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Stanhopeas - what material to line baskets with?

Discussion in 'Orchid Culture' started by Delilah, Nov 15, 2013.

  1. Nov 15, 2013 #1
    Delilah

    Delilah Orchidaceous

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    Hi

    I have a few Stanhopeas that are ready to pot up into baskets. I'm fine with the wooden baskets as I can line those with sphagnum. My question is about wire baskets...

    These baskets are so open that sphagnum moss will just fall through, so what can I line them with to keep the media in place? It needs to be a soft, flexible material that's easy for the flower buds to push their way through and out of the base and sides of the baskets. I can't think of anything to use! Coconut fibre is too tough and impenetrable. What do people usually line their Stanhopea baskets with?

    Thanks :)
     
  2. Nov 15, 2013 #2
    Sean Houtman

    Sean Houtman Active Member

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    One of the Stanhopea nuts in my local Guild uses newspaper to line the baskets, he uses only one or two layers. Many people use the loose coconut fiber, but you don't want too much of that. Others use a layer of sheet moss, which has longer strands and is less likely to fall through the holes.
     
  3. Nov 15, 2013 #3
    KellyW

    KellyW Orchid wonk Staff Member Supporting Member

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    Delilah, I use the coconut fiber but just a very thin layer that is see-through. I just take a fist full and start pulling it apart until it is very thin and press it into the basket. You certainly could not use one of the pre-formed liners from coconut fiber because they definitely would be impenetrable. I also use the coconut fiber in a thicker layer and fill small baskets with LECA for other genera.
     
  4. Nov 15, 2013 #4
    Ricardo

    Ricardo Slave of demanding bird

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    If you have palm trees in your area you can harvest the cloth like material that forms near the base of the leaves of the palms. It can be very thin away from the leaf and very hard and thick near the base of the leaf.
     
  5. Nov 20, 2013 #5
    MattWoelfsen

    MattWoelfsen Active Member

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    I would get long strand sphagnum moss. There are grades of sphagnum that is indicative of the quality and the length of the moss in the package. I use AAAAA grade, to mount my Neofinetia falcata. It is the most expensive grade.
     
    annabanana1987 likes this.
  6. Jul 15, 2016 #6
    Dave The Scientist

    Dave The Scientist Active Member

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    Wow, I didn't know AAAAA grade existed. I have only seen AAA. Were do you get that?
     
  7. Jul 17, 2016 #7
    MattWoelfsen

    MattWoelfsen Active Member

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    You can go to Kelly's Korner Orchids for a bag. It is not compacted. Orchids Limited out of Plymouth, Minnesota also sells a bag of A/5 long strand NZ Sphagnum moss. I think it is about US$40.
     
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  8. Jan 24, 2017 #8
    epicatt2

    epicatt2 New Member

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    Best thing I've ever used to line my wire stanhopea baskets is Melaleuca bark (=punk tree or paper tree). The bark peels off easily from the trunk and into thin layers if you are careful and patient. It persists for a long time and is water repellent, so it successfully holds the moisture in the medium longer, which the stanhopeas really appreciate. (I use sphagnum for the medium.)

    One of the great things about punk tree bark is that the stanhopea spikes can easily pierce right through it without any restriction.

    We have a lot of punk trees here in central Florida and southwards, and the bark is pretty much for the taking. (BTW, Melaleuca is an invasive on the noxious plant list for Florida.)

    OK — HTH

    Paul M.
    Tampa, FL
    ==