It occurs to me that it might
be worthwhile trying the following:
Put a small amount of water
of suitable quality in a bottle. Anchor a plant with foam or whatever at
the petiole bases at the bottle neck with existing roots dangling
towards & maybe trailing slightly in the water. Shake bottle
periodically to ensure roots stay moist. To me this seems a very simple
"hydroponic" experiment & as you say, unlike with compost plantings one can
see what is happening to root growth (or rot).
Ken, thank you for that
idea!
Incidentally some Spaths grow
luxuriantly when entire pots are plunged into water, other forms, mostly common
more matt leaved cultivars in exactly the same composts rot, rot,
rot. Why? Every Syngonium stem cutting with or without
adventitious roots develops "water roots" presumably with aerenchyma & often
the adventitious roots grow lateral root systems. It would be interesting
to know the histology of the various stages of their root growth &
adaptation.
I wonder just how many
aroids & other plants could be grown in such "water
culture bottles". Maybe suitably designed plastic soft
drink bottles recycled for commercial water culture could revolutionise the
house plant scene? No composts, fewer root problems, minimum
watering & need for environmentally costly pots? Wuhoooo!
Thank you Ken!
It is my hope that soon I may
be able to grow all the plants here, not only Spaths, bare root in ponds in a
"soup" of healthily fed ornamental fish. These are early days but already,
some of my Spaths grow even better in water culture than in composts &
some are astonishingly successful. If it proves possible, for me the days
of cumbersome & seemingly more potentially troublesome composts can be over
& plants grown more efficiently & better in more controllable &
observable water culture?
Wonderingly
Ron
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