Hey Paula, this a informative video that I really like. I’ve still got my batch of husk and I’ve used it on a few of my plants that I’ve recently repotted. I know that my bulbophyllum that I recently repotted with the husk looks really good. Nice video and thanks for sharing
Love this. Thank you so much. Just discovering you. You’ve got amazing stuff here! I live in SC and in the past couple of years the heat and humidity of the summers has caused me to need to rethink my use of moss. Moved to more bark, not entirely happy with it. I’m going to try this. Seems softer than bark and the cal-mag setup has to be great!
Hey hon, that's awesome! Glad you found me! Yes I love adding moss to my bark! It's such an amazing additive! Plus extra moisture for the cattleya! Also they have calmag at their beck and call! 🤗
I am wondering after the husk is treated how do you dry it out and store it? I made quite a bit following your instructions but it a lot and I need advice for drying and storing it! Thanks
Hey hon, I just keep it in a basket were i can flip it till it's dry. I keep it in my growspace. Which is airy. I flip it around every day when I'm in there. Then usually I have it used up within the week after it's made. So I haven't stored it long term. Good luck. Keep flipping it or it can get moldy if it's not dry.
Hi Paula, thank you for the invite to your channel awhile back. I've been quietly watching a number of your videos. Thank you so much for sharing what and how you do things, and your results. I bought, grew, observed and explored fertilizing etc various orchids I brought into my collection. Though I have done really well thus far, this year I really want to 'dial in' my care with fertilizing, ph and various growing medias, and methods. I'm slow to the coconut husk party it seems. 😉 BUT I am here now. It was purrfect timing finding this video because I had 2 Miltonia regnellis sitting on the counter with a package of coconut husk, coco coir and perlite mix and was wanting to switch them out of the small bark/moss/perlite mix. This video stopped me in my tracks. 😅 I did one of the others I have a few weeks ago doing none of the steps you did. I did add some extra, large perlite to the mix. I will check this mix by soaking 1 cup overnight to see what the tds meter says. It seems fine so far! 🤞😬 Questions #1. Are you soaking the mix to eliminate some of the tannins as well some of the salts? #2. What does the tds meter read at after soaking in Cal/mag in 400ppm? #3. Do you take this reading into consideration when fertilizing? If so, approximately what tds reading are you fertilizing at for something like mature Cattleyas? Thank you so much for this great video! 🙏😊❤️
Hi Robi, first let me say thanks so much for your kind words. 😊 I appreciate that. Coconut husk is a great media because sphagnum moss is horrible for my environment. Tannins are not bad for orchids. Actually tannins are great for promoting root growth. Especially on a rootless plant. I still have tannins in my water, I soak my plants 2 hours in fertilizer. Also I have never checked TDS after the 400 calmag soak. It's really not necessary. I haven't ever checked it and have not had any issues. I also haven't had bad break down of husk. It stands up pretty well. I'm impressed. I hope that covers what you asked. If you have anything else let me know. Thanks for your support.
@@hillbillyorchids Thank you Paula! Ok, good to know! 'The proof is in pudding' as they say. I do want to buy the type of coconut husk that you showed because this packaged mix that I have, won't do, but I did want to start trying coconut husk chunks out. I have potted my ctsms in coconut coir PET method this year after seeing fantastic results. Thank you... Have a great day! 🙏❤️
@@robirobinson3602 Yea it is proof is in the plant pudding 🤣🤣 that husk is good stuff. That brick lasts a while. It's never been high tds works our each time processed the way I did. Really coconut coir has good results with catasetum? I am only about 4 years into catasetum, actually this starts year 5. I am gonna try semi hydro or self watering with a few of mine. Last year I did PET which is basically self watering. Just trying to figure out what way is best.
