19Silverman93 Posted April 22, 2014 Report Share Posted April 22, 2014 what can I use instead of that blasted white rubbish? I hate perlite, it gets everywhere washes out of substrates after a while and is a general pain in the posterior to use Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile Posted April 22, 2014 Report Share Posted April 22, 2014 For drainage you could use grit. You need to be careful though, as some of the 'lime free' horticultural grit contain some alkaline granules. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
North West Neps Posted April 22, 2014 Report Share Posted April 22, 2014 Horticultural charcoal ? I'm going to try some of this stuff on a few test plants. Has anyone else tried this ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 Horticultural charcoal ? I'm going to try some of this stuff on a few test plants. Has anyone else tried this ? Â I've added charcoal to Cephalotus mixes in the past - though I have no experience with that particular brand. Coincidentally, I ordered some orchid mix from them a couple of days ago. I see that they use rice husks as an alternative to perlite in some of their mixes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manders Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 Horticultural charcoal ? I'm going to try some of this stuff on a few test plants. Has anyone else tried this ? We tried some of this recently with orchids, its good for drainage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
North West Neps Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 Coincidentally, I ordered some orchid mix from them a couple of days ago. I see that they use rice husks as an alternative to perlite in some of their mixes. Â You've just jogged my memory ! I've recognised the seller now and i ordered a small bag of their Nepenthes mix to test last year, and 3 of my Neps are sitting in it doing great. It contains cocopeat, coconut husk charcoal, and rice husks, but i added my own sphagnum into it as i found it a little on the fine side by itself due to the rice husks. I already buy individual supplies of sphagnum, orchid bark, and perlite for making my own mixes, so i think i'm definately going to drop the perlite in favour of charcoal from now on. No more breathing perlite dust for me So yeah Sam, i'd recommend it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CephFan Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 I have also added charcoal to Ceph mixes in the past as they are naturally exposed to periodic burning of overhead shrubs and lower vegetation such as sedges. I suspect that it naturally forms part of the soil that they grow in. Cheers, Steve Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 (edited) very expensive for 1.8 litres taking into account what you could buy 50 litres for over the internet . Try champak they do or did sell it . Edited April 23, 2014 by dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19Silverman93 Posted April 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 You've just jogged my memory ! I've recognised the seller now and i ordered a small bag of their Nepenthes mix to test last year, and 3 of my Neps are sitting in it doing great. It contains cocopeat, coconut husk charcoal, and rice husks, but i added my own sphagnum into it as i found it a little on the fine side by itself due to the rice husks. I already buy individual supplies of sphagnum, orchid bark, and perlite for making my own mixes, so i think i'm definately going to drop the perlite in favour of charcoal from now on. No more breathing perlite dust for me So yeah Sam, i'd recommend it. well, looks like charcoal and rice husk will be making an appearance in my mixes shortly then I really hate perlite- it's just so horrible to work with Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CephFan Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 Just make sure it's the horticultural grade stuff not the quick lighting stuff soaked in paraffin. CPs wouldn't like that at all. I'm now going to seek out bulkier bags of hort charcoal as I had bought small boxes before and there must be a seller out there on the interweb! Cheers, Stebe Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
North West Neps Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 (edited) The seller also does 9kg bags of charcoal for £21.50 with free shipping. http://stores.ebay.co.uk/E-Coco-Products-UK/_i.html?_nkw=Horticultural+Charcoal&submit=Search&_sid=1073460950 Edited April 23, 2014 by Welshy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CephFan Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 That's the same product I was looking at on Amazon and similar prices too. I am guessing that will be a 20-40 litre sack (having googled the density at 240-480kg/m3). Is there any risk of salt in coco-based charcoal as has been mentioned with the coir threads before? Cheers, Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
North West Neps Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 well, looks like charcoal and rice husk will be making an appearance in my mixes shortly then I really hate perlite- it's just so horrible to work with This was the stuff i bought Sam if you want to give it a go.... http://stores.ebay.co.uk/E-Coco-Products-UK/_i.html?_nkw=nepenthes&submit=Search&_sid=1073460950 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
North West Neps Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 Is there any risk of salt in coco-based charcoal as has been mentioned with the coir threads before? Aparently not. This blurb is taken from their Nep mix...... "Our cocopeat has been matured for two years before processing. The first step is to remove excess fibres and then to wash it with FRESH WATER to reduce salt levels to below commercially accepted levels. Ours has an EC of <0.5 mS/cm which will stand any professional scrutiny. pH range is 5.8 to 6.5." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19Silverman93 Posted April 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 This was the stuff i bought Sam if you want to give it a go.... http://stores.ebay.co.uk/E-Coco-Products-UK/_i.html?_nkw=nepenthes&submit=Search&_sid=1073460950 brill, ta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 The fertilizer solution I use for Orchids and Cephalotus is typically 0.75 mS/cm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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