Your input please? rootbound.

From: ExoticRainforest <Steve at ExoticRainforest.com> on 2010.09.03 at 01:06:47(21369) Some of you know that I love to chase down the sources of horticultural beliefs. If you have ever spent time on any plant forum you know the common advice is to keep your plants root bound, or at least when you repot give the roots only an "extra fingers width" on each side the pot. My question is where do that advice originate? Why do we believe it? Is this really good growing advice or just an old wives tale? Are plants in the rain forest root bound? I understand that nursery men prefer to start their plants in small pots and allow the roots to fill it before stepping the seedling up to a larger pot. My understanding is they do this in order to encourage a hearty root system first. But it appears some growers may have taken this advice to excess and always keep their plant's root bound. Should we always keep our aroids in pots so small their roots are for ever crowded, or give them space to grow? We always have new growers looking for good growing advice. If you have adopted a small pot policy please tell us why. If you are an experienced grower and prefer a tight pot method I would enjoy knowing the reasoning. Many of you don't know that I have written for years for a variety of magazines and I have another train of thought in this area. I am now working on a new article to explain about aroid growth, a plant's need for oxygen around its roots as well as how to keep their root systems healthy. This discussion will help me to formulate my article. If you are new to growing, please chime in. Thanks! Steve HTML +More www,ExoticRainforest.com --------------090901000809010606070409

From: STARSELL at aol.com on 2010.09.04 at 20:33:19(21374) Hi Steve, and All, One reason for small pots when starting most young plants is to keep them from getting root rot in an overly moist environment (small root system, people water -thus wet soil) and it does not dry uniformly, staying very wet in the bottom. With re-potting, some plants will perform best only when they are rootbound to some degree, and will cease to perform well when they are very rootbound. Again, too large a pot can mean root rot due to too wet soil. It takes some seasoning to gauge 'soil' mix for plants, each one with it's own needs. One inch is the usual recommendation for sizing up. HTML +More One plant that I put into the largest pot I have, making sure that it is always moist, sitting in some water are my treeferns. They are one plant that will grow as large as possible in the smallest amount of time if treated this way. There are some plants that I put in the largest pots immediately, without intermediate potting up and they will perform similarly, but of course without all the water. I think people just need to know what they have. There is little that I keep 'always potbound' though. Let us know. Alison In a message dated 9/4/2010 3:19:49 P.M. Central Daylight Time, Steve@ExoticRainforest.com writes: Some of you know that I love to chase down the sources of horticultural beliefs. If you have ever spent time on any plant forum you know the common advice is to keep your plants root bound, or at least when you repot give the roots only an "extra fingers width" on each side the pot. My question is where do that advice originate? Why do we believe it? Is this really good growing advice or just an old wives tale? Are plants in the rain forest root bound? I understand that nursery men prefer to start their plants in small pots and allow the roots to fill it before stepping the seedling up to a larger pot. My understanding is they do this in order to encourage a hearty root system first. But it appears some growers may have taken this advice to excess and always keep their plant's root bound. Should we always keep our aroids in pots so small their roots are for ever crowded, or give them space to grow? We always have new growers looking for good growing advice. If you have adopted a small pot policy please tell us why. If you are an experienced grower and prefer a tight pot method I would enjoy knowing the reasoning. Many of you don't know that I have written for years for a variety of magazines and I have another train of thought in this area. I am now working on a new article to explain about aroid growth, a plant's need for oxygen around its roots as well as how to keep their root systems healthy. This discussion will help me to formulate my article. If you are new to growing, please chime in. Thanks! Steve www,ExoticRainforest.com _______________________________________________ Aroid-L mailing list Aroid-L@www.gizmoworks.com http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l --part1_4dd.4236ce37.39b4070f_boundary-- --==============11474110551025950=