Great video Paula! I am glad I finally took the plunge as well. I have been utilizing it for several things and really need to do an update. Seems like everything I’ve been looking for to replace sphagnum in pots. I swear….. I’m going to find a way to use it on a mount….. just you wait!!! 😝 Thanks so much for sharing and all the great info! Like you said, the proof is right there! Stay safe and happy growing my friend! 🥰
@@hillbillyorchids I am behind…. Looking forward to seeing that one!! I am loving this stuff so far…. Seems like the real deal for my zombie moss replacement. I have to send you pics of my Zygo and the roots…. The Coelogyne incrassata is doing amazing in it as well so is the Pleurothallis from Darrell! Thanks again for persisting with this and helping me finally try it out! Now it’s my turn with treefern 😝😝😝. I think I’ve got it figured out…. Update coming soon! Happy growing my friend…. Keep up the awesomeness. Loving the videos!
please tell me how you keep a large pot full of this prepared husk. I just finished preparing it this way but don't know what to do with it now. I need to dry it and store it, but how is the best way to do that?
Hey hon, I keep in a basket and flip it several times a day till it's dry. Usually I wind up using it up. I haven't ever stored it more than a week. But just keep it somewhere airy and flip till it's all dry. Could take a week depending on how much you made. Make sure it's good and dry. If not it could mold in the middle.
I do have a question.... I have several orchids I'm rescuing (I had to leave town for several weeks and my sitters didn't understand the instructions)... I have a MASSIVE Cattleya (prob 3 HUGE pseudobulbs, 2 small ones, and then 1 that's new) that I had just put into husk. The problem is I don't remember if I put the cal mag in that husk, do you recommend I re-repot them with the husk I just treated? Several of mine have little to no roots, including a Dendrobium I've nursed for 2-3 months with no roots (putting out keikis tho!). Would love your input!
Hey hon it would depend on how stable you think the orchid is. If it has a few roots the calmag infused husk would be better. Just be careful with new roots. No the calmag is well soaked into the core of the husk. 😁 Hope this helps. Good luck. Have a wonderful week. 🤗🌹🩷💚
@hillbillyorchids I had some questions - I sent a message on your Insta - hope you don't mind! (Also, learned your name was Paula after I sent the message, so I called you Hilly as a nickname! Lol)
Do you think after 24hr soak and rinse, if you use RO water for final soak and rinse would lower tds? Do you think this would be overkill? Love the idea of soaking in calmag. Just found your UA-cam videos today and subscribed. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Hey Susan 👋 thanks for finding me! I hope you subscribed and stick around! 😁 yes that would be over kill because 200ppm isn't at all bad for your orchids and because you swapped the 200ppm salt content for calmag it is so useful to the plant! Its really a simple process to process the husk. Not any reason to make it harder. I know some folks was making it really hard. Like soaking daily for weeks. That is just too much. Who has that kind of time. Plus you make it harder folks won't want to do it. Hope that helps. Good luck! 👍 Thanks for watching dear I appreciate your support!
Great information! I’m converting to husk. Don’t have a TDS meter so could you estimate the amount per gallon of Cal-Mag to use? Also, if you have a plant in this husk, do you still use the Cal-Mag when you are feeding (down the road)? Thanks!
Hi Patricia! Thanks for subscribing! I just got tye email! I really appreciate it! Also honestly invest in a meter. Amazon has great ones for like $15.00! It's so worth it. It's literally only drops. Calmag is pretty strong. I would hate to venture a guess and be wrong. If your going to purchase the husk just grab a TDS meter too. Saves headaches! Too high and you could burn your roots. The meter I use is TDS EZ by HM digital off Amazon. You'll love husk. I am slowly mixing all my plants to it in some mixture. Yes I still use the calmag in my regular feedings. Thanks so much for watching! 👋
Hey hon it calmag you mix with coconut husk. It removes and replaces salt content and it's in the husk when it dries so it's always available to a plant when it's absorbed in the husk. 😁
Paula, I don’t have a ppm meter only ph meter. About how much cal mag do you add. I just bought some coco husks and I haven’t gotten them yet. Thanks for any help you can give.
