Use Of Coconut Husk Chips for Potting Medium

[shawnintland]

Came across a good article on coconut cubes which was written in regard to orchids, but the information is probably quite useful for other species as well. This article provides a lot of data to back up their claims and has a good explanation of the use of Epsom salts in the rinsing process...and why!
http://ladyslipper.com/coco3.htm

[Aliamyz]

Thanx for the usefull site Shawn.Really helped out

[NepNut]

Thanks for the link, it'll be very handy as coco chips is available for us here.

[arvin555]

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

[NepNut]

Hi Arvin,
Tannic acid shouldn't be any problem for most neps, in fact some acidity is probably good for certain low land peat loving species. I usually don't use 100% coco chips but a mixture with inorganic media lik perlite or burn clay to help with drainage. For my growing condition, 100% organic media will be too wet when there's a monsoon season here especially all my neps are sitting outside.

Still, the best thing about coco chip and coco peat is they're CHEAP!!

[shawnintland]

I agree! I've been using coco chips all along, but in the last year have been adding more and more 'amendments' like Perlite, pumice stones and charcoal. I also agree about monsoon season, that's why I keep adding more and more of these amendments to my mix. The coco seems to get matted down when continually wet and aeration seems to be a bit of a problem for everything except N. mirabilis and some vikings.
I see a lot of controversy regarding coco chips on other forums and in discussions with other growers, mainly those in areas where coconuts are not 'local'. Some people claim to have salt problems, others swear that it breaks down in a matter of weeks! It's another case of "same same but different" as they say in Thailand - same material (maybe) but different methodology, different conditions, different results. I can live with that but it still irks me every time I read a post talking about the 'evils' of coco cubes!
By the way Arvin, if you go to a pharmacy and ask for "Epsom Salts" you'll find it. Among other things, people use it for a foot soaking solution. I've read all kinds of reports about people swearing it is miracle stuff when it comes to plants but have never tried it. Perhaps we now know some of the real reasons behind its reputation!