What do you grow in lava rock/terracotta chip?
 

I've just finished repotting my phals into terracotta chip and I really like it, it's easy to tell that it's wet and it's got great air flow, plus it's relatively inexpensive too. So I'm wondering what others grow in this sort of medium as I grow orchids from a lot of alliances and I like the fact that it won't break down so it reduces the need for repotting when you have hundreds of orchids to worry about!

Red lava rock: Dendrobiums, angraecums, phal equestris, cattleyas, vandas (including falcata), aerides, psychopsis, and a paph. I even have my haraella rectrocalla mounted on a rock.

I also use red lava rock, Phals. catt, vandas, Onc, den, I just started using lava rock about a month ago and I can see the difference's in the growth, I know that I'm not going to over water any thing

Years ago (about 35 or so - I hate to admit) I used terracotta as a base for several different species - I used smaller chunks and added sphagnum moss and bark for more moisture retention for phalae's and some dendrobiums, and used larger TC chunks with bark mixed in for some epidedrums and just straight TC in large pieces for the ones that prefer high levels of air circulation like Vandas - it works well, but, I found that if you do not flush often the porous TC will hold salts and such from fertilizers. Of course "back then" the fertilizers were really loaded with salt - just watch for a white build up on the chips.
And the roots really attach to the TC tightly - it's a little difficult to get any old pieces out without really messing up the root system. But that happens with a lot of mediums and especially porous ones.
But it worked really well - now I just use coco husk chips for about everything, with other medium mixed in to control water retention and air circulation -
It worked well for me, but at the time I had a greenhouse to play around in - now just a spare room!
Keep us updated and best of luck!
Steve

OK well so far I have transferred into terracotta chip phal hybrids, some oncidiums and a couple of laelia/catt hybrids. Will see how they go.

As an interesting note just after christmas(about 8 weeks ago) I got a neglected mini catt mount off a family member. I took a piece off it and wired it on to a large chunk of lava rock. I gently took some of the moss off just now and it has already covered the area around the plant in roots and is stuck so hard I was able to remove the wire. It's growing brilliantly and is putting out lots of new growth so seems very happy. :)

how cool - have any pics of it?
Steve

Sure.

This is the original plant, it's looking a lot better than it was when it arrived

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x...ps14ab06cf.jpg

Here is the whole mount, also greatly improved

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x...psa9f7d543.jpg
Close up of the roots, they seem to live growing into the liitle cracks and bubbles in the rock

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x...psb8fd8b59.jpg

I did the same to a piece of Neo a week or so ago.

Interesting, I just got a Neo falcata and a neo falcata hybrid and was contemplating what to do with them. What do they most like to be mounted on? I have small treefern rafts or I can find a piece of lava rock or a driftwood piece.

You want Neo mounting ideas? Check these out (its in Korean but I just started clicking)

I bought some slate slabs after seeing these. 'course haven't done anything with them yet. I'm testing my habits and conditions (and patience) first with the lava rock.