Hey hon it's honestly best to wait. Calmag can be super strong. It's best to wait till you get TDS meter. Here is link to get one. TDS Meter Digital Water Tester, Lxuemlu Professional 3-in-1 TDS, Temperature and EC Meter with Carrying Case, 0-9999ppm, Ideal ppm Meter for Drinking Water, Aquariums and More smile.amazon.com/dp/B079DN9DRS/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_6YYNEM9QP6AH4X7Y721C
The TDS meter? That's a Total devolved solids meter. You can get them cheap on Amazon. They have them with thermometers too. All in one unit. a.co/d/6MbfxIi
I guess this was not my last question, I know you said for phal the mix would be 10% of the mix so I have 5” pots how could you explain so I could figure it out per pot might be easier for me, would it be 1 tbs per bark if you understand what I am saying, or 1/3 cup? Thank you
Hi Paula how you doing? I recently started using coconut husk and I do same exact thing whatvyou do with the current husk as well. Great video. Have a great week stay safe and happy growing : ) Reah
How awesome is that! It's great stuff isnt it? I just did a video today of some I have in husk and husk mixes to release this week. Some folks wanted to know. So I'm gonna share! Thanks so much for watching! I really appreciate it!
Honestly I have never used it with regular house plants but I would think UT would be beneficial. They wouldn't like the salt build up and they also she benefit from calmag. So just a guess but sound like it would be just fine.
@@lindaschquers2940 well you have to test it is the best I can advise you. Repotme sells "washed" and it's still super high TDS reading. I use the Repti bark off Amazon which is for reptiles and its great! Any husk you use is good as long as you soak and wash it down as many times necessary to where TDS is under 300ppm because then you soak in 400ppm calmag to counter act the salt and it's beneficial to the plants! But some husk is super salty. It can take 4-5 washes every 8 hours to lower salt content. Just depends on where the coconuts are harvested. But Reptibark is reliable. Been using a long time. Hope that helps.
Hi Paula, ok are we only soaking for 8 hours cause that would mean making it during the day, because if I soak over night it would be more than 8 hrs, unless I start cooking it late?
I start early morning soak 1 hour almost boiling water then rinse then soak 8 hours then rinse then I soak over night 8 hours or more how ever long I sleep. It's probably over that but it's ok. Hope that helps.
I don't understand your measurements and values. I have calmag from btanicare and it measures in ml per gallon checking for ph 6. How does that translate to yours?
Hey hon it's not measuring anything more than 400ppm on a tds meter to soak the husk in. So you just add your calmag to pure water checking till you reach 400ppm on your meter. You have to have a TDS meter. It's not any directions off your bottle. Hope that helps.😁
👋 Diane! Yes! I would say I have a couple very close Mini Cattleya that are in fine chopped husk (scissor cut into tiny pieces) with small chunks Charcoal. Charcoal just seems to keep the husk nice, clean. But I purchased them and they are very small, not long out of flask. Doing very well. Maybe I should now pull some of my plants and show ya'll what husk has done for my plants. Would you be interested in seeing something like that? Thanks for watching! 😁
@@hillbillyorchids I would be interested in seeing that. Ive been toying with the idea of a flask. I know seedlings are a lot of work and have different requirements to established plants but in some cases its the only way I can get a named plant off my want list.
@@dianeandorchidsatvictorharbor 👋Diane ok I will work on that then. I tell you Stephen Van Kampen-Lewis one time a flask got mold just before him taking off to go on vacation. He took the flask on vacation with him and he spread the early deflasked seedlings over a cheap mulch. Which in my opinion is very similar so I really think it works. But I can show you many seedlings, small ones that I have potted in husk. I can't use Sphagnum moss in my environment but husk is definitely my moss substitute! So I will get busy on that for you this week. Hopefully I can release it middle to end of the week. 😁 Tuesday and Wednesday are my watering days. Might be busy those 2 days. Also have a few hauls I bought 😬
Ok I appreciate that. I do have plants coming but you know I may be able to film tomorrow actually just post it later. Yes see that is why perlite and charcoal is good to drain the husk. Yet it's still moist. You can look at the husk may appear dry cut with scissors and you will see water 💧. Very nice! I think youll be very happy with husk.
I like that it's soaked in the calmag that way it's at the roots beck n call. So to speak. 🤣 also I just like the ppm to be lower. Less salt. 😊 Thanks for letting me know. I appreciate it.🤗
I use 0 tds water so it's 400ppm of calmag. It's not the parameters of the husk. The husk should be under 300ppm to add 400ppm calmag. Does that make sense?
@@hillbillyorchids what is otds water? I soaked mine it’s under 300 so now iam at the point of adding cal mag, I have reverse os. water, I have a 2 liter jug, do I keep adding cal mag till I reach 400 on my tds meter?
