Grow Cubes & Grow Cubes Mixes
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I highly recommend this inorganic material for your "water loving" Phrags - especially schlimii, besseae, boissierianum, pearcei, richteri, czerwiakowianum, and most hybrids of those species. This material is imported from Europe. It provides superior moisture retaining properties, as it also allows good aeration and drainage. It also seems to maintain a good pH level and is easily "flushed" free of mineral salts. One of the greatest benefits of using Grow Cubes is that you have amost no waste. When shifting seedlings or even mature plants up into larger pots, there is no need to remove the old medium from the roots if the plant is not in need of dividing. There is virtually no breakdown of the cubes, as far as I can tell for up to three years - probably longer. It does not seem to compact the way some other "wool" type materials do, and the shape and texture of the cubes seems to prevent them from drifting to the bottom of the pots. When I first tried this material, I admit I was a little skeptical, but after achieving good results with several mature plants of Phrag. schlimii, and some besseae hybrids, I tried it with seedlings just out of flask. When compared to identical seedlings three months later, the seedlings in the cube mix were almost four times the size of the ones planted in any other organic seedling mix, using bark, charcoal, coir, sphagnum, etc. Root development of Phrags in this material is truly amazing. It is also very economical to ship, as it weighs almost nothing when dry. I do not recommend using the cubes ALONE for species plants of caudatum, wallisii, and primary hybrids of the long-petaled types, as it is easy to keep these species too wet. After working with this material for over three years now, I have developed two general mixes that contain grow cubes. If you want to save money, then we recommend buying the cubes and adding your own charcoal, perlite, and coconut, to suit your own needs. For very small seedlings, just out of flask, you can "shred" this material by rubbing it through wire mesh of various sizes, or roll it between your hands to break it up slightly. Although it works very well in mixes incorporating bark, we have found bark and cube mixes only useful for some smaller seedlings, as the bark decomposes and the mix will need to be discarded at that point. Coconut ("Coir") does not seem to break down very quickly when mixed with the Grow Cubes, and we have had no trouble transferring plants straight into larger pots without discarding the old "B" mix that they are growing in, as it holds up with little decomposition for up to three years. The "A" Mix contains cubes, perlite & charcoal and is recommended for large seedlings and mature plants of "water loving" Phrags. It almost never breaks down, but eventually the charcoal will probalby absorb more salts than desired, so it should be discarded at that point. The "B" Mix consists of same mix as "A" mix, with approximately 25% medium sized coconut chips added. I recommend the "B" mix for larger, mature Phragmipediums (excluding long-petaled species) and especially hybrids with long-petaled species in their background. The coconut chips seem to increase aeration, but do not break down quickly, even in the bottom of the pots that sit in water. *NOTE* A colleague has done some extensive testing of the grow cubes and several other growing media in controlled experiments, and reports to me that he finds these cubes to be fairly "calcium rich". Although we have had no negative side effects from using the grow cubes "as is" (alone and in mixes) without any "neutralizing" agents, we do recommend that that you rinse or leach them with several gallons of R.O. or other high quality ( "neutral" pH) water PRIOR to potting, in order to ensure that any excess calcium is removed. The mixes will most likely separate in shipping, but can be redistributed evenly when it is wet, by shaking it in a large plastic bag or covered container. When potting with these mixes, do not pack it too tightly around the roots, as this will restrict air circulation and encourage algae buildup in the bottom of the pots.
1 cubic foot bags - Cubes only -$20.00 1/2 cubic foot bag - Cubes only - $12.00
1 cubic foot bag - "A" Mix - $24.00
1/2 cubic foot bag "A" Mix - $15.00
1 cubic foot bags -"B" Mix - -$24.00
1/2 cubic foot bags -"B" Mix - -$15.00
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