International Aroid Society

Dear Jules,

Goodto hear you sounding so frisky.

I’mtruthfully mystified by all this, as I grow Montrichardia like a weed insubmerged pots of topsoil in my 18 inch deep pond.

Actually the method Idescribed for Nymphaeas was not meant to be taken as a recommendation forgrowing aroids; just nymphaeas.

Although, it would notsurprise me one bit if my aroids other than Montrichardia did well with thismethod. I have also grown Lhasia in submerged tubs of soil. It took overthe pond to such an extent that I hauled it all out. (And is it everprickly !)

I’ll try aCyrtosperma, as you say. The reason I took the effin Cyrtosperma out ofthe pond is because it would too rapidly grow too enormous and top heavy andblow over in the pond.

By old and well-rottedI mean smelling not like any kind of crap at all, but like leafmould. Lovely stuff !

John.

From:aroid-l-bounces@gizmoworks.com [mailto:aroid-l-bounces@gizmoworks.com] On Behalf Of ju-bo@msn.com
Sent: Thursday, October 15, 20097:12 AM
To: aroid-l@gizmoworks.com
Subject: [Aroid-l]Nymphaea/Cyrtosperma growing media suggestions...

Dear John and Friends,

John, it certainly sounds like you have developed a very good method forgrowing Water Lilys (Nymphaeas) in the way you describe.
BUT---a word of caution to growers or ''wanna-be'' Aquatic Aroid growers,Aroids are not Water Lilys, so I caution on using this method until someonelike John has experimented with trying to grow a plant of say his Cyrtospermajohnstonii OR the ''Gran Etang" Lake Montrichardia (John, and luck withcollecting seed of this as yet??) in the submerged pot with the old pigmanure. Oh, the term ''old pig manure'' leaves doubt, HOW old anddecomposed is the pig manure??
Most of the Aroids such as Urospatha, Montrichardia, most other species ofCyrtosperma, etc. are rare and irreplacable here in the USA, and I have lostseveral during my early experimenting growing period in conditions like Johndescribes for his Nymphaeas!
John, try growing a Cyrtosperma in the pot as you describe and please reportback to us in say a year or two on how it does!

Good Growing,

Julius

From: criswick@spiceisle.com
To: aroid-l@gizmoworks.com
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:02:41 -0400
Subject: Re: [Aroid-l] Cyrtosperma growing media suggestions...

I have had very variedsuccess with Nymphaeas. The books say large containers with no holes andNO animal manure; only good topsoil. Then you have to keep givingfertilizer (the Nymphaea fertilizer is EXPENSIVE) or the plants start decreasingin size.

But I observed that ayellow nymphaea which had grown over the edge of the pot, had sent rootsspreading in all directions in the gunk on the concrete floor of the pond(largely fish excrement). And the lily went wild! Huge leaves andflowers.

So I started puttingnymphaeas in fairly wide, but very shallow plastic containers, reasoning thatthe roots like the aeration on the surface of the soil medium. I use cat littertrays or shallow “wash pans” (pre-washing machine). Inthe bottom I put 4 inches of well-rotted pig manure, topped by 4 inches ofloam. I plant the nymphaea in the centre and cover the loam withsand. Then I gently submerge the container in the 18 inch deep pond, but notkeeping the crown 6 to 8 inches below the water surface, as the books tell youto do.

I consistently getgood results that last for many, many months without adding more pig manure.

From:aroid-l-bounces@gizmoworks.com [mailto:aroid-l-bounces@gizmoworks.com] On Behalf Of Adam Black
Sent: Monday, October 12, 200911:22 AM
To: Discussion of aroids
Subject: Re: [Aroid-l] Cyrtospermagrowing media suggestions...

I don't recall if anyone has mentioned ityet, but has anyone tried the "mesh" pots for aquatic aroids? I wouldimagine these would be beneficial to allow for better circulation through thepot and media. I think they are more commonly used for water lilies so wouldthink they would apply perfectly toward aroids. I have a Montrichardia in needof repotting and I am going to give it a try.

Adam

-----OriginalMessage-----
From: John Criswick
Sent: Oct 9, 2009 11:48 AM
To: 'Discussion of aroids'
Subject: Re: [Aroid-l] Cyrtosperma growing media suggestions...

For some years I havehad a Cyrtosperma johnstonii growing just outside my concrete pond, which isabove ground level by 18 inches (45 cm.) It used to be grown in anotherpond, with roots totally submerged in water. Here it is in permanentlydamp soil and the soil is a very heavy, intractable clay loam, so it would notseem that it needs to be in moss, although that might provide theultimate/optimum of conditions.

In the attached photoyou can see the Cyrtosperma with a Typhonodourum lindleyi behind it, in thesame soil, and a Musa ornate to the right of it.

John.

From: aroid-l-bounces@gizmoworks.com[mailto:aroid-l-bounces@gizmoworks.com] OnBehalf Of RAYMOMATTLA@cs.com
Sent: Thursday, October 08, 20099:50 PM
To: aroid-l@gizmoworks.com
Subject: Re: [Aroid-l] Cyrtospermagrowing media suggestions...

Jeremy, I believe the AtlantaBotanical Gardens grew a very large C. johnstonii in what looked like (if I canremember right) a large rock bowl with just moss as the growing medium. Probably keep very moist but not too wet. Just another suggestion. I wouldnt totally submerge the roots though...

Thanks,
Michael Mattlage

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