of many of my plants!!!! With are cold wet weather, I have been checking all pots and repotting when needed. i have found a couple of well established plants starting to succumb to the cold/damp with roots starting to rot. Trying to root an established plant is nearly impossible... HOWEVER...I have had tons of success with 1/3 Hydroton 1/3 small orchid bark and 1/3 perlite. Even the most stubborn plants are filling the pot with healthy roots in weeks... I now use it for my Intensive Care Unit (LOL) where the really fussy hoyas spend a long time...and they are thriving!!!
I was finding that the straight perlite in the bottom of pots was breaking down and compacting...acting like a cement plug...so mixed with the Hydroton it stays loose and full of air.
Learning new things everyday.... having a blast!!!!
Carol
Hydroton...saving lives....lol
Carol,
Are you using the smaller (4-8 mm) or larger (8-16 mm) pellets?
Shirley
The only ones I can get are the 8-16s....but I would really like to find the smaller ones!!!!! I liked those the BEST for my Miracle Mix... A bag will fit in a Flat Rate Box....am looking for the source on the Mainland as the store here only carries the larger ones.....
Thanks Carol! Another idea for the Hydroton! We sell it at the nursery where I work Nice to know all the uses.... We only sell the larger one too- have been trying to talk them into selling the smaller pellets AND smaller bags as we only sell the larger bag and we are pretty expensive
Man....those pellets are a hidden secret.
OK, I'm convinced - think I'll order some and try it. I, too, have noticed that the perlite can become like "cement" in some of my pots. Thanks for passing this along!
Karen
Karen...I found the same cement in my pots....now I break up the Perlite with the little Hydrotons... I love how it works!!!