Several have tried growing in just about anything just to see if it works. A lot seem to change to their own version of gritty mix for their area. I found just coir was to dry for anything to stay healthy. This was a couple of yr ago. You can do a search above and get lots of opinions. I do use fine coir when starting seeds or rooting branches for grafts later on.

I have used Coconut husk chunks/chips such as you are showing for rooting up new trees that I have ordered in. Usually a mix of chunks and perlite. It has worked exceptionally well for that purpose. Although once they have produced good feeder roots, I plant in a gritty mix much as you have listed. I do prefer the mix to have the Coconut husk chunks in it as opposed to Fir Bark. I have found that the Fir Bark once it dries back is too difficult to get moisture back into it.

Rick

I use the chips in my mix for Citrus, and also for my very large Ficus benjamina. I found out that Edithcolea rooted easily in it (pruned my large plant back and stuck the clippings in the pot with the ficus). I used to grow Clivia in it.

I don't think the chips have been drying out too much for the Adenium seedlings (we have had a very rainy summer this year). I think the fertilizer probably leaches out more quickly than my other mix. I think that the coco chips I have now are larger than I'd like.

I have used coir for starting seedlings. It worked well.

Hey SLD, wow....big difference. Yes I would probably switch back. Mine are still in coir and doing fine (except for a few that got sunburned). Maybe the combination of coir plus the clay pots are too much drainage?

I did this tooo!!!

I have one grown plant potted up in coconut chips, but I'm starting to think it dries out too quickly.

All in picture have been through a bit of a journey, dried out for a week, and re-located from Daytona Beach to Long Island, NY a little over a week and a half ago or so. The others are all putting on new baby leaves, but my pure coco chip friend isn't really doing anything. Her caudex is a little soft too compared with the others, making me think she needs more water.

I've watered her daily but I'm starting to think it's not enough. Will likely use this as an additive vs. a lone substrate. I've used straight pumice with excellent results, but since my herd has grown a bit as of late, I thought I'd stretch it with additions.

The gritty mix everyone else is in, is comprised of orchiata bark, pumice & aquatic plant mix. Looks like this:

I think I'll stick with the pumice and either orchiata or coconut chips. The coco chips are cheaper than orchiata and seachem aquatic substrate, repotme.com has coco them in 1/4" chips, so I think it'll do.

Maybe the smaller chips will hold more water for me..

Hookilau, thanks for the link for the 1/4" chips. In the past I've bought them from Kelly's Korner orchid supplies, but they've been out of the fine chips for a while, so I bought some of the medium chips. They're really too big for my taste. What size Orchiata do you use? I used the precision size in the mix for my seedlings, but just bought some of the classic size as well.

Isde, maybe the chips in glazed or plastic pots would be better. Also maybe more frequent fertilization to compensate for it leaching out faster.

At this point I think I will move them back into the other mix, but probably should wait for spring.

Also, Hookilau, is your plant in the coco chips an arabicum? Love the shape of it :-)

I used coco husk mixed with soil and perlite this whole growing season/year.

I don't know if it's related but I've had my first terrible bout of insect issues ever. I had spider mites, aphids, AND mealies all at once. Is it possible that either the husk made the plants less healthy, therefore more susceptible? Could the husk have harbored mites? Or maybe the mites were laying eggs in the bark, making it harder to eradicate? Im still fighting them. It's probably not related, but who knows?

All of the plants' roots were healthy when I reppotted recently. I switched several over to a soil and pumice mix.

I live in North Texas and our summers are 100 degrees plus. I use a cactus mix 75%, and perlite 25%. I've had great success with this mix for my environment. Our humidity can vary from 10% to 60% on a normal basis. But, when the temps are 100+, I water every other day. I have some plants that are 100% sun, and others that get late afternoon shade. IMO, you have to experiment with different mixes to find one that works for your environment. PS, I use the same mix for my plumeria with great success. I also use Excalibur fertilizer from Florida Colors on both adenium and plumeria.

Lonnie

Do you all think I should move my plants back to my pumice, etc. mix now, or should I wait to spring? I'll be growing them under lights once the weather turns cooler.

Also, when your plants are attacked by bugs, what insecticide do you use (for mites, for mealies, etc.)? In the past I've found that Adeniums could reacted badly to Neem and pyrethrin.

Wendy and others, if you want a link for all kinds of high quality clean CHC, coir or bark, as well as other mix amendments, I highly recommend this place. N.B.: They are friends and I work with them for the orchid shows they do in Michigan. You have to scroll down and select "Page 2". Tell them I sent you... not that it will get you much....LOL

Robert's Flower Supply

P.S.: Wendy, those are some beautifully grown plants! TFS

Thanks, Howard, and thanks for the link :-)

My plants are in plastic pots. Also I water them while in nursery trays and allow them to soak for a bit before letting them drain off. I have other non adenium plants that are in coir/clay pots, that are watered the same and they're also doing fine. Because of how I water them, I don't really worry about leaching.