@@nanci357 tds is Total Disolved Solids. It means there is something in your water. Yes if your R.O. water starts at 0 then you add calmag till your meter reaches 400ppm.
So what you're saying it is #allmichaelmccarthy'sfault 🤣. Aren't you worried about all of that orange dye that comes out? 😜 The real reason for doing the calmag soak is because husk contains a lot of potassium and by soaking it in calmag, you're swapping out the potassium for calcium and magnesium. So you are providing calcium and magnesium through the process but getting rid of the potassium is critical for long term growth.
Hey Paula, this a informative video that I really like. I’ve still got my batch of husk and I’ve used it on a few of my plants that I’ve recently repotted. I know that my bulbophyllum that I recently repotted with the husk looks really good. Nice video and thanks for sharing
👋Justin! Yea I already talked you into using husk. Great stuff isn't it? Thanks for watching!
Love this. Thank you so much. Just discovering you. You’ve got amazing stuff here! I live in SC and in the past couple of years the heat and humidity of the summers has caused me to need to rethink my use of moss. Moved to more bark, not entirely happy with it. I’m going to try this. Seems softer than bark and the cal-mag setup has to be great!
Hey hon, that's awesome! Glad you found me! Yes I love adding moss to my bark! It's such an amazing additive! Plus extra moisture for the cattleya! Also they have calmag at their beck and call! 🤗
Amazing! I am definitely going to Try this! Thank you Paula!
Awesome dear! You won't be sorry I promise! 👍 any questions please ask
I am wondering after the husk is treated how do you dry it out and store it? I made quite a bit following your instructions but it a lot and I need advice for drying and storing it! Thanks
Hey hon, I just keep it in a basket were i can flip it till it's dry. I keep it in my growspace. Which is airy. I flip it around every day when I'm in there. Then usually I have it used up within the week after it's made. So I haven't stored it long term. Good luck. Keep flipping it or it can get moldy if it's not dry.
hey paula great idea with the cal meg ...love it thanks for sharing
Hey Stewart 👋 yes its the best! It really swaps salts and it's always there for your plants! Works wonders! Thanks so much for watching! 👋
Hi Paula, thank you for the invite to your channel awhile back. I've been quietly watching a number of your videos. Thank you so much for sharing what and how you do things, and your results. I bought, grew, observed and explored fertilizing etc various orchids I brought into my collection. Though I have done really well thus far, this year I really want to 'dial in' my care with fertilizing, ph and various growing medias, and methods.
I'm slow to the coconut husk party it seems. 😉 BUT I am here now. It was purrfect timing finding this video because I had 2 Miltonia regnellis sitting on the counter with a package of coconut husk, coco coir and perlite mix and was wanting to switch them out of the small bark/moss/perlite mix. This video stopped me in my tracks. 😅 I did one of the others I have a few weeks ago doing none of the steps you did. I did add some extra, large perlite to the mix. I will check this mix by soaking 1 cup overnight to see what the tds meter says. It seems fine so far! 🤞😬
Questions
#1. Are you soaking the mix to eliminate some of the tannins as well some of the salts?
#2. What does the tds meter read at after soaking in Cal/mag in 400ppm?
#3. Do you take this reading into consideration when fertilizing? If so, approximately what tds reading are you fertilizing at for something like mature Cattleyas?
Thank you so much for this great video! 🙏😊❤️
Hi Robi, first let me say thanks so much for your kind words. 😊 I appreciate that. Coconut husk is a great media because sphagnum moss is horrible for my environment. Tannins are not bad for orchids. Actually tannins are great for promoting root growth. Especially on a rootless plant. I still have tannins in my water, I soak my plants 2 hours in fertilizer. Also I have never checked TDS after the 400 calmag soak. It's really not necessary. I haven't ever checked it and have not had any issues. I also haven't had bad break down of husk. It stands up pretty well. I'm impressed. I hope that covers what you asked. If you have anything else let me know. Thanks for your support.
