Making my own ventilated pots!

[bil]

There are brown versions of this which would look nice.

[Optimist]

Originally Posted by bil

Well, yes that will work, but it is far simpler to only use pots o containers that are only 4 inches deep at max for fine bark. That eliminates the problem.

Deeper media will stay wet. break down and compact faster. I found that really shallow fine bark, ie 3 inches or less after 3 years was almost like new.

It depends on where you live too, and what sort of media you use. When I water, everything is dry the next day.

[greenpassion]

When I have a large pot, with a large phalaenopsis in it, and I grow in bark, I alleviate the problem of wet bark and rotting roots with adding a net pot that I made myself in the bottom of the pot. It is completely aerated. That solves the problem of deep pots. They dry out quickly as I have them on warming mats, and every one is spiking and blooming. I don't have to add packing peanuts or anything else. Simply an upturned net pot homemade or purchased does the job. As Ray says, aeration and drying time is the key.

[bil]

Originally Posted by Optimist

It depends on where you live too, and what sort of media you use. When I water, everything is dry the next day.

If you are in a place where any medium dries out absolutely, then you have no problem with overwatering, do you?

I find it amusing the lengths people go to to create the effect of having a shallow pot, rather than use a shallow pot.

[katrina]

Originally Posted by bil

I find it amusing the lengths people go to to create the effect of having a shallow pot, rather than use a shallow pot.

For some of us, it's a spacial issue. I can fit more plants in taller pots on my shelves than I could if I had them all in wide, shallow pots/trays. I use a lot of bulb pan type pots for my larger plants but when it gets over 12 or 14 inches...it has to be divided.

[Phonelady]

This is us here in the Rocky Mountains.
I use bark with a little soil and well ventilated pots. Have to water once a week. Nice thing is, I don't accidentally over water. They dry out so fast here. I had to get a cold humidifier otherwise the little guys would have been desiccated!

Originally Posted by Optimist

It depends on where you live too, and what sort of media you use. When I water, everything is dry the next day.

---------- Post added at 08:23 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:20 AM ----------

Would you post a picture for us? I don't know what a bulb pan pot is. I would like to see what you are doing. I have a weird plant rack that the Hubbs made modified little shelves to fit. Maybe your bulb pan pots would work for me...

Originally Posted by katrina

For some of us, it's a spacial issue. I can fit more plants in taller pots on my shelves than I could if I had them all in wide, shallow pots/trays. I use a lot of bulb pan type pots for my larger plants but when it gets over 12 or 14 inches...it has to be divided.

[bil]

Originally Posted by katrina

For some of us, it's a spacial issue. I can fit more plants in taller pots on my shelves than I could if I had them all in wide, shallow pots/trays. I use a lot of bulb pan type pots for my larger plants but when it gets over 12 or 14 inches...it has to be divided.

If a plant gets to any size at all, it needs more than 8" These paphs are all in 8" pots, and the leaves are already overlapping.

[Lucille]

What a wonderful shelf full of beautiful paphs!

[bil]

Originally Posted by Lucille

What a wonderful shelf full of beautiful paphs!

Thank you. I have this one which is just a garden centre NOID, but this year has finally got big enough to give me 5 blooms. Of course it then needs more space than an 8" pot would take up.

[Lucille]

Five blooms are awesome, well worth the extra space! How long did it take to get to the 5-bloom stage? (I am curious because mine are small).