Hi all,

Some of my seedlings in 2.5" pots have had trouble extending roots. These are plants that I've had for about three months, and they are being grown in small size Coconut Husk Chips per recommendations on Antec's site.

I've seen new roots initiate, but they seem to stop after growing about 1/4". I've noticed that the top layer of coconut husk seems to dry off, while the lower layers in the pot remain most for several days after watering.

Do I need to make sure that the media completely covers the base of the plant?

I'd very much appreciate any insights/advice...

Thanks,
carsonchase

You could add a bit more medium to cover the base of the plant. I usually add a bit of sphagnum moss to the base of the plant. I find coconut husk can dry out pretty fast in low humdity area so I add sphagnum moss to my medium and cover the base of the plants.

Paphman

I am having the same issue w/ a few of my little tiny seedlings. Coincidentally they are in the CHC mix. I was thinking of repotting them either in a seedling mix, or actually in sphag so that they could get an established root system. This is what I've done w/ two of my plants that have suffered root stress. So, I'm considering doing the same with the other two. The pots are only 1.5" so dry out super fast.

Any thoughts on which mix, seedling bark or sphag, might be better?

That exact problem is why I no longer use bark or chc on my slippers. I now use the MetroMix with coir and charcoal and spongerock. It dries very evenly...but you have to repot more often. It can also be a problem if you like to overwater. Like all mixes it isn't without it's share of problems.

I would try adding the sphagnum like the above posts recommend and maybe mist the moss every day if it looks dry.
You could also pot them up like a bonsai and use coarse mix on the bottom and grade the layers to very fine stuff on top.

Using shallower pots inside "propagators"(throwaway plastic cookie containers like you would get a dozen cookies in at WalMart) has worked for me in the past...though I usually just put a couple inches of live sphagnum on the bottom and poke some holes on top and bury the flasklings into the moss.

I hope some of this is helpful...good luck with the little guys.

Jon

That exact problem is why I no longer use bark or chc on my slippers. I now use the MetroMix with coir and charcoal and spongerock. It dries very evenly...but you have to repot more often. It can also be a problem if you like to overwater. Like all mixes it isn't without it's share of problems.
Jon

Ok, do you use this on all your slippers? Or just the babies? Sounds like the former.... I am finding that my Paphs prefer the CHC/Diatomite/Charcoal/Perlite mix, but many of my phrags prefer bark (except the besseae hybrid climbers.)

Do you have a good supplier of Metromix (and do you mix it w/ coir, charcoal and sponge rock or are those the ingredients? Confused, sorry to be a pest, Jon!) I don't have a problem w/ repotting frequently, I have a problem with watering my seedlings enough, apparently. Right now I water Monday, Saturday, Wednesday, Monday, Saturday, Wednesday...repeat....The larger one's (even the 2.5" ones are fine with this but not the babies, I'm afraid.

I've had pretty good luck with a combo of CHC, perlite, charcoal and lava rock with sphagnum threaded through it for even moisture spread. I find checking the visible sphagnum then makes it a bit easier to tell when a pot needs watering too instead of just by weight.

I grow every slipper plant I own in it and many other genera...although I am still looking for a good source of crushed English Walnut Shells for the caudatum-types. I have a great supplier...Robert's Flower Supply, just about an hour north of me(at least how I drive...probably closer to two hours for most people here). I add to the MetroMix the perlite and charcoal...and eventually walnut shells. Sorry for not saying that earlier. It comes with finely shredded and ground coir already in it...otherwise it is just basic houseplant soil.

I water slippers once a week, and if a plant is still heavy from previous watering it gets watered the next week. Vandaceous, Dens, and Misc. genera get watered Monday and Thursday(these are in bark or treefern or ali-flor pellets). Phrags on Wednesday, and Paphs and Phals on Thursday after the vandaceous. Mounted stuff gets watered daily.(currently have phals in the metromix as well...but also experimenting with a bunch of other media...and species phals are mounted)

I wouldn't go and switch all your stuff to it just because I have had good luck with it. Potting mixes seem to need to vary quite a bit depending on where you are and what you're conditions are. A lot of growers at this latitude use it with good luck...but we always hear from people north and south of us that we are crazy for using this "mud" since their plants promptly died of rot in the stuff. You also have to make sure it dries out before watering again or else you will call it mud too and hate it.

Jon

I wouldn't go and switch all your stuff to it just because I have had good luck with it. Potting mixes seem to need to vary quite a bit depending on where you are and what you're conditions are. A lot of growers at this latitude use it with good luck...but we always hear from people north and south of us that we are crazy for using this "mud" since their plants promptly died of rot in the stuff. You also have to make sure it dries out before watering again or else you will call it mud too and hate it.

Jon

Don't worry, no plans for that! I don't like to work that much - but hey, anything for the slipps.... :wink:

However, the seedlings? Regarding those I may ask more questions when I am fresher in the morning, if that is okay. :)

Howdy Carson, I agree with some of the above advice. Add a little more mix to your pots, if you are having a hard time stablizing your plants due to lack of roots, use some twist-ties to create roots, by wrapping it as around the bottom of the plant, not too tight. Or you can make a small sphag wrap around the plant(base) and then put it in you regulra mix. I have used both of these for my freebies given to me from random rootless growers. If they dont look good in a few months, toss 'em. Sorry.