@@hillbillyorchids Thank you Paula! Ok, good to know! 'The proof is in pudding' as they say. I do want to buy the type of coconut husk that you showed because this packaged mix that I have, won't do, but I did want to start trying coconut husk chunks out. I have potted my ctsms in coconut coir PET method this year after seeing fantastic results. Thank you... Have a great day! 🙏❤️
@@robirobinson3602 Yea it is proof is in the plant pudding 🤣🤣 that husk is good stuff. That brick lasts a while. It's never been high tds works our each time processed the way I did. Really coconut coir has good results with catasetum? I am only about 4 years into catasetum, actually this starts year 5. I am gonna try semi hydro or self watering with a few of mine. Last year I did PET which is basically self watering. Just trying to figure out what way is best.
It's "invitation," not "invite." Invite is not a noun.
Great video Paula! I am glad I finally took the plunge as well. I have been utilizing it for several things and really need to do an update. Seems like everything I’ve been looking for to replace sphagnum in pots. I swear….. I’m going to find a way to use it on a mount….. just you wait!!! 😝
Thanks so much for sharing and all the great info! Like you said, the proof is right there! Stay safe and happy growing my friend! 🥰
👋 Bobby! Yes I'm going to do another video showing the proof of husk. Plants and roots don't lie! 🤣👍 Thanks for watching!
@@hillbillyorchids I am behind…. Looking forward to seeing that one!! I am loving this stuff so far…. Seems like the real deal for my zombie moss replacement. I have to send you pics of my Zygo and the roots…. The Coelogyne incrassata is doing amazing in it as well so is the Pleurothallis from Darrell! Thanks again for persisting with this and helping me finally try it out! Now it’s my turn with treefern 😝😝😝. I think I’ve got it figured out…. Update coming soon! Happy growing my friend…. Keep up the awesomeness. Loving the videos!
please tell me how you keep a large pot full of this prepared husk. I just finished preparing it this way but don't know what to do with it now. I need to dry it and store it, but how is the best way to do that?
Hey hon, I keep in a basket and flip it several times a day till it's dry. Usually I wind up using it up. I haven't ever stored it more than a week. But just keep it somewhere airy and flip till it's all dry. Could take a week depending on how much you made. Make sure it's good and dry. If not it could mold in the middle.
Thank you for your sharing ❤❤🎉🎉🎉
Your so welcome! 😁
how do u make the cal mag solution!?!?!
Hey hon, I just answered your question on my newest video. Thanks. If you have any more questions let me know. 😊
I do have a question.... I have several orchids I'm rescuing (I had to leave town for several weeks and my sitters didn't understand the instructions)...
I have a MASSIVE Cattleya (prob 3 HUGE pseudobulbs, 2 small ones, and then 1 that's new) that I had just put into husk.
The problem is I don't remember if I put the cal mag in that husk, do you recommend I re-repot them with the husk I just treated?
Several of mine have little to no roots, including a Dendrobium I've nursed for 2-3 months with no roots (putting out keikis tho!).
Would love your input!
Secondary - if you're rinsing it 4-5 times, that isn't releasing all the infusion you just put in?
Hey hon it would depend on how stable you think the orchid is. If it has a few roots the calmag infused husk would be better. Just be careful with new roots.
No the calmag is well soaked into the core of the husk. 😁 Hope this helps. Good luck. Have a wonderful week. 🤗🌹🩷💚
@hillbillyorchids I had some questions - I sent a message on your Insta - hope you don't mind!
(Also, learned your name was Paula after I sent the message, so I called you Hilly as a nickname! Lol)
🙏🏼 for sharing, time for a meter.. 😊♥️
Your so welcome! 😁
Do you think after 24hr soak and rinse, if you use RO water for final soak and rinse would lower tds? Do you think this would be overkill? Love the idea of soaking in calmag. Just found your UA-cam videos today and subscribed. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Hey Susan 👋 thanks for finding me! I hope you subscribed and stick around! 😁 yes that would be over kill because 200ppm isn't at all bad for your orchids and because you swapped the 200ppm salt content for calmag it is so useful to the plant! Its really a simple process to process the husk. Not any reason to make it harder. I know some folks was making it really hard. Like soaking daily for weeks. That is just too much. Who has that kind of time. Plus you make it harder folks won't want to do it. Hope that helps. Good luck! 👍 Thanks for watching dear I appreciate your support!
