• Repotting: Why NOT Use Pine Bark?

    From phillipdonaldson@gmail.com@21:1/5 to All on Sun Mar 19 03:00:10 2017
    Thanks for you information! I'm going to try using pine bark.
    Thanks
    Phillip

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From phonographfilms@gmail.com@21:1/5 to All on Fri Jan 26 08:51:50 2018
    Ive read so much on this and here is my response for what it may be worth.
    We humans always like to think we know more than plants. If your orchids grow well on pine bark in your climate and environment under your watering and fertilizing habits. I would continue.
    Raw pine bark mulch is $3 fot a 3sq-ft bag

    Its like most pharmaceudical information in the west. A lot of distracting and strategically worded "scientific" reports are put out by manufacturers of expensive bark products fir orchids so that we spend $7 dollar of a tiny bag of un-named 'treated
    bark".

    Its a desease of our culture.

    I have grown orchids everywhere and if you pay attention to the plant you can find what it needs to theive in your yard. It seems you have found it!

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Steve@21:1/5 to phonographfilms@gmail.com on Mon Apr 2 13:30:23 2018
    On 1/26/2018 11:51 AM, phonographfilms@gmail.com wrote:
    Ive read so much on this and here is my response for what it may be worth.
    We humans always like to think we know more than plants. If your orchids grow well on pine bark in your climate and environment under your watering and fertilizing habits. I would continue.
    Raw pine bark mulch is $3 fot a 3sq-ft bag

    Its like most pharmaceudical information in the west. A lot of distracting and strategically worded "scientific" reports are put out by manufacturers of expensive bark products fir orchids so that we spend $7 dollar of a tiny bag of un-named 'treated
    bark".

    Its a desease of our culture.

    I have grown orchids everywhere and if you pay attention to the plant you can find what it needs to theive in your yard. It seems you have found it!


    Where's the "like" button? Oh, this isn't facebook. (Just kidding!)
    This seems like reasonable advice.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Agent Orange@21:1/5 to Rod T. Rogers on Wed Jun 27 12:43:43 2018
    On Sunday, May 19, 2002 at 10:13:38 AM UTC-4, Rod T. Rogers wrote:
    Hello Fellow Enthusiasts,
    Over the years, I have repotted my 50 or so phals, dens, cats, paphs, and oncidiums in my homemade mix consisting of 70% PINE bark, 25% recycled (wine bottle) cork chunks, and 5% charcoal. All plants are thriving and in excellent
    condition. However, every one of my dozen or more orchid books refer to "bark"
    or "fir bark" but NEVER pine bark, as an acceptable potting component. I realize there are many "old wives tales" regarding various aspects of orchid-tending, but this silence on the attributes of pine bark continues to elude me. Is there ANYONE out there able provide a VALID horticultural rationale as to why pine bark may be inappropriate and/or unacceptable as a potting amendment?
    Cordially,
    Rod T. Rogers
    L.I., NY, Zone 7

    I've been using a blend of chopped tire rubber/rock salt and Roundup. This terminates my orchids much more quickly than my old way of "over watering". Instead of lasting maybe a month...they now give up the ghost within a week or so. Cheerio Ya'll! AO

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From hello@designsbyrobynlove.com@21:1/5 to All on Fri Feb 22 16:27:00 2019
    This is my question. Can I go gather say blue spruce bark from my yard and prepare it in some way to use? Can you elaborate on what you have used.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From leslie Napper@21:1/5 to he...@designsbyrobynlove.com on Tue Jun 8 02:55:13 2021
    On Saturday, February 23, 2019 at 10:27:01 AM UTC+10, he...@designsbyrobynlove.com wrote:
    This is my question. Can I go gather say blue spruce bark from my yard and prepare it in some way to use? Can you elaborate on what you have used.
    Leslie.
    I prefer older trees 40 years plus put through a hammermill i use a acid and soak for 3 dads , remove and place on a wire netting cover with shade cloth. i saturate it with fresh water and let it dry for 3 days. The water from this process is the colour
    of tar -pitch black, but the bark that goes through this process is suitable for orchids. i then put the bark back into my 800ltr tub made of plastic . with 400ltrs of fresh water with lime and high nitrogen fertilizer and soak for 2 days. i remove the
    bark and dry it and the ph is 6 orchids grow better in a low PH . I then sive with a 6 to 9=10 to 14 =15 to 25 , and my orchids grow fine and flower well enough to take out many first and champ-s of show, i fertilize with aquasol for the past 50 years
    with out a problem.
    Finer bark will work but breaks down faster and stays wetter. so you must ajust your watering to suite.
    I grow orchids that need to be kept wetter like oncid allience and soft cane dens and cymbids.
    Growing orchids is no secret see the problem before it happens and that takes a little time.
    I use 4 bark =2 charcoal =1 Jumbo pearlite =1 of good quality scoria.
    Remember 3 things orchids like =LIGHT AIR WATER get that right and your a champ grower.

    LES,

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)