My first impression with S/H

[DavTom]

Originally Posted by SADE2020

Why would you abandoned lava rock?

Well...I first use intuition, then, if the intuition tells me that it is worth a try, I challenge it with technical considerations, and only then I implement it.

I think that leca is better in transferring water and nutrients from the bottom to the top of the pot; The regular sphere shape distributes also the airy space better (i.e., more evenly) than lava rock.

I was very happy with lava rock, but the roots growth that I am getting now with leca seems far superior. OK, only 1 month passed so far, but it is going beyond any expectations. if it will keep going like that, I think that in about 3 or 4 month I will get with leca the same amount of new roots I was getting with lava rock in one year.

I think that leca+reservoir (i.e., S/H) is superior to what I was doing before with lava rock and long "bathing" without the reservoir. I have never tried lava rock with the reservoir, but I suspect that lava rock is not as good as leca with the capillar action to transfer water from the bottom to the top.

I think that lava rock is superior to leca only in the water retention for a given volume of lava rock or leca. But this does not matter if the long bathing is replaced by the reservoir.

I think I remember your website. You have tons of beautiful orchids all over your house and many of them are in lava rock. Well...give it a try with a couple of the with leca/S-H...and you will see... ;-)

Dav