RE: Aroids growing better in water?

From: Ron McHatton rmchatton at photocircuits.com> on 2002.05.28 at 21:24:02(8912) It is indeed possible to grow Phalaenopsis (as well as virtually any other orchid for that matter) hydroponically. The key is "hydroponically." Plants grown in that manner are not grown in water but rather in an inert medium which can be flushed regularly with water or they are grown in pots which allow the roots to grow down into a water reservoir similar to the growing situation described by Julius for some emergent aroids. In this situation, the Phalaenopsis roots grow down through the potting mix, through the gravel at the bottom of the pot and into the container of water. The roots appear to change structure (they will be fatter and fewer in number) and they will adapt to growing under water. The only time this becomes deadly is if the entire root system is kept under water. In that case, the plants will die rapidly. Many Phragmipedium growers use a technique similar to Julius' using tall pots standing in an inch or two of water. Southeast Asian Vanda growers routinely suspend their plants in baskets with no potting medium, allowing the long roots to grow down into a trough of manure tea. The plants get constant moisture and fertilizer uptake through the submerged roots, the exposed portion of the root mass apparently handles oxygen uptake and the plants grow at a tremendous rate. +More -----Original Message----- From: ron [SMTP:ronlene@adelphia.net] Sent: Tuesday, May 28, 2002 4:22 PM To: Multiple recipients of list AROID-L Subject: Re: Aroids growing better in water? Phalanopsis cannot sit in water and live very long!!! I hope nobody took you literally. ----- Original Message ----- To: Multiple recipients of list AROID-L Sent: Tuesday, May 28, 2002 12:04 AM Subject: Re: Aroids growing better in water? Even epiphytic orchids, apparently. I saw several yesterday at a friend's--including a Phalaenopsis! Randy ---------- To: Multiple recipients of list AROID-L < aroid-l@mobot.org > Subject: Re: Aroids growing better in water? Date: Mon, May 27, 2002, 6:30 PM I would venture to say that just about ANY plant can be grown in water (hydroponically). Neil ----- Original Message ----- To: Multiple recipients of list AROID-L Sent: Friday, May 24, 2002 2:24 PM Subject: Re: Aroids growing better in water? Folks! I am still wondering....! Put simply: What terrestrial aroid species have you found to grow as well or better in water? Ron

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