From: "Sherry Gates" <TheTropix at msn.com> on 2010.09.04 at 21:16:06(21376) Hi Steve and everyone, It's my understanding that a lot of people will suggest keeping plants pot-bound because they say it encourages blooming. It seems to hold true more with some plants than others, though. Y'all have a wonderful and safe Labor Day!!!!! Sherry HTML +More ----- Original Message ----- From: ExoticRainforest To: undisclosed-recipients: Sent: Thursday, September 02, 2010 8:06 PM Subject: [Aroid-l] Your input please? rootbound. Some of you know that I love to chase down the sources of horticultural beliefs. If you have ever spent time on any plant forum you know the common advice is to keep your plants root bound, or at least when you repot give the roots only an "extra fingers width" on each side the pot. My question is where do that advice originate? Why do we believe it? Is this really good growing advice or just an old wives tale? Are plants in the rain forest root bound? I understand that nursery men prefer to start their plants in small pots and allow the roots to fill it before stepping the seedling up to a larger pot. My understanding is they do this in order to encourage a hearty root system first. But it appears some growers may have taken this advice to excess and always keep their plant's root bound. Should we always keep our aroids in pots so small their roots are for ever crowded, or give them space to grow? We always have new growers looking for good growing advice. If you have adopted a small pot policy please tell us why. If you are an experienced grower and prefer a tight pot method I would enjoy knowing the reasoning. Many of you don't know that I have written for years for a variety of magazines and I have another train of thought in this area. I am now working on a new article to explain about aroid growth, a plant's need for oxygen around its roots as well as how to keep their root systems healthy. This discussion will help me to formulate my article. If you are new to growing, please chime in. Thanks! Steve www,ExoticRainforest.com _______________________________________________ Aroid-L mailing list Aroid-L@www.gizmoworks.com http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l ------=_NextPart_000_01BF_01CB4C4C.7A7D2B40-- --==============839193554991855795=

From: "John" <criswick at spiceisle.com> on 2010.09.04 at 21:16:57(21377) Steve it is my experience that repotting ANY plant too soon slows down growth. So if you’re a commercial grower you can’t afford to make this mistake. I have always ASSUMED that the reason why plants grow faster in small pots is because oxygen is more available to the roots, whereas in a larger pot the roots suffocate in clogging, wet soil. HTML +More So it is a question of recognizing when is the right time to move to a larger pot. It is just before the plant begins to starve for lack of growing medium. Also a great deal depends on individual conditions, rate of drying out, etc. I once visited a tropical collection under glass in England where I saw some of the hugest leaves on anthuriums and philodendrons. The secret was that everything was planted in six inches of fibrous growing medium on a concrete floor, with plenty of automatic misting. That heady mixture of water and air makes plants grow like crazy. Looking forward to reading your article when it’s ready John. From: aroid-l-bounces@www.gizmoworks.com [mailto:aroid-l-bounces@www.gizmoworks.com] On Behalf Of ExoticRainforest Sent: Thursday, September 02, 2010 9:07 PM To: undisclosed-recipients: Subject: [Aroid-l] Your input please? rootbound. Some of you know that I love to chase down the sources of horticultural beliefs. If you have ever spent time on any plant forum you know the common advice is to keep your plants root bound, or at least when you repot give the roots only an "extra fingers width" on each side the pot. My question is where do that advice originate? Why do we believe it? Is this really good growing advice or just an old wives tale? Are plants in the rain forest root bound? I understand that nursery men prefer to start their plants in small pots and allow the roots to fill it before stepping the seedling up to a larger pot. My understanding is they do this in order to encourage a hearty root system first. But it appears some growers may have taken this advice to excess and always keep their plant's root bound. Should we always keep our aroids in pots so small their roots are for ever crowded, or give them space to grow? We always have new growers looking for good growing advice. If you have adopted a small pot policy please tell us why. If you are an experienced grower and prefer a tight pot method I would enjoy knowing the reasoning. Many of you don't know that I have written for years for a variety of magazines and I have another train of thought in this area. I am now working on a new article to explain about aroid growth, a plant's need for oxygen around its roots as well as how to keep their root systems healthy. This discussion will help me to formulate my article. If you are new to growing, please chime in. Thanks! Steve www,ExoticRainforest.com ------=_NextPart_000_012E_01CB4C54.FD807850-- --==============17787787247894508=

