Paph medium

[John D.]

Brooke
Check the Antec labs web site. Paph delanatii is specifically listed as "acidic" even though it's a parvi family. You may not want to mount it on limestone.

[jim blanford]

I grow all my smaLL PAPHS in fine bark mix, but as they get bigger I switch to CHC, perlite, charcoal and they do just great. I would watch the watering 3-4 times a week seems like a lot for paphs. Jim.

[Ross]

Originally Posted by jim blanford

I would watch the watering 3-4 times a week seems like a lot for paphs. Jim.

I totally agree. It seems to depend on the mix, the plants, the average humidity, whether you just repotted, etc. My larger, established Paphs get 1-2 waterings a week during growing season, a bit less when between new fans.

The only problem with a compost-based mix like oak leaves would be the introduced critters and bacteria, molds, etc. Even though these things exist in nature, they are tempered by natural climatic occurances. And whose to say a nature-grown Paph lives for a long time?

I use a commercial paph mix with oyster shell additive for all my Paphs, but there are a couple (like delenatii) that don't seem too happy in this mix. They do OK, but not like gang-busters. Others love the mix and multiply regularly.

[Hedge]

`The reason we don't use dog poo as a fertiliser is because they are carnivores and not herbivores, so their ordure doesn't contain partially digested vegetable matter which will then break down into nitrates for the plants. Instead it's got broken down meat proteins and is rich in urea (I think) and therefore harmful.

It's a shame as I too have a delightful producer of this raw material

[utah]

Originally Posted by Hedge

`The reason we don't use dog poo as a fertiliser is because they are carnivores and not herbivores, so their ordure doesn't contain partially digested vegetable matter which will then break down into nitrates for the plants. Instead it's got broken down meat proteins and is rich in urea (I think) and therefore harmful.

It's a shame as I too have a delightful producer of this raw material

Awwwwww

Shame we can't find a use for all of this high-grade cute-doggie "product".

My three may be small but they have a very high "output". Talk about efficiency experts!