longifolium hybrids 'sitting in water'

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philoserenus

the beauty of nature
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my phrag conchiferum is in a 4"x4"x4.5" (LxWxH) pot. and for more than a week, itz been sitting in water that goes half way up the pot (aka, half the roots are submerged). this is the only way to keep most of the bark moist at all times. it is currently in bark mix and has relatively good circulation

Q: could this pose any problems in 1-yr's time? (since i know i need to repot every year anyways for this guy).

looking at the plant wise, he seems ok and is even putting out 2 roots. i've also noticed that itz stopped being so dehydrated compared to when i first got it.
 
I keep my pearceii and longifolium in water too, but only about an inch of water. Some are in clay balls (with moss growing over) and some are in chc mix (also overgrown with moss). I think the live moss over the chc is whats keeping the pearcei from getting to bad since allot of the roots seem to be developing in the upper moss layer.

I would reduce your water level or punch a bunch of holes in the side of the pot to keep the root zone from getting to wet and rotten.
 
I'm not sure if it is going to be a problem...I never submerge the pot half way. I only have them in around 1 inch water. I suppose that the plant could adapt by sending their underwater roots which look thinner and smoother, if it goes well.
 
cause thatz wat i was thinking that too... if an inch is ok, y not half the pot (which is about 2")... i grow a few things in s/h so i understand the root adaption.

and rick, thatz something i always wanna try. the leca with moss ontop. how'd u get that started? and wat kind of moss did u use? any pics?
 
There are different kinds of mosses growing in the pots, and can't tell (other than sphagnum)what any of it is. Most of it is pretty fine and just looks like the stuff you see in just about any forest. I think it came in originally with some plants I got from Andy's, and I just moved bits of it around from pot to pot to try and establish it.
 
Sounds like you are inadvertently doing semi-hydro....why not just repot into an inorganic medium and maintain your current culture? And who would ever think I'd endorse semi-hydro..............................Take care, Eric
 
Sounds like you are inadvertently doing semi-hydro....why not just repot into an inorganic medium and maintain your current culture? And who would ever think I'd endorse semi-hydro..............................Take care, Eric

You're right. Whether you set the pot in a dish of water or make a pot with a reservoir its all the same thing.

Does "semihydro" require the use of the inorganic medium to be truly "semihydro"?
 
hmmm true say indeed... that never really came across my head... well i guess i'll fiddle about it tomorrow. at least it has 2-3 nubbings for roots. im confident it will bloom when it grows strong. having the second lead makes a lit a lot easier to follow to see if it grows or not
 
Um, :rolleyes: Phrags in water - quite a concept. If the plant is doing well why change anything!? So you may have to repot as the media breaks down.
 
Does "semihydro" require the use of the inorganic medium to be truly "semihydro"?

Semantics, I think. But since Ray coined the phrase with inorganic medium in mind, it would be a better description to say semi-hydro in an organic/bark medium. Lumpers vs. splitters don't you know.:poke:

Organic medium will decompose quicker in s/h, so if you're used to repotting every year or so, you may find you have to repot in 6 mos. When I grew my phrags in spagnum moss sitting in water, they liked to be repotted in 6 mos. though I usually didn't get around to doing it as often as I should have.
 
The one big pearcei still in bark (or CHC, can't remember) was repotted a couple of years ago, and it had been a couple of years before that when I bought it. The moss base keeps getting taller, and it keeps putting up new growths and roots in that. I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't any old media there anymore. The other big pearcei I have has never been repotted in the five or six years I've had it. It has hydroton balls in the core and an inch or two of moss growing on top of it. I'm sure the balls are still intact, and every time I've poked around in the moss I find it full of good looking roots, so as long as the plant is happy I'll let it be.
 
thatz pretty cool. i repotted a huge giganteum i bought today into clay balls, and then topped it off with some fresh moss and also added some of the live moss the original plant had. hopefully the live moss will grow. i had to leave some of the old medium in the roots though b/c there were like superglued. but thatz ok since this is not a s/h; just a normal pot.
 

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