Question for Ray on SH

[bil]

Originally Posted by Ray

Certainly. Had I been "smart", I'd have thought of that before losing most of the root system on plants that drowned while I was away on vacation and had automatic watering operating.

Yeah, but then how many times do you manage to think of everything every time?

Smart is getting it right first time, and learning from other people's mistakes (which is why I read so much on here). Unfortunately many of us end up learning from cold hard (and expensive) experience.

[bil]

Ray, another question please. I have seen several references to covering the top of the leca with plastic or somesuch, to reduce evaporation.

Is there any danger in this of suffocating the roots?

[Ray]

Originally Posted by bil

Ray, another question please. I have seen several references to covering the top of the leca with plastic or somesuch, to reduce evaporation.

Is there any danger in this of suffocating the roots?

Some use sphagnum, but it tends to break down and ultimately filter down into the "gravel" and clog it up.

As far as the plastic cover is concerned, they typically cover from 1.5 cm or so outside of the plant base to about the same distance from the inside of the pot, so there is plenty of space for air flow - and watering, and let's not forget that water running through a pot aerates it too.

[bil]

Originally Posted by Ray

Some use sphagnum, but it tends to break down and ultimately filter down into the "gravel" and clog it up.

As far as the plastic cover is concerned, they typically cover from 1.5 cm or so outside of the plant base to about the same distance from the inside of the pot, so there is plenty of space for air flow - and watering, and let's not forget that water running through a pot aerates it too.

So they are basically covering about 50% of the surface?

[Ray]

Originally Posted by bil

So they are basically covering about 50% of the surface?

That's going to depend upon the pot size, isn't it? For example, in a 4" (~10cm) pot with 1.5cm gaps, the plastic covers about 75% of the area. Make that a 12" (~30cm) pot, and using the same 1.5cm gaps, that covered percentage is 92%.

Like all things... experiment with the gaps and find what works best for you.

[estación seca]

bil, I just noticed in the first message you mentioned pint glasses (half quart / about half liter.) Catasetums are larger plants with a potentially large root system, so you might consider using quart/liter containers, something like this:
https://www.containerandpackaging.com/item/T019

I use 1-quart containers even for the smaller seedlings of various genera I put into S/H. I put Cymbidium seedlings, even very small ones, into 2-quart containers.

Plastic quart containers may be readily available if you have a restaurant supply company nearby. I buy thinner, more transparent ones than seen above. I buy them in quantities of 25 for about $4 at a US restaurant supply company called Smart & Final. Lids are sold separately, which is good, because I don't need the lid. The thinner plastic ones I use will crack if dropped when full of medium.

[bil]

Originally Posted by Ray

That's going to depend upon the pot size, isn't it? For example, in a 4" (~10cm) pot with 1.5cm gaps, the plastic covers about 75% of the area. Make that a 12" (~30cm) pot, and using the same 1.5cm gaps, that covered percentage is 92%.

Like all things... experiment with the gaps and find what works best for you.

Yeah, I was thinking of an 8cm pot.