Great information! I’m converting to husk. Don’t have a TDS meter so could you estimate the amount per gallon of Cal-Mag to use? Also, if you have a plant in this husk, do you still use the Cal-Mag when you are feeding (down the road)? Thanks!
Hi Patricia! Thanks for subscribing! I just got tye email! I really appreciate it! Also honestly invest in a meter. Amazon has great ones for like $15.00! It's so worth it. It's literally only drops. Calmag is pretty strong. I would hate to venture a guess and be wrong. If your going to purchase the husk just grab a TDS meter too. Saves headaches! Too high and you could burn your roots. The meter I use is TDS EZ by HM digital off Amazon. You'll love husk. I am slowly mixing all my plants to it in some mixture. Yes I still use the calmag in my regular feedings. Thanks so much for watching! 👋
@@hillbillyorchids good advice! Will do!
What do you mix with the husk? And why? I was trying to catch it..
Hey hon it calmag you mix with coconut husk. It removes and replaces salt content and it's in the husk when it dries so it's always available to a plant when it's absorbed in the husk. 😁
Paula, I don’t have a ppm meter only ph meter. About how much cal mag do you add. I just bought some coco husks and I haven’t gotten them yet. Thanks for any help you can give.
Hey hon it's honestly best to wait. Calmag can be super strong. It's best to wait till you get TDS meter. Here is link to get one. TDS Meter Digital Water Tester, Lxuemlu Professional 3-in-1 TDS, Temperature and EC Meter with Carrying Case, 0-9999ppm, Ideal ppm Meter for Drinking Water, Aquariums and More smile.amazon.com/dp/B079DN9DRS/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_6YYNEM9QP6AH4X7Y721C
Where can i get that “thermometer” pls?
The TDS meter? That's a Total devolved solids meter. You can get them cheap on Amazon. They have them with thermometers too. All in one unit.
a.co/d/6MbfxIi
amazon $10
I guess this was not my last question, I know you said for phal the mix would be 10% of the mix so I have 5” pots how could you explain so I could figure it out per pot might be easier for me, would it be 1 tbs per bark if you understand what I am saying, or 1/3 cup? Thank you
More like 3rd of a cup. Rest bark charcoal and perlite. 😁 anytime you have questions please ask.
Thanks so much
You're welcome!
Hi Paula how you doing? I recently started using coconut husk and I do same exact thing whatvyou do with the current husk as well. Great video. Have a great week stay safe and happy growing : ) Reah
How awesome is that! It's great stuff isnt it? I just did a video today of some I have in husk and husk mixes to release this week. Some folks wanted to know. So I'm gonna share! Thanks so much for watching! I really appreciate it!
do u fertilize tooo!?
Hey hon I fertilize when it's planted. This is a pre mix.
Would you do this to all husks,even one for plants.
Honestly I have never used it with regular house plants but I would think UT would be beneficial. They wouldn't like the salt build up and they also she benefit from calmag. So just a guess but sound like it would be just fine.
@@hillbillyorchids do you know if there much difference in husk for reptile then husk ment for orchids,I guess what I am asking.is it more prewashed.
@@lindaschquers2940 well you have to test it is the best I can advise you. Repotme sells "washed" and it's still super high TDS reading. I use the Repti bark off Amazon which is for reptiles and its great! Any husk you use is good as long as you soak and wash it down as many times necessary to where TDS is under 300ppm because then you soak in 400ppm calmag to counter act the salt and it's beneficial to the plants! But some husk is super salty. It can take 4-5 washes every 8 hours to lower salt content. Just depends on where the coconuts are harvested. But Reptibark is reliable. Been using a long time. Hope that helps.
@@hillbillyorchids thanks I'll let you know what it's like when it gets here,I do have a tds meter ,
@@lindaschquers2940 Awesome did you order reptile husk? I am trying some new that my Sponsor sent me. I am getting ready to test it now.
Hi Paula, ok are we only soaking for 8 hours cause that would mean making it during the day, because if I soak over night it would be more than 8 hrs, unless I start cooking it late?
I start early morning soak 1 hour almost boiling water then rinse then soak 8 hours then rinse then I soak over night 8 hours or more how ever long I sleep. It's probably over that but it's ok. Hope that helps.
