Category: Culture

POTS (GENERAL): Use of the Best Size for the Plant

Author is Robert M. [Bert] Hamilton (Compiler), posted almost 8 years ago Plants with a rapid growth rate require a considerable increase in size on repotting and not a gradual increase to accommodate an accelerated growth rate; too-small or pot-bound pots reduce the gro... Read More

POTTING: Aeration

Author is Robert M. [Bert] Hamilton (Compiler), posted almost 8 years ago It is greatest in the mix when the particles are uniform throughout; a fine ingredient mixed with a coarse one causes "cementing" between bits. OA86-172 Read More

POTTING: Common Faults

Author is Robert M. [Bert] Hamilton (Compiler), posted almost 8 years ago The usual ones are: repotting at the wroag season; overpotting; not taking enough care in dividing plants; placing the back end of a sympodial too far down in the mix to get it upright; not repotti... Read More

POTTING: The Orchid Block System

Author is Robert M. [Bert] Hamilton (Compiler), posted almost 8 years ago As a potting mix it offered many advantages; refer to OA82-6Consisted of a styrofoam block shaped to fit inside regular pots, topped with shredded foam rubber and shredded long-fibered sphagnum mix... Read More

POTTING: Overpotting of Seedlings by Design

Author is Robert M. [Bert] Hamilton (Compiler), posted almost 8 years ago A reasonably safe method is to choose a well-drained container which avoids sogginess, such as a Rand Aircone plastic pot and use a mix of coarse pebbles as drainage, then a layer of hardwood charc... Read More

POTTING: Repotting

Author is Robert M. [Bert] Hamilton (Compiler), posted almost 8 years ago For a lot of pointers on when to do it for most popular genera and how to do it with what materials with detailed instructions and many illustrations, refer to A81-1437 Read More

POTTING MEDIA: Absent From the Pot

Author is Robert M. [Bert] Hamilton (Compiler), posted almost 8 years ago It can be done: vandaceous genera, various dendrobiums and oncidiums, in South Florida will grow in their containers without visible means of support if the owner can find the time to syringe, wate... Read More

POTTING MEDIA: Artificial

Author is Robert M. [Bert] Hamilton (Compiler), posted almost 8 years ago They are surprisingly many: such things as foam rubber chunks, polystyrene beads, chips, or chunks, expanded clay or ceramic products and other inert media can be well worked by any grower who unde... Read More

POTTING MEDIA: The Best by Test

Author is Robert M. [Bert] Hamilton (Compiler), posted almost 8 years ago Of crushed granite, coarse bark, charcoal, peach pips, peanut husks, peat, perlite, polystyrene, vermiculite, coarse sand, broken brick, pine needles, foam rubber, etc., and "flaky" bark and the be... Read More

POTTING MEDIA: Best Media for Test Work

Author is Robert M. [Bert] Hamilton (Compiler), posted almost 8 years ago The formula is: 3 parts charcoal, 5 parts pine bark (both about 1.2cm. in size), 2 parts chopped bracken fern, 3 parts peanut shells, 2 parts rice hulls; do not add any peat moss, sand or other fin... Read More