if you succeed in business that is) but it's not all that polite and an extreme "generalisation" :)

I will be making some gentle suggestions to people I believe will not only benefit from what I now know but will also run with it. I first have to be able to show some "proof" though as concepts only work for "dreamers" like me.

Step one - show that S/H works
Step two - show the possibilities of CHC as opposed to more traditional mixes in use in the area
etc, etc

I need a little time - still waiting for the beginning of the growing season :D

Cheers
Stephan

There are numerous scientific studies on CHC available on the web for review with specific graphed data relating to moisture retention, life expectancy and the only short-coming being the need to wash salts out of them before use.

I personally find it's amazing stuff 'but' I prefer to thread vertical strands of sphagnum inside as a wicking action because I find the tops dry out way faster than I like.

I have no experience with S/H but I'm sure the others have testimony as well as reference sites for you.

Hi,

Thanks for the links and all the information.
Although I grow plants for as long as I can remember, I've never heard/seen aircone pots. I probably wasn't looking around enough.
I will do some searching and try to find out if these things are available more locally here in Europe.

All the best,

RZu.