I don't understand your measurements and values. I have calmag from btanicare and it measures in ml per gallon checking for ph 6. How does that translate to yours?
Hey hon it's not measuring anything more than 400ppm on a tds meter to soak the husk in. So you just add your calmag to pure water checking till you reach 400ppm on your meter. You have to have a TDS meter. It's not any directions off your bottle. Hope that helps.😁
Have you ever used husk on just deflasked Cattleya?
👋 Diane! Yes! I would say I have a couple very close Mini Cattleya that are in fine chopped husk (scissor cut into tiny pieces) with small chunks Charcoal. Charcoal just seems to keep the husk nice, clean. But I purchased them and they are very small, not long out of flask. Doing very well. Maybe I should now pull some of my plants and show ya'll what husk has done for my plants. Would you be interested in seeing something like that? Thanks for watching! 😁
@@hillbillyorchids I would be interested in seeing that. Ive been toying with the idea of a flask. I know seedlings are a lot of work and have different requirements to established plants but in some cases its the only way I can get a named plant off my want list.
@@dianeandorchidsatvictorharbor 👋Diane ok I will work on that then. I tell you Stephen Van Kampen-Lewis one time a flask got mold just before him taking off to go on vacation. He took the flask on vacation with him and he spread the early deflasked seedlings over a cheap mulch. Which in my opinion is very similar so I really think it works. But I can show you many seedlings, small ones that I have potted in husk. I can't use Sphagnum moss in my environment but husk is definitely my moss substitute! So I will get busy on that for you this week. Hopefully I can release it middle to end of the week. 😁 Tuesday and Wednesday are my watering days. Might be busy those 2 days. Also have a few hauls I bought 😬
@@hillbillyorchids No rush whenever you have time.
Im not keen on sphagnum, I tend to be heavy handed with water so I generally only use on mounts.
Ok I appreciate that. I do have plants coming but you know I may be able to film tomorrow actually just post it later. Yes see that is why perlite and charcoal is good to drain the husk. Yet it's still moist. You can look at the husk may appear dry cut with scissors and you will see water 💧. Very nice! I think youll be very happy with husk.
Why do you use 400 ppm cal mag soak in the coconut husk?
It's the recommended amount to dispurse the salt for calmag.
@@hillbillyorchids thanks Paula!
@@LA-xj3tz your quite welcome 😁
You don't need to wash million times and waste your time. I grew in coco coir successfully without washing it at all.😊
I like that it's soaked in the calmag that way it's at the roots beck n call. So to speak. 🤣 also I just like the ppm to be lower. Less salt. 😊 Thanks for letting me know. I appreciate it.🤗
What are the water measurement and cal mag to make 400, Thankyou
I use 0 tds water so it's 400ppm of calmag. It's not the parameters of the husk. The husk should be under 300ppm to add 400ppm calmag. Does that make sense?
@@hillbillyorchids what is otds water? I soaked mine it’s under 300 so now iam at the point of adding cal mag, I have reverse os. water, I have a 2 liter jug, do I keep adding cal mag till I reach 400 on my tds meter?
@@nanci357 tds is Total Disolved Solids. It means there is something in your water. Yes if your R.O. water starts at 0 then you add calmag till your meter reaches 400ppm.
@@hillbillyorchids my reverse os is at 2 ppm now what?
@@nanci357 that is fine you make it 402 or close. If it's 410 it's fine.
😁👍
👋 Valarie! Thanks for watching!
So what you're saying it is #allmichaelmccarthy'sfault 🤣. Aren't you worried about all of that orange dye that comes out? 😜
The real reason for doing the calmag soak is because husk contains a lot of potassium and by soaking it in calmag, you're swapping out the potassium for calcium and magnesium. So you are providing calcium and magnesium through the process but getting rid of the potassium is critical for long term growth.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 LOVE that hashtag! Such a mouth full! 🤣🤣🤣 Ah yes! Thanks for summing it up! You do it so much better than me! 🤣🤣 Thanks for watching!
#itsallmichaelmccarthy’s fault indeed!!! 😝😝😝
😂😂😂 Thank you Michael, you answered one of my questions regarding how/why adding cal/mag cancels out potassium. 👍👍🙂