Today I transplanted a Golden Grapefruit into a 100 percent CHC growth medium. The medium is a blend of 3 parts 1-inch CHC and 1 part 1/4 inch CHC. To the above mix I incorporated Osmocote slow release fertilizer 17-6-12/trace minerals. The tree was transplanted into a 7-gallon Air Root Pruning Root Maker container. A weekly record as the growth, health, flushes, problems that might occur will be kept. I strongly doubt that over watering will in no way be possible with this type of medium. Because coconut husks are such a long lasting material, with very little degrading of the chips, compaction should also not be of a problem, but we shall find out. - Millet

Wow,thats a bold move.It will be interesting to see how it goes.I have heaps
of chc chips,so i will watch for any future info from you.Did you remove all of previous medium?Cheers

As it turns out the CHC mixture turns out to be (through a mistake) 3-parts 1-inch CHC and 1 part 1/4-inch mixed with 1/2-inch CHC. This mixture probably has too much air pore space, and not enough surface area contact for good root water distribution. As far as testing growth mediums it will be interesting to see how the tree does. Yes I removed 100 percent of the soil. As I transplanted the tree into its new container I spread the roots layer by layer as I filled the container. The tree is doing "OK", but has some wilt on these hot summer days. It is getting better. When I discovered my mistake, I transplanted a second tree (Marsh Grapefruit) into the correct 1-inch + 1/4 inch CHC mixture. The Marsh Grapefruit is doing very well so far. Time will tell when the long term growth pattern is observed. - Millet

Hi Millet,i have a huge bail of 1/4 inch chips.There might be better contact
with the roots if i transplanted into this like you did.I will wait to see how you
go or could i mix something else with them,like say some potting mix to
get the contact with the root hairs?
I have all my trees in a mix of potting mix,pummice,perlite,composted bark
mix and they are doing well. Cheers

Millet, I'm wondering how you plant to fertilize going forward...do you plan to supplement with a soluble fert? Will you simply topdress with more Osmocote when the initial dose "runs out?"

Mostly, I top dress with a 17-7-12 Osmocote plus trace minerals. I additionally fertilize from time to time (not often) with water soluble fertilizers. I once read a research report published by the University of Oklahoma concerning the use of slow release fertilizers. The publication stated that top dressing was actually more effective than dispersing throughout the medium. However, when making up new batches of a growth medium, I always blend into the medium 15 pounds of Osmocote 17-7-12, 1.5 pounds of STEM (or Micromax), and 0 - 10 pounds of dolomite per cubic yard. The amount of dolomite needed depends on the amount of calcium in the irrigation water. This nutrition program will grow excellent plants from aucuba to zelcova. - Millet

Hi Millet,how are your trees doing in your pure chc mix? cheers

Both of the trees that were planted into the pure CHC mixes are doing well. I would say when irrigating the trees the water passes through the pure CHC mixes too fast. I like the CHC mix that also contains peat moss (3 CHC & 1 peat moss) better. - Millet

Sorry,
what is CHC?

CHC = Coconut Husk Chips

Ah, thank you.

In Germany we have blocks of coconut fibers.... you put them in water, to let em swell to about five times more volume....
It is a very good, peat moss free growing media, with the only backdraw of containing no nutrients at all.... so one have to blend it with sand, pre-composted leaf litter, and a basic organic nutrient mixture or manure.

Steve, the coconut fibers you described are called Coir. I agree, coir does make a good replacement for peat moss. Coir does not break down as fast as peat moss and also does not compact as badly as beat moss. However, when coir or peat moss is mixed with CHC, compaction is never a problem any way. The CHC (chips) comes in 1/4-inch, 1/2-inch and 1-inch size chips. I find CHC to be an excellent medium. Most American growers apply only fertilizer and trace minerals as a supply of nutrients with CHC mediums. In the past I tried leaf litter as an ingredient on a couple containers, but did not keep any records, and the two trees that I used the litter on got lost among all the others (127) so, I can't say whether there was and benefit or not. However, leaf litter is generally thought of as an excellent ingredient. I use them in the garden. - Millet

The last five citrus I repotted was into a mix of 4:1 half-inch CHCs and coir that I treated with the calcium nitrate/magnesium sulfate rinse. They're doing great so far.

I still haven't been able to find CHCs closer than Orlando so I have to buy big when I go down there but for perennials I don't think I'll ever use anything else now.

.....Alan.

Has anyone tried pure perlite along with CHC. I use it to start cuttings. It works really well for that.

Dauben - It does not appear to compress over time. In theory it should slow down the flow of water/fertilizer thru the medium. Have you used it for growing houseplant cuttings. It really works well.

I just received my bale of CHC and coir today!! Hey!!! I'm excited to get another tree to put in a container. I also purchased a huge bag of sponge rock. It was only $5. Now that I think about it, I think they sent me the wrong bag. I only ordered 2 gallons, but the bag is more like the next size up which was 4 cubic feet. I'll have to call tomorrow and get it straightened out. Anyway, does anyone use Perlite in their mix for container citrus? What are the pros and cons? How compressible is it over time?

Phillip