Growing wall question

From: RAYMOMATTLA at cs.com on 2003.12.19 at 03:10:07(10946) I am getting ready to extend my greenhouse and want to add growing walls on the sides. I have installed these in my current greenhouse and they are filled with long fiber spaghnum (I ended up using about 8 bales of the stuff which was kind of expensive at 50 bucks a bale. The walls in the extension will be both longer and taller so I am scared to even think about how much I may spend on that. Is there a cheaper yet reliable substitute I can use for the new walls? I know several people use coco-fiber. Is this less expensive than Spaghnum and would it quickly degrade? I have thought about buying large tree fern plaques in bulk and gluing them to the walls, everntually the plants will cover the seams, but is this a good idea? I dont really like the idea of using tree fern products to begin with! Any ideas on what i should use or should I bite the bullet and stick with spaghnum? Thanks, Michael Mattlage

From: jms59 jms59 at csufresno.edu> on 2003.12.19 at 04:54:41(10947) I don't know about the cost, but the coco fiber lasts much longer than sphagnum for me with orchids. It doesn't pack like the sphagnum does after repeated waterings, but it does dry faster. The orchids are not in chopped fiber, it looks like the fiber was wound around and between the roots, like a loose pile of string. James

From: "Peter Boyce" peterboyce at myjaring.net> on 2003.12.19 at 08:20:30(10951) Michael At Kew we sheets of coco-fibre impregnated with a latex mesh; it came in 3 m x 50 m rolls. Cannot recall from whom it was purchased but you could try emailing Katy King (k.king@rbgkew.org.uk) an asking her. It was in use for 4 years before I quit and showed no sign of deterioration. Pete +More ----- Original Message ----- To: Sent: Friday, December 19, 2003 10:10 AM Subject: [aroid-l] Growing wall question > I am getting ready to extend my greenhouse and want to add growing walls on > the sides. I have installed these in my current greenhouse and they are filled > with long fiber spaghnum (I ended up using about 8 bales of the stuff which > was kind of expensive at 50 bucks a bale. The walls in the extension will be > both longer and taller so I am scared to even think about how much I may spend > on that. Is there a cheaper yet reliable substitute I can use for the new > walls? I know several people use coco-fiber. Is this less expensive than > Spaghnum and would it quickly degrade? I have thought about buying large tree fern > plaques in bulk and gluing them to the walls, everntually the plants will > cover the seams, but is this a good idea? I dont really like the idea of using > tree fern products to begin with! Any ideas on what i should use or should I > bite the bullet and stick with spaghnum? > Thanks, Michael Mattlage

From: "bamboochik" bamboochik at earthlink.net> on 2003.12.19 at 11:49:30(10952) I'm sure you would not be interested in this, but I use this combo with many of my aroids and other plants that need a light airy mix. 1/3 packing peanuts +More 1/3 bunny-worm compost 1/3 pine bark chips A few years ago I was trying to think of a way to make use of the packing peanuts I seem to acquire in bulk here and around the same time I ran out of the potting material I needed for some Anthuriums..Voila! I never looked back and have been more than pleased with the way my plants thrive in this mix. Here are some of the plants I grow in it: Anthuriums Pothos Philodendron Orchids Musa Ensete Caladium Alocasia I change the mix around for other plants such as the addition of sand and pea gravel for succulents and cactus and you can use a good potting soil mix or compost in place of the bunny-worm compost if you can't get it. I raise my own rabbits and worms so it is free for me. ..b.f.n...deb/AL > [Original Message] > From: > To: > Date: 12/18/2003 9:15:44 PM > Subject: [aroid-l] Growing wall question > > I am getting ready to extend my greenhouse and want to add growing walls on > the sides. I have installed these in my current greenhouse and they are filled > with long fiber spaghnum (I ended up using about 8 bales of the stuff which > was kind of expensive at 50 bucks a bale.

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