From: Johannes Moonen <emeraldjunglevillage at wanadoo.fr> on 2010.09.05 at 10:22:47(21391) Dear Alison, thanks for your advice ! my philodendron seedlings do good. i don't replace them, so they all grow in one direction, the light. is it worth turing them every or few weeks, so you have more symmetric plants ? thanks for your advice, Joep Moonen HTML +More On Sep 4, 2010, at 5:33 PM, STARSELL@aol.com wrote: Hi Steve, and All, One reason for small pots when starting most young plants is to keep them from getting root rot in an overly moist environment (small root system, people water -thus wet soil) and it does not dry uniformly, staying very wet in the bottom. With re-potting, some plants will perform best only when they are rootbound to some degree, and will cease to perform well when they are very rootbound. Again, too large a pot can mean root rot due to too wet soil. It takes some seasoning to gauge 'soil' mix for plants, each one with it's own needs. One inch is the usual recommendation for sizing up. One plant that I put into the largest pot I have, making sure that it is always moist, sitting in some water are my treeferns. They are one plant that will grow as large as possible in the smallest amount of time if treated this way. There are some plants that I put in the largest pots immediately, without intermediate potting up and they will perform similarly, but of course without all the water. I think people just need to know what they have. There is little that I keep 'always potbound' though. Let us know. Alison In a message dated 9/4/2010 3:19:49 P.M. Central Daylight Time, Steve@ExoticRainforest.com writes: Some of you know that I love to chase down the sources of horticultural beliefs. If you have ever spent time on any plant forum you know the common advice is to keep your plants root bound, or at least when you repot give the roots only an "extra fingers width" on each side the pot. My question is where do that advice originate? Why do we believe it? Is this really good growing advice or just an old wives tale? Are plants in the rain forest root bound? I understand that nursery men prefer to start their plants in small pots and allow the roots to fill it before stepping the seedling up to a larger pot. My understanding is they do this in order to encourage a hearty root system first. But it appears some growers may have taken this advice to excess and always keep their plant's root bound. Should we always keep our aroids in pots so small their roots are for ever crowded, or give them space to grow? We always have new growers looking for good growing advice. If you have adopted a small pot policy please tell us why. If you are an experienced grower and prefer a tight pot method I would enjoy knowing the reasoning. Many of you don't know that I have written for years for a variety of magazines and I have another train of thought in this area. I am now working on a new article to explain about aroid growth, a plant's need for oxygen around its roots as well as how to keep their root systems healthy. This discussion will help me to formulate my article. If you are new to growing, please chime in. Thanks! Steve www,ExoticRainforest.com _______________________________________________ Aroid-L mailing list Aroid-L@www.gizmoworks.com http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l _______________________________________________ Aroid-L mailing list Aroid-L@www.gizmoworks.com http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l --Apple-Mail-1-432289750-- --==============57355462290669075=

From: ExoticRainforest <Steve at ExoticRainforest.com> on 2010.09.05 at 20:38:12(21395) Thanks for the input Alison. More to add to my file. Steve HTML +More On 9/5/2010 05:22, Johannes Moonen wrote: Dear Alison, thanks for your advice ! my philodendron seedlings do good. i don't replace them, so they all grow in one direction, the light. is it worth turing them every or few weeks, so you have more symmetric plants ? thanks for your advice, Joep Moonen On Sep 4, 2010, at 5:33 PM, href="mailto:STARSELL@aol.com">STARSELL@aol.com wrote: Hi Steve, and All, One reason for small pots when starting most young plants is to keep them from getting root rot in an overly moist environment (small root system, people water -thus wet soil) and it does not dry uniformly, staying very wet in the bottom. With re-potting, some plants will perform best only when they are rootbound to some degree, and will cease to perform well when they are very rootbound. Again, too large a pot can mean root rot due to too wet soil. It takes some seasoning to gauge 'soil' mix for plants, each one with it's own needs. One inch is the usual recommendation for sizing up. One plant that I put into the largest pot I have, making sure that it is always moist, sitting in some water are my treeferns. They are one plant that will grow as large as possible in the smallest amount of time if treated this way. There are some plants that I put in the largest pots immediately, without intermediate potting up and they will perform similarly, but of course without all the water. I think people just need to know what they have. There is little that I keep 'always potbound' though. Let us know. Alison In a message dated 9/4/2010 3:19:49 P.M. Central Daylight Time, href="mailto:Steve@ExoticRainforest.com">Steve@ExoticRainforest.com writes: Some of you know that I love to chase down the sources of horticultural beliefs. If you have ever spent time on any plant forum you know the common advice is to keep your plants root bound, or at least when you repot give the roots only an "extra fingers width" on each side the pot. My question is where do that advice originate? Why do we believe it? Is this really good growing advice or just an old wives tale? Are plants in the rain forest root bound? I understand that nursery men prefer to start their plants in small pots and allow the roots to fill it before stepping the seedling up to a larger pot. My understanding is they do this in order to encourage a hearty root system first. But it appears some growers may have taken this advice to excess and always keep their plant's root bound. Should we always keep our aroids in pots so small their roots are for ever crowded, or give them space to grow? We always have new growers looking for good growing advice. If you have adopted a small pot policy please tell us why. If you are an experienced grower and prefer a tight pot method I would enjoy knowing the reasoning. Many of you don't know that I have written for years for a variety of magazines and I have another train of thought in this area. I am now working on a new article to explain about aroid growth, a plant's need for oxygen around its roots as well as how to keep their root systems healthy. This discussion will help me to formulate my article. If you are new to growing, please chime in. Thanks! Steve www,ExoticRainforest.com _______________________________________________ Aroid-L mailing list Aroid-L@www.gizmoworks.com http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l _______________________________________________ Aroid-L mailing list Aroid-L@www.gizmoworks.com http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l _______________________________________________ Aroid-L mailing list Aroid-L@www.gizmoworks.com http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l --------------000607080507090907000102

