pandalf Posted October 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 (edited) Perhaps it's a problem of the type of wood shavings/sawdust Edited October 30, 2013 by pandalf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexis Posted October 30, 2013 Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 It looks very similar to live sphagnum moss! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiyel Posted October 31, 2013 Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 I use bark fines ( the siftings from composted bark we use for our potting mixes) and 1-3 mm pumice, half and half. I get about 3 years out of it. Just use the same mix to sow my seed on ,and get great germination. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billynomates666 Posted November 1, 2013 Report Share Posted November 1, 2013 I use bark fines ( the siftings from composted bark we use for our potting mixes) and 1-3 mm pumice, half and half. I get about 3 years out of it. Just use the same mix to sow my seed on ,and get great germination. Is that bark in general terms or is it specifically pine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandalf Posted November 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2013 I use bark fines ( the siftings from composted bark we use for our potting mixes) and 1-3 mm pumice, half and half. I get about 3 years out of it. Just use the same mix to sow my seed on ,and get great germination. Interesting, do you have photos of these experiments? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiyel Posted November 2, 2013 Report Share Posted November 2, 2013 Is that bark in general terms or is it specifically pine? we have tons of Pine bark here in New Zealand as we export logs over seas, the bark is used for every thing from Mulch on gardens, Orchid Potting media, and Potting mixes. Sorry i have no photos as yet but on the report i will try and get some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maciej Stelmach Posted November 4, 2013 Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 Congrats on your test results, pandalf! Though I'd like to know if anyone already tried peat-free, but inorganic mediums to eliminate problem with decomposing. What I have in mind is for example cat litter or pumice (eventually mixed). The latter is sold in huge bags in DYI stores. I use both for my bonsai with excellent results, so why wouldn't they work for carnivores? I'll definitely have to pot something in these mediums next spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile Posted November 4, 2013 Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 What I have in mind is for example cat litter or pumice (eventually mixed). I have tried the cat litter that is commonly used for bonsai here in the UK - both Sophisticat Pink and Tesco Low Dust Lightweight - on Cephalotus, Nepenthes and Mexican Pinguicula. Cephalotus and Nepenthes both failed in it. Mexican Pibguicula were ok, but they will grow in virtually anything anyway! Sophisticat Pink on left, Tesco Low Dust Lightweight on the right: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wozzen Posted November 4, 2013 Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 Like the look of that Carl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenofeden Posted November 4, 2013 Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 Congrats on your test results, pandalf! Though I'd like to know if anyone already tried peat-free, but inorganic mediums to eliminate problem with decomposing. What I have in mind is for example cat litter or pumice (eventually mixed). . http://www.cpukforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=50560&hl=grit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maciej Stelmach Posted November 4, 2013 Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 @gardenofeden Nice one! @mobile Yes, that's what I had in mind. Until this year I've also used Tesco brand, but it's no longer available in Poland. I'm using another brand, but it looks just the same. I'd like to get my hands on that Sophisticat litter as I like its size, but again not in my country... And as for your bad luck with Cephalotus and Nepenthes - maybe the medium was just far too wet for them and not airy enough? Based on my bonsai experience I had a problem with this medium after I potted some conifers in it. Even after stopping watering the soil remained wet for weeks which resulted in death of some plants. The ones that need to be watered daily thrive in cat litter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile Posted November 4, 2013 Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 And as for your bad luck with Cephalotus and Nepenthes - maybe the medium was just far too wet for them and not airy enough? It is far, far more airier and dryer than most of my Cephalotus mediums. I think there is something that CPs don't like about it, either it is adding or missing something. I have also tried it as an alternative to perlite in my normal mixes and they failed too. I would be interested to hear how you get on with it though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maciej Stelmach Posted November 4, 2013 Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 I'll pot some Sarracenias in cat litter next spring and will surely post results. There's some perfume added in Tesco's product - maybe that causes problems. Or maybe its pH is too high? Will see in couple months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile Posted November 4, 2013 Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 Maciej, I suspect you may well be correct with regards to pH. One must not forget that when such mediums are used in hydroponics then nutrient solution is used, with adjusted pH. Unfortunately nutrient solution would probably not be a good idea for many CPs, but maybe adjusting the pH with fulvic or humic acid added to the water would help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maciej Stelmach Posted November 5, 2013 Report Share Posted November 5, 2013 Yes, it surely would, but only if it's a pH issue. Still adding acids to water would be a bit bothersome which makes peat superior to this "new" medium in this case. So while good quality peat is easily available I'll probably stick to it. Still experiments will be made though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile Posted November 5, 2013 Report Share Posted November 5, 2013 Unfortunately obtaining 'good quality peat' here in the UK is getting very difficult, with many of the garden centres no longer stocking it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Bailey Posted November 6, 2013 Report Share Posted November 6, 2013 Cracking stuff to see your plants growing as well as this!! Been caught up in a million and one things recently, which have steered me away from the Forum for a while. Got our experimental polytunnel (The CPS) up now for our comparison peat-free/sustainable medium trials, which will start in the spring. Just in the process of connected some guttering and water-butts. Will have to try some shaving myself based on this. Will also soon have a peat-free cultivation draft up on the CPS website. Look forward to seeing some more of the same, and will post pictures of the trials as next season progresses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Bailey Posted November 6, 2013 Report Share Posted November 6, 2013 (edited) Cracking stuff to see your plants growing as well as this!! Been caught up in a million and one things recently, which have steered me away from the Forum for a while. Got our experimental polytunnel (The CPS) up now for our comparison peat-free/sustainable medium trials, which will start in the spring. Just in the process of connecting some guttering and water-butts. Will have to try some shaving myself based on this. Will also soon have a peat-free cultivation draft up on the CPS website. Look forward to seeing some more of the same, and will post pictures of the trials as next season progresses. Edited November 6, 2013 by Tim Bailey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ada Posted November 7, 2013 Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 Tim, Are any trials going to be run in any northern locations? Bringing in colder growing locations? I only ask because us northern growers already know some clones don't perform as well when grown up here,never mind growing them in poorer soil mixtures. Just another point to consider. ada Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Bailey Posted November 15, 2013 Report Share Posted November 15, 2013 Hi ada Poorer soil mixtures? Would hope others in different parts of the country,etc will replicate some of the comparison trials and feed into the project as beyond our resources to do this alone. Over the winter I'll finalise the mixtures, plants, growing conditions, etc., and share to help enable this. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Bailey Posted November 15, 2013 Report Share Posted November 15, 2013 (edited) .... will aim to have the detail soon after Christmas. Edited November 15, 2013 by Tim Bailey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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