Post a reply

Avatar for theG3RMAN
Feb 21, 2024 7:45 PM CST
Thread OP

Hello everyone! New here. Looking for some expert advice for my philodendrons and pothos collection. I have a indoor green house that is temp and humidity controlled. I just have been struggling with soil. So I do know that pothos and philos have different soils they like. Here is my list of ingredients that im working with.

Happy Frog potting soil
Coco Coir chips
Vermiculite
Perlite
Worm castings

What are some recommended ratios? Thanks in advance for any help! Smiling
Image
Feb 22, 2024 6:05 AM CST
Name: Gina
Florida (Zone 9a)
Tropical plant collector 40 years
Aroids Region: Florida Tropicals
I do have a couple suggestions to start.
Epipremnums do not need a chunky mix. They are fine in regular potting soil, if you want, you can mix in some more perlite.

For philodendrons, it depends on which ones you have.
Terrestrial philos (ex. mcColleys finale, black cardinal, martinianum, the thaumatophyllums) do well in mostly potting mix cut with perlite or pumice.

Epiphytic philos do well in a chunkier mix. I am not familiar with the use of worm castings so I won't include them.
The mix most people who grow a lot of aroids use is 1-2 parts potting mix, one part fir bark (you can sub the coco coir here or add both) one part perlite or pumice, some people add 1 part charcoal and/ or one part LECA.

I would really avoid vermiculite. It holds way too much water. And be careful with the coco coir. It's very water retentive too

The goal is to have a well draining mix. I grow in a freestanding greenhouse in Florida. In the summer the humidity is 70-100% and the temps are 90+. If the mix didn't drain, my roots would rot. But I have 2 large 4 ft x 4 ft industrial exhaust fans to move air. If you don't have fans, you need them
Thumb of 2024-02-22/Gina1960/1b351a

Thumb of 2024-02-22/Gina1960/d34e36

Thumb of 2024-02-22/Gina1960/b3b753

Thumb of 2024-02-22/Gina1960/0a84b0
Award winning beaded art at ceinwin.deviantart.com!
Avatar for theG3RMAN
Feb 23, 2024 2:56 PM CST
Thread OP

Thank you for the tips :). Here some shots of my greenhouse. I am switching from the giant coco coir lined baskets to 10" plastic ones. I was leaning toward vermiculite because my plants dry out so quick and were not retaining any water. But I will try the potting mix, coco chips, and perlite for the philos and potting mix and perlite for the pothos. As far as philodendrons I have mostly hanging plants. Heart leaf, Velvet leaf, Brazil and Neon. Sorry I'm not good with the scientific names as I'm only about a couple years into this hobby :)
Thumb of 2024-02-23/theG3RMAN/1fa951
Thumb of 2024-02-23/theG3RMAN/bf599b

Thumb of 2024-02-23/theG3RMAN/eab10c

Thumb of 2024-02-23/theG3RMAN/5a8bd4
Image
Feb 23, 2024 3:11 PM CST
Name: Gina
Florida (Zone 9a)
Tropical plant collector 40 years
Aroids Region: Florida Tropicals
I'm not sure where you live. But if your plants are drying out too much, you can just water more.
I don't use overly water retentive media because I live in a place where its extremely hot and humid. I only have a greenhouse to protect my plants in a very very brief winter here. Otherwise, its been characterized as the Ninth Rung of Hell here.
I have to water pretty much daily. The epiphytes need that much water here to combat heat stress. And I have a 36 ft back vent and two 4 ft x 4 ft exhaust fans that run pretty much 24/7 here in late Spring, summer and well into fall. SO the air movement is constant, which also helps things dry.
If you can't water more frequently and feel you need a more water retentive media then add vermiculite.But the aim of most 'chuncky mixes' is to REDUCE water retention and promote drainage, not facilitate it
I use those baskets extensively for epiphytes. They work well. But they do their job...they allow free drainage of water.
These plants below are all in chunky mix in a coir basket
Thumb of 2024-02-23/Gina1960/ad9fb0

Thumb of 2024-02-23/Gina1960/cbe5d7

Thumb of 2024-02-23/Gina1960/807a4a

Thumb of 2024-02-23/Gina1960/963d29
Award winning beaded art at ceinwin.deviantart.com!
You must first create a username and login before you can reply to this thread.
Member Login:

( No account? Join now! )