SLD, I'm calling arabicum, just because of the shape of it and the leaves. It was a Walmart special, 13$, can't beat that with a stick!! Here's how she stood before she got nekkid for the trip from Fla to NY...

click here for orchiata mix I used, I got it from Amazon but didn't shop around for best price, I was in a rush to get it here, moving from Fla to NY, everything was hectic. I just wanted 3/8 in size to add to same sized pumice.

I potted her up in a glazed ceramic pot, but still find the mix just doesn't stay wet for more than a couple of hours, if that. If I were to stay in Daytona, I would've kept them in coco chips, as the humidity was crazy high and it near rained every day the entire time I was there.

Since I'm here in NY now, I probably only have a couple of weeks before cool weather begins to set in. I'd like to see signs of life before winter, so I'm going to re-pot in gritty mix.

On another note, I've potted up my epipremnum aureum epiphytic in coco chips, since it's epiphytic, and though they do not appear to be doing badly, they do not appear happy either. Especially compared to the others growing in different substrates.

I admit I have trouble with tropicals, but seem to be doing well with bark fines and perlite mix providing a balance my plants can live with.

As for pests, since I bring my plants in every Fall, I aim for a windless day, and treat all plants coming in for the season with a systemic imidicloprid 2x before bringing in & use diatomaceous earth in all potted plants for maintenance.

I conducted this same experiment beginning a month or so ago. My Adenium miss was Reptibark, Growstones, pumice and turface. In the Spring, I dumped out and repotted into that same mix. They plants were alive but leafing out was EXTREMELY slow to nearly non-existent. Here we are at the end of Summer and some have still hardly any leaves.

I'm in San Diego and we've had some pretty hot days. That mix this year just seemed to dry out way too fast and I honestly don't have time to water in the morning before going to work or in the evening when I get home several times a week so decided to switch the mix on a couple of my seedlings just to see how they would do.

For those I used C&S mix and pumice about 50/50ish to 40/60ish. Those two seedlings have done much better as they were looking pretty bald and sickly before. One has fully leafed out and the other is just a bit behind. It took that one longer to make the adjustment.

My only concern is having that mix that holds more moisture through the Winter and inducing rot. I lost quite a few plants in the late Winter, early Spring even in that lean mix. Not sure what to expect or what I should do differently, if anything with this new mix.

Hookilau, $13,00 at Walmart...I just wish I could find plants like that at Walmart up here :-( Do you just sprinkle the diatomaceous earth on top?

Isde, I don't have them in trays, so water just drains out and is gone. That would probably make a big difference.

Stewart, one of mine potted in the chips is like yours... only a couple tiny leaves now at the end of the summer. It's the 2nd one from the left in the 2nd photo. In comparison the one on the far right in the first photo is the same cross and they looked almost identical in the spring. If anything, the one I potted in the chips was the better looking of the two.

I am starting to think I may repot them now, rather then waiting to spring. If I have them under lights where it's warm for the winter, hopefully, they'll do o.k.

I know this isn't the best time of year for this, but I decided to repot the ones in coco chips today. When I took them out of their pots I found that they had large strong root systems. I took a photo of one, the others had even larger root systems.

This made me curious, so I decided to look at the roots of the ones in the pumice, etc. mix and found that their root systems weren't anywhere near as developed, even though the tops looked better and had grown more...

I decided to try to get the best of both worlds, and repotted them all in a mix of pumice, chicken grit, Orchiata bark, and coco chips. lIt will be interesting to see how they do.

The experiment continues... :-)

So some put their energy into growing roots while others put their energy into growing foliage...? That is interesting. I wonder if mine in my grittier mix are doing the same and if so, whether the more extensive root system will result in improved foliage next year...assuming, of course, that they make it through the Winter and Spring.

The size of the coconut husk chips will impact how quickly the mix dries out.

Btw, for those who may be considering the vendor Howard recommended ... May be worth mentioning that there is no "shopping cart" on their site. It is run by an older couple who are rather "old school". You can place an order by phone or email with them. Also, one could check to see if there is an orchid show near you for the upcoming year. (Easiest way is probably to google for orchid societies in your state as they usually list such events.) If the Roberts are attending a show in your area -- and if you can wait that long or realize you could use some supplies around that time -- you can place your order and ask them to bring it to the show for you to pick up.

I find the difference in how these plants grew really fascinating.

We had so much rain this summer, I really don't think the chips ever dried out enough for that to be a problem (as evidenced by the condition of the roots). When I repotted, the chips were damp, even though they hadn't had water in almost a week.

I gave my plants osmocote when I put them outside for the summer, but when I repotted them I didn't see any signs of it in the ones potted in the chips. I think that what may have happened is that the osmocote washed right through the chips and the plants really needed more plant food.

It's possible. The chips work really well for me. Not only for my adenium but also for my pachypodium.

Those look great, isde. I haven't grown any Pachypodiums from seed... yet :-)

I've grown densiflorum, rosulatum, cactipes, bispinosum, leucoxanthum, succulentum, rutenbergianum, horombense, eburneum and I have baronii on the way.

this really IS interesting...SLD, if your coco chunks were still damp, but not wet, like tapla used to say, 'like a wrung out sponge', that's a good thing!! Especially since you mentioned you've had a ton of rain. What is your goal?....growth & no rot?....with as much rain as you've had, I'd say you're doing really well with this experiment =D

I think my chips are too big for my climate & wanted to heed warnings about the finest coco stuff (texture of peat) being too water retentive for Northeast, so somewhere in between is probably a good place to start for me.

Repotme.com has 1/4 inch and 3/8, both easily half the size of the chips I have now & probably what I would need.

I think I'll mix the big ol bag of chunks I have now into the garden & get the wee stuff. What I bought was pretty small, but could be smaller still.

Yes on the diatomaceous earth....it's texture is like the chalk you might use in the gym, loose and messy. I sprinkle heavily on potted or indoor only plants. I don't want it in my garden, because it's disruptive to beneficials as well as pests.

Right about now, I start surveying all who will come inside and how....they are prioritized into groups, and I begin to treat for pests, set up their winter homes & prepare for a freak cold snap.

Last minute re-pots are done, trimming etc. Since roots are rarely injured with such a loose mix, and I keep mine as dry as I can, I re-pot and prune kind of willy-nilly, (disclaimer) not recommended unless you are willing to take the chance or like me, know your odds.

Hookilau, A "wrung out sponge" describes them exactly. I'm hoping that the combination of the chips, pumice, chicken grit, and some bark will work well. I like to use Osmocote when I put my plants out for the summer, and I don't think it will wash out of this mix, the way it did with just the coco chips. As for my goal, I want really healthy roots, not rot, strong top growth.... oh, and lots of flowers :-)

Thanks for the diatomaceous earth tip. I've had ants get into some pots in previous summers. Would this prevent/get rid of them?

I am working at getting my house ready for the plant onslaught. Like you, I tend to re-pot willy nilly :-) l've done this for, oh, 45 years or so, and have only lost a plant due to repotting a couple of times. The ones that did croak were because I repotted into too large a pot (liked the pot) even though I knew better. When I get a new plant, whatever the time of year, I always repot it right away. I've found that plants always do better for me if I repot them into a mix I'm used to in a (usually) terra cotta pot, then if I leave them in whatever mix they came in.

I bought my first adenium 2 years ago from a local garden center. On 7-14-16 I potted it up to a 6" clay pot with coco chips and grow stone #2. The roots started to grow through the bottom drain hole, so I lifted it (8-6-18) and kept it in the same pot and mix.

Joe, your plant looks great. You know, I think my son has some grow stones. Hmmm... maybe an experiment for next year. I think his may be larger, though.

Such BEAUTIFUL plants everyone. I found that my only seedling does very well in a gritty mix and I wish I had another to try in the chips. But for now, the only thing holding mines back every year are the darn spider mites if I don't catch them. Funny thing is this is the only plant I get them on of all my hundreds of other plants. Crazy

Mm, how are you treating your spider mites. It would be unusual for only the one plant to have them?

Marcia, I spray it with Safers Soap and it usually kills them for months at a time. Then, again they come back if I don't watch for them. None of my other plants get them at all. Very very strange.

Isde, my plants seem to be doing well in the pumice, chicken grit, bark, and coco chip mix

And speaking of spider mites... I find that they love Adeniums. We went to Vermont for the weekend last week and came home to find one of my seedlings totally infested with spider mites. Plant looked fine on Friday when I watered it. I couldn't believe how fast they took over. It's the denuded one in the front row, 2nd from right. I cut off the leaves and sprayed it with Bayer 3 in 1. Sprayed the rest as well, although I didn't see mites on any of the others. Very strange.

Today, I just planted 45 more Adenium seeds. God knows what I'll do with all of them!

Stupidlazydog, so true. I don't get it!! Only that plant. lol, Crazy, and they come out of no where. Always have to be vigilant with this one.