A very nice post, Ray!
Except for my Catt alliance babies, I pot most of my critters in NZ sphag. I was repotting many of my Paph and Phrags this spring and noticed that those potted in clay had nearly twice the root mass and twice the growths of those in plastic.
The watering certainly wasn't the issue. I'd water each pot when the sphag reached a certain dryness. Some have suggested that it's the evaporative cooling keeping the roots from cooking in a hot sun that contributes to the extra growth. That could certainly be the case, but I think the breathability through the pot itself is also a huge factor. Water molecules are big and globby. If they can get out, air can easily get in.
And while constant watering is a pain, I've found my best growers have had the best air access. So thanks for addressing this oh so critical point of culture, Ray!
Julie
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