Re: Use Of Coconut Husk Chips for Potting Medium
Interesting reading there Shawn, I am not sure where I can get Calcium Nitrate though.
However I would like to point out that apparently the talk about Cation Exchange Capacity is mainly due to the fact that they fertilize the Orchids, while we seldom do. So that if we just soak coco chips in water overnight and drain, and rinse before using, that might be enough to rinse out salts and then the daily watering should be able to rinse out slow the excess salts if ever.
I use coco chips and cocopeat on my Nepenthes, I have noticed that both Chips and Peat do make the water they are soaked in, brown, which means they are leaching Tannins and other stuff. Even after they are already in a pot with the plants, the still continue to make the water in the water tray slightly brownish, but after a few weeks, this stops.
Wondering if at least a rule of thumb can be used here, fertlize the medium only after 1 month. That is if one is in the habit of Fertlizing. I haven't.
TTFN
Arvin
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