From: ExoticRainforest <Steve at ExoticRainforest.com> on 2010.09.05 at 23:11:39(21401) For those that don't recognize the name Johannes Moonen, this is my very dear friend Joep Moonen one of the wisest plantsmen and naturalists in South America. Joep (Yupe), as all us call him, has spent time in my home and I consider he and his wife Marijke very dear. They were very close to our friend Julius Boos before he passed a few weeks ago and Joep often corresponds with many of us on this forum on a near daily basis. In my case I can safely say "daily" since we've done that for years! Joep and Marijke run the Emerald Jungle Village in French Guiana and he is sought out by many scientists for his knowledge of the terrain. h has discovered many new species and some of the most cherished plants in my own collection bear his name. There are quite a few plants that now scientifically bear his name including one of the most sought after Philodendron, Philodendron 'Joepii'. If you see anything with the second name "moonenii", Joep was involved! If you ever want to visit South America with a great guide drop him a note! And when Joep speaks I can guarantee my eyes and ears are wide open! If you missed his presentation at our MidAmerica chapter meeting at the Missouri Botanical Garden you missed an incredible show of plants in the rain forest. HTML +More Steve www.ExoticRainforest.com On 9/5/2010 05:22, Johannes Moonen wrote: Dear Alison, thanks for your advice ! my philodendron seedlings do good. i don't replace them, so they all grow in one direction, the light. is it worth turing them every or few weeks, so you have more symmetric plants ? thanks for your advice, Joep Moonen On Sep 4, 2010, at 5:33 PM, href="mailto:STARSELL@aol.com">STARSELL@aol.com wrote: Hi Steve, and All, One reason for small pots when starting most young plants is to keep them from getting root rot in an overly moist environment (small root system, people water -thus wet soil) and it does not dry uniformly, staying very wet in the bottom. With re-potting, some plants will perform best only when they are rootbound to some degree, and will cease to perform well when they are very rootbound. Again, too large a pot can mean root rot due to too wet soil. It takes some seasoning to gauge 'soil' mix for plants, each one with it's own needs. One inch is the usual recommendation for sizing up. One plant that I put into the largest pot I have, making sure that it is always moist, sitting in some water are my treeferns. They are one plant that will grow as large as possible in the smallest amount of time if treated this way. There are some plants that I put in the largest pots immediately, without intermediate potting up and they will perform similarly, but of course without all the water. I think people just need to know what they have. There is little that I keep 'always potbound' though. Let us know. Alison In a message dated 9/4/2010 3:19:49 P.M. Central Daylight Time, href="mailto:Steve@ExoticRainforest.com">Steve@ExoticRainforest.com writes: Some of you know that I love to chase down the sources of horticultural beliefs. If you have ever spent time on any plant forum you know the common advice is to keep your plants root bound, or at least when you repot give the roots only an "extra fingers width" on each side the pot. My question is where do that advice originate? Why do we believe it? Is this really good growing advice or just an old wives tale? Are plants in the rain forest root bound? I understand that nursery men prefer to start their plants in small pots and allow the roots to fill it before stepping the seedling up to a larger pot. My understanding is they do this in order to encourage a hearty root system first. But it appears some growers may have taken this advice to excess and always keep their plant's root bound. Should we always keep our aroids in pots so small their roots are for ever crowded, or give them space to grow? We always have new growers looking for good growing advice. If you have adopted a small pot policy please tell us why. If you are an experienced grower and prefer a tight pot method I would enjoy knowing the reasoning. Many of you don't know that I have written for years for a variety of magazines and I have another train of thought in this area. I am now working on a new article to explain about aroid growth, a plant's need for oxygen around its roots as well as how to keep their root systems healthy. This discussion will help me to formulate my article. If you are new to growing, please chime in. Thanks! Steve www,ExoticRainforest.com _______________________________________________ Aroid-L mailing list Aroid-L@www.gizmoworks.com http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l _______________________________________________ Aroid-L mailing list Aroid-L@www.gizmoworks.com http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l _______________________________________________ Aroid-L mailing list Aroid-L@www.gizmoworks.com http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l --------------000600